Introducing Janet Bee
This month we feature our mother hen, Quality and Process improvement leader Janet Bee. We managed to catch her last Wednesday in our office in Barton on Humber (it’s not as easy as you might think, even in a relatively small building. Mrs Bee is always running around doing something or other at top speed!)
Janet has a vast knowledge of the fishing industry and processes at all levels and so she is a key member of the Regal team and the lady who most people go to for answers on just about anything!
What does a typical day at Regal Fish Supplies involve for you?
It varies depending on whether I’m at the office or factory. I might be auditing at the factory, attempting to interpret some new legislation, working in schools or nurseries teaching children about Seafood and healthy eating or cooking up some delicious fish dishes at the office – every day is different!
What led you to Regal and how did you learn your trade?
My background is food microbiology and I’ve spent most of my working life in a laboratory. The opportunity to work at Regal meant I had less travelling and a more varied (and dare I say less pressured) job role. Working in a laboratory is almost 24/7 so it’s still amazing to wake up on a Saturday morning and not have to go to work and great not having to worry about how to cook the Christmas dinner and go to work as well – unfortunately bacteria don’t have holidays!
What’s your favourite Fishy recipe?
Difficult to answer because I’m continually trying out different ideas so last week’s favourite is not necessarily this weeks! I suppose if I have to pick one it’s my easy peasy battered fish – works every time and never gets any complaints though I did like my fish topped with mushy peas and chopped chips idea and the smoked haddock scotch eggs were a success…….see what I mean??!!
How about your favourite Regal ready prepared product?
At the moment I would say our new cod in white wine and tarragon is up there with the colcannon to go with it!
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Oh lots of different things – I have an allotment where me and my assistant gardener (my husband) grow fruit and vegetables or rather where I grow fruit and vegetables and the assistant gardener wiles away the time conversing knowledgably about growing fruit and vegetables to any passing stranger while leaning heavily on a spade! I like to cook and bake bread, make jams and jellies (from all the fruit!), read and make jewellery (not all at the same time of course) and spend many happy hours in my little summer house den where I keep all my ‘witchy’ stuff – crystals, tarot cards, runes, my pendulum, spells etc etc.
Tell us something we didn’t know about you.
I’m a witch but a green one!
Finally what would be your favourite Quote?
Quote would be ‘All is well’ and as for favourite word, after going to see Miranda at her show in Leeds I would have to agree with her that ‘plunge’ is a good word – you only have to say it a couple of times and it makes you feel so much better – or is it just me!
Thank you very much for your time Janet, we’ll let you get back to cooking up a storm!