Episodes

I'm not going to lie, I'm a huge fan of the venue that today's guest leads. I got some time with Andrew Coggings, Managing Director of Entertaining and Hospitality at the Goodwood Estate (https://www.goodwood.com). It's an epic chat and we get through loads including:- The Festival of Speed The values of Goodwood Bottling selfies Growing up in Durham Going against careers advice The Caterer & Hotelkeeper Being headhunted to Hilton Moving to Dubai Being a forerunner hotel Moving to So...

Episode 78, the day that Hospitality Meets ACTUALLY MET SOMEONE. Yes, this week, we got some actual face to face time with the epicness that is Paul Spencer, Operations Director at Locke (https://www.lockeliving.com). He shared some time with me out of his more than hectic schedule at the beautiful Bermonds Locke, one of the newest properties in the ever expanding Locke portfolio. Paul is all action from the get go and you can tell he's abundantly passionate about what he does which means we g...

There are so many exceptional people in hospitality and this week we got some time with yet another of those. We chat to Aseem Kapoor, Founder & Chief ARK-itect at Ark People Solutions (https://arkpeoplesolutions.com). We chat about:- Being an Ark-itect Travel plans The first meeting Standing meetings Heated debates Creating positive work environments Early path to becoming a doctor Hotel openings Defining brands Creating culture Job titles Leadership Starting your own business K...

Well, what a lovely treat we have in store for you today. We got some time with the awesome humans at the sharp end of the Institute of Hospitality (https://www.instituteofhospitality.org), Kellie Rixon, Chair and Robert Richardson, the new CEO. We chat about: The Tom cruise of the Hospitality Industry Richard Robertson World exclusives The impact of the weather How Robert’s appointment came about Serendipity Recording conversations with yourself The support Signatures Roberts email st...

In the first of our two chats with the Institute of Hospitality (https://www.instituteofhospitality.org), we got some time with outgoing CEO Peter Ducker. No doubt Peter has forged an enviable career and we were honoured to have a chat with him ahead of his end of June departure from the Institute. As always, we got through a lot including:- Getting an early start Defying careers advisors Heading off to London Taking the road less travelled Having a mentor Moving into sales and marketing ...

What a treat we have for you this week as we bring you the natural story teller that is Debra Ward, Global Transition Director at ISS Facility Services UK. Debra has some brilliant stories from a truly spectacular career built in many areas of hospitality. As always, we get through lots including:- Starting out in Canada Working the family business Calling out your professors Moving to the city Working with Wolfgang Puck The comedy and safety of small town Respecting local customs Jail t...

Ahhhh, Drink. We all love it. But not all drinks are made equally and today's guest is part of a team who have produced a world class no alcohol beer. As a fanboy, I was delighted I got some time with Felix von Hurter, Co-Founder of No Alcohol drinks guru's Freestar Drinks (https://freestar.co). As always, we cram in loads including:- Facebook advertising The need for hospitality’s return Starting in flavours and fragrance Sipsmith The rise and rise of Gin Lame and Soda The de-alcoholis...

When I started this podcast, I had no idea what stories I'd uncover. Well, today's story is an absolute belter! I got some time with the crew of HospoRow, A 250km row up the west coast of Scotland across 72 continuous hours, all to raise money for Hospitality Action. The crew consisted of Elsa De Jager - People & Culture Director at Guest House Hotels, Angus Collins - Founder at Beyond Endurance, Josh McIntyre - Group Bars Manager at Caravan Restaurants and Will David - CEO & Founder at Fixtur...

This week we move into the world of consulting and we got some time with brilliant Mike Stocks, Founder of Mike Stocks Consulting (https://mikestocks.co.uk) and known as "the wine guy" (He's got a lot more knowledge than merely wine). We cover off a lot, including:- Boris' road map Travel plans Working in a meat processing factory Holding down 2 part time jobs Uni Giving up the law The start at Carluccios Following your own passion Barista/Barrister Training Moving into drink Buying...

I'm super excited to bring you our next Bonus Episode. There are over 240,000 self employed people working within Hospitality in the UK as of Q4 in 2020. With a pandemic shifting the work force, that number is set to rise. Today's guest speaks directly to anyone who considers themselves self employed. We got some time with inspirational force that is Jeffrey Shaw (https://www.jeffreyshaw.com/), Author, Podcaster, Speaker, Coach and all round self employed guru. We specifically delve into Jeff...

Another wonderful story from hotels awaits you this week. We got some time with the superb Chris Wayne-Wills, CEO of Crerar Hotels (https://www.crerarhotels.com) in Scotland. This is a packed chat and we cover off:- Gaining qualifications Moving to Scotland Ayr Winning or learning DJing Club de Mar Troon Edinburgh Moving around with Jarvis Becoming a GM Moving into quality Cornell University Coopetition Being the ambassador for your brand Getting the first regional role Breakin...

When I started this humble show, I dreamed of hunting out the characters, the charmers, the ones who put humour at the heart of everything they do. In the absence of all that, I found today's guest (Jokes). I got some time with the brilliant and always witty Andrew Coney, General Manager at the beautiful The Hari London (https://www.thehari.com/london) My word we get through a lot including The view from The Hari, The weather (again), Phil’s Dog, delivering careers talks, early memories of ho...

