Almost 2 years ago to the day, I was lucky enough to get the industry legend that is Danny Pecorelli on the show to tell his story. Within that story we got talking about a very special event that was about to happen called Back to the Floor and he kindly invited me to join his table. What unfolded at that event was what undoubtedly makes Back to the Floor one of the most celebrated events on the hospitality calendar. Fun and Carnage in equal measure, all whilst raising some much needed...

Today marks the end of season 5 of the show and we are signing off with a bang. I welcomed Hamish Anderson to the show, CEO of Tate Enterprises. This episode was a totally joyous education from the outset and represents another wonderful corner of the industry, where art and hospitality collide, in glorious fashion (Have I just inadvertently written a tagline for next years fashion week?). Hamish is brilliant, he oozes effortless passion for hospitality all the way through and with some...

Another treat for you this week as I got some time with the wonderful Zoe Watts, Managing Director of Bennett Hay Zoe's rise to MD has seen her take in some quite amazing places to work. In addition to her journey we also get through:- Exploring being a nurseThe BHS Coffee ShopOff to UniBeefeater RestaurantsSavill garden RestaurantBecoming a GMThe people who see something in youThe Royal Society of ArtsTateEventsThe Adaptability of HospitalityMeetings with RoyaltyThe move to contract...

Time for a cheeky bonus and this week I welcomed the absolutely epic, and my good friend, Dr Lizzy Bernthal who is a resilience specialist to chat through work place Toxicity and how to eradicate it (Amongst other things). Lizzy has an amazing story of how she ended up specialising in this under discussed, but relevant topic and we cover a lot including:- The ArmyFighting back against ToxicityResilienceForms of ToxicityThe Drama triangleEmpowermentLanguageChoicesThe signs of ToxicityCulture...

It's Valentines day and so I got to talk to someone about a subject I LOVE! That being, People! I welcomed the quite superb Jo Harley, Co-founder of Korero and Hendrick & Hyde, to the show. Jo was nervous about coming on the show as she's never had the confidence to do this sort of thing before but she needn't have worried as she brought her natural, chatty self and we laid into a lot, including:- Brewdog WaterlooMarketingMeasures of successComing to workWhat good looks likeLeisure...

On a cold January day in 2024, I whisked myself off to enjoy the hospitality offered by the wonderful Tej Walia, Managing Director of Foxhills Collection. Whilst there, Tej and I had a chat about his career story so far, and what a story it is too. We get through:- GolfHotel Management as 2nd choiceWorking through the departmentsImpatienceThe foundation yearsGuernseySweatingHiltonConfidence and leadershipThe Many forms of MentoringFawsley HallDartington estateFoxhillsEvolution to MD And so...

I properly love the people this little show has introduced me to and today you are all the wonderful benefactors of listening to my chat with "wee Scottish livewire", Rachel Thomson. Rachel really brought the triple threat (Passion, Energy and Fun in abundance) to our chat, leaving nothing but gold in her wake. She's got great lessons all the way through in addition to that A game on fun. We get through:- ChristmasManaging a pub within the first year of her careerThe pub lifeDrive &...

Up until around 2 years ago, I can't say that I'd even heard of the company that today's guest comes from, but when I learned what they do and how well they are doing it, I just had to get him on. I welcomed Max Lawrence, Director of Hospitality Assured to the show and we get through a lot, including:- What is Hospitality Assured?Knowing what you want to doThe privilege of giving serviceLearning the ropes with Holiday InnAccountingFascinating challengesMoving to Independent businessForensics...

What a story and career journey we have for you this week as I got some time with Andrew Munt, CEO of Penta Hotels. When we initially recorded this, Andrew was Chief of Operations & Commerce. A week before I was scheduled to air our original chat, Andrew let me know that he was going to be stepping up into the CEO role. As a result, we thought it was relevant to get him back for a quick round off of his story to include that wonderful news. So this week, we have two distinct parts which...

A real treat for you this week as I got some time with Alison Cullin-Woodcock who is a Food & equipment development consultant, an area of the industry we have not really explored. And I'll bet that some of this will blow your mind but more than that, Alison really brings the energy and passion so it's very easy to get on board with her journey. We cover:- The dogs in our lifeEquipment & InnovationKnowing what you want to doDeveloping the paletteCollegeGetting the basics rightTHE...

My life are we kicking 2024 off in style! I was beyond thrilled to get some time with one of the USA's pre-eminent Hoteliers in the form of the wonderful Vaughn Davis, Managing Director of Dream Hollywood. And this chat is rammed full of inspirational thinking from the work the outset. As well as sporadically covering Vaughn's amazing journey, we get through:- AI & RoboticsRoots in GuyanaMoving to New YorkStarting in acting & ModellingDiscovering hospitalityHospitality the...

Merry Twixmas to you all! Something a little different for you this week, a monumental story of strength and hope! When Charlie Hodson (Owner, until the end of 2023 at least, of Hodson & Co) reached out to me to see if his story merited an airing on the show, a quick call got me questioning whether this show is big enough for his story. There's a lot to get through in this chat including:- The Cheese RoomBeing a ChefOpening the smallest restaurant in the UKCommunity SpiritFalse economies...

I cannot even describe what a total joy recording this podcast was with 2023 AICR Receptionist of the Year, Chelsea Lacey. Chelsea is also Front of House Receptionist at the quite fabulous Pennyhill Park. Chelsea oozes natural fun and authenticity (Two traits that I'm sure serve her well in her role) all the way through our chat and she's got some cracking stories to boot. We get through:- Midweek weekendsMaking Rota’d shifts work for youThe (Genuine) Joy of working ChristmasHaving no...

A quick Bonus for you this week as I was lucky enough to catch up with Chris and Robbie, the crew behind Spirit of Hospitality, a few days before they set off on the the worlds toughest row across the Atