Niamh_Saoirse
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
Nude of the world
By Niamh Connolly
Dublin, Ireland, 5 January, 2003
When Mr Pussy's Cafe Deluxe in Suffolk Street, Dublin was at its most surreal in the mid-1990s, a customer entered the restaurant with a tiger on a lead. The animal slunk between the shocked diners to the front stage where he lay down and purred.
The `customer' had been hired from Chipperfields Circus by co-owner Norman Hewson to perform at the avant garde eaterie. This was one of the many late-night stunts in the establishment's two years of "absolute insanity".
At Mr Pussy's, wine was poured into cups from teapots after a certain hour of the night, to the warblings of resident drag queen and co-manager Mr Pussy, aka Alan Amsby.
"It was madness, totally off the wall. I can't see myself ever having as much fun as the two years with Mr Pussy's," Hewson said. "But it was before its time and was too small. If it was three times the size, it would have been a huge success."
The 50-year-old likes to keep one step ahead of restaurant trends, which is somehow fitting for the older brother of Bono who considers himself something of a visionary.
Hewson opened the doors of his ultra-chic restaurant Tosca in Suffolk Street in the early 1990s, ushering in the first minimalist restaurant design in the city.
Tosca became a symbol of a new, sophisticated and confident Dublin, and was given international street cred by U2 and their coterie of pals, who ate at the establishment between tours.
Supermodels Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Kate Moss and Helena Christiansen sashayed through its doors as part of the U2 circle. Tosca was a "must-do" for any self-respecting social climber.
From the ashes of Tosca and Mr Pussy's in the 1990s came the Nude juice bar for a new generation of Celtic cubs, serving up LA-style wraps, baps and salads made with organic produce. Add smoothies and juices to its fair trade coffee, and the menu is just about complete.
Nude is fast(er) food for the generation of twenty and thirtysomethings who like to munch, gulp down their berry burst smoothie, chat frenetically and go.
The expansion of Hewson's chain from one to four outlets in just two years is as much a testament to the delicious food and the juice bars' location as its moral philosophy -- and, of course, trendiness. Nude also sends down wraps and smoothies to U2 when the band is in its Dublin studios.
The trademark lime green logo means the chicken wraps, salads, paninis and Noreen's cookies (not biscuits) can be eaten with a healthy dollop of clear conscience.
"I just think food is getting very processed. We're trying to get back to nude food, real food ... and out of that, we are probably the first -- I hesitate to call us `fast' -- food outlet," says Hewson.
Hewson has been approached to bring Nude juices and smoothies into retail outlets -- "but you have to have shelf life to be able to do that, so as a product it won't work going into supermarkets. If our smoothies and juices are not sold today, they're history tomorrow. That's one of our key ingredients, managing our wastage. Our smoothies and juices have no preservatives, they last a day and that's it."
The restaurant embraces an anti-globalisation theme by using mostly local suppliers. It is environmentally aware, recycling its glass bottles, encouraging consumers to `bring back the bottle', and using wooden cutlery. "The irony of it is that glass bottles are actually cheaper than the plastic equivalent. We're becoming far too much of a society that generates rubbish for landfill. The bottles are ethically correct because we get two-and-a-half uses out of each bottle before it disappears, which makes our packaging costs reasonable," said Hewson.
Nude carried out a branding analysis about a year ago. Four words emerged as the priority for the new eaterie: tasty, healthy, fast and ethical.
"The food has to be tasty or no one would buy it. It has to be healthy, or as healthy as it can be. And that doesn't mean we don't sell cake; we do. We have to be able to deliver it fast, and it has to be ethical. We avoid anything that has genetically-modified ingredients -- if it's chicken, it's chicken," said Hewson.
To bring home the concept of using local organic producers where possible, the walls of Nude are adorned with photos of the north county Dublin grower who supplies apples for Nude's juice, and of its wheatgrass supplier, who lives in Wicklow.
"We try and look after smaller businesses in the supply chain, particularly with the anti-globalisation movement that's becoming more widespread. We try and get local suppliers like Noreen who supplies our cookies. Our policy is to deal with the small guy before we go to the big guy. Smaller companies are more versatile as well."
Nude started to grow energy-providing wheatgrass hydroponically, that is in water without using soil. "It was a great novelty. It yielded two trays of wheatgrass a day, but the demand for it went through the roof. We couldn't keep up with supply and had to get someone to grow it for us. David Ashe now grows our wheatgrass using organic seed and organic compost," said Hewson.
