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30th July 2014
05:00pm BST

What has been the highlight of your career so far?
I think we would both say that getting through the last few years without inflicting pain on our staff by making pay cuts is something we're really proud of. We continued to grow the company and worked hard to ensure wages remained untouched. That was tough, but I think worth it.
Do you think that women face additional challenges in business or has this ever been an issue for you?
It has never really been an issue for us. Kitchens are tough environments to work in but they are meritocratic and hard work gets you places. That kind of tough environment gives you a bit of an edge. Of course we've encountered all sorts of nonsense over the years, but we're strong and we've never shied away from having a good fight when necessary.
Do you think working with family makes things more or less difficult?
Both - but neither of us would change it for the world. There is an element of trust there that is incredibly comforting. We both believe in getting things sorted quickly and amicably so if we do end up disagreeing over something, we have a good scrap and clear the air. We are very close and hang out a lot anyway. We also have to remember to stop talking about work constantly and to remind ourselves that, first and foremost, we are family.
How do you approach the creation of a new cookery book? Can you describe the process?
I work very quickly and when I like something, I run with it. My next book is a collection of recipes for Dinner from The Irish Times. The tricky bits can be editing down text, getting photos done, writing intros and also picking a cover. But they are all just stages in the process. You just approach them methodically and then what initially seems daunting, slowly becomes manageable and then very exciting. I really enjoy creative processes so it doesn't ever really feel like work.
What is your favourite recipe?
Last night, I made Caesar Salad and some roast chicken. The whole family was together and we had such a lovely night. Recipes are special because of what you associate with them. So, to be honest, my favourite recipe changes all the time!
What do you hope to achieve with Itsa in the future?
We have really enjoyed creating new brands over the last few years. Our sister company Hatch & Sons is a great example of this, as is Joe's - a fantastic specialist coffee shop that we opened last November. We're working on a juice and wholefoods cafe called Alchemy Juice Co that will be opening this September. We will continue to grow but we're really happy with the changes we've been making over the last few years. Watch this space!
Cover photo: Barry McCallExplore more on these topics: