Operators Episodes

The Story of... The Angry Gardener What do luxury hotels, practical jokes, Palm Beach, New York, Beijing, Japan, Hong Kong, a very angry gardener and a 30cm ruler have in common? Yep, this week's guest Rory Slater, Managing Director for COMO Hotels in London. And trust me... Some of these stories are almost too good to be true. Rory's journey started with a love of food, inspired by his mum's Cordon Bleu cooking, before joining the legendary Savoy Group management programme with drea...

What do a kitchen porter, a Swedish adventure, a hotel fire, a freezing swimming pool, and the CEO of one of Britain's most iconic hotel groups have in common? This week's guest is John Badley, CEO of Andrew Brownsword Hotels. Today, John oversees a collection of some of the UK's most beautiful and historic hotels. But his story starts somewhere much humbler. A teenage job sweeping a car park for £10, a desperate desire to escape the cold, and a sister who eventually gave in and let him becom...

What do dough balls, coffee, Covid crisis meetings, global expansion, and one very determined mum have in common? This week's guest is Caroline Ottoy, Managing Director of WatchHouse. Today, WatchHouse is one of the most exciting hospitality brands on the planet, with 29 locations across the UK, USA and Dubai, and ambitious plans to reach 100 sites globally over the next few years. But Caroline's journey started in a very different place. A teenager destined for a science degree, a year spen...

What do holiday parks, imposter syndrome, accidental career sabotage, and one of the UK's most respected hospitality leaders have in common? This week's guest is Barrie Robinson, National Operations Director at Parkdean Resorts and Chair of the newly launched North Star Competitive Career Accelerator. Barrie's journey into hospitality wasn't exactly traditional. After lasting just six weeks at university ("reading newspapers and pretending to be a tree" wasn't quite the career path he'd envis...

This week I sat down with Jonny Bramwell, Regional Head of Operations for Rosa’s Thai — a man responsible for 22 restaurants, thousands of miles of motorway, and quite possibly the most unexpectedly philosophical conversation we’ve had on Hospitality Meets in a while. What starts as a chat about pubs, restaurants and leadership quickly becomes a brilliant conversation about burnout, ambition, balance, accidental life lessons, and why sometimes the best thing that can happen to your career… is g...

This week, I sat down with Gareth Rees, and this is one of those conversations that feels properly important. Not just for hospitality… but for how we think about people, performance, and what “doing a good job” actually means Gareth now runs ADHospitalityD, with a mission to educate the industry on neurodiversity, breaking down misconceptions, supporting individuals, and helping businesses create environments where people can genuinely thrive. But his story starts where many of ours do… On ...

This week on Hospitality Meets, Phil sits down with another Phil, that being Phil Andreopoulos, CEO of YOTEL, for a conversation that starts with washing pots in restaurants… and somehow ends with power naps, gorilla trekking, hotel disruption and leadership philosophy. Inspired by a first class airline cabin and created by the founder of YO! Sushi, YOTEL has always challenged the “that’s just how hotels work” mentality, and this episode dives into exactly why. Along the way, the two Phils dis...

This week, I sat down with the brilliant Guy Freedman, Hotel Director at The Pig & The Pig in the Wall, and honestly, this one felt like a giant exhale. A conversation about leadership, yes. Culture, absolutely. But also… naked guests, rogue deer, flood rescues in a Land Rover, student days in a fudge kitchen, and why maybe fun has been unfairly underestimated as a serious business strategy. Guy’s journey, from a self-confessed chatty teenager being redirected out of the kitchen and into fro...

This week, I sat down with the brilliant Paul Hunter, and after nearly a year of trying to make it happen, we finally got the conversation in the can. And it was worth the wait. From early days in hospitality (and admittedly being a “bit of a mischievous lad”) to launching hotels across London, navigating redundancy during COVID with twin new borns, and now stepping into a brand new luxury estate role back in Yorkshire… Paul’s journey is packed with honesty, resilience, and a proper appreciati...

What do you get when an introvert ends up running one of the most iconic hospitality resorts in the country? A very good reminder that the loudest person in the room isn’t always the best leader This week, after what feels like about 17 years of trying to line up diaries, I finally sat down with the legend that is Chris Eigelaar, Managing Director of The Belfry Hotel & Resort. Now, if you know The Belfry, you’ll know it’s not exactly a sleepy little B&B with a bowl of mints on reception. We’r...

This week I sat down with the brilliant Ella de Beer co-founder of Electric Mayonnaise and one of those hospitality people whose career reminds you just how brilliantly unpredictable this industry can be. From waitressing at 14 in South Africa (while telling everyone she was 16… obviously), to opening restaurants, running pubs, building multi-site businesses, leading people functions at brands like Ottolenghi & MJMK and now helping shape the next generation of hospitality leaders, Ella’s story ...

Building a Regenerative Farm Stay This week on Hospitality Meets, Phil sits down with Caitlin Owens, Managing Director and co-owner of Fowlescombe Farm, a luxury farm stay in Devon built on regenerative farming principles. What started as a family meat farm became a pub What started as a consulting career became a hospitality adventure. What started as “how hard can it be?” became… chlorine spraying out of beer lines. This episode is about naivety, chaos, regenerative farming, and why hospit...

