Labours of love: Elizabeth & Steele
Elizabeth and Steele of Mei Mei, partners in both work and life, on falling hard, separating business from love, and sharing small plates on an Aussie beach
“WE GENUINELY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE OTHER PERSON IS CARRYING, BECAUSE WE’RE BUILDING THE SAME THING TOGETHER”
Portraits: Orlando Gili
Unsurprisingly, given the small scale of Borough Market’s businesses, a significant proportion of our stands and stalls are run by couples whose relationships extend through life as well as work: husbands, wives and partners, in various combinations. Ahead of Valentine’s Day, some of these traders have shared with us their love stories and life lessons.
Here, we hear from Elizabeth Haigh, who founded Mei Mei with her husband Steele. Located in the Borough Market Kitchen, Mei Mei recreates the flavours of a Singaporean ‘kopitiam’ coffee shop, inspired by Elizabeth’s family roots.
How did the two of you first meet?
Elizabeth: At a restaurant PR event back in 2011. Steele was late (classic), and I turned round to see who was disturbing my friend’s demo. That’s when we locked eyes. It genuinely felt like love at first sight. His Aussie charm absolutely did its thing, and somehow I went from “who is this guy?” to “oh… it’s you” in about two seconds. The rest is history.
How central to your connection is a love of food?
Elizabeth: Food is basically the heartbeat of our relationship. It’s how we play, how we work and how we unwind. We wake up thinking about what we’re cooking, what we’re eating, and how we want to capture it, from photography to filming to the restaurant. We’re happiest exploring new flavours, chasing great produce, and trying dishes from anywhere and everywhere. Even on our days off, it always comes back to food.
What’s the best thing about working together?
Elizabeth: That we genuinely understand what the other person is carrying, because we’re building the same thing together. We can be deep in service, filming, emails, chaos… and still feel like a team. We play to each other’s strengths, call each other out (kindly), and celebrate the wins properly because we know what it took. Work can be intense, but doing it together makes it feel lighter, funnier and more meaningful.
What advice would you give a couple who are thinking about starting a business?
Elizabeth: Treat it like two relationships: the love relationship and the business relationship – and protect both. Be really clear on roles, decision-making, and how you’ll handle stress before you’re in the middle of it. Have a weekly check-in that isn’t about tasks but about how you’re both doing. Most importantly, keep a little pocket of time that belongs only to you two and turn your phone off!
Describe for us your dream romantic meal.
Elizabeth: Intimate, relaxed, delicious, no fuss, just perfect details. Probably back in Aus, where we got married. We’d start with oysters and a cold glass of something crisp, then share a few small plates that surprise us: smoky grilled meat or seafood, something spicy, something rich. We’d finish with a ridiculously good dessert and strong coffee. Ideally, it’s somewhere warm by the sea, golden hour, bare feet, and no one rushing us out. Just us, talking for hours.
