LOCAL
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hen Abbas Yazdi makes a decision, it’s because he’s following his heart. His wife Jayne trusts his judgement. They’ve been living this way for almost 40 years, and he’s never been wrong yet. The couple met and married in Wales, United Kingdom, at a very young age. Abbas was 21 and Jayne was 19 when they tied the knot at a courthouse on a Monday afternoon. Every decision after that followed suit, including the decision to open Haile Village Bistro, the restaurant the couple owns in the heart of Haile Plantation. The restaurant includes a main dining area, a front porch for outdoor seating and an authentic British pub. The menu features traditional British food, American favorites and select Mediterranean cuisine that Abbas loves to create. Essentially, the joint blends the cultures and cuisine of the places Abbas and Jayne come from.
he popped the question. The two were out for shopping and coffee, and Abbas turned to Jayne and said, “Let’s get married today.” “I looked at him and said, ‘I’m not really dressed for that. I don’t think I can get married in my jeans,’” Jayne remembers. So they married two days later, on a Monday. Jayne wore her sister’s veil and a simple dress to the courthouse. She said everyone told them they were too young and that the marriage would never last. That was 39 years ago. Seven years after they married, they had their daughter. Five years after that, a son. Then a friend of Abbas’ invited him on a three-week road trip in America. He had never been, so he decided to see what all the hype was about.
“If Gordon Ramsey saw the menu, he would have a fit,” Jayne said. Jayne is originally from Wales, and as a teenager, she worked in a corner shop on the weekends. Abbas, originally from Iran, went to Wales to study engineering. He lived next to the store where Jayne worked, and after he noticed her, he went in every single day to do his shopping. “After a while, I knew he was there for more than chewing gum,” Jayne said. “Eventually he mustered up the courage and asked me out for a drink.” Abbas said he knew almost right away that he wanted to marry Jayne, and a year later
When he came back from the trip, he informed Jayne that he was moving the family across the pond. By this point, Jayne said she was used to the way that Abbas made decisions. After a little convincing, the Yazdis packed up their things and came to the States in 2003. For six weeks, they drove across the country trying to decide where to build a home. Eventually, TheVillageJournal.com | 21