This week, Phil sits down with Chetan Bhanot, Group General Manager of The Mandeville Hotel in Marylebone and Pendley Manor in Hertfordshire - two stunning properties he leads with equal parts humility, humour and impressive calm. Chetan’s story spans 32 years in hospitality, from hotel school in India, to Hilton and InterContinental, to JW Marriott Mumbai’s first-ever opening, to London’s NH Hotels, Harrington Hall, and now a dual-property leadership role he’s held for nearly a decade. It’s a ...

Every now and then, an episode arrives that contains everything we love about hospitality: chaos, heart, humour, problem solving… and at least two stories involving naked guests. This week Phil chats with James McComas FIH, General Manager of Eastwell Manor, part of the Champneys Group. At 6'5", James is one of the tallest men Phil knows — which, as it turns out, comes with unexpected job perks But behind the laughter sits a deeply thoughtful leader with a wonderfully varied hospitality journ...

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you mix hustle, humility, a bit of chaos, and a moment of pure stage-fright… this episode has you covered. This week, I sat down with Tom James, Managing Director of Bill’s Restaurants, and a man whose career has taken him from glass collector to running iconic hospitality brands with a detour involving an incident with Jamie Oliver. Is that really his name? it’s every bit as painful and glorious as it sounds. But beyond the comedy gold, Tom brings se...

This week, I sat down in The Den at The Other House, South Kensington, with the wonderful Jo Morgan, owner of Meliora Consultancy Services, coach, advisor to Tech on Toast and all round powerhouse of positivity. Jo’s journey is one of those you could never script. From becoming the youngest female GM in her company at 27, to running seven floating hotels for TUI Cruises, to heading up operations for The Other House and launching her own consultancy, Meliora (“the pursuit of the better”) her car...

This week, I sat down in person (yes, we went old school) with the brilliant Jakob Gowin, General Manager of the Meliá White House in London - and what a conversation this turned out to be. From washing dishes at 13 to running a 581 bedroom hotel and 112 long-stay apartments (with residents who’ve lived there for 30+ years!), Jakob’s journey is packed with graft, heart, humility, and more than a few cracking stories - including the fact we recorded this episode in “The White House”. Sadly, neit...

Episode Summary This week on Hospitality Meets, I’m joined by the brilliant Philip Steiner, Chief Operating Officer at Cycas Hospitality a man who’s spent his whole career planning for spontaneity (yes, it’s a thing). From cleaning rooms to the C-suite, Philip’s journey is a joyful mix of graft, grit, and glorious chaos, proving that great leadership often comes down to knowing when not to turn up. Our chat is packed with laughs and we chat about BBC blunders, linen truck disasters, diversity d...

This week on Hospitality Meets, I sit down with the brilliant Phil Shelley — Senior Operational Manager at NHS England and Chair of the NHS Food Review. Phil is an exceptional hospitality leader and human being and was crowned Outstanding Achievement Award winner at the 2025 Foodservice Cateys, only last Friday. Phil’s career is a masterclass in purpose driven leadership. From his early days in hotel kitchens to shaping the future of hospital food, he’s proof that hospitality is about so much m...

Episode Summary: In this heartwarming and hilariously honest episode of Hospitality Meets, I sit down with the brilliant Abigail Tan, CEO of St Giles Hotels — a woman who’s equal parts rock star, rebel, and real-deal leader. From dreams of fronting a band to running an international hotel group, Abigail’s journey is a masterclass in following your heart (and occasionally your vacuum cleaner). Expect laughter, leadership lessons, and the occasional toilet paper obsession as Abigail opens up abo...

Episode Summary In this inspiring episode of Hospitality Meets, I sit down with Billy Skelli-Cohen, CEO of Beaumier Hotels, a boutique group with 11 stunning properties across France, Switzerland, and Ibiza. Billy’s story is not your standard hospitality tale. In fact, he jokes that he’s “a bit of a fraud” because he’s never actually worked in a hotel. From starting out in retail, to private equity, to leading some of Europe’s most iconic hotel projects, Billy’s journey is proof that there’s n...

Episode Summary In this laugh out loud episode of Hospitality Meets, I sit down with the brilliant Rob Flinter, Area General Manager for London and Westmont Hospitality Group. Rob’s career has taken him from the frontline of hotels to rubbing shoulders with rockstars, rugby legends, and royalty with plenty of mishaps, laughs, and wisdom along the way. Expect tales of sweaty lift rides with Prince Philip, rockstars passed out under tables, and the moment Rob realised he was officially old (hint...

Episode Summary: In this lively and insightful episode of Hospitality Meets, I sit down with the incredible Bernadette Gilligan, General Manager of Conrad London St. James. From humble beginnings in hospitality to leading one of Hilton’s most prestigious luxury hotels, Bernadette shares her journey with humour, wisdom, and a few unexpected twists along the way. Expect career-defining moments, leadership insights, and a deep dive into the camaraderie that makes hospitality such a unique indust...

In this lively and laugh-filled episode of Hospitality Meets, I sat down with John Herity, Club Operations Manager at The Caledonian Club in London. From his accidental start in hospitality to tales of Burns Night feasts and Scottish banter, John's journey is a testament to adaptability, tradition, and keeping your cool in high-pressure situations. Expect stories of butlering for the elite, dodging dodgy chicken, and navigating the world of private members' clubs with a mix of humour and hard...