Ex-nurse opens new Filipino restaurant in Brighton

UPDATE: This Filipino café is no longer trading from The Avenue and is looking for a new location. The Avenue café is open as usual.  

Filipino At The Avenue, in St. James' Avenue, opened in Kemp Town, Brighton, last month.

Junjun Medran said he now wants to "spread love" through his food rather than his nursing, which he did for 28 years.

The restaurant is run by the entire immediate family, who are all nurses from the Philippines and have since relocated to Brighton.

This includes his brother-in-law Mario, 49, who will be the head chef of the restaurant, alongside Junjun's sister and Mario's wife Ava Medran as sous-chef.

Junjun's other sisters Aira and Melissa, and his wife Cindy, will also work at the restaurant.

Junjun, who opened up a car business before this restaurant, said: "My mum and dad passed away five years ago and I realised life is too short not to chase my other passion, which is cars.

"Then I became successful too.

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"My dad kept telling us siblings, who were four nurses who all worked for the NHS at the time, that if you are given an opportunity to do something make sure you give your heart and be happy doing it."

Through the new restaurant, Junjun aims to use his passion for food to make other people happy.

He said despite saving lives for 28 years, he has now put his nursing career behind him to fully pursue his businesses.

He and his siblings had previously worked at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

At the restaurant, Junjun and his family have created a menu that has a range of classic Filipino dishes including gambas and beef tapa.

Starters on offer include spring rolls and calamari, while a number of desserts including halo halo and turon are also available at the restaurant.