Phoebe Asks

Phoebe Averdieck
  • 4.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Daily

Brand is everything you do. Every single touch point. In Series 1, Phoebe Asks entrepreneurial brand founders in the FMCG & Restaurant space how they did it. Having grown up in an entrepreneurial household — her father is James Averdieck (Founder of Gü Desserts)— Phoebe brings a natural curiosity for start-up culture. Her background spans a few innovative brands, (The Coconut Collab, Spooner’s Desserts, and Deliciously Ella) giving her a front-row seat to the fast-moving world of consumer packaged goods and hospitality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

  1. May 17

    Charlie Bigham's

    I’m sitting in Park Royal, at Bigham’s HQ, the man behind those gourmet, premium meals. Not to be confused with the plastic, fork pricked "ready meals" that get shoved in a microwave and gobbled up in under 60 seconds. Charlie has thoughtfully crafted his recipes to be cooked in a hot oven and enjoyed around a candle lit dining room table. He redefined what eating at home could look like in the 90s, with his introduction of restaurant quality ingredients. In October 2025, the entrepreneur boldly launched a new range of “brasserie meals” - three times the price of his traditional offering (£29.95) which caused an uproar amongst left wing journalists, calling his food "tory slop". The range includes a Beef wellington,  Venison bourguignon, Salmon wellington, Confit duck, and Coq Au Vin. This spring, Bighams launched a range of Asian pan fried noodle dishes (Chicken Pad Thai, Singapore King Prawn Laksa, a Teriyaki Chicken Yakisoba and Chilli Beef Noodles) selling at the humble price of £6.95. Perhaps marking a eureka..."I hear you, we need to reduce our prices" moment?! In a time where restaurants, pubs, bars are barely making profit, 30 year olds struggle to pay their monthly rent, Ozempic and Mounjaro jabs are shredding waist lines, and Gen z is far more inclined to be isolating and scrolling on hinge than having sex, I am here today to explore how Bigham’s brand remains ACHINGLY RELEVANT IN 2026…and specifically how he speaking to my generation of consumers.

    42 min
  2. Amelia Christie Miller: Spilling the beans

    Apr 14

    Amelia Christie Miller: Spilling the beans

    I’m sitting in Gràcia, Barcelona with Amelia Christie Miller, Founder of the BOLD BEAN CO. I wanted to find out how Amelia grew a £7M+ brand in 5 years… from jarred beans. A supermarket aisle, typically associated with war rationing (tinned sweetcorn, Heinz baked beans, spam, tinned tuna) has been redefined and MADE SEXY by the Bold Bean Co. An unprecedented transformation of canned goods! In the era of Yotam Ottolenghi-inspired, plant-rich cooking, Amelia has turned humble legumes into something indulgent and elevated: melt in your mouth, tender heirloom beans worth obsessing over. She is an author of …."Full of Beans: Delicious Beany Recipes to Obsess Over" (2025): An instant Sunday Times bestseller and "Bold Beans: Recipes to get your Pulse Racing":  She launched the business in 2021 and is now stocked in all major retailers. The brand is B CORP certified, won Grocer’s start up of the year 2023, and most recently featured on Dragons Den.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 8m
  3. Florence Cherruault: The Pickle House

    Mar 18

    Florence Cherruault: The Pickle House

    From her Hackney flat to Virgin Atlantic airlines. 8 years of graft paid off for Florence Cherruault. She built a category-defining drinks brand… while navigating motherhood. Vanity Fair described it as “The Best Bloody Mary Base Known to Man.” All natural. Vegan. And made on a farm in Suffolk. Florence had the idea whilst in New York. She tasted a Pickleback shot (whiskey followed by a pickle brine chaser) and was obsessed. She brought the concept back to London and started experimenting with recipes in her kitchen sink. She felt mad but kept going. Pickle juice and Bloody Mary's are now seriously trendy. Carlos Alcaraz famously drinks pickle juice to cure muscle cramps... full of electrolytes and salts to improve hydration...Florence has tapped in a huge wellness trend. Dua Lipa enjoys pickle brine with Coke Cola and Jalapeños. In this episode, we unpick start-up mentality (the importance of being stubborn), pregnancy and entrepreneurship, how to keep going when the world thinks you are mad for pickling juice and spiced tomato mixer in your Mum's garden shed. 2-3% of female founders secure investment. Florence reveals the tribulations behind getting funding. Often met with a mansplaining and criticism. Listen now to this story of sheer graft and tenacity. Stockists include: Waitrose, Wholefoods, Virgin Atlantic, Guacho Restaurants, GRIND, Firmdale hotels, Côte Brasseries, Ottolenghi, Belvedere Group, Pophams, The Arts Club, Avanti Trains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    55 min
  4. Alex Grimley: Turning plates into power

