Latest news with #privatechef
The Sun
4 days ago
- General
- The Sun
UK castle that costs less than a hotel stay in London with indoor swimming pool, tropical gardens and private beach
IF you need somewhere cheap to stay with all of your mates, it might be more affordable to stay in your own castle. Wyatt Castle in Dorset dates back to 1797, and is now open to the public to stay the night. 6 6 6 According to luxury rental company it will set you back £8,940 a night. But if you manage to find 19 mates to join you, this means it will cost just £149 each a night - less than the average £158 a night in London. The castle -turned-home rental has nine bedrooms and nine bathrooms so you won't be fighting for space. Towels, robes and toiletries are all included so these can be left at home. Most of the rooms have amazing sea views or garden views as well. Guests will be greeted by a huge reception hall, as well as a library, study and drawing room. When the weather improves, there is even a huge sun terrace with sun loungers and a BBQ. As well as its beautiful landscaped outdoor area, there is even an Italian and Japanese tropical gardens. Its from here that there is a hidden path all the way down to a private beach, which goes past a 13th century church. While there is a huge dining space for 60 people, there are some nearby pubs if you fancy eating out including nearest The Cove House Inn. The pretty pink UK castle that is loved by Disney and Britney Spears Want to splash out? You can hire your own private chef at additional cost, or have an on-site massage. For example, private three-course dinner parties cost £75 each, or there is a food "drop off" service for dinner and breakfast with a range of options. The large indoor swimming pool is private for guests but not in the summer. While the hotel doesn't allow stag or hen dos, it does cater to kids with cots and high chairs. 6 6 The nearest train station is Weymouth which is a 25 minute drive. One person said staying at the castle "makes you feel like royalty". There is space for 20 cars, but to arrive in style it has its own helipad. If you want to explore the rest of the coastline, Durdle Door has been compared to both Portugal and California. Here's another fairytale castle that is open to overnight stays, and thought to be the only Tudor castle that is a hotel in the UK. The Sun's Head of Travel Caroline McGuire stayed at Leeds Castle's new lakeside lodges. We've rounded up seven others castles in the UK you can book for less than £90 a night. 6
Entrepreneur
20-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Chefs at Your Table
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur United Kingdom, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. For many, weeknight dinners are a tired rotation of Deliveroo orders and rushed pasta. But for Siddi Bedi and Heinin Sharma, former finance professionals turned co-founders of Yhangry, this culinary frustration was the spark for something bigger. "The idea for Yhangry was born because Heinin and I were in finance, and way too busy to ever cook a decent home cooked meal," says Bedi. "We were tired of going to restaurants and ordering in. Coming from countries like India and China, we had seen the amazing benefits of cooks that were affordable, and could completely transform the quality of eating at home." That personal pain point turned into a startup with a clear mission: make hiring a private chef as easy as booking a taxi. "We set out to see if any options existed to book a chef as easily and affordably as you could book a driver, massage and a therapist. There wasn't! Everything that existed seemed to be very high end – fine dining etc, but we just wanted great casual sharing style food." But behind the simplicity of that concept was a deeper question. "We knew hospitality workers, especially chefs were one of the lowest paid professions – earning something like £24k/annually and minimum wage. So, why were private chefs considered so expensive?" That gap in the market led them to launch Yhangry – a platform that connects everyday people with professional chefs, at prices that defy the norm. "That's when we decided to bridge the gap – create a way for people to have insane food in their home at affordable prices, whilst allowing chefs to monetise their passion on the side and earn extra income." It started humbly. "Our first 'MVP' was a piece of PDF that listed a set of 15 dishes, and we circulated that on WhatsApp to our colleagues and asked them if they wanted to book a chef to cook 3–4 of them! That's how it started." Transitioning from high finance to food-tech wasn't without its challenges—but surprisingly, many of their skills carried over. "Shifting from finance to food-tech was a significant change, but many of the core skills translated well. Our background gave us a solid foundation in strategic thinking, data analysis, and financial management - all of which have been critical in building a sustainable business." Still, the new world demanded more than just spreadsheets."What changed dramatically was the nature of the work. In order to make something from nothing, the amount of grit, optimism and perseverance required is through the roof. We went from structured corporate environments to the fast-paced, unpredictable world of logistics, customer service, and food operations. But in many ways, startup life demands the same problem-solving mindset and resilience that