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Reminiscence
Posted: Sun 31 July, 2005 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Thoughts, Work-related |18 Comments »I’ve actually no idea whether I’ve spelled that correctly or not.
Anyway, I’ve been thinking about some of the places I used to work. One of them was the Black Horse in Woburn, which I loved. Well, I loved most of it. The exception was the manager, who I clashed with epically.
However, I was wondering what happened to him. Google knows fuck-all when his name’s entered (well, with the exception of stuff that I already knew, such as the Carrington Arms). So – and I know it’s a seriously long shot – has anyone who reads this heard of a publican called Eddie (or Edwin) Cheeseman?
18 Comments on “Reminiscence”
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Never met him and already he sounds like a twat…..what a name………..eddie is bad enough, but to have Cheeseman as your surname………poor bugger!
I also worked for Cheeseman for a while at the Fitzwilliam Arms in Peterborough, he did clash with many people. After he sold that business all I know is that he went off to Spain.
I was the editor of Pub Food magazine from 1995 to 2000 and I’ve interviewed Eddie numerous times and judged him for food competitions. We once ran an article entitled Who The Hell Does Eddie Cheeseman Think He Is?, written by Carl Pendle.
I think he’s got a place in Spain but he’s always around the UK. He went out to the USA to do something food-related and yes, he ran the pubs all mentioned in other messages. I can do a good Eddie impersonation….but he’s never heard it to the best of my knowledge. A nice guy, actually.
I had the absolute displeasure of managing (apparently, so I was told at the interview!) the Carrington Arms.
I was employed by him through an agency with my business partner (head chef, me doing the books and front of house) to run the Carrington. We left a long term (though less well paid) role we held with a brewery to come and work at the Carrington. We didnt look the gift horse in the mouth, but really should have done.
In retrospect, there was clearly never any intention to allow us to manage the business – shift leader was about as close as we got.
I think I only lasted 2 maybe 3 months (eventually managing to split the partnership up, our friendship is finally restored – though the Chef did side with them for a while), they undermined me at every single possible opportunity. Refused to trust me in any situation, turning up at 3am in the morning on several occasions to go through the books, clear out the safe, change orders placed with suppliers, so on and so forth. I was woken on several occasions thinking the place was being robbed to find it was “the wife” (Trudy, imho worse than Eddie) checking something or other out.
I was finally asked to leave on the last day of the three month probation period, after a kp dropped a custom made sheet of glass for a display case. Apparently I was accountable, all of a sudden. Strange how the Agent just happened to be popping by at the time… and was there when it all happened! They gave me 3 hours (between services) to clear out and then kept the final months wages against some bills I had apparently run up, though refused to give me receipts and strange how the bills and my wages matched exactly!?
I had come across some interesting people in catering up until the “Cheesemen”, but they really took the biscuit. Odious and nasty individuals.
Oh, and they tipped slops back into the beer, had several shouting matches in the car park with him about this – not something I would ever do and simply refused. Apparently it is the done thing?! I’m fairly sure it breaks 3 laws (duty? passing off? theft?) apart from Health and Safety, might be wrong though… been out of catering ever since, ten happy years!
Sorry about the rant.
You’re all too harsh on Eddie. He was alright. A bit of character, he had enthusiasm, he wanted his pubs to do well. I liked him and I met many publicans over six years of being the Editor of Pub Food magazine. If Eddie was as irritating as people here are saying, then he would never have been interviewed so many times, but he was interviewed and he was good fun. Not sure where he is now, but wherever he is, good luck to him.
Moulsoe escapee you are so right – I worked for him back in 1999, and he was a complete tw*t that messed with my head, needs his hair cut, and needs to learn a thing or two about the hospitality industry. he put me through absolute hell. Am so glad that that so many seem to agree about him. lets talk v soon
Well if you’re all talking about him he must be something to stick in your minds.
I worked for Eddy,and his wife He is an entrepreneur and worked hard at selling his idea. It worked didn’t it? The Carrington was always heaving when I was ` managing` it. I worked in the kitchen and out front. and anywhere else that was necessary. I feel sorry for you poor souls who think working hard long hours isd not for you. Why dont you get a jobsworth position with some council then you can whine all you want. Probably get a job as a postman then strike cos you didn’t like the job. Nice.
Well done Eddie and Trudie Cheesman. A bit off the wall but it works.
enjoyed my time with you. Wana do it again sometime?
Oh, he certainly did some stuff that stuck in my mind.
