Adriana's Corner

Chapter 18

Tulla and Ella Seivers are the owners of not only the beautifully laid out restaurant, The Kingston, but they also own the community kitchen next door to it which is used as a base for catering, for gourmet food lessons and for basics classes for women who have just got out of prison or other tough situations who need to learn cooking skills. A big thing to have going for a couple who don't look much older than I.

Tulla is a man with Jamaican and French blood, but who has lived his whole life in Australia. He looks like a thinner, more enthusiastic version of Ainslie Harrison...yes...more enthusiastic.

His wife is a chirpy little red head who frowns in thought at everything one says even on non serious subjects like how nice the inside of the restaurant looks, which is all we've talked about thus far.

They showed us at a table in the corner and had put a cheeseboard down for us to nibble at while we chat. The feeling this place and these people give off is exactly what I want to have for Adriana's Corner. I'm so glad we came here and the couple are ridiculously nice. The kind of people who are impossible to dislike and easy to talk to. We've been here for half an hour hearing about the place and how they've built it up to what it is now. The cheese board is long gone as have the drinks.

"So! What brings you all to our little place?" Tulla finally asks us, leaning back in his chair.

"Have you ever heard of the Oxford Food Garden?" I ask.

"Heard of it? We're regulars. Tulla and I get coffee and lunch there sometimes to take to the park." I look at Taffy and 'Named Brunette' and they both nod.

"Yes, they're in nearly every week. Didn't know you were the owners of the Kingston but I remember seeing you both." Taffy says.

"Didn't you clap with joy at seeing a can of something at one stage?" Named Brunette asks. Tulla nods, not embarrassed at all.

"Yes! I used to buy these small cans of chipotle in adobe paste, but my supplier stopped selling it. Low and behold, we walk into the Oxford and there it is! Life saver!"

I laugh a little shaking my head. I wish I was that passionate about something.

"So you guys all work there?" Ella asks.

"We do now!" Lauren chirps.

"Last time we went there it was closed wasn't it babe?" Tulla asks. She gives a nod in reply.

"That's where I come in." I interrupt, "Taffy and I are the new owners. The original ones took off, one of them being the chef. I can't cook to save my life, so we're looking for someone who will know how to use the ingredients we sell and keep the standard going. We heard you had to look for a new chef recently and we were wondering if you had anybody in mind...someone that can maybe only work days or something?"

Tulla and Ella look at each other in thought and I look at the others nervously.

"There's free food in it for you. There's meat in the fridges that need to go. We won't be open for a little bit anyway so..."

"I'm wondering babe if were thinking of the same person..." Tulla says to Ella, eyes on her.

"I was thinking Terry..." she says.

"No, he didn't want to work any weekends ever remember..."

"Oh yeah. Who were you thinking of?"

"Aaron...can't remember his last name. Good chef, but he could only work days and had to be home for the kids..."

"Oh yeah, his wife had just died...or left. Did he say?"

"No, I'll go and see if we still have his C.V." Tulla jumps up and makes his way to the office whistling loudly as he goes.