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'Dreams come true' for business-starting Romanians

Chris Craddock
BBC Jersey communities reporter
BBC Florin and Viorel look at the camera in seperate photos. Florin is wearing a smart, long black coat with a black turtle neck jumper underneath. He has short, grey hair and a beard. Viorel is in chef whites with a blue bib and is wearing glasses.BBC
Florin Beclenas (left) and Viorel Ungureanu (right) are both Romanian nationals who have started businesses in Jersey

Some members of Jersey's Romanian community have said being in the island has helped their "dreams come true" after starting businesses.

The Romanian population has grown in the island with the last census finding the number of people from the country rose by 875 from 2011 to 2021.

It was one of the biggest increases in community sizes during that period.

The BBC has been speaking to two of those who have now started their own businesses since coming to Jersey to hear what life is like in the island for them.

Its the outside of the cafe with which has a blackboard by the door with the menu on. The entrance is made from glass panels with white boarding over it with the cafe logo on it. There's a seagull perched on the banner over the entrance.
Viorel Ungureanu serves traditional Romanian food and other dishes at the Roseville Cafe which opened recently

Viorel Ungureanu came to Jersey in 2009 and bought the Roseville Bistro in 2017 after having children in the island with his wife.

He said he came to Jersey "just for experience at first" and continued his training as a chef so "started from the bottom again but I soon became head chef like I was in Romania here".

Mr Ungureanu added: "I made a family here and we had our children in Jersey and I opened my own business when I bought the bistro and my dream came true in Jersey."

Thanks to the restaurant's success - Mr Ungureanu has now opened the Roseville Café in St Helier where he serves lunches during the day, and it includes Romanian dishes like skinless sausages which is know as Mici.

There's raised decking with chairs and tables on. There are glass panels by the edge of the decking with the restaurant logo on it.
The Wave recently opened along the seafront in Harve des Pas

Florin Beclenas also moved to Jersey in 2009 and opened The Wave restaurant earlier this month in Harve de Pas.

He said "it's amazing here" and he enjoys "the island, the food, the people".

Mr Beclenas has been a head chef for the last 10 years and wanted to start a family business in the island.

He said: "We already have good support from locals and friends on Facebook which is helping us slowly grow the business."

"We've worked hard for these opportunities to own our businesses" he said, adding "Jersey has given us the chance to achieve these dreams".

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