In the Spotlight: Q&A with Cristina Ungureanu, General Manager at Côte Brasserie, Tunbridge Wells

Q&A with Cristina Ungureanu, General Manager at Côte Brasserie, Tunbridge Wells

What does Trinity Theatre mean to you?

I believe that theatres help us see a different perspective from our own. They create an experience, and they educate us as well. Trinity specifically offers a diverse range of theatre, film, music, dance and comedy. Personally, I admire Trinity’s community engagement, especially through schemes such as Speech Bubbles and Senior Cinema. In times when people felt so isolated for a few years now the sense of community that Trinity creates is wonderful. 

Community is obviously important to Cote Brasserie. As Trinity’s Restaurant Partner, why does this type of relationship matter to your business?

As different as theatres and restaurants are – our services are inextricably linked. Our mutual goal is to bring people together, to create a special experience. Our partnership is the tool to make this happen. Events at Trinity bring guests to Cote, the regular guests who can rely on our consistently great food and service as well as new guests who we get an opportunity to make it special.

What would your perfect pre-show cocktail at Cote be?  Could you share the recipe with us?

Personally, my favourite cocktail at Cote is the Blood Orange Martini. It is an extremely delicious drink and by far an excellent choice for any social occasion – be it a pre-theatre drink, or a more special occasion such as a birthday or anniversary.

It’s a well-balanced combination between Cointreau Liquor, Vodka and Blood orange Juice that I find it refreshing and elegant and sets you in a very good, relaxed mood for the rest of the evening.

If you could plan a perfect night out at Trinity, what would you watch, who would be in it and who would you invite?

My favourite theatre genre is comedy so on my perfect night out I’d love to get a delicious dinner at Cote and visit to Trinity for a night of laughs. At Trinity the Comedy nights on Fridays are very good and I bring my husband along and depends on the comedy age rating – maybe my children too!

What excites you about our Spring programme?

The complete works of William Shakespeare sounds very exciting! ‘Fast paces, witty and a full of laughter’ – sounds like my cup of tea. Also, I would really like to experience 3 actors preform 27 plays in 97 minutes! – Impossible! I know this will be a very popular event and I must book the tickets now 😊

What’s your personal philosophy?

I like to approach challenges with a growth mindset. Leading a successful business and a team I strive to remember there are no failures – only lessons to learn from. All results – even if not at desirable times, keep moving me towards my goal and this approach strengthens my resilience, tenacity, and courage. I believe in making good things happen – for my community, my guests and my team. I strive to build strong relationships and lead with compassion and empathy to make Cote, my family and my community better.

What’s the most fun you’ve ever had?

It is really difficult to pick only one occasion. If you surround yourself with the right people and focus on positive energy even mundane tasks become fun and most of the times is the small moments that can really make it special and stick in your ‘unforgettable memory box’ forever, memories to share with the ones you love.

What are you most proud of – both professionally and personally?

Professionally – I am proud of building a team devoted to providing excellent service to our guests, here at Cote.  We ensure that our guests have a special time while dining at Cote. I take pride in contributing to my team’s personal development – supporting them and providing them with opportunities to grow and achieve their professional goals.

Personally – I am really proud of my two children: Sophia and Eddie. They are so curious about everything and they like exploring different subjects such as dancing, cycling and now even karate that teaches them the discipline in life. I know that Trinity has a Youth Drama Club which we are looking into it, perhaps my children would like to enroll.

Book your table today…Côte