Rosie Furnival grew up in Rye. At the age of fourteen she worked as a waitress at what was the Place (now the Gallivant). She then worked at McDonald’s in Ashford while still at school, and in a number of pubs in the locality.
Rosie studied fine art at Leeds. She worked in a gastro-pub in the city and eventually became the sous-chef there. After completing her university course, Rosie spent three years travelling each summer and working in the winter season in a ski-resort in the French Alps.
When she returned to Rye she worked as a sous-chef at the Standard, and then became head chef. She also worked in the Arctic Circle one summer, cooking for fishermen in Russia. She had no contact with the outside world while there and she flew out on a second world war helicopter which she said was virtually held together with duct-tape. Each week the helicopter would bring in a new batch of guests together with the food for a week. Rosie would never know what food might be coming – perhaps half a cow, or a load of frozen fish! She said this was an incredible experience which helped her think outside the box.
Rosie has been running the Fig for seven years. At first it was a tea room serving sandwiches and cake but it has developed over the last few years to become a restaurant / cafe with four hotel rooms upstairs (bed and breakfast) which Rosie has designed herself.
Rosie feels her varied catering experience has been a real positive and she says she has never really experienced any problems as a woman working in the business. In any case she says, she would never employ anyone who is more bolshie than she is!
You can listen in more detail to Rosie’s interview on the website www.herstoryrye.co.uk
The HerStory project, which was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund last year, is ongoing and we are still welcoming volunteers to undertake interviews.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer please contact Ali Casey at ali.casey63@gmail.com for further information.
Image Credits: HerStory archive .