Do you suffer from food allergies and can't find a restaurant that understands your needs?
Searching for a restaurant that can cook food the way YOU like it?
I believe there should be more health conscious and obliging restaurants like -
Arthurs Restaurant
One of my favourite things to do is dine out. I like all types of cuisine, however I have an intolerance for very hot, spicy food (even though I love it) and also for glutens. I also like me food cooked to my liking ie; no cream or batter.
Recently, my husband and I visited our regular haunt, Arthur’s Restaurant in Kellyville (the Hills area of NSW), I discovered that the owners, Greg and Helen Holton have now included a gluten free option to their already extensive menu.
Mr J and I have been devotees of this restaurant for many years and we have enjoyed sharing friendly chats and conversations of life events with Helen, Greg and their restaurant manager, Scott, over those years and I was delighted to discover that they serve gluten free food (the correct way).
Helen and Greg are a wonderful couple and share not only a successful marriage but also a successful business. They really take great pride in their restaurant and they just ooze passion. I asked Helen if she would join me in a chat for wisewomensworld as I am sure many coeliac sufferers would be very keen to learn about his restaurant.
Lana – I love what Greg does with seafood, and I believe that you now offer a menu specifically for diners who require a gluten free diet. Obviously, a gluten free diet is specialized – what inspired you to take on this speciality?
Helen – I recently found out that I am a Coeliac (cannot eat products that wheat/Gluten). Greg, Scott (my Manager), and myself discussed the merits of offering a menu that catered to both Coeliacs and non Coeliacs but did not require any substantial changes to the meals. As a result the menu now offers meals that are Gluten Free, meals that can be modified so they are Gluten free, and meals that coeliacs cannot have (Pastas etc). We believe there was a hole in the market for this type of Menu and have found it to be extremely well received. We had one lady who heard that we offered this type of menu. Came in to try it, and had Fish and Chips for the first time in 20 years. In fact she stated that she simply stopped going out to restaurants because she couldn’t risk the fact that there were products in the sauces/stocks that contain gluten that even the Chef was not aware of. Greg had to do some extensive research before he could release this menu. Believe me, Gluten is in a lot more products than you realise.
Lana – I agree with you Helen. A family member of mine was also diagnosed with Coeliac disease and became so frustrated and unhappy after discovering the extent to which she had to modify her diet. I understand the inconvenience of having to modify your diet as I also have an intolerance to gluten. Helen, as you know I have enjoyed the pleasure of dining at your restaurant on many occasions over the past few years and have never asked you before - exactly how long you and Greg have owned Arthurs and what was your impetus for starting this restaurant?
Helen – Greg and myself have owned the restaurant outright for the last 9 years. Prior to that we had a partner who we bought out around 1999. We had been working in the restaurant for many years prior to buying in, and saw it as an ideal investment opportunity. Since becoming the sole owners, we have changed the style to suit the requirements of the area. This is an ongoing process as the area is changing constantly.
Lana – Helen, what’s your role in the business and what is your day to day responsibilities and duties?
Helen – My first role within the restaurant is front of House, because we are a small business this includes all aspects from food & drink service to bills and cleaning. There is no room within a small business for a hierarchy system. We all work as a team to ensure that the client is well looked after. Paperwork is my other responsibility, a somewhat tedious one but it has to be done.
Lana - What inspires you and does your role in the business satisfy you?
Helen - Over the years I have looked after a lot of people, it is a wonderful feeling when they leave and express their gratitude for making their evening memorable, and even better feeling when they keep coming back, some for the last 22 years that I have been here.
Lana - How do you fit in a career and a homelife?
Helen - Like everyone who has a career, family life can often suffer. We are fortunate to have friends and family who take into consideration our strange hours and therefore organise events on our days off, mainly Sundays. We don’t have children to consider so this has certainly made the hours we work a little bit easier to handle.
Lana – What do you believe makes Arthur’s Restaurant so successful?
Helen – I think it has a lot to do with our customer focus. We have always been very customer orientated and have always tried to keep our “finger on the pulse” on what our CUSTOMERS want, not what we want. Many restaurants try to follow current industry trends and styles. These can be very misleading as alot of these trends come from the inner city outlets that cater to a totally different market to us. Our market is much more family orientated. We have to cater to a very diverse community that demands very good quality meals and value for money. We believe we deliver both.
Lana – Being in business myself over many years, I found that staff retention was always a challenge, how have you managed to retain staff at your restaurant over the years?
Helen – We have always tried to look after our staff on a professional level as well as a personal level.
As a result many of our past and present staff have become friends. Greg and myself have always tried to encourage a healthy balance of professionalism and casualness amongst the staff and ourselves. As a result they enjoy the environment and are less inclined to “Job Hop” which is quite prevalent in this industry.
Lana – Helen, Tell me about the clientele you attract to your restaurant?
Helen – We have quite a diverse community in the Hills district. Our lunches are predominantly made up of business people conducting meetings, and couples just after a quick bite between shopping and picking up the kids from school, etc. Our dinners are when we do most of our business and the clients are here either celebrating anniversaries, birthdays, catching up with friends or taking the kids out for a treat. The average age of our cliental would be in the 35-60 bracket. Our stereotypical client is generally quite knowledgeable about food and wine as he/she is a regular “Foodie” and enjoys being pampered, and is always up for a chat. We are very lucky in that we have an extremely large regular cliental that would dine with us at least once a week and have been doing so for many years. We have one couple who dine with us every Thursday night and have done so for the last 16 years.
Lana - Thank you Helen for chatting with me and congratulations on your wonderful restaurant. Helen you really are a 'wise woman"
Arthurs Restaurant
The Village Centre 29-31 Windsor Rd Kellyville, Sydney, Australia, 2155
Phone: (02) 9629 1224 Fax: (02) 9629 2665 www.arthurs.com.au
See a sample menu for Arthurs Restaurant @ - All About Us/Eat Drink Celebrate/Gluten Free
Arthurs Restaurant
The Village Centre 29-31 Windsor Rd Kellyville, Sydney, Australia, 2155
Phone: (02) 9629 1224 Fax: (02) 9629 2665 www.arthurs.com.au
