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I
joined
the J Lyons & Co group at the age of
16 in 1964 at Meads Top Deck restaurant
& cafeteria - now the Ircus Tavern -
in Purfleet, Essex, in the post of
assistant cook. After about a year I was
asked if I would like to train for
management in London, and I
accepted.
I
transferred to the Oxford Corner House
where I started my training. Our training
officer was Miss Myrtle Peniakova. I was
there until the building was closed. I was
then transferred to the Strand Corner
House where I continued my
training.
In the
Corner House I worked in almost all of the
restaurants, starting in the basement and
The Showboat / brasserie. Ground floor was
the Trafalgar Room Wimpy bar; Monk's
Tavern where shop manager at one time was
Mr. George Waller. On the first floor we
had the Grill & Cheese, Trident
and The Carving Room - at 11
shillings and sixpence per head (57.5p) -
the manager Mr. Bernard Causton was up on
the second floor where the Hamilton room
and the 'Egg and Bacon' were located.
Later it was changed to a casino but it
seems a license could not be obtained.
While based at the Strand Corner House we
were given out-door catering jobs. I
worked at Buckingham Palace garden parties
12 times under the watchful eye of Mr.
Louis Avery. I was introduced to Her
Majesty the Queen by Sir Norman Joseph. I
also worked at St James Palace, and
Lingfield Park races in the presence of
the late Queen Mother. My cocktail bar
training took place at the Belvedere
Restaurant in Holland Park. Prince Charles
was in for dinner while I was working. My
main bar training took place at the
Throgmorton Restaurant.
I remember
one afternoon spent doing nothing else but
opening bottles of champagne from large
tin baths hidden under the buffet.
At my own
wedding the cake was bought from Lyons. It
was a three tier traditional style and
with my staff discount cost me £4.00.
It was delivered after my marriage. I
moved back to Essex and took a post as
Assistant Manager for the Lion &
Lamb hotel in Brentwood which was part of
the Robley Group. I left the company in
1971 with many happy memories and a vast
amount of experience in work and
life.
©
Peter Jordan 2005
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