The ChiLLi PiCkLe, Brighton, east Sussex
BUsiness proFile
naturally
indian
Chef-patron Alun Sperring and his wife Dawn, who is
the co-owner and general manager, have made The Chilli
Pickle, a huge success in Brighton. Sperring talks to Tandoori
What made you want to open your
own restaurant?
as a chef, i’d been classically
trained in european cooking and
worked in a number of different
countries for over 20 years, but i
always held a particular fascination
with indian cuisine. subsequently,
when i worked briefly at The
Cinnamon Club under chef Vivek
singh, i learnt a lot from him, but
also felt confident enough that i
could do what he was doing. i then
travelled to india and by the time
i had returned, it felt like a natural
decision to open a restaurant.
wife dawn and all the people that
have helped us and those that are
working with us. The downside is
that on a personal level, you have
very little time for anything. my son
is six years old now and were it
not for the support we’ve had from
the grandparents, it would have
been very difficult. The business
almost takes on a 24/7 aspect.
dawn is very much the face of
the restaurant and is very good at
multi-tasking, and when we get
home she’ll pick up on various
things, as i will her. so the work
goes home with us.
What made you want to open a
restaurant in brighton?
This is where i was brought up and
lived. brighton has a very eclectic
crowd, who are also well-informed
and well-travelled. so it seemed like
the right thing to do to launch here.
What was the initial investment you
made in the business?
When we first opened, with our
own savings and the assistance we
have received from my father-in-law
plus all the well-wishers, it was in
excess of £200,000.
What is your secret to running a
good business operation?
There are a few things to bear in
mind, but i think that the important
thing is that whilst i remain very
hands-on in the business, as i have
seen it grow, you have to start
delegating some of the core duties
to others. That means that you find
some good, trustworthy people
to work with who can continue to
execute your vision and keep the
business on the right path.
What has been the upside and
downside of being a chef and a
restaurateur?
The upside is that you see your
business grow and all the faith
and hard work that has gone into
it, not just by myself but also my
how would you describe the cooking style at your restaurant?
authentic, traditional and very
regional, and made with local
ingredients and individual flair. i’ve
always made a point of having a
number of regional chefs in the
Authentic,
traditional
and very
regional,
and made
with local
ingredients
and
individual
flair
What does the future hold for your
restaurant?
We have just launched the Chilli
pickle Canteen delivery service in
brighton and hove, and we have
a number of other things for our
business which we are planning.
NO. OF RESTAURANTS: 120
AVERAGE SPEND PER HEAD: £15 at
lunch, £30 at dinner
MOST EXPENSIVE DISH: The Chilli Pickle
Kebab Platter at £18.50
CHEAPEST DISH: The Tamil Masala Dosa
at £9.50
CRITICAL REVIEWS: “The menu gives
kitchen so that they can bring their
own knowledge and training into the
cooking. Currently, for instance, i
have nine regional chefs, though it is
always changing. i have picked up
so much from them and quiz them
incessantly about what they ate at as
youngsters themselves and how they
deal with spices and ingredients. it’s
just so fascinating for me.
sub-continental clichés and curry house
standards a swerve, dealing in smartly
reworked thalis, dosai and Indian streetfood-inspired dishes at lunchtime.” The AA
Restaurant Guide. “This “inventive” spot has
won a vast following with the “unmatched
flavours and sheer inventiveness” of its
cuisine.” Hardens
June / July 2013 T A N D O O R I
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