How I Got Here: Phil Juma
Why did you get into restaurants?
My first experience of working in hospitality was in London's street food scene back in 2012. I was working in the City at the time, but I wanted to gain experience in kitchens and learn about the London food scene, which was popping at the time. I worked for vendors like French & Grace and Wild Game Co (to name a few) and this gave me a taste of the scene. Amongst all the 'hype’, I consistently told myself that Iraqi cuisine has it’s place amongst all of this – but I didn’t know how to cook (professionally). So I began working in restaurant kitchens and gained as much experience as I could, and then in 2013, I hosted my first Iraqi supper club. The food and organisation of the night was a bit of a shambles if I'm honest, but the crowd were all friends and they were so supportive (and forgiving). That was the start of an incredible journey to get to where JUMA is today, which I never even dreamed possible, and there is so much more to come.
Tell us something you wish you had been told at the start of your career?
Get a coach, mentor or business partner. I started JUMA on my own and I didn’t really have much guidance from anyone. With hindsight, I was so stretched mentally and physically and I didn’t reach out to people for help. I was doing ridiculous hours and working so hard (which is inevitable at the start) but I wish I had someone to talk to, to bounce ideas off, and to share the load. Being self-taught, I carried a lot of insecurities around my own abilities and as much as it pushed me, it also held me back. Again, having someone in my corner to guide me technically would have really empowered me and given me confidence. The final thing is I would have loved someone to tell me that you can’t please everyone all the time. I still struggle with that to be honest.
What’s your favourite restaurant or group of restaurants?
I recently went to Bright restaurant and had an incredible meal. And I love to eat at Ishbilia in Knightsbridge for incredible Lebanese meze. I love it there and having trained in their kitchens, I can honestly say they have the highest standards.
What motivates you on a daily basis?
Bringing Iraqi cuisine and culture to the masses.
What keeps you up at night?
How vulnerable we are as a business/industry, especially with staff.
Which colleague, mentor or employer has had the biggest influence on your approach to the restaurant business?
My influences growing up came from the television mainly, as I didn't really have anyone to guide me. Keith Floyd - loved his natural and 'real' approach to cooking; Anthony Bourdain - a legend, his legacy will be with us all forever; Raymond Blanc - he's built something pretty spectacular and the fact that he is self taught and worked his way up is phenomenal; and Andrew Wong - what he has done for Chinese cuisine in the UK is pretty incredible, an education as well as flavour.
What time do you wake up?
7am.
Coffee or tea?
Tea.
How often do you check your email?
10 times per day.
How do you let off steam?
Swim.
Do you prefer a night on the tiles or a night on the sofa?
Sofa.
What’s your signature dish to cook at home?
Linguini vongole.
Typical Sunday?
Working.
What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
Book a flight to Baghdad.
Favourite holiday destination?
Lisbon.
What was your dream job growing up?
Footballer.
What's been your best business decision?
Building my prep kitchen. This has been a savour for our catering arm of the business as well as a space for preparing all of our kubba (dumplings) at Borough Market.
And the worst?
Not taking social media more seriously. The potential is HUGE!
What piece of advice would you give to those looking to climb the rungs in the business?
Don't ignore the financials. Plan accordingly. Be prepared to work extremely hard. Find a good mentor. Someone you can trust.
If you could change one thing about the restaurant industry today, what would it be?
Educating the consumer more. I think everyone should work in a restaurant for (at least) one week. Once people realise the lengths we go to, I think there would be more understanding of the industry as a whole, as well as highlighting the importance of produce, sustainability, seasonality and integrity.
Bio
Born in Wimbledon, Juma is a self-taught chef with a degree in Economics for Business at Leeds Met university, which initially led him to a five year career in the City. He left to build Juma in 2013. "We are 10 years old next year, and still going from strength to strength with some big things in the pipeline," he says of the business.
