Foodies in the Time of Covid Q&A: Mel Taylor

I met Mel many years ago working at the Better Food Company. I messed around with marketing and tinkering with signage and she got on with the important stuff of managing the shop floor, ordering the food and staff rotas. My own experience of staff rotas makes me bow down and worship at the feet go anyone who manages to do this without wanting to weep and throw things on a regular basis.

Mel went on to build her own fantastic business called Gopals Curry Shack which became very successful. This town loves its vibrant food scene and Gopals became spicy main dish in the mix. However, like most small food businesses it was very hand to mouth and as covid loomed it took a hit and Mel had to make a choice to stay or leave. Read on to find out what happened.

Who are you and what have you got to do with food in Bristol?

My name is Melanie Taylor. I have worked in and around the Bristol Food Scene for over 30 years (yikes!).

I have done everything from washing pots and pans, running cafes, working as a chef, running kitchens, managing food retail businesses and for the last 7 years running my own food business Gopal's Curry Shack. Currently I am the manager of Fiveacre Farm shop and Mark's Bread in Southville.

Has covid affected your work or business, and if so how?

Yes Covid has had a huge impact on me and my business. I had to make the very difficult decision to walk away from my business as it was very clear that the pandemic was having a devastating impact and the business was very close to collapse. Almost overnight at the beginning of the first lockdown all our revenue streams dried up. Despite the local council grant we no longer had enough income to keep paying wages and rent. This led me to make the painful decision to look for work elsewhere.

Has lockdown had any benefits, to do with food or otherwise for you personally?

Despite the first lockdown being a really worrying time as I watched my business decline, there were also some really good personal highlights. I spent nearly three months volunteering for the National Food Service, cooking meals for people in need, using donated or surplus food. It felt so good to do something positive and to do something that helped others, particularly at a time of national crisis. I also rediscovered my love of cooking, as I had the time to create more at home. Having to confront the harsh reality of my financial situation gave me the opportunity to re-think both what I wanted and needed and led to me getting a job that I rather love.

Have you done much more cooking at home than usual through lockdown, and if so what has been your favourite home cooked dish?

Yes I cooked a lot more at home, particularly over the first lockdown as I had more time on my hands and I wasn't cooking and washing up all day at work. I really got into Asian food, taking time to do things like make my own spring rolls. My favourite new recipe of that period is Kimchi fried rice with golden crispy tofu. I also got back into baking regularly making cakes for my household, friends and neighbours.

Have you made use of any the local restaurant’s clever responses to having to close and ordered any special take aways? If so from where and what was it?

To be honest I was pretty strapped for cash for a lot of last year so generally went for home cooked food over takeaways or restaurant cook at home options. I tended to treat myself to small things like getting a delicious doughnut from the Bristol Loaf or cake from a patisserie. Bomboloni on Gloucester road were a particular highlight.

Back in the real world how do you see your work/business flourishing in the years to come within the Bristol or wider food scene? Do you feel that maybe, just maybe, there has been some good come out of all this and if so what do you think it is and how can we make use of it?

I now work for an independent Farm shop and bakery with our own growing operation. Over the last year the business has grown, initially with a huge demand for local fruit and veg boxes. After the first lockdown there was an initial drop off but that has been replaced with steady growth. Since then the shop has expanded and I would hope to see that continue.

There is a renewed interest in supporting local independent shops, people are more interested or knowledgeable about where there food comes from and have appreciated what's on their doorstep a bit more. I also feel that Brexit and the ongoing complexities of importing food will continue to make locally grown food more attractive. People are cooking more at home and whilst I think there will be an initial rush to the bars and restaurants when they reopen, I do think that many people will have a new skill set that they won't totally abandon I think that overall many people have a renewed interest in their local communities and I think having thriving local shops has been a life line for many. At least that's my hope!

On a personal note I now have a job I love, working in a job I love, feeling that I make a difference and that is a huge triumph for me and leaves me in a much better place than I was a year ago.

Have you got a recipe you’d like to share with us?

Yes-I have attached my kimchi fried rice recipe :-)

Kimchi Fried Rice

serves 2

• 1 cup of basmati rice

• 1 small onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, grated

• 1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks

• A handful of chestnut mushrooms, sliced or quartered

• ½ cup kimchi finely diced

• 3 spring onions, sliced

• ½ block of tofoo tofu, cubed

• Good quality soy sauce

• Siracha sauce

• 1 tablespoon gojuchang paste

• A handful of frozen peas

• chopped fresh coriander

• Red or green chillies, thinly sliced

• Sunflower oil

Method

1. Cook the rice and set aside.

2. In a large saute pan, heat the oil and fry the onion until translucent and beginning to colour

1. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 2 mins then add the carrots and mushrooms and fry for 3 mins, stirring regularly.

2. Add the diced kimchi and stir fry for 1 minute, then add the gojuchang paste & a generous splash of soy sauce, stir to mix.

3. Heat a sperate small frying pan with a splash of oil.

4. Add the cooked rice to the veg & kimchi mix and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the peas and most of the sliced spring onions, stir though and take off the heat

5. In the separate small pan, stir fry the tofu cubes until crisp and golden. Take off the heat and add a splash of soy sauce and a small amount of siracha, stir to coat

6.  serve the kimchi fried rice in a bowl topped with the crispy chilli tofu, the remaining sliced spring onions, fresh coriander and chilli slices. If you want to be super fancy you can also sprinkle over some black sesame seeds.

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Interviewed by Liz Haughton

Bristol resident for twenty five years, Liz ran the Folk House Cafe in Bristol for 13 and half years, adding Spike Island Cafe in along the way, until August 2019. Liz is currently organising a series of Slow Creative Retreats and encouraging nursery school kids to play with their food. Liz is a cook, writer, painter and general dabbler in all things creative.

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