In another of our bonus episodes, we got some time with Kris Hall, Founder of The Burnt Chef Project (www.theburntchefproject.com) a non-profit campaign and clothing brand operating within hospitality to challenge mental health stigma. Rightfully, this is a topic that is getting more discussion time and I was delighted to chat about this so openly with Kris. As you can imagine, Mental Health dominates our discussion but we also cover Somerset, a start out of the industry, food wholesaling, food...

What a treat we have for you today as we have someone who has built an amazing career so far but backs this up with extra work she does for the Institute of Hospitality and Charities such as Hospitality Action We got some time with the amazing Brenda Collin, Executive Vice President for Europe at Preferred Hotels & Resorts (https://preferredhotels.com). As usual, we get in loads including the Budget, job titles, life on the farm, wanting to travel, working in a pub, applying for University, Uni...

As part of our Bonus series, we are delighted to showcase the amazing work that Dorothee Schiesser is doing as Founder and President of the waste soap upcyclers, SapoCycle (https://sapocycle.org/). SapoCycle is a non-profit organisation that collects discarded soaps in hotels and turns them into life-saving products. The soaps are recycled by people with disabilities and then distributed to improve sanitary conditions of families in need. We chat through Dorothee's story as well as the weather...

What a corker we've got for you this week. We got some time with the bundle of positive energy and influence that is Andrew Fishwick, CEO of Salt (www.worthoursalt.com) & The Pepper Collective (http://www.thepeppercollective.com). We get through lots including Pitcher & Piano, cashing up in the olden days, similarities between hospitality and theatre, buying a pub, private equity, starting a marketing consultancy, the diversity of the client portfolio, the inner workings of Salt, working with ...

In the 2nd of our episodes this week, we chat to another of London's brightest talents, Anthony Raffo - Head Chef at Anglo (https://anglorestaurant.com) and Foraging and Fermenting maestro. We get through so much including school, choosing cooking over hairdressing, breakfast - the most important meal, learning (Or not) from the old school, the influence of mum, supporting your local butcher, finding your creative space, being on Ramsay’s kitchen nightmares (sort of), adapting to Michelin starr...

In the week where Hospitality began it's reopening journey, we bring you the first of 2 chats this week. We chat to Robbie Lorraine, Founder and Executive Chef at Only Food & Courses (https://www.onlyfoodandcourses.co.uk), serving up some of the most innovative food in London. We get through loads including snow, Only food & Courses, only fools & horses, First restaurant memory, family food memories, rock cake school hustles, GNVQs, Getting a start with Aramark, moving to fine dining, Director...

This week we got some time with rising superstar and all round bundle of energy Catrina Pengelley, Founder of the Nerdy Hotelier (https://thenerdyhotelier.weebly.com). Like a lot of people in the hospitality industry, 2020 saw Cat lose her job in sales but rather than getting all down beat about that, she dusted herself off and got on with it, founding the Nerdy Hotelier Blog and generally making a positive nuisance of herself. In our chat, we get through loads, including The glory of a podcas...

Today's guest yet again highlights the diversity of opportunity that exists within hospitality. We got some time with the sensational Katy Moses, Founder and Managing Director of Kam Media (https://kam-media.co.uk). We get through loads including Lockdown handling, service, research, sell me this pen, having folders thrown at your head, recruitment, Starting Kam in a weekend, big picture thinking, one direction, starting chat shows, podcasts, being landed in the shit, failure, keeping hospital...

What better time to start a business than in a pandemic right? Well, todays guest has started not one, but two wonderful enterprises. As Phil puts it early on "You're clearly a glutton for punishment". We got some time with the wonderful human being that is Ed Walker, Founder of Fika Catering (https://fikacatering.com) and Bloom Coffee (https://bloom-coffee.org), two wonderfully and mutually beneficial enterprises. We get through loads including starting businesses in a pandemic, change please...

What I love about chatting to such a variety of people from Hospitality is one, exactly that, the variety of stories is incredible but two, sometimes I get to stumble on such a wonderful human story that it makes me feel incredibly lucky. Enter, Peter Avis the General Manager at the quite wonderful Galvin at Windows on London's Park Lane (https://galvinrestaurants.com/restaurant/galvin-at-windows-mayfair). Peter talks as openly on his struggles as he does on his successes and as a result, it's...

What a corker we've got for you this week. We got time (somehow) with the incredibly busy and rather awe inspiring Chef & Restaurant Magazine (https://chefpublishing.com/) Editor, Claire Bosi. Claire is also the driving force behind the wonderful and necessary #seatatthetable campaign to try and ensure we have a minister for hospitality going forward (https://www.seatatthetable.org.uk/). This is action packed from the word go covering off nuggets such as Boris’s roadmap, creating the best publ...

In honour of the fact that next week is International Women's Day we got some time with awe inspiring woman that is Natalia Ribbe, Founder of Ladies of Restaurants (https://www.ladiesofrestaurants.com) and Barletta in Margate (https://barletta.co.uk). It's an all action chat and we get through lockdown baking habits, dinner parties, wine pairings, The performance that is service, Staring at Leonardo Di Caprio, early misadventures, dealing with bullying, How small the world is, going freelance, ...