Jonathan Quentin Blake

Initially introduced as an antagonist and outsider within the Reds team, Jonathan's developing friendship with Ryan Foster gradually changes the way he views his colleagues — and the way they view him.

 

Over time, he earns their respect and becomes an increasingly important member of the Reds family. Unlike most of the Reds employees, Jonathan comes from a privileged background. Born and raised in Leatherhead, Surrey, to Martin and Georgina Blake, Jonathan grew up in a household defined by strict rules, high expectations and a love of classic rock music. In 1997, however, Jonathan discovered a passion that would define much of his life. Formula One.

 

At the age of eight, Jonathan watched Canadian underdog Jacques Villeneuve win the 1997 Formula One World Championship. From that moment onwards, he became obsessed with the sport. Jonathan has watched every Formula One race since, has attended the British Grand Prix at Silverstone every year since he was fifteen and has even met Lewis Hamilton on several occasions. But Jonathan didn't just want to watch Formula One. He wanted to be part of it.

 

Secretly, Jonathan dreamed of becoming a racing driver himself. He competed in karting and imagined one day making it to Formula One, but his parents saw racing as little more than an expensive hobby. They encouraged him to pursue a more conventional career. After graduating from sixth form, Jonathan attended Cambridge University, studying economics before securing a position in London's financial sector.

 

For a time, Jonathan appeared to have achieved everything expected of him. He had a prestigious career, financial security, confidence, respect, a penthouse apartment and an expensive car. He also met Florence Matthews, who would eventually become his long-term partner. From the outside, his life seemed perfect.

 

Then everything changed. A panic attack resulted in a serious health scare, forcing Jonathan to confront the reality that the life he had built was no longer making him happy. He left the financial world behind and moved with Florence to Coventry, hoping to start again. Soon after arriving in Coventry, the couple discovered that Florence was pregnant. With Jonathan now searching for a new direction in life, an unexpected opportunity presented itself.

 

David Clifton headhunted him for a position as Assistant Manager at the Stratford-upon-Avon branch of Reds Coffee & Diner. Clifton believed Jonathan possessed qualities that could transform the restaurant. Jonathan quickly discovers that managing Reds is very different from managing traders in London. The staff are informal. The customers are unpredictable. The workplace is chaotic. And the people around him don't particularly care about the corporate rules and professional etiquette he has spent his entire adult life following.

 

His initial attempts to impose order make him unpopular with the Reds team, particularly Ryan. But the two eventually begin to understand one another. What starts as mutual frustration slowly develops into an unlikely friendship, forcing Jonathan to reconsider his assumptions about the people he works with. For the first time, Jonathan begins to realise that success isn't necessarily about having the biggest salary, the nicest car or the most impressive job title. Sometimes, it's about finding somewhere you actually belong.