#263 - Hospitality Meets Rory Slater - The Story of the Angry Gardener
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 dreams of becoming a chef.
Fast forward a few decades and that journey has taken him across four continents, some of the world's finest luxury hotels, and into leadership roles that have tested not only his skills, but his character.
In this episode we chat about:
- Why becoming a chef wasn't quite what he imagined
- Life on the legendary Savoy Group management programme
- Why everyone should spend time working night shifts
- Hospitality practical jokes, from soufflé pumps to spaghetti drying lines
- Running luxury events in Palm Beach
- Launching rooftop bars in New York
- Building a career across Beijing, Japan and Hong Kong
- Opening luxury hotels around the world
- Why choosing the right owners matters just as much as choosing the right company
- The role mentors have played throughout his career
- The unforgettable Easter egg hunt that was nearly destroyed by one very determined gardener
- Standing up for his team, even when it meant challenging someone incredibly powerful
Along the way we explore curiosity, leadership, resilience, culture, integrity and why some of life's greatest opportunities arrive wrapped up in uncertainty.
Of course, this episode is packed with the sort of stories that make Hospitality Meets... well... Hospitality Meets.
There's the night a woman was caught slipping business cards under hotel bedroom doors, leading to an unforgettable chase through the corridors... before Rory found himself lying flat on the carpet with a ruler and some sticky tape trying to retrieve every last card before guests woke up.
Then there's the Easter egg hunt.
Honestly... you'll never look at an Easter egg hunt in quite the same way again.
But beneath the laughter are some brilliant lessons too.
💭 "Take the opportunity when it comes."
💭 "You work for good owners."
💭 "Take your job seriously... but don't take yourself too seriously."
And perhaps the most powerful takeaway of all:
💭 "You look after your team."
Whether that's standing by your colleagues in difficult moments, embracing new cultures, or moving halfway around the world because an opportunity feels right, Rory's story is a wonderful reminder that great careers aren't always carefully mapped out.
Sometimes they're built through curiosity.
Sometimes through courage.
And occasionally...
Through surviving an angry gardener.
Funny, thoughtful and packed with wonderful stories from one of hospitality's true gentlemen.
Enjoy.
Show Partner
A big shout out to today’s show partner, RotaCloud — the people management platform built specifically for shift-based teams.
RotaCloud lets managers create and share rotas, record attendance, and manage annual leave in minutes — all from one simple, web-based app.
It also makes life easier for teams, allowing staff to check rotas, request holiday, and pick up extra shifts directly from their phones.
To find out more, head to RotaCloud
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