{"id":32241,"date":"2016-11-07T16:25:35","date_gmt":"2016-11-07T16:25:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jomec.co.uk\/altcardiff\/?p=32241"},"modified":"2016-11-07T16:25:35","modified_gmt":"2016-11-07T16:25:35","slug":"cardiff-character-patrick-nevins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/2016\/11\/07\/cardiff-character-patrick-nevins\/","title":{"rendered":"Cardiff Character: Patrick Nevins"},"content":{"rendered":"

At 6 ft 7 in, the man running long-time healthy eating institution Kemi\u2019s is certainly an imposing figure. But Patrick Nevins has a laid-back demeanor and gentle wit that quickly put others at ease.<\/p>\n

\"Kemi's

Sitting in the Kemi\u2019s Pontcanna customer area, its walls hung with local artists\u2019 work, Patrick describes how he came to manage the family restaurant and explains his dislike of fixed plans. \u201cIf you set yourself really strict goals, financial or otherwise, then you don\u2019t meet them, it\u2019s really disheartening,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

Patrick, 25, is a Cardiff native. He started working at the restaurant as a teenager when Kemi\u2019s, named for his mother who began the business, was in Craft in the Bay. In 2009, he moved to London to do a degree in Journalism, but came back to help out in the restaurant over summer holidays.<\/p>\n

He stayed on in London for a year after graduating, but came home for good in 2013 when Kemi decided it was time to take a back seat in the business. When asked what convinced him to go back to restaurant work, Patrick says simply, \u201cDid it early. Liked it. Think I\u2019m quite good at it.\u201d<\/p>\n

His intensive seven-day-a-week work schedule means that Patrick doesn\u2019t have a lot of free time for other interests, but he does enjoy films and TV. His latest binge was the second season of psychological thriller Hannibal<\/em>. \u201cIt\u2019s scarring, but I really like it,\u201d he enthuses.<\/p>\n

He also likes going to gigs, and recently travelled to Bristol to see Texas Thai funk trio Khruangbin<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Patrick

Changing times<\/strong><\/p>\n

Patrick has seen a surge of interest in Cardiff for fresh, healthy eating over the past few years, and believes it has benefitted his business. \u201cI think there\u2019s been a change in people not putting up with eating bad food,\u201d he says. \u201cIf they\u2019re going to eat out, they\u2019ll eat something good.\u201d<\/p>\n

He feels being independent helps Kemi\u2019s keep up with customers\u2019 changing demands. Although being a member of a chain of restaurants would mean having external financial backing, it would also mean having to negotiate with a head office over changes, Kemi\u2019s is free to adapt as soon as they notice a change in customer preferences. For example, Patrick says, \u201cWe don\u2019t do pasta salads or couscous anymore because so many people want gluten-free salads.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patrick insists that not much can make him angry, describing himself as \u201chappy go lucky.\u201d But he does have a pet peeve: customers who make contradictory orders, such as a skinny latte to go with a slice of cake. Even then, he smiles and says, \u201cI just ask myself, \u2018Why?<\/em>\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n