The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Good food and connecting with people exist hand in hand with one another
and build communities, and that’s exactly what we are trying to do with the cafe.”
While Julia was studying, she worked in a kitchen. Though she learned a lot, it wasn’t the most pleasant experience, thanks to some unkind chefs.
“I was bottom of the pecking order,” she recalls. “So I was used to being bossed around.
“I worked for nasty, bossy chefs, and that informed how I wanted to run my own kitchen. I didn’t want to be anything like that.”
“It was a traditional, slightly older, male-dominated field,” adds Julia. “So I feel like you’re not taken quite as seriously as a young woman coming into the kitchen.
“You’re not trusted as much as your male counterparts are to do a good job.
“Kitchens can be quite a shouty environment anyway because they’re so high pressure, but it can be especially like that when you’re the only woman in there. It could be really stressful.”
When she came across the job at Braw Tea, however, Julia knew it was perfect for her.
“I knew it was going to be all women, and supposed to be this nurturing, lovely space. I was like: ‘Yes, this is where I want to be.’”
Now, she strives to ensure that the environment for volunteers is supportive.
“The volunteers we’ve got come to us for all different reasons – confidence building, making friends, learning new skills,” she explains.
“We have a couple who I know are quite interested in food and drink careers now, and I hope their experience with us in the cafe gives them more confidence to go into kitchens.
“Knowing what it can be like to work in a nice place means if they end up in a kitchen and they’re the only woman in there and it feels horrible, then that’s not how it will always be.”
Julia takes steps to make sure the volunteers at Braw Tea cafe feel welcome and heard.
“It comes down to having bottomless patience,” she explains. No matter how much stress you feel, you’ve got to always be calm.
“You’ve got to have time for everybody, and I do genuinely have time for every single person that walks into that kitchen.”
Though she is quite young to have stepped into the role as chef, and to be teaching other women, Julia knows it is the right fit.
“It felt pretty natural, actually, going straight from college and into this teaching role,” she says. “It felt like a natural progression for me, because that was part of my learning when I was getting trained.
“It’s all about learning something new and trying to impart that knowledge on to other people.”
SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2024 | 9
Win the Angus town. We’ve put together a list of the best restaurants, cafes, pubs and more to try out on your next visit.
BREAKFAST
ondering where the best places to eat in Montrose are? Then look no further, you’ve come across our handy guide to food and drink
For a cooked breakfast that will see you right, you should visit the Pavilion Cafe.
Situated in the pretty Melville Gardens, the cafe offers a range of great brunch options. It is open for breakfast on Wednesday to Saturday mornings.
Some of the morning specials on offer include warm banana bread with berry creme fraiche, or the pan-fried mushrooms with wild garlic on grilled sourdough.
They serve full breakfasts, pancakes, a vegan breakfast and more. I’d recommend booking as it can get pretty busy. • Melville Gardens, Montrose, DD10 8HG. 10 | SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2024
A Cup Above serves up a range of bakes to brighten even the rainiest of days – including cheesecake, millionaire’s shortbread, carrot cake, chocolate brownies, red velvet cake and toffee shortbread. As well as cakes, A Cup Above also serves breakfast and lunch.
• 156 High St, Montrose, DD10 8JB.
LUNCH
If you’re a fan of seafood and you’re looking for some locally-caught fish, lobster and other marine fare then you should visit The Plaice.
The iconic name aside, this deli and fish bar has a varied offering. The lunch options include the Sailor’s Select, which contains prawn, crayfish, honey roast smoked salmon and smoked trout salad with a side of Marie Rose sauce.
Or you can go for a traditional prawn cocktail, topped with crevettes and honey-roast smoked salmon.
The majority of their catch comes from Peterhead Fish Market or Shetland.
• 63 Murray St, Montrose, DD10 8JZ.
Another option for a lunch stop is Madisons Cafe & Bistro. They serve up tasty soup, sandwiches and paninis, as well as homemade traybakes.
While you can find this cafe on Montrose’s High Street, they have another location in Montrose Sports Centre, as well as venues in Forfar, Brechin and Carnoustie.
• 79 High Street, Montrose, DD10 8QY.
For a delicious snack, there’s somewhere you need to visit. Scoops of Moo ice cream shop on the High Street has a seemingly endless number of flavours to choose from – these include Oreo, cookie dough, Creme Egg, creamy tablet, blueberry ripple, banana mallow and so many
Rosie’s has been on the go for seven years now, and is named after the mum of current owner Pamela Flett. This sweet and ice cream shop serves up pick ’n’ mix, sweetie cones, ice cream, Mr Whippy, milkshakes, razzles, slushies and more. • 16 High Street, Montrose, DD10 8JL.
DINNER
Now you’re hungry for another big feed again, you’ve just got to check out Ma Yom Thai restaurant. Their menu is full of your favourite dishes like Pad Thai and Panang red curry, and the food tastes fresh and looks beautiful.
If you’re looking for something different, though, you should try out the Larb Moo (spicy minced pork loin salad) or Tom Kha (coconut milk soup).
• 139 High Street, Montrose, DD10 8QN.
Another Montrose restaurant you could check out for dinner is Australian-themed eatery Roo’s Leap.
The venue is fun and has a laid-back, feel-good atmosphere to it.
Its menu is packed with a wide variety of options, many of which feature quirky Aussie puns, like the Roo-chetta (their take on bruschetta with the addition of feta) and the Roo’s roasties (roast potatoes with aioli and Roo’s red pepper sauce).
The Roo’s Leap steaks are sourced from Yorkes of Dundee, and are dry-aged for a minimum of 35 days in Himalayan salt. Then they’re grilled over charcoal to get that delicious smoky flavour. Their sharing cuts include the Tomahawk (£83) and the Chateaubriand (£71).
• 2 Traill Dr, Montrose, DD10 8SW.
DRINKS
The South Esk Inn – affectionately known as the “Soothie” – is a bar on Montrose’s Wharf Street.
They put on cocktail classes as well as afternoon teas with prosecco and gin and tonic. The afternoon tea costs £25 per person. There are also cocktail classes for the same price.
The cocktails are a decent price of £8.50, with their most popular being a Pornstar Martini.
The outdoor seating area would be a lovely spot for sipping some cider in the evening – provided the weather is on your side.
• 36 Wharf Street, Montrose, DD10 8BD.
The Market Arms is a great traditional pub for grabbing a pint on your visit to Montrose. That is, of course, if you aren’t the designated driver. They have outdoor seating and live music performances, too. • 95 High St, Montrose, DD10 8QY.