finance instilled in us—just applied in a very different context," says Bedi. The pair even took their vision to the small screen, appearing on BBC's Dragons' Den. "Pitching on Dragons' Den was an unforgettable experience—high-pressure, fast-paced, and incredibly energising. We received offers on air, which was hugely validating, but ultimately we made the decision to walk away from the deal after filming. The terms weren't quite right for us, and we knew we needed to prioritise long-term alignment over short-term exposure." The experience left them with one enduring takeaway."The experience taught us a lot about clarity and conviction. You only have a few minutes to make your case, so your pitch needs to be sharp, your numbers watertight, and your story compelling. Just as importantly, it reaffirmed the importance of trusting your instincts. Saying no, even to high-profile investors, can be the right decision if it means staying true to your vision." Yhangry isn't just about food - it's about redefining how we gather and celebrate."Absolutely. We're seeing a shift in how people choose to socialise, with many preferring more personal, curated experiences over traditional dining out – especially when it's the same cost or cheaper (you save the extortionate markup on drinks!)" With meals starting at £40 per person, it's a compelling proposition. "You can now book a chef starting from £40pp for a 3 course meal, which really is a steal. In return you are afforded quality time, kitchen to table service and a much richer experience than going out because you have to." And it's not just birthdays and anniversaries. "We see this especially to be huge when celebrating personal events such as – birthdays, hen dos, stag dos, anniversary, and more. This is also really picking up as the go to choice for corporate events. The biggest use case we see emerging is when people go on holiday or book an Airbnb with a group – getting a chef with your group is becoming a no brainer!" Yhangry may have found its niche at a time when people are craving something more authentic. "The pandemic accelerated this trend, but it's continued well beyond that period. People value quality time, comfort, and connection—and Yhangry is designed to enhance exactly that." And that aligns with a broader cultural shift. "We believe this reflects a wider lifestyle evolution. Consumers are seeking convenience without compromising on quality, and experiences that feel meaningful rather than transactional. Yhangry allows people to enjoy restaurant-quality dining at home, without the stress of cooking or cleaning. It's a model that speaks to the way we live - and want to live - today." As a female founder navigating the often male-dominated tech and startup landscape, Bedi has also had to clear hurdles that others may not have faced. "Being a female founder in a predominantly male industry can come with added challenges. In the early stages, especially during fundraising, we occasionally encountered skepticism or had to explain the feasibility of our vision more thoroughly than our male counterparts might." But change is coming. "There's still a long way to go in terms of equal representation and access to capital. That said, we've also been fortunate to find an incredibly supportive network of fellow female founders, advisors, and investors who are actively working to shift the landscape." And what does inclusivity look like for the future of tech and food? "For the industry to become more inclusive, we need greater diversity at all levels - from VC partners to startup boards to operational leadership. Creating accessible pathways, mentorship opportunities, and championing underrepresented voices will be key to building a more balanced and dynamic ecosystem." From finance to food, from WhatsApp menus to national TV, Bedi and Sharma's journey has been anything but conventional. But their mission is simple: delicious food, made personal - and more accessible than ever before.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
I mothered him for 15 years. That's why we finally split up
At the age of 51, I know now that it's a story as old as time – and one that fit nearly all of my friends's relationships. A woman and mother, working a full-time job, sorting out most of her family and home life. For me, that included our calendar and yet, my partner, who I was with for 17 years, still never got up in the night with our child, because he had to work. We first met, aged 28, when I'd been working overseas as a marketing executive and came home to support a friend who was opening a business with a guy. He was that guy and he seduced me with food. He made me a restaurant-grade three-course meal, which I still remember now, and before long we were a couple. We never married but we had our son around two and a half years after meeting and were pretty happy. Until the cracks started to show. He didn't participate in any aspect of our son's education, never attended parent meetings or concerts. I looked after the car, the rent, the bills, and did all the childcare and other duties involved with our son. Everything. I remember one time he even refused to take him to the dentist because he didn't want to be seen as the mean parent. He would only take him out for two hours on a Saturday and never came to any of the children's parties. He flat out refused to help me organise birthday parties for him, even though he was a private chef; and