Husband and wife owners of well-known Northampton restaurant celebrate 19 'special' years in business
A well-known restaurant in Northampton is marking 19 years in business – and its owners say they are proud of how far it has come.
The Stuffed Olive, in Wellingborough Road, first opened in 2006, started by husband-and-wife team Tracey Faulkner and Yavuz Ozboyaci. The idea came from Yavuz, who had already run Istanbul Chef next door for years.
Speaking to Chronicle & Echo, Tracey said: “We started in 2006. It was a little idea of my husband's… he owns Istanbul Chef next door, and he was lucky enough to get the property beside it.”
In those early days, the restaurant quickly got people’s attention. Tracey said: “The first two or three years were amazing because it was just a little idea that we created, and all of a sudden, to see it come into fruition – it was something different on the street.
“People were curious – there used to be waiting lists to get into the restaurant!”
Things went so well that in 2011, they knocked through into the next-door unit and doubled the size of the space.
Now nearly two decades in business, Tracey says she’s not exactly sure how they have made it this far, but that consistency and the restaurant’s reputation has been a key factor.
Being open for so long means Tracey and Yavuz have seen their customers’ lives change alongside the restaurant.
Tracey said: “Now we’ve got customers coming in saying, ‘We had our first date here’ – and they’ve got three kids. That’s so lovely. You see people grow up, get married… we’ve seen it all. It’s really special.”
Over the years, the restaurant has changed along with the street and with the customers. Tracey said: “It used to be very à la carte… now we do burgers and kebabs as well. That’s not what we saw ourselves doing in 2006.
“When we opened in 2006, Facebook and Instagram weren’t a thing… now we have to attract people that way too.
“I’m just in conversation with Uber… we’re about to sign up and start doing delivery as well.”
The restaurant’s hardest period came during Covid-19, which hit the restaurant during its busiest season.
Tracey said: “Covid was tough… especially losing Christmases. That’s your heyday. Watching all those bookings cancel — cancel, cancel, cancel — it was painful. But yeah, you bounce back, don’t you?”
Looking ahead, the restaurant is hosting different events to draw the punters in. Tracey said: “So about once a month or so, I think this weekend, actually, we've got a sax player. And we do little events, like we do wine tasting events, we do jazz, steak and jazz night, that type of thing. So we, you know, we're always trying to keep people engaged.”
Tracey and Yavuz have been working side by side for nearly two decades.
She said: “At the end of the day, he’s a chef. So, he wants perfection and I get that. Some people can challenge some people, but no – we’re still in it together after 19 years.”
Asked if they will be going for another 20 years, Tracey said: “Oh my God… let’s see what happens.”