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TV writer Andrew Payne (left) with Gem restaurant owner Cemal Albay |
Little gem of a restaurant offers more than just Pie in the Sky
Peter Gruner joins Andrew Payne, one of Britain’s most successful TV writers, for a meal at Gem restaurant – an oasis of calm away from his word processor
FROM his contribution to the award- winning Minder series to the current Midsomer Murders mysteries, Andrew Payne has over the years proved himself to be one of Britain’s most prolific and successful TV writers.
At 57, the man who created the popular Pie in the Sky comedy drama starring Richard Griffiths has been in the writing business for almost three decades but still gets his share of rejections. He admits that at times it’s still an extremely frustrating profession.
His doleful advice to aspiring young TV writers is usually: “Firstly, don’t do it. Secondly… really don’t do it.”
But if they are determined, perseverance is everything.
“Unless you’re a genius, expect shed loads of rejections. Ignore them. Keep on going.”
He thinks that the avalanche of books and courses on script-writing can be a distraction: “You learn about writing by writing. The lessons you learn from getting it wrong are the ones that stick.”
Andrew has a flat overlooking Highbury Fields, an area which inspired one of his acclaimed plays for the National Theatre Connections Festival. Called Mugged, the play is about the effects of a mugging incident on victim and perpetrator.
I managed to drag Andrew away from his work on a new screen play about middle-aged angst for lunch at the Gem Turkish-Kurdish restaurant in Upper Street.
“I’ve been coming here for six years,” Andrew said, “and the food is always freshly cooked and wonderful. It’s a little oasis away from the word processor where I can really relax in great surroundings.”
We ordered the meze for two, starting with the tasty Kurdish flatbread stuffed with spinach. It was followed by a mouth-watering array of dishes including minced beyti kebab, fresh yoghurt, chilli sauce, as well as houmous, pitta bread and salad.
There was also a delicious aubergine dish, courgettes, calamari and plates of fried chicken wings. A baklava, served with ice-cream, made an ideal dessert.
The whole thing including drinks cost about £10 each.
Gem owner Cemal Albay has been running the restaurant for seven years and includes among his satisfied diners many officers and councillors from the nearby Islington town hall.
He said: “I provide good, wholesome home- cooked food at very reasonable prices and people keep coming back.”
Gem restaurant, 265 Upper Street, N1. Tel: 020 7359 0405 |
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