Two friends who met while training to become chefs are taking the plunge and opening up their very own cafe in the town they grew up in – at the former home of The Mad House.
Lewis Clarke, one of the owners of the new Crescent Cafe in Felixstowe Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)
Two friends who met while training to become chefs are taking the plunge and opening up their very own cafe in the town they grew up in - at the former home of The Mad House.
Crescent Cafe will open its doors on Tuesday, promising "home-cooked" quality food at a "traditional" cafe.
Close friends Lewis Clarke, 35, and Daniel Ward, 33, met at Suffolk College in their late teens where they completed a catering and hospitality course and trained to become chefs.
For the last 12 years Daniel has worked as a chef manager at Felixstowe docks and Lewis worked for more than 10 years as a chef at a local care home.
Daniel Ward, one of the owners of the new Crescent Cafe in Felixstowe Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)
Both men, who are from Felixstowe and each have two children, have given up their long-term jobs to snap up the chance of running their own cafe in Crescent Road.
Speaking of the venture, Lewis, who was Dan's best man at his wedding, said they had been talking about running their own cafe for years.
"We saw the place come up at the end of January and knew it was the perfect opportunity," said Lewis.
The cafe, fittingly named Crescent Cafe, will be in the former site of The Mad House - an Alice in Wonderland themed cafe which sadly closed its doors in January.
More: Owners 'absolutely devastated' as fun Alice-themed cafe closes
It will open six days a week and will try to promote biodegradable packaging.
Lewis said: "We are obviously excited about the opening but we are really nervous too as we both have families to look after.
"We've worked really hard putting it together and just hope it pays off."
The cafe focuses on fresh food which is all cooked on the premises and to order, starring produce sourced locally from Felixstowe.
There will be a range of meals on offer, with breakfast options including either 10, seven, or five item plates, eight classic dishes for lunch, jacket potatoes, sandwiches, homemade cakes and a takeaway menu.
Vegan-friendly alternatives will also be available and a specials menu will be on offer on a daily basis.
Lewis says the cafe will cater for all ages, especially children, and they hope their central location will keep them "visible and visual for everyone to see".
The cafe will be open six days a week, from 7am to 5pm Tuesday to Friday and from 8am to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
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