Day in the life of a business owner: Kasia,Tropea

Kasia is co-owner and head chef at Tropea in Harborne, Birmingham, a small neighbourhood restaurant serving fuss-free Italian food with a focus on quality produce, cooked simply. Tropea is featured in both The Michelin Guide and Good Food Guide 2023.

I wanted to become a chef because…

I always loved food! I’ve always liked making food and have fond early memories for example, of making dumplings with my grandma.

My career route started at 18, moving to the UK on my own from Poland to go to catering school in Birmingham. After that it’s a bit mixed as I ended up travelling a lot and doing front of house – but I always wanted to get back into the kitchen.

I wanted to open my own restaurant from the age of 16. It’s always been the dream. 

A typical day for me…

Starts at 9am in the restaurant to have a coffee on my own, before anyone else gets in. I like that quiet moment to prepare for the day. The team comes in at 10am and we start prep for the day. Staff meal and briefing is at 4pm and then it’s into service. The day is fast and busy and finishes around 11pm.

The biggest challenge of running my business and being the head chef is…

Trying to be on top of everything. The team, quality control, orders, rotas, wastage! I have had to learn to delegate as it’s impossible to run a kitchen single-handedly – the team are everything. Being a woman head chef also sometimes brings its own unique challenges! I have had to learn how to manage that.

But the biggest reward is…

When people love the food! We have so many regulars and good feedback – that really makes it worth it. 

“Failure” in business and your career isn’t always a bad thing...

I’ve definitely struggled and failed in many things. I got fired from my first chef’s job at 19 because I wasn’t good enough and I was scared but the experience of being fired was galvanizing. I never give up. 

The best career advice I received was…

To keep pushing yourself. 

The advice I’d give to others aspiring to be a chef is…

Get your head down and work hard, it takes time and persistence. Oh, and to love the food you’re cooking!

The three qualities I think you need for this career are…

Resilience, passion, and a strong work ethic

What I do to switch off…

Is go to my allotment. It’s my happy place with my vegetables!

If Kasia’s interview is leaving you curious about her amazing food, follow them on Instagram and book a table on their website!