Sisters Flora Valentine and Rosie Calder run Cafe Biagiotti together in Beauly, accomplishing a goal which they have had since childhood.
Flora, 35, says: “It was always the dream.
“We’d say ‘imagine if we could open our own cafe?'”
So back in 2017, Flora quit her job and the sisters took a risk on on starting up their cafe together.
Now, Cafe Biagiotti has become a key part of the community in Beauly.
Flora and Rosie, the youngest of five girls, grew up with food as the centre of the household, thanks to their Italian family heritage.
And although they have worked elsewhere over the years, the cafe they now run together is just half a mile away from where they grew up.
“I’m so proud of the community spirit in the cafe,” says Flora.
“My favourite place is on the till because I get to speak to our customers, see regulars and find out how they’ve been.”
What does Cafe Biagiotti mean to people in Beauly?
The community which has been formed around the cafe makes the sisters especially proud.
“A really big part of the cafe is the community part of it,” says Flora.
“That’s a really big thing in Italy.
“You go past a cafe in the morning and it’s just groups of friends talking with a coffee.
“That’s part of their culture. They all come together and have a coffee and pastry, and that’s how they start their day.”
Growing up with the Italian family on their mum’s side, means the sisters are used to this culture which brings together food and community.
“It’s something that we’re used to as well,” adds Flora.
“Everyone comes together over food and drink, and will sit around the dinner table for hours on end.
“And for us, that’s something that we’ve tried to bring to the cafe.
“We really encourage our staff to get to know our customers, rather than get them in, serve the food, and get them out the door again.
“It’s practically part of their job description, to get to know the regulars.”
‘The cafe has such a buzz about it’
Rosie adds: “Our regular customers are just so nice.
“They really take an interest in our lives, and we know so much about their lives too.
“There are a lot of customers that if they’re not there [in the cafe] for a few days, we’ll check in with their families that they’re okay.
“It’s a really nice community that we’ve build up.”
And what is it that keeps the customers coming back to their Beauly cafe?
“I think it has a lot to do with our great team,” Rosie tells me.
“The people that work with us are all really nice. The team that we have right now, they are so friendly and they really are invested in our customers.”
“It’s such a fast-paced environment,” says Rosie, “we haven’t really stopped and looked back at what we’ve done until now.
“And when I look at what we’ve achieved, I just feel really proud.
“The cafe has such a buzz about it, especially on a Saturday.
“I just look around at all the people and they’re having a nice time and enjoying the good food.
“It’s a great feeling.”
The Italian menu honours the sisters’ granny
“It’s easy in a cafe to just make something that tastes really good and put it on a shelf,” says Flora.
“But we’ve tried really hard to answer the question: would this happen in Italy?
“Of course there are certain things that work over here that don’t work in Italy.
“Like scones. You couldn’t open a cafe in Scotland and not have scones,” she laughs.
“But we always try to keep some sort of Italian influence in what we do.”
The menu at Cafe Biagiotti features a range of Italian dishes, including open focaccia sandwiches, and Rosie’s personal favourite, bignes (Italian cream puffs).
Their coffee is also imported from an independent roastery in Tuscany, and is the same coffee used in a cafe in Barga, Italy, which helped to inspire Cafe Biagiotti.
“I have really specific memories of when I was little making crema with my granny,” says Rosie.
“My mum would always make that at Christmastime.
“My mum and my granny would cook a lot. And I guess that really inspired me.
“The kitchen was really the hub of the home growing up.”
Flora adds: “Our mum is the person in the background that keeps it all going,” adds Flora.
“She does our laundry for us, she grows rosemary in her garden for all of our dishes.
“She is like the foundation of the cafe.”
What is it like to work with your sister?
Some might be unable to conceive working peacefully with their sisters, but for Rosie and Flora, it’s second nature.
“I love it,” says Flora.
“We’re the youngest of five, so we’ve always got on well.”
“I guess there’s a level of respect and trust that we’ve always had for one another, so it just works.”
“It’s really great,” agrees Rosie.
“I definitely couldn’t have done it without her.
“To have Flora there, it means we can support each other in big decisions, small decisions, or if anything goes wrong.
“It’s just really nice to know that you’re not in it alone.”
Conversation