    Mar 8

    Alex Grimley: Turning plates into power

    Grimley speaks candidly about the realities of building four hospitality businesses from the ground up, with ZERO SAVINGS OR INVESTMENT.  He didn’t start in a boardroom. He started in the heat of the kitchen. Grimley entered professional kitchens at just 17, training in the UK under celebrated chefs including Jean-Christophe Novelli, Marco Pierre White, and Tony Fleming. Those formative years in London’s demanding culinary environment laid the foundations for a career defined by discipline, precision and ambition. His career later took him across the globe, with roles at renowned destinations including Jumeirah Burj Al Arab in Dubai, a private island position at One&Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives, and ultimately to the Caribbean as Executive Chef at Carlisle Bay in Antigua. In 2010, Grimley made the pivotal leap from chef to entrepreneur, founding Rocks Group and opening its flagship restaurant, Sheer Rocks, at Cocobay Resort. Perched dramatically on Antigua’s west coast cliffs, Sheer Rocks quickly gained international recognition for its Mediterranean-inspired tapas, tasting menus, craft cocktails and iconic plunge pools.  Over the following decade, Rocks Group launched Catherine’s Café, a revitalised French-inspired beachfront restaurant at Pigeon Point, English Harbour, Rokuni, with Asian-inspired cuisine and stunning design at Sugar Ridge, and most recently Fat Urchin, a marina-side pub and coastal kitchen in Jolly Harbour, pints and beer battered grouper fish. “Generating revenue in hospitality is one thing,” Grimley explains in the episode. “Extracting profit is another entirely. He also discusses revitalising Catherine’s Café while preserving its legacy, relocating Rokuni to allow the concept to grow, and expanding the Rocks Group portfolio with new projects such as Fat Urchin. The episode explores themes of leadership, reinvention, calculated risk and the transition from chef to CEO. “This isn’t just a story about food,” says host Phoebe Averdieck. “It’s about how Grimley turned discipline into desire, service into strategy and plates into power".  Episode 06 of Phoebe Asks featuring Alex Grimley is available now on all major podcast platforms. For media inquiries or interviews, contact: Rachel Smyth at ⁠rachel@itsrocksgroup.com⁠. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 32m
  5. Perry Haydn Taylor: big fish

    Feb 20

    Perry Haydn Taylor: big fish

    Perry Haydn Taylor is a genius. The Founder & Chief Stoker at big fish. big fish® is a 30 year old climate considerate brand design and marketing consultancy that helps innovate and grow brands of the future. Perry has worked across a cornucopia of brands...Biscuiteers, Cornishware, Sofa.com, Pooky lights, Boden, Howdah, Tyrrells, Charlie Bighams, KALLO, Clipper Tea, Gü, Giovanni Rana, Crosta Mollica, Yeo Valley. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 9m
  6. Dima Deinega: Ukrainian vodka brand “Dima’s Vodka”: The Distillery That Kept Going

    12/26/2025

    Dima Deinega: Ukrainian vodka brand “Dima’s Vodka”: The Distillery That Kept Going

    Dima is a Ukrainian born founder of the multi-award winning Ukrainian vodka brand, Dima’s Vodka. A vodka that was crafted not only to showcase Ukraine and its beautiful culture and traditions but also to showcase that vodka can be flavourful, sippable as well as smooth, due to Ukraine’s nutrient-rich and fertile black soil, chornozem. A story of resilience in the face of adversity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 1m
  7. Daniel Land, Founder of Don't Tell Dad & Coco Di Mama

    11/28/2025

    Daniel Land, Founder of Don't Tell Dad & Coco Di Mama

    Daniel Land: "my theory on brand is, BRAND IS EVERYTHING YOU DO. Every single touch point, everything from the materials that you use, from the copper at the edge of the desk to the avocado green, to every single touch point. The type of glassware that we use, to the uniforms that the staff are wearing, to the music that's playing, to the logo to the line of service to the language that we use, the food on the menu, the paper that we use, everything is there to curate an experience" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 15m
  8. Will Englander, Founder of The Root Co. A fiery ginger beer business that sprung from kitchen sink to factory production

    10/21/2025

    Will Englander, Founder of The Root Co. A fiery ginger beer business that sprung from kitchen sink to factory production

    "Crisis is hard...your stomach kind of drops..." The Root Co. started with a general anaesthetic. Will woke up from a leg operation in 2018 and experienced a lightbulb "eureka" moment...he yelped "Ginger Beer needs a serious shake-up". Our SECOND guest is WILL ENGLANDER, Founder of The Root Co, a UK-based ginger beer and ginger shot company known for its use of fresh, cold-pressed ginger sourced from East Africa. Today, the brand is stocked by major retailers including Waitrose, Whole Foods, Ocado, DELLI, BOOTHS and East of England Co-op, as well as a growing network of corporate offices such as Uncommon and Runway East. They have won awards for the Best Natural/Organic Drink at The UK Soft Drinks Awards and GREAT TASTE AWARDS 2024 & 2025. The company aims to provide a natural alternative to the overly artificial, sweet, fizzy, small, and plastic-heavy competitors. They are a certified B Corp, emphasising their commitment to community and environmental sustainability. After securing a First-Class Honours degree in Economics and Management at the University of Bristol and furthering his studies at Copenhagen Business School, he joined OC&C Strategy Consultants, where he was promoted to Associate Consultant. In February 2021, Will launched the first batch of his own Ginger Beer, rolling it out to London’s delis and independents, securing listings with Two Magpies, FINKS, Brother Marcus, Snape Maltings, Lotts & Co, and Superette. By 2022, the brand got into Planet Organic, with Will famously cycling to all 13 stores in a single day to celebrate. Listen now to the full story now on Spotify & Apple Podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    55 min
  9. George Pell, Founder of The Suffolk & Ex Managing Director of L’Esgargot on Greek Street, Soho

