Women in Luxury: Jill Stein, entrepreneur and interior designer
Meet the woman that helped transform a single seafood restaurant into a global business
When the Steins moved to Padstow in 1975, it was nothing but a sleepy Cornish fishing village. Having spotted a gap in the market for a posh restaurant tapping into not only the abundance of seafood on its doorstep, but also Stein’s cheffing experience, Jill and Rick opened The Seafood Restaurant. Fast forward 50 years, and the business empire now includes 10 restaurants, a pub, a cookery school, 40 guest rooms, numerous self-catering properties and four shops. With the couple’s three sons now involved too, there are few family affairs quite like this one.
Marking the business’ 50th anniversary this year, Jill Stein remains at the helm of the company as a co-owner and interior designer (despite the couple’s divorce in 2007). While Rick and their sons, chef director Jack and director of wine Charlie, spearhead the menus, Stein looks after the look, developing the brand’s stylish, coastal charm-coded interiors which are resplendent across the restaurants in Padstow, as well as newer outposts in Winchester, Sandbanks, Barnes and even Australia.
Following the success of The Seafood Restaurant, the Steins turned their attention to the other string of hospitality: hotels. The inaugural project arrived with the purchase of the derelict St Petroc’s in 1988, which Stein reimagined herself, before the six-bedroom St Edmund’s House followed in 2001.
Over the next few years a string of rental properties in and around Padstow, a peaceful eight-bed retreat in Penrose, and six shepherd’s huts overlooking the Cornish countryside at the St Merryn-based pub, The Cornish Arms, were designed in collaboration with son Ed and daughter-in-law Kate. Across it all, though, is Stein’s signature, self-taught design style; think coastal touches inspired by Cornwall, California and Australia, nautical nods in artwork depicting underwater scenes and sea urchin jugs, and clean, neutral colour palettes.
Stein added another string to her bow in 2017 when she launched Porthdune: a collection of natural skincare and lifestyle products inspired by the Cornish coast. Found in all of the outlets and rooms encompassed by the Stein empire, Porthdune offers handmade candles, fragrances and lotions with scents of honey, clove and fig, and the signature Padstow blend of samphire and sea salt.
Now in her 70s, Stein shows no signs of slowing down, continuing to evolve the family business and preserve it for years to come. We sit down to discuss learning on the job, her big break and nurturing talent.
I was never completely sure of what I wanted to do – at one point I quite fancied nursing. I never really enjoyed school as a child and left when I was quite young, but things have turned out pretty well!
I’ve always felt, innately, I was an entrepreneur and that I was going to have my own business and sense of direction. However, it took a while before I found my calling! Initially, Rick and I had a mobile disco venture in both Cornwall and London, before we opened a proper nightclub in Cornwall (The Purple Tiger). However, after too many times of it getting closed for being a bit too lively, we decided to open The Seafood Restaurant, an incredible 50 years ago now.
We were very hand-to-mouth to start with, we were learning our craft. We had a less broad knowledge of hospitality, and we weren’t as skilled as we are now. In the 1970s, Cornwall had no publicity – not anywhere near the level it does now – and so we had to build our reputation. We had to learn to run a business on the job, so everything I learned came from experience.
An average day now is far less frenetic than it used to be when I was running the restaurant, which I did for 30 years. Now I’m overseeing things, I like to visit all of our restaurants and see what needs to be done – my job now is to keep maintaining the style and atmosphere of the business which I love.
The most challenging part of the job was dealing with, on occasion, difficult customers, especially during long, back-to-back shifts. It could be demanding at times, but it also taught me patience and the importance of maintaining professionalism under pressure. Another aspect I didn’t enjoy as much was the board meetings. I understand their value, of course, but I’m naturally more of a hands-on, creative person, and that’s where I feel most energised.
As for the best part, I absolutely love being involved with people and the restaurants day to day. Working closely with teams, guests, and the creative side of the business is what truly motivates me.
There’s so many things – my time in the business and the fact that it’s been going for five decades (so far!). I was also so proud to be given an honorary doctorate by the University of Plymouth, as well as featured as one of Code’s most influential women in hospitality, but the highlight has to be my OBE, which I’m very proud of.
It has got to be the pandemic. It was a really difficult period for everyone, but I think hospitality felt it the most. Everything changed overnight, and I don’t think the industry has really been the same since.
What I learned from it was huge. It forced us to take a proper look at the business – something we’d never done in quite the same way before – and we had to do a lot of restructuring. At the same time, so many people were off work, which gave them a chance to reset from what’s usually such a busy job. That meant we had to rethink roles and make the workplace more appealing to come back to, including finding ways to introduce more flexibility into a job that doesn’t always lend itself to it.
I am able to switch off but I do check my emails! I just like to know what’s going on and it’s nice to know what’s happening at home when I’m lying in the sun…
Walking along the coast is my favourite way to unwind – I’m very lucky to live where I do. It clears your head which is very important. I do also love an occasional massage as a treat too.
There are two women – the first is Angela Hartnett. She’s an amazing woman and chef who has ridden the storm of tough kitchens and has become incredibly successful. I really look up to her. The other is Judy Hutson, who is a friend of mine and the co-founder of The Pig Group with her partner Robin Hutson. She was instrumental in its iteration and looked after the interiors which again inspires me. I’m lucky enough to know and admire them both.
There are so many important qualities, but one that stands out for me is strong leadership. A good manager needs to be able to delegate effectively, communicate clearly, and, importantly, have respect for everyone on their team. I’ve been lucky enough to do almost every role in the business at some point, which really instilled in me a respect for every job. It’s easy for people to think their job is the hardest, but every role brings its own challenges.
When I started, there were far fewer women in leadership roles – now, there are so many more women in senior positions, especially at places like Steins, which is really encouraging. I’ve seen women take on roles that were traditionally less accessible to them – the workplace feels more inclusive and dynamic.
I’d love to see even greater recognition of women and their talents in the industry. There’s been a lot of progress, but there’s still a way to go yet. For me, it’s about balance and collaboration.
There are so many successful female chefs now which is really encouraging, and things have come a long way, but I think there are still some hurdles which we need to work on removing for women. What I’d love to see more of is truly collaborative kitchens, where men and women work together seamlessly and support each other. That’s when the industry really thrives.
There’s a song called Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) which details a lot of important life lessons – I’d send this to her alongside the message to have faith in yourself.
Similarly to above, I’d say to have confidence, which is easy to say as I’ve found this comes with age. When you’re young, you’re always second guessing yourself but trust your instincts! Take risks, don’t overthink and enjoy life.
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