As for working long hours, I still do – just in a different trade. I stuck with the catering industry for about four years after working with Eddie, and loved it. I did, however, leave in the end because of insane hours – somewhere north of 100 hours per week. And I still consider going back to it, but on better terms.
“Geoffrey”? Really? I don’t think so, that was written by Cheeseman himself. No has a more inflated opinion of him, than himself.
ANYONE who has ever worked with him or knew him properly could vouch for this nasty individuals behavior.
I heard his daughter doesnt have anything to do with him anymore. Don’t blame the poor girl, get as far away from that poisonous creature as you can.
Sounds like he was a real B****ard to work for but one day he will get whats comming to him
Cheeseman what an arsehole. I was wife number 1, what a mistake I made and lived to regret it for a number of years. He screwed up my head; he was a very cruel and sadistic person, who took pleasure in other people’s discomfort, THAT HE HIMSELF CREATED. He may have served good food, but most of his customers thought he was a WANKER and as for staff he treated them no better than a bit of shit in the gutter, and was hated by them.
As for the good food that was served, it was created behind the scenes and not by him. He would be too busy sizing up tit size, arse and leg to see if it was a viable shag…… any old barmaid would do. I am extremely happy with my new life without him and with someone who knows how to tell the truth and treat a lady which he never could
As for his daughter he tried to control her by telling her what she was thinking and what she had to do. She is an extremely special young lady who did not deserve the treatment he dished up to her. She is a very successful business woman who has succeeded through her own hard graft and determination. She would not be where she is today if her father had been able to exact his influence on her.
Hi.
Cheesman would want to be known as a complete “Bastard” thats the way he rolled with his buisness. Full of over the top bullshit,, but on the same token knew how to run a piece of buisness. Very hard to work for !
Good think about working for a bastard like that you learn !!! Good and Bad things and how to get the best out of people one way or another. Trudy on the whole was ok but you have to treat her how she treats you…… then you’ll soon see that theres not much going on up there !!!! ( SIMPLE ) in other words.
On the whole I enjoyed working for the pair of them Philp Hale was deputy Manager when I was there ! he was cool and had a very good eye for buisness as well. !
Where ever you are Cheeseman selling your bullshit where ever you go…….Good luck !!
Hi,
He’s in Javea, Cap de la Nao area, Spain
Eddie Cheeseman, now there is a blast from the past. What you cannot take away from him was his business ability. Of course he took chances and could be a bullshitter, but the most successful business people do. He was hard, yes and he had to be, he did not take prisioners I had time for the man, he was hard going at times, but I admired his tenacity, where ever you are Mr Cheeseman, I am with Moggers, you got big bollox, haha, fair play to you, but if you ever come for dinner again, call me before hand to make sure I have remembered the right date!! T
Eddie was a bit of a cock at times but I learned a lot from him. Especially what he taught me about international food. The guy thought he was the best thing since Michel Roux snr, but lets be fair no balls, no glory.
I liked him and hated him but ultimately respected him.
Remember my first visit to the Carrington Edwin insisted that myself and my mate tried Oysters for the first time
He also insisted that we try them with Tabasco and Lime and various other combinations and proceeded to demonstrate the correct art of eating said oysters (at length)
Seem to recall they were on the house
Struck me as a complete extrovert who lives life to the full
Actually, something else about good old Eddie. He has a great description of eating oysters and I always use it whenever the subject comes up. He told me that eating oysters was like sucking snot off the back of a tortoise. He’s right, you know.
Eddie, if you’re out there, hello. Hope all is well.
Oh I remember Eddie, and now it’s 2018 he would be very much on the wrong side of the #MeToo movement. He delighted in regaling people about his escapades with waitresses – many of which were made up, and the others although potentially true, ended up with said waitress leaving. The number of times I’d have a work-friend in tears because of the awkward situations he (and in fairness his wife) put them in – quite deliberately.
Sure he had an ego the size of his waistline, and some can comment him on backing it up as a great chef and businessman – but there’s more to him than this which should never be overlooked. Sexual predator.
Also, I recall the “Geoffrey” guy above. Think similar but less so. On his FIRST night there, he alienated all the staff – loudly commenting to customers how poorly the place was running. I had the displeasure of working behind the bar a few times with him and comments such as “See that pregnant lady? It turns me on to think she’s had sex” were often forthcoming. Thankfully, the odious little cock had no comeback and an utterly cowardly demeanour towards confrontation on what he had said.
There were some lovely people who worked there, people who now, 20 years on, I’d go to bat for, but Edwin, Trudy and Geoffrey stick out as 3 I’d just rather never see again.