By his own admission, the first unit in Suffolk Street -- which he started with partner David Quirke -- "cost a fortune to put together. There were lots of design mistakes, but we know where we want to go now, in terms of where the next units will be."
Nude will be ready to start franchising shortly, said Hewson. The chain includes Dublin units in Leeson Street, BT2 on Grafton Street and a stunning unit in Georges Quay.
"The core elements of the concept will remain the same in new franchise operations. I'm not keen on the rendered concrete because it's quite difficult to keep clean, so that will play a lesser part, but the core elements of the antique oak, which is on the walls, the steel and lime green will all remain," he said.
The Nude brand is already strong, and Hewson has protected the trademark around the world, just in case. Does this imply global aspirations?
`It would be great if we went global, and if we did, it would be by empowering local producers in each geographical area," he said.
"I have an old saying, `If you aim for the top of the tree, you'll get halfway up the tree, but if you aim for the stars, you might get to the top of the tree'," said Hewson, in tones remarkably similar to the philosophical meanderings of his brother.
Hewson's first job was as a trainee accountant at Craig Gardner, now part of PricewaterhouseCoopers in Ballsbridge, where he earned four pounds, seven and six a week. He later became a computer consultant, and from there moved into the food business.
Living in Delgany, Co Wicklow, he is close enough to commute daily into the city centre. He is involved a hillwalking group that calls itself the Hillocks, taking trips in Wicklow and two annual trips to Clifden. Walking is about the only exercise that he is allowed these days, due to a treatment for asthma that left him with two hip replacements.
"This is probably a message that should go out to anybody with asthma. They really need to look after it. Every now and then I used to get a bad asthma attack and take steroids. One of the side effects with some people who take steroids is that the drug attacks where the arteries terminate, on the hip joints, and the end of the artery withers. As a result you lose the blood supply to your hip joint, and it deteriorates," said Hewson.
His hips were replaced within six months of each other, and the experience affected him deeply. "I was still working in Tosca using crutches. My hair went grey because of it," he said, good-humouredly.
But he has no less energy for Nude and, as befits an eaterie spawned by the brain behind Mr Pussy's, Hewson still has time for a few stunts. To honour last summer's World Cup, he installed an astroturf soccer pitch on the floor of a unit, complete with little goals on each side.
"We just thought it was so cool, we left it there."
By Niamh Connolly
Dublin, Ireland, 5 January, 2003
When Mr Pussy's Cafe Deluxe in Suffolk Street, Dublin was at its most surreal in the mid-1990s, a customer entered the restaurant with a tiger on a lead. The animal slunk between the shocked diners to the front stage where he lay down and purred.
The `customer' had been hired from Chipperfields Circus by co-owner Norman Hewson to perform at the avant garde eaterie. This was one of the many late-night stunts in the establishment's two years of "absolute insanity".
At Mr Pussy's, wine was poured into cups from teapots after a certain hour of the night, to the warblings of resident drag queen and co-manager Mr Pussy, aka Alan Amsby.
"It was madness, totally off the wall. I can't see myself ever having as much fun as the two years with Mr Pussy's," Hewson said. "But it was before its time and was too small. If it was three times the size, it would have been a huge success."
The 50-year-old likes to keep one step ahead of restaurant trends, which is somehow fitting for the older brother of Bono who considers himself something of a visionary.
Hewson opened the doors of his ultra-chic restaurant Tosca in Suffolk Street in the early 1990s, ushering in the first minimalist restaurant design in the city.
Tosca became a symbol of a new, sophisticated and confident Dublin, and was given international street cred by U2 and their coterie of pals, who ate at the establishment between tours.
Supermodels Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Kate Moss and Helena Christiansen sashayed through its doors as part of the U2 circle. Tosca was a "must-do" for any self-respecting social climber.
From the ashes of Tosca and Mr Pussy's in the 1990s came the Nude juice bar for a new generation of Celtic cubs, serving up LA-style wraps, baps and salads made with organic produce. Add smoothies and juices to its fair trade coffee, and the menu is just about complete.
Nude is fast(er) food for the generation of twenty and thirtysomethings who like to munch, gulp down their berry burst smoothie, chat frenetically and go.
The expansion of Hewson's chain from one to four outlets in just two years is as much a testament to the delicious food and the juice bars' location as its moral philosophy -- and, of course, trendiness. Nude also sends down wraps and smoothies to U2 when the band is in its Dublin studios.
The trademark lime green logo means the chicken wraps, salads, paninis and Noreen's cookies (not biscuits) can be eaten with a healthy dollop of clear conscience.
