PA Life is excited to bring you an exclusive with Jill Stein as part of our Inspiring Women interviews. Jill is the co-founder with then husband Rick Stein of The Seafood Restaurant that opened in Padstow in 1975. Jill has been, and remains, pivotal in the success and growth of the business. From the single restaurant she and Rick started on the quay in Padstow to the world-renowned business it is today.ย
In late 2017 Jill launchedโฏPorthduneโฏโ herย personal collection of natural skincare and lifestyle products inspired by the Cornish coast around Padstowย that she loves so much.ย Jill has received many awards over the years to recognise her achievements including an OBE for services to the Restaurant Industry, being named the chair of Visit Cornwall in 2019, awarded an honorary doctorate of business from Plymouth University, the Special Award from the prestigious Catey Awards and was included on CODEโs 100 Most Influential Women in Hospitality listย in 2021.
1. The hospitality industry has traditionally been male dominated in senior roles. What challenges have you faced as a woman in leadership, and how have you overcome them?
“When Rick and I started out and we were self-employed, I was always an equal lead in the business to Rick and we split responsibilities. It became more of a personal challenge when peopleโs perceptions of me seemed to change once Rick got on TV. It was interesting as people (women particularly) would push me out of the way and say โoh are you his wifeโ – even at a parents and teacher meeting this happened. So, I think I had to adjust to the way people thought about me changing, but Iโm a very determined person and just kept working and growing. Even when I was awarded my OBE, someone saidย โwhat, you?โ – so I had to overcome opinions like that! When we ran the business ourselves, I found we were on a more equal footing.”
“Creating an environment where women succeed is really important to me. Itโs about integrating our policies, practices and initiatives for everyone to achieve their personal goals. Weโre always working to ensure weโre offering equal opportunities at Steinโs by ensuring we offer fair recruitment, that hiring processes are gender neutral and include transparent growth opportunities. It is a key part of our business, and currently 55% of our senior leadership team is made up of some brilliant women, with roles across finance, operations, marketing departments and more. Itโs always been important for us โ and for myself โ that we have strong visible role models who are very active in the business.”
What steps does the hospitality sector need to take to ensure more women progress into top leadership positions?
“Itโs about providing equal opportunities all the way through from education to training and career development, in order to help support women especially when moving into traditionally male environments. Also, the gender gap isnโt just a matter of inequality, itโs a matter of missed opportunity. Research shows women often perform better than their male counterparts when given the opportunity and support needed in these traditionally male environments. Every business needs a mix โ you canโt have all of one and none of the other, you need those diverse ways of thinking, diverse life experiences and opinions to help grow. Weโre different (men and women) but itโs so important to come together in life, in business and share ways of thinking and working.
I came from a house full of women into a house full of men โ having three sons! So, I understand the differences in how we operate and think, and believe it is crucial to have both genders in leadership.”
3. Did you have a mentor who helped shape your career? How important is mentorship for women aiming for leadership roles in hospitality?
“So many women inspire me โ especially those who have shown real determination to create something for themselves and survived some of those more male-dominated spaces.
Angela Harnett is a real hero of mine, sheโs brilliant – equal to any male chef, a wonderfully successful businesswoman and has been through some of the toughest kitchens to create something of her own. I also really admire chef Emily Scott โ who has set up her own business by herself down here in Cornwall, and I also really look up to Sarah Allen, who runs an amazing pub called the St Kew Inn (in Bodmin) and runs it on her own and is so hardworking.”
4. Whatโs advice would you give to the next generation of women looking to build a successful career in this industry?
“I suppose it is a little different for me as I jumped straight in at the deep end when we opened The Seafood Restaurant, but I think what is really important is to show your drive and passion for hospitality, and especially as a woman, to make your goals known to managers etc. Be open to new opportunities as you never know where hospitality is going to take you โ for instance, we have people who joined us as KPs who are now sommeliers, and I love that we can offer those kinds of opportunities to grow peopleโs interest and skills.”
5. An exclusive with Jill Stein OBE: What inspired you to create Porthdune and what was the learning-curve like for you?
“Iโve always been inspired by the Cornish coast. It was important to me that now that we had rooms for guests, we bring in a Cornish brand that was made in Cornwall, exclusive to us and really enhanced the experience for our guests. It took a long time to get right, but we went through all the natural smells I like and have created a range that instantly makes you think of the sea and the coast. My daughter in law, Kate Stein, who is an incredibly talented artist, then created the beautiful designs for our products, again taking inspiration from the Cornish coast.”
6. Your achievements are diverse, ranging from hospitality and skincare to doctorates, awards and even a Chair of Visit Cornwall. Which achievement has been the most challengingย and which one are you the proudest of?
“The most challenging was running our own business. It spanned years before we got a management team to help us and it was definitely hard work to keep juggling all the jobs that come with running a restaurant (bar the cooking of course, which was Rickโs job!), alongside having a family. My proudest moment has definitely been being awarded my OBE, having my contribution to the industry recognised in such a brilliant way.”
7. What dreams and goals are you planning next?
“My goal is to ensure we continue to maintain the style of the business, as it is really important to me that our rooms, restaurants and our ranges online all feel cohesive and welcoming. I would also like to do more work to mentor young women in our business to progress within hospitality, as I think us women have so much to offer and such valuable insights. With my sons areย taking more of a leading role in the business too, I of course want to make sure they are in the best possible position to continue our success.”
8. What does the International Womenโs Day mean to you?
“International Womenโs Day is very, very important to me. Itโs a day of unity with women across the world, to celebrate and support each other. Thereโs a real lack of acknowledgement across all societies for the impact women have made not just in hospitality but in all aspects of business, of life. Itโs therefore so important that we take the opportunity to make noise about and celebrate those achievements as they shouldnโt go unseen.”
