Three brothers co-founded a vegetarian restaurant so tasty that 90% of its customers are meat eaters. How and why?
The idea for vegetarian restaurant tibits came about 13 years ago and was born from the Frei brothers’ need for high quality vegetarian food. They wanted somewhere with great food and a relaxed atmosphere, somewhere that was more than just a pit stop to get fed and watered. So Reto, Christian and Daniel Frei put together a business plan as part of the Venture competition in their native Switzerland and the rest, as they say, is history.
How it all started
There was only one flaw in their plan – none of them had any background in food. With a teacher, an engineer and an economics graduate amid their ranks, there were a lot of things they could do but putting food onto customers’ plates was not necessarily one of them.
This is where Hiltl came in. As Europe’s oldest vegetarian restaurant, they were the perfect partners. “We were such a good fit for one another” says Reto. “We shared the same philosophies and just complemented each other. Rolf and Marielle Hiltl had the expertise that we didn’t and they shared their food knowledge which was so crucial, especially in the beginning.”
So with a crack team behind them, tibits was born and in 2000 they opened their first restaurant in Zurich. Over the following years, three more tibits restaurants opened in Switzerland before arriving in the UK and snuggling down on Heddon Street in London.
“It was always the plan to expand overseas and we had so many requests from people who had been to our restaurants in Switzerland, asking us to come to London. The restaurant business is fiercely competitive but at the same time we hadn’t seen anything quite like tibits, so we went for it.”
Switzerland v the UK
So is there a big difference between tibits in Switzerland and here in the UK? “We have adapted our restaurant a little. Here in the UK we have a lot more cocktails and there tends to be a lot more empty wine glasses throughout the course of the day! The British seem to like heartier dishes like lasagne and cottage pie and we have introduced traditional things like crumble.”
And have the Swiss got anything to learn from us Brits? “Yes, we took the cheesecake that we developed for the UK restaurant over the Switzerland and they love it! It is one of the most popular deserts. We have taken the best of both worlds to make tibits the best we can.”
And what about the Swiss and British attitudes towards vegetarian food – do they differ? “Hiltl did a lot for vegetarianism in Switzerland, pioneering to change people’s attitudes. I find that people in the UK are a bit more prejudice and less willing to consider vegetarian options if they are a meat eater.
“I think the younger generation are more relaxed with their approach to food and are open to suggestions. People like Yotam Ottelengi are doing a lot for vegetarian food and also Jamie Oliver. He is particularly good at encouraging people to use fresh, seasonal ingredients and showcasing loads of great vegetable dishes.”
So what would Reto give a red blooded carnivore to open their eyes to vegetarian food? “I would give them something substantial like a dried bean salad or perhaps a Thai curry or spelt rice with mushroom. People need to be convinced by taste, so as long as it tastes good they should appreciate it!”
A relaxed place to eat
What’s tibits like? It’s very relaxed, the kind of place you can grab something to take away or sit down and take your time. I asked Reto how they had managed to strike the right balance between being a fast food outlet and a restaurant. “It’s all in the ambience. We try to be as relaxed as possible so that people can come and go as they please. We want people to feel comfortable whether they come in wearing a suit or a pair of jeans.”
One of the most prominent features at tibits is its food boat. On board are over 35 homemade salads, hot daily specials and freshly baked snacks. You can pick what you want and everything is paid for by weight when you get back to the mainland a.k.a the till. “Being able to pick and choose injects some individuality into the way you eat,” says Reto. “It also means a lot less gets wasted and it’s a fair way of doing things.”
A family affair
As my time with Reto draws to a close, I get down to the nitty gritty of what it’s like to work with your three brothers. “The biggest advantage is the trust you have in each other. You know each others’ strengths and weaknesses and that really helps.” While we are talking, Reto tells me that his brothers are in the same room and are laughing at what he is saying!
“Sometimes things can get personal, but that just stems from the honesty that you have with one another. I wouldn’t want it any other way and I would really miss working with them if I stopped.”
Fantasy dinner party
As my final question, I ask Reto who he would most like to invite to tibits. “Because they have such a big event coming up, I would ask Prince William and Kate Middleton. Also the Queen and Paul McCartney - he could provide the entertainment.”
So what would he pick from the food boat for the Queen of England? “I would offer her a quinoa salad with cranberries, white asparagus with orange dressing and cheesecake for pudding.”
OK, so the Queen and I don’t exactly move in the same social circles, so I can’t say for sure - but I think she’d like it...
Website: tibits
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