would just show up at the event. He'd also started to ignore me, refusing all my bids for connection. It seemed trivial at first. I might say 'Oh wow, look at that!' And he'd just ignore it. But then it was happening more and more. He just wasn't hearing me. I would bring it up with him, but nothing really changed so I learnt how to get on with it. It was the same for my friends. The men's jobs always seemed to take priority while my female friends and I took on the brunt of family life and chores. The mental load then became exhausting. I was always having to consider my partner and his needs, before my own, and I resented his ability to just lie there on the sofa while I would be looking after our child. He used to nap on the sofa too, which meant I couldn't move around the house freely, and had to be quiet. My relationship had become isolating and without really realising it, I'd become depressed. When every bid of connection and warmth you offer is turned down, it's hurtful. We never explosively argued, but he never acknowledged my needs, and the smallest of things like asking a question would just be ignored, often like he had an odd sense of entitlement. Then came the big life bombshell. He said our relationship was over. I was devastated. It ripped everything I knew to be true clean apart. He came home from a work trip and told me that's what he wanted. I was so shocked, but he was adamant and even suggested it would work best if I was the one who moved out. If we were going to separate, I wanted to do it as well as we could. So while we were sorting logistics, he slept on the sofa. It was then that I noticed a few suspicious things. He was always staying up late texting. I asked to borrow his phone once and he got very shifty. With my alarm bells ringing, I went searching and found emails and Facebook messages to another woman. And not just anyone, he was having an affair with my friend's au pair. I even found a transaction for flowers he sent to her on our joint account. At that point, I confronted him. He's always said the cheating was a huge regret of his, reasoning that it was simply a case of him working abroad and taking the opportunity. But I managed to be faithful, so I'm not sure why he couldn't. And we were still having sex, admittedly, not at pre-baby levels. But right to the end, I tried to keep it spicy. Aside from the infidelity, over the years, all the imbalance and compromises had made me feel smaller and smaller. Some people enjoy being a 'trad wife', but to me it feels unbalanced and unfair. I suspect aside from laziness, it was also, to a certain extent, what he expected. I remember saying to a friend once: surely, there's more to living together. But to be honest, many of my friends are in similar relationships, if not worse. I know one couple who have the same jobs, yet she does everything. She can never really explain why. I don't want my son to see this type of behaviour as a role model. We need to show our young men that there must be fairness. Even if those jobs may sometimes be different for men or for women. There can still be balance. Thankfully my son never really saw a lot of what went on, especially in the split. It's important to me that my son's relationship with his dad stays intact and I feel a great responsibility to raise a good man. So even after the split, despite my friends's and family's objections, I decided to support my ex partner as a father in my son's life. I suspect there's a bit of martyr syndrome in me. So the 'man-keeping' continued even after we split up. I organised a place for him to stay at a friend's house. Then, I paid his rent for a year. I lent him my car – he smashed it. Twice. I lent him money. He uses my house as his postal address even though I've told him to stop. His lease is in my name. His bills are in my name. The list goes on. I carried on helping after the split, because after I got myself together, I ended up earning more money than him. Lots of people find it hard to understand our relationship. But the relationship my son has with his dad is hugely important to me. Everything I do for my ex is so that that bond will always be solid. It's been painful but it's been worth it, because they are close and have a strong bond and I know that no matter what my son has a dad. Given how he'd treated me, I know how it looks to others but seeing his vulnerability makes it hard for me to stop helping him. So I still support him through emotional issues, but I have learnt over the years to call him out. I have learnt to say no more often. I try my best to be calm and accepting for the sake of our child, and I think he likes to think of us as friends. Which is nice in theory, but not exactly the reality. I don't think I'd have much to do with him if we didn't have a child together. He's not a bad man, he never intended to be dismissive or cruel. It seems that for whatever reason, so many men seem to forget how to be grown-ups once they get into a relationship. Once I got myself sorted out of the relationship and I started to feel better, my whole life opened up. I felt like I was coming back and noticed how much of myself I had sheared away. It was a total revelation. To any women reading this and nodding vigorously, my advice is to seek counselling, even if you think you are feeling OK. Try not to forget who you are, and who you were before you tethered yourself to a man. As told to Anna Louise Dearden The term 