Where were you when you and your significant other shared your first kiss? Because Yeshi and I were on his bed. But the bed, you see, doubled up as a dining room seat.
When Yeshi was growing up in Tibet, there were no dining tables, chairs or even beds. The family ate and slept in one room that was heated by a central fire. This hearth was also the kitchen stove.
Everybody sat and slept on the floor. Home-made mattresses fashioned from sheep or yak wool and sealed with leather were all the cushioning required.
During winter, the family’s herd of yaks, sheep, goats and dzo (yak-cow hybrids) lived on the ground floor of the house. Together, they helped to generate enough ambient body heat to keep their stable just above freezing. This raised the temperature of the family’s living quarters above, preventing heat drain. Yeshi remembers this shared bedroom, kitchen and living space as exceptionally warm and cosy.
Later, as western and Chinese architectural designs made their way into the village, Yeshi’s family separated out their kitchen from the communal living area. The idea was to make this space cleaner, brighter, and free of smoke.
Long benches were built into the sides of the room. These provided seating during the day. At night they became beds.
Moving the kitchen out of the shared living space has led to huge changes in the way that Yeshi’s family live day to day. Family members must now travel between separate buildings. The less able-bodied among them can struggle to move between the two.
In his room in India, where we met, Yeshi’s stove was just next to his bed. During the daytime this bed was used as a sofa and dining space. If the kitchen had been in another building, would he even have made his move?
The restaurant is currently open Wednesday to Saturday. Here are our full opening hours:
Weds – Fri: 5-9.30pm (dinner only)
Saturday: 12-3 / 5-9.30pm
Our menu is up on the website – check it. Come by for dine in or take away or to restock your freezer. We also have a new batch of sepen chilli oil for local lovers – come grab!
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Looking forward to seeing you soon,
Julie and Yeshi
Opening hours this week:
Weds – Fri: 5-9.30pm
Saturday: 12-3pm 🥢 5-9.30pm
☏ 01865 499318
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