Meet the Team
Rafia Willmott
FounderRafia founded Eliane in 2014 following her husband John’s cancer diagnosis when she began exploring how food and cooking could support recovery and everyday wellbeing.
Drawing on 30 years of experience in Ayurvedic principles, she set out to create a café where people could eat confidently and comfortably, regardless of dietary preferences.
What began as a single café in Hungerford has since grown into a wider food business including cafés, cookbooks, retreats and an Ayurvedic clinic. Rafia continues to shape the philosophy behind Eliane, ensuring that food remains thoughtful, balanced and prepared with care.
Ayurvedic ClinicianCyrus Willmott
Cyrus leads the Eliane Health Clinic, offering consultations focused on digestion, diet and long-term health.
He trained extensively in Ayurvedic medicine in India and holds an MSc in Nutrition and Eating Disorders from University College London. He is currently undertaking PhD research at the University of Exeter, where his work focuses on gut health disorders.
His work combines Ayurvedic principles with modern nutritional science, exploring the relationship between food, digestion and everyday wellbeing.
Henry Starr
Executive Director Henry Starr oversees the development of Eliane across its cafés, catering and retreat programmes.
With a background in recipe development and food writing, his work focuses on shaping menus, partnerships and the creative direction of the business. He works closely with the kitchen teams to develop seasonal dishes and ensure the food served across Eliane reflects the same approach to ingredients, balance and thoughtful cooking.
Henry also hosts private retreats in the south of France and leads the private dining residencies connected to the business.
