Episodes

The story of the office that smells like itself What do university ASBOs, Stash Monkey, Sarah Beeny, private equity cold calls and an office with its own recognisable smell have in common? They all feature in the unconventional journey of Chris Davies, CEO of flexible office brand Uncommon. Recorded inside Uncommon’s Fulham podcast studio, after Chris and Phil had already used up most of the good material during an hour-long pre-podcast chat, the conversation explores accidental entrepreneursh...

I'll be honest... this one is a little different. For the first time in Hospitality Meets history, I sat down with a guest who didn't need a microphone, didn't ask for a coffee before we started, and definitely didn't have any travel expenses. Instead, I had a conversation with ChatGPT. What began as a bit of curiosity quickly turned into something much more interesting. Somewhere between jokes about "Chatty McChatface", philosophical debates about trust, and the bizarre reality that I was in...

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...

Six years ago, Robert Richardson joined me on Hospitality Meets for the very first time. Back then, he was a hotel General Manager with a passion for people, wondering what the next chapter might look like. Neither of us could have predicted what came next. Fast forward six years, and Robert returns to the show as CEO of the Institute of Hospitality, leading a global professional body with more than 17,000 members, overseeing record membership growth, driving the Institute's Charter ambition,...

What do a biochemist, a Chinese mansion house, Heathrow Airport, 250 burger restaurants, a pub turnaround, student accommodation, retirement living, and more than a few bottles of Mao Tai have in common? This week's guest... Duncan Garrood. And trust me... You're going to want to hear this one. Duncan's career began in a laboratory as a scientist with a PhD in Biochemistry. It then took him through Unilever, a decade living in China, Heathrow Airport, the Middle East, Punch Taverns, Bill's ...

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 Adam Hamadache, founder of Formula and host of the Hotel Growth Podcast, a man who has spent the last 15 years helping hotels figure out how to grow in an industry that never seems to sit still for more than five minutes. What followed was part hospitality strategy masterclass, part therapy session for modern business owners, and part beautifully chaotic conversation about AI, audience-less keynote speeches, and why hiring experts only to tell them exactly what to do m...

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 Basel Jabri, and this one’s got everything. Global upbringing, accidental career pivots, iconic hotel brands, and a journey that goes from literally steering boats in Dubai… to leading people & culture across a luxury London hotel group. And the best bit? It all started with a dream that didn’t happen. In this episode, Basel and I get into… Growing up internationally thanks to his father’s career in aviation Why he originally wanted to be a pilot, an...

This week, I sat down with the brilliant Newton Fernandes - and this is one of those conversations that reminds you just how non-linear careers in hospitality can be. From starting out as a journalist, to working in airline reservations, to quite literally being invited across the road into a hotel career… Newton’s journey spans continents, cultures, and some seriously big roles. We’re talking global brand, marketing, and communications at a scale that’s hard to get your head around, but alway...

This week, I sat down with the brilliant Dawn Lister - and honestly, I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get someone from the world of sales on the show. And what an introduction to it this was. From wanting to be an air stewardess at 10 years old, to building a 20+ year career in hotel sales, Dawn’s journey is packed with graft, growth, resilience… and a lot of persistence (some might call it “relentless follow-up” 😅). Now Sales Director for B&B Hotels UK, Dawn brings a no-nonsense, p...

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...

This week I sat down with the brilliant Gemma Glasson, Managing Director of Wahaca and one of those leaders whose journey reminds you that careers rarely move in straight lines… and thank God for that. From starting out in the world of KPMG and Ernst & Young, to stepping into hospitality with a desire to have more impact, more energy, and a bit more colour in her working life, Gemma’s story is packed with intelligence, curiosity, self awareness, and the kind of warmth that makes you understand ...

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...

Show your support for Hospitality Sector Letter to the Chancellor What happens when two people who love a bit of unstructured behaviour get together for a structured conversation? The answer? Lots of unstructured conversation This week I sat down with Conrad Brunton, founder of Tonic Talent, passionate hospitality advocate, charity champion, networking powerhouse… and a man who clearly believes that if you’re going to do something, you might as well do it properly. Before we get into his jour...

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 ...

Still Building Born in a hotel, thrown out of university Built the UK’s biggest hospitality recruitment business, Lost control of it, Lost his driving licence, Broke his back. You'd think this was a lesson in how not to do it? But far from it! This week on Hospitality Meets, I sit down with Roddy Watt, recruitment pioneer, hotel strategist, owner of one almighty black book and living proof that setbacks are not full stops, they’re commas. In This Episode Why most careers start by accident ...

From Baptism of Fire to Michelin Leadership This week on Hospitality Meets, Phil sits down with Douglas Balish - Executive Chef and Director at Grove of Narberth, Hotel Chef of the Year, and a man shaped by some of the toughest kitchens in the business. From washing dishes in Ayrshire… To getting “pans thrown at his head” To learning to run in kitchens where nobody walked… To leading his own Michelin starred brigade And all of the lessons that come with that This is a candid episode about ...

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...