    10/05/2025

    George Pell, Founder of The Suffolk & Ex Managing Director of L’Esgargot on Greek Street, Soho

    George Pell, Founder of The Suffolk & Ex Managing Director of L’Esgargot on Greek Street, Soho “I will never stop…don’t let perfection get in the way of progress”  Our debut guest is George Pell, founder of The Suffolk, a boutique hotel and seafood restaurant nestled in the picturesque town of Aldeburgh, East Anglia. George Pell’s name carries weight in London’s hospitality scene. His career includes senior roles at some of the capital’s most exclusive private members' clubs: Home House in Marylebone, the Arts Club in Mayfair, and the Brompton Club in South Ken.  He later became Managing Director of the iconic L’Escargot on Greek Street, Soho — a landmark of French dining. In 2020, against the backdrop of a global pandemic, he launched L’Escargot Sur Mer, a coastal pop-up restaurant in Aldeburgh, initially intended to run for just three weeks. In this opening episode of Phoebe Asks, we interrogate ... -The passionate origins of an entrepreneur, rooted in childhood and psychology… -How do you set up your company in the most financially sound way possible? What is the key to nailing an investment pitch? -We analyse industry trends of 2025 and the impact of GENERATION Z’s dining behaviours -We dive into supply chains and explore the challenges of sourcing locally… “I THINK IT STEMMED FROM BEING QUITE A RESTLESS CHILD. I WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY” “IT’S LITERALLY LIKE A GREEN BEAN, RAW, STANDING IN THE GARDEN, IS THE BEST THING YOU ARE EVER GONNA EAT”   “NOT FANCY FOOD, IT WAS TROUT 3X TIMES PER DAY”  “A GLUTT OF GOSEBURYS, A GLUT OF RHUBARB” “DID YOU HAVE ANY SORT OF SIDE HUSTLES AT SCHOOL?” “ A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE USING IT AS A SUPER POWER: TAKE RICHARD BRANSON ….IF HE’S GOT A FERRARI, I’VE PROBABLY GOT A FORD FOCUS” “IN THE RESTAURANT ENVIRONMENT, WHERE THERE ARE SO MANY TRANSACTIONS HAPPENING…SITTING ON MY OWN IN A ROOM IS A F*****G NIGHTMARE”  “IT’S A WIDE FIELD OF HR, FINANCIAL SUBMISSIONS” “GET THE FINANCIAL DNA ORGANISED…MAKE SURE YOUR REPORTING IS GOOD.  “THIS IS AN ASSET BACKED INVESTENT…WE OWN THE FREEHOLD OF THE BUILDING, WHICH A LOT OF RESTAURANTS DON’T. THAT WAS A BIG OPENING RISK” “REVENUES ARE NOT HARD, TURNOVER IS GREAT, THAT IS THE EASY BIT ALMOST, THE TOUGH BIT IS TRYING TO MAKE MONEY OUT OF THIS SECTOR”  “GEN Z’S - THESE ARE PEOPLE BORN BETWEEN 1997 - 2012. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THEY ARE KNOWN FOR?”  “IF I PHONED ANYONE NOW…I THINK THEY’D HAVE A PANIC ATTACK” WHAT ARE WE BATTLING WITH? COST OF LIVING CRISIS …COSTS HAVE GONE UP BUT SALARIES HAVE STAYED THE SAME” “6,365 AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHING BUSINESS HAVE CLOSED IN THE LAST YEAR……IS DEAN, THE FISHMONGER, BEING PAID ENOUGH?”  “THE VINKA BOYS…DOING COOL WINES IN A CAN…THEY ARE BASED IN SUFFOLK…THEY ARE NOW ON BRITISH AIRWAYS”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    59 min
  • 9 Episodes

About

Brand is everything you do. Every single touch point. In Series 1, Phoebe Asks entrepreneurial brand founders in the FMCG & Restaurant space how they did it. Having grown up in an entrepreneurial household — her father is James Averdieck (Founder of Gü Desserts)— Phoebe brings a natural curiosity for start-up culture. Her background spans a few innovative brands, (The Coconut Collab, Spooner’s Desserts, and Deliciously Ella) giving her a front-row seat to the fast-moving world of consumer packaged goods and hospitality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Phoebe Averdieck
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Phoebe Averdieck
  • Show Website
    Phoebe Asks

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