4 Years Old - From Nursery to Big School

So 4 years ago, we were launched. Yes, this Wednesday 4 years ago was the first real day of operations for us. We invited all of Mrs K’s work mates down from their office for lunch as a trial and we opened for the day, with Chef Jared and a good buddy Katya in the kitchen, Catherine on the espresso and myself and ‘the legend that is Rhea’ on the floor.

This year, our daughter Layla starts going to big kids school, after going to nursery for the past two years. She is still in Nursery as such, but it is five days a week in the local primary school. Very exciting for her and for us.

The life of Kaffeine feels a bit the same. You have your initial starting period where everything is new and totally exciting and you are testing the world, then you become a bit more comfortable with everything but are still young enough to make a silly mistake every now and then. More than that, it feels like you grown into something more real, more mature and more settled. But you still have a long way to go to make it in the world.

A while ago, someone wrote a review of Kaffeine saying many nice things, including in reference to the many other cafes in London these days that ‘Kaffeine is old school but still cool’. We were only three at the time. I hope they still say that in twenty years.

Another very regular customer, when I apologised for the slight delay on his coffee one day because we were really busy said ‘I’m glad you’re busy, because if you weren’t, you probably would not be here’. What a lovely compliment, I hope he says the same in twenty years too.

I have many, many people to thank for all the hard work over the past four years, a big shout must go out to Chef Jared who has been here from the start. Respect and thank you and also to all the staff who currently work here and all the ones who have worked here is the past. It is very hard work being here, hard but very enjoyable. Well done everyone.

A very big thank you to all the industry people who also support us and help us, from our suppliers to our friends in industry who we can turn to for advice.

A huge thank you for all the thousands of customers who have supported us and continue to support us. For us, this is what we are in business for, to provide a true definition of a hospitality business and we hope that we fulfil the below definition for you, it is why we come to work in the morning.

hos·pi·tal·i·ty
/ˌhäspiˈtalitē/

Noun

The friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.

We will have brownies to give away all week to help us, and you, to celebrate. Hope to see you in store. Please enjoy.

Peter Dore-Smith
Director
Kaffeine Ltd
66 Great Titchfield st.
15 Eastcastle st.