'man-keeping' appears in a study led by Angelica Ferrara at Stanford University. Defined as a situation where women are burning out because they disproportionately bear the emotional burdens of their male partners, it's an emerging and increasingly recognised concept in gender studies and psychology, showing the imbalance adds to women's mental load resentment, and a diminished sense of self-worth. Fidel Beauhill, Author of Divorce – The Modern Man's Guide and a Men's Relationship Coach on ITV's My Mum Your Dad with Davina McCall, says, he's seen it again and again. He outlines some of the signs he sees where women might be falling into 'man-keeping.' You feel that you are managing the household as well as the family and your partner's emotional needs. You have become the one who understands, soothes, motivates and holds space for his inner world and it often feels as if you're carrying a massive emotional load. You do this because you think that will keep everything safe. The reality is, trying to stay in control often creates emotional distance. For many women, control becomes a coping mechanism. They have built identity around being the one who gets it done. The mum. The wife. The capable one. Letting go of that means risking things not being done properly, and that can feel terrifying. Even if it is messy at first, it's important to give your partner the opportunity to approach things the way they want to, even if it's not how you would do it. You find yourself managing, correcting what they're doing – and keeping score. I've worked with female clients to find their identity beyond care taking and it has shifted the relationship and she felt it straight away. The energy changed. She could breathe again. He was no longer leaning on her. He was standing next to her. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. 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Telegraph
10-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
I mothered him for 15 years. That's why we finally split up
At the age of 51, I know now that it's a story as old as time – and one that fit nearly all of my friends's relationships. A woman and mother, working a full-time job, sorting out most of her family and home life. For me, that included our calendar and yet, my partner, who I was with for 17 years, still never got up in the night with our child, because he had to work. We first met, aged 28, when I'd been working overseas as a marketing executive and came home to support a friend who was opening a business with a guy. He was that guy and he seduced me with food. He made me a restaurant-grade three-course meal, which I still remember now, and before long we were a couple. We never married but we had our son around two and a half years after meeting and were pretty happy. Until the cracks started to show. He didn't participate in any aspect of our son's education, never attended parent meetings or concerts. I looked after the car, the rent, the bills, and did all the childcare and other duties involved with our son. Everything. I remember one time he even refused to take him to the dentist because he didn't want to be seen as the mean parent. He would only take him out for two hours on a Saturday and never came to any of the children's parties. He flat out refused to help me organise birthday parties for him, even though he was a private chef; and would just show up at the event. He'd also started to ignore me, refusing all my bids for connection. It seemed trivial at first. I might say 'Oh wow, look at that!' And he'd just ignore it. But then it was happening more and more. He just wasn't hearing me. I would bring it up with him, but nothing really changed so I learnt how to get on with it. It was the same for my friends. The men's jobs always seemed to take priority while my female friends and I took on the brunt of family life and chores. The mental load then became exhausting. I was always having to consider my partner and his needs, before my own, and I resented his ability to just lie there on the sofa while I would be looking after our child. He used to nap on the sofa too, which meant I couldn't move around the house freely, and had to be quiet. My relationship had become isolating and without really realising it, I'd become depressed. When every bid of connection and warmth you offer is turned down, it's hurtful. We never explosively argued, but he never acknowledged my needs, and the smallest of things like asking a question would just be ignored, often like he had an odd sense of entitlement. Then came the big life bombshell. He said our relationship was over. I was devastated. It ripped everything I knew to be true clean apart. He came home from a work trip and told me that's what he wanted. I was so shocked, but he was adamant and even suggested it would work best if I was the one who moved out. If we were going to separate, I wanted to do it as well as we could. So while we were sorting logistics, he slept on the sofa. It was then that I noticed a few suspicious things. He was always staying up late texting. I asked to borrow his phone once and he got very shifty. With my alarm bells ringing, I went searching and found emails and Facebook messages to another woman. And not just anyone, he was having an affair with my friend's au pair. I even found a transaction for flowers he sent to her on our joint account. At that point, I confronted him. He's always said the cheating was a huge