When I went into labour with our first child I wasn’t too worried because Yeshi was already an old hand at bringing new life into the world. Back in Tibet he’d helped to deliver many babies, albeit none of them human.
When he was little, Yeshi spent more time with animals than he did with people. School was a weekly boarding situation that he didn’t fancy so he spent most of his time up in the mountains looking after the family’s livestock instead.
His outdoor life, spent predominantly in the company of yaks and sheep, taught him lots of things that traditional schools generally don’t go near: how to spot a storm before it has started to brew, which wild foods are edible and which must be avoided, and above all the importance and value of instinct.
People often talk about animals as having good instincts. Dogs, we say, can sniff out the bad guy, and Yeshi remembers how his yaks would group together in tight herds when they sensed danger. Humans – as animals ourselves – also have excellent instincts, but given how slowly evolution works these instincts are arguably better adapted to the hunter-gatherer life than to today’s modern world.
Living alongside his animal friends – or perhaps it was the lack of formal schooling – has definitely given Yeshi the edge. He knows to follow his gut and trusts his intuition. Hospitality, arguably more than other industries, demands this sixth sense. Delicious food is just one vital component of a successful restaurant. Gut instinct – for what the market needs and how to put it out there – comes a close second.
Right now, most restaurants are in a survival instinct situation – we’ve been in this state since Covid really. Yeshi is up to the job – he’s seen off bears and wolves, and survived blizzards and extreme cold.
If you’d like to support Taste Tibet this Christmas there’s plenty you can do. Visit the restaurant, stock up on freezer food, or treat your friends and family to our cookbook and chilli oil – these all make excellent gifts. You can buy everything through us, or bag yourself a copy of the cookbook in your local bookshop or anywhere online (we’re happy to sign it wherever you’ve sourced it).
The restaurant is open all the usual hours this week, as follows:
Wednesday – Friday: 5-9.30pm (dinner only)
Saturday: 12-3 (lunch) / 5-9.30pm (dinner)
This week’s menu is out now – check it!
Looking forward to seeing you soon,
Julie and Yeshi
Opening hours this week:
Weds – Fri: 5-9.30pm
Sat: 12-3pm 🥢 5-9.30pm
☏ 01865 499318
If you love our cookbook please click here to review it! Thank you 🙏🏽