"I just think food is getting very processed. We're trying to get back to nude food, real food ... and out of that, we are probably the first -- I hesitate to call us `fast' -- food outlet," says Hewson.
Hewson has been approached to bring Nude juices and smoothies into retail outlets -- "but you have to have shelf life to be able to do that, so as a product it won't work going into supermarkets. If our smoothies and juices are not sold today, they're history tomorrow. That's one of our key ingredients, managing our wastage. Our smoothies and juices have no preservatives, they last a day and that's it."
The restaurant embraces an anti-globalisation theme by using mostly local suppliers. It is environmentally aware, recycling its glass bottles, encouraging consumers to `bring back the bottle', and using wooden cutlery. "The irony of it is that glass bottles are actually cheaper than the plastic equivalent. We're becoming far too much of a society that generates rubbish for landfill. The bottles are ethically correct because we get two-and-a-half uses out of each bottle before it disappears, which makes our packaging costs reasonable," said Hewson.
Nude carried out a branding analysis about a year ago. Four words emerged as the priority for the new eaterie: tasty, healthy, fast and ethical.
"The food has to be tasty or no one would buy it. It has to be healthy, or as healthy as it can be. And that doesn't mean we don't sell cake; we do. We have to be able to deliver it fast, and it has to be ethical. We avoid anything that has genetically-modified ingredients -- if it's chicken, it's chicken," said Hewson.
To bring home the concept of using local organic producers where possible, the walls of Nude are adorned with photos of the north county Dublin grower who supplies apples for Nude's juice, and of its wheatgrass supplier, who lives in Wicklow.
"We try and look after smaller businesses in the supply chain, particularly with the anti-globalisation movement that's becoming more widespread. We try and get local suppliers like Noreen who supplies our cookies. Our policy is to deal with the small guy before we go to the big guy. Smaller companies are more versatile as well."
Nude started to grow energy-providing wheatgrass hydroponically, that is in water without using soil. "It was a great novelty. It yielded two trays of wheatgrass a day, but the demand for it went through the roof. We couldn't keep up with supply and had to get someone to grow it for us. David Ashe now grows our wheatgrass using organic seed and organic compost," said Hewson.
By his own admission, the first unit in Suffolk Street -- which he started with partner David Quirke -- "cost a fortune to put together. There were lots of design mistakes, but we know where we want to go now, in terms of where the next units will be."
Nude will be ready to start franchising shortly, said Hewson. The chain includes Dublin units in Leeson Street, BT2 on Grafton Street and a stunning unit in Georges Quay.
"The core elements of the concept will remain the same in new franchise operations. I'm not keen on the rendered concrete because it's quite difficult to keep clean, so that will play a lesser part, but the core elements of the antique oak, which is on the walls, the steel and lime green will all remain," he said.
The Nude brand is already strong, and Hewson has protected the trademark around the world, just in case. Does this imply global aspirations?
`It would be great if we went global, and if we did, it would be by empowering local producers in each geographical area," he said.
"I have an old saying, `If you aim for the top of the tree, you'll get halfway up the tree, but if you aim for the stars, you might get to the top of the tree'," said Hewson, in tones remarkably similar to the philosophical meanderings of his brother.
Hewson's first job was as a trainee accountant at Craig Gardner, now part of PricewaterhouseCoopers in Ballsbridge, where he earned four pounds, seven and six a week. He later became a computer consultant, and from there moved into the food business.
Living in Delgany, Co Wicklow, he is close enough to commute daily into the city centre. He is involved a hillwalking group that calls itself the Hillocks, taking trips in Wicklow and two annual trips to Clifden. Walking is about the only exercise that he is allowed these days, due to a treatment for asthma that left him with two hip replacements.
"This is probably a message that should go out to anybody with asthma. They really need to look after it. Every now and then I used to get a bad asthma attack and take steroids. One of the side effects with some people who take steroids is that the drug attacks where the arteries terminate, on the hip joints, and the end of the artery withers. As a result you lose the blood supply to your hip joint, and it deteriorates," said Hewson.
His hips were replaced within six months of each other, and the experience affected him deeply. "I was still working in Tosca using crutches. My hair went grey because of it," he said, good-humouredly.
But he has no less energy for Nude and, as befits an eaterie spawned by the brain behind Mr Pussy's, Hewson still has time for a few stunts. To honour last summer's World Cup, he installed an astroturf soccer pitch on the floor of a unit, complete with little goals on each side.
"We just thought it was so cool, we left it there."
Last January. Twas good stuff.
Nah! I love writing but I'm not good enough to work in a newspaper. 