regret of his, reasoning that it was simply a case of him working abroad and taking the opportunity. But I managed to be faithful, so I'm not sure why he couldn't. And we were still having sex, admittedly, not at pre-baby levels. But right to the end, I tried to keep it spicy. Aside from the infidelity, over the years, all the imbalance and compromises had made me feel smaller and smaller. Some people enjoy being a ' trad wife ', but to me it feels unbalanced and unfair. I suspect aside from laziness, it was also, to a certain extent, what he expected. I remember saying to a friend once: surely, there's more to living together. But to be honest, many of my friends are in similar relationships, if not worse. I know one couple who have the same jobs, yet she does everything. She can never really explain why. I don't want my son to see this type of behaviour as a role model. We need to show our young men that there must be fairness. Even if those jobs may sometimes be different for men or for women. There can still be balance. Thankfully my son never really saw a lot of what went on, especially in the split. It's important to me that my son's relationship with his dad stays intact and I feel a great responsibility to raise a good man. So even after the split, despite my friends's and family's objections, I decided to support my ex partner as a father in my son's life. I suspect there's a bit of martyr syndrome in me. So the 'man-keeping' continued even after we split up. I organised a place for him to stay at a friend's house. Then, I paid his rent for a year. I lent him my car – he smashed it. Twice. I lent him money. He uses my house as his postal address even though I've told him to stop. His lease is in my name. His bills are in my name. The list goes on. I carried on helping after the split, because after I got myself together, I ended up earning more money than him. Lots of people find it hard to understand our relationship. But the relationship my son has with his dad is hugely important to me. Everything I do for my ex is so that that bond will always be solid. It's been painful but it's been worth it, because they are close and have a strong bond and I know that no matter what my son has a dad. Given how he'd treated me, I know how it looks to others but seeing his vulnerability makes it hard for me to stop helping him. So I still support him through emotional issues, but I have learnt over the years to call him out. I have learnt to say no more often. I try my best to be calm and accepting for the sake of our child, and I think he likes to think of us as friends. Which is nice in theory, but not exactly the reality. I don't think I'd have much to do with him if we didn't have a child together. He's not a bad man, he never intended to be dismissive or cruel. It seems that for whatever reason, so many men seem to forget how to be grown-ups once they get into a relationship. Once I got myself sorted out of the relationship and I started to feel better, my whole life opened up. I felt like I was coming back and noticed how much of myself I had sheared away. It was a total revelation. To any women reading this and nodding vigorously, my advice is to seek counselling, even if you think you are feeling OK. Try not to forget who you are, and who you were before you tethered yourself to a man. As told to Anna Louise Dearden Five signs you might be 'man-keeping': the expert's view The term 'man-keeping' appears in a study led by Angelica Ferrara at Stanford University. Defined as a situation where women are burning out because they disproportionately bear the emotional burdens of their male partners, it's an emerging and increasingly recognised concept in gender studies and psychology, showing the imbalance adds to women's mental load resentment, and a diminished sense of self-worth. Fidel Beauhill, Author of Divorce – The Modern Man's Guide and a Men's Relationship Coach on ITV's My Mum Your Dad with Davina McCall, says, he's seen it again and again. He outlines some of the signs he sees where women might be falling into 'man-keeping.' 1. You're exhausted You feel that you are managing the household as well as the family and your partner's emotional needs. You have become the one who understands, soothes, motivates and holds space for his inner world and it often feels as if you're carrying a massive emotional load. 2. You try to take control of everything You do this because you think that will keep everything safe. The reality is, trying to stay in control often creates emotional distance. For many women, control becomes a coping mechanism. They have built identity around being the one who gets it done. The mum. The wife. The capable one. Letting go of that means risking things not being done properly, and that can feel terrifying. 3. You don't let your partner take full ownership of tasks Even if it is messy at first, it's important to give your partner the opportunity to approach things the way they want to, even if it's not how you would do it. 4. You slip into the critical parent role You find yourself managing, correcting what they're doing – and keeping score. 5. You've forgotten who you really are, beyond the role of the caretaker I've worked with female clients to find their identity beyond care taking and it has shifted the relationship and she felt it straight away. The energy changed. She could breathe again. He was no longer leaning on her. He was standing next to her.
