Once in a while, we all meet a person in our lives who seems to live and breathe for their unique talent to inspire and bring other people together. Those people are not necessarily what we would consider to be ‘successful’ in a material sense. Their ‘success’ doesn’t necessarily translate into wealth; this doesn’t mean that they can’t achieve wealth, and indeed they often do as a side effect of their strong work ethic based on the deeper values that lead them to positive action. 

However, their gains are first and foremost internal, and their influence upon others cannot be measured solely by quantitative figures. It is rather akin to a slow burning flame, which is passed on in an almost unnoticeable and inconspicuous manner to the people around them. Their leadership is powerful and infectious, and yet they don’t shout, demand or intimidate.

I believe that Jaya is such a person, and in this interview I speak to her about her life and food philosophy, what motivates and drives her forward and how her customers react to her work. You will hear about her holistic views and how the ancient Ayurvedic philosophy influences her cooking methods. Her approach has a strong effect on her customers, whose loyalty and enthusiasm are visible to anyone who has ever set foot in her shop.

Jaya's shop in Bicester sadly doesn't exist anymore; her philosophy however still lives on in her more recent cooking ventures in Oxford. As she states herself 'I sometimes spend 18 hours a day cooking in the weekend. I'm not sure I would be able to do this if I was to consider it as work'.

Enjoy the conversation with this remarkable person and as ever, comments and suggestions for future speakers are welcome on kostasthecoach@gmail.com