Firsts & Lasts with... Katy Saide, Co-Founder of Trove
Firsts & Lasts
It is said that the two most important moments in a restaurant are the moment you walk in the door – the hello – and the moment you leave, the last bite you take, the last person you speak to – the end/goodbye. But so much of our life is shaped by first and lasts, so here we profile amazing women of the industry, talking about some of their first and last moments...
As the Co-Founder of much-loved Trove, Katy Saide sits at the forefront of Manchester’s foodie scene. The first cafe opened in Levenshulme in 2011, after many a Saturday spent selling organic chutneys and jams on market stalls. Since then Trove has grown from cosy café in the suburbs of Manchester to an established and well-respected brand. Their second site opened in Ancoats last year (2018), swiftly followed by neighbouring restaurant and wine bar Erst. Locally sourced and seasonal is at the heart of Trove’s ethos, and the majority of items on their menu are made from scratch in house. Their bakery in Heaton Chapel supplies artisan bread and pastries to many of the city’s best restaurants. We were lucky enough to have Katy as a guest panel at our recent L.O.R In Stories event, where she talked about her experience of running a business with her partner (her husband Marcus is Co-Founder) and what she’s learned about the importance of maintaining balance whilst working in the industry.
Katy Saide shot by Giulia Zonza
First kiss: with Robert Good in a game of kiss catch in primary school.
First cocktail ordered on a night out: Pretty standard, mojito.
First food poisoning: I’m not sure when that was but I do remember a pretty horrific bout when living in Thailand and I was pooing and puking at the same time and I was just lucky that our apartment had a sink next to the loo!!
First job in hospitality: I have worked in hospitality since I was 15 washing pots in a village pub not far from where I lived. I hated it apart from the free cheese & pickled onion sandwich I got for my lunch.
First thing you do to unwind after work: Cup of herbal tea.
First thing you do in the middle of a hellish service/day at work to stay level headed: I’m fortunate that I don’t work in that kind of day to day situation anymore as when I did I don’t think I did keep very level headed and it lead to health issues from stress.
First thing you do when you wake up: I have just started a new routine which means getting up at 6/6.30am, then I scrape my tongue with a copper scraper. After I swill my mouth with coconut oil and then clean my teeth. After that I boil the kettle and make a cup of water with lemon and tell my self all the things I’m grateful for in my life. Then I head back upstairs to brush my body and give myself a body massage with sesame oil. After that I meditate, then try and do some yoga depending on the time and whether our daughter has woken up. This morning routine is all part of being calmer and dealing with the day better. It’s working.
First thing you do when you plan a holiday: Book flights and get very excited.
Last thing you bought at an off license: I never do anymore (we own a restaurant with some beautiful wines).
Last three favourite places you ate in:
Last song you listened to: Anything by George blinkin Ezra (we have a 6 year old).
Last podcast you listened to and what did you take away from it: I listened to a podcast by Deliciously Ella on period health and what to look out for regarding body health.
Last glass of wine you really enjoyed & where: Dominio De Tharsys, rose cava in our back garden with the smell of honeysuckle behind us.
Last time you had a proper day off: I went to Edale yesterday for a 4 hour walk with one of my oldest friends. It was a beautiful day.
Last review you read and agreed with: Haven’t read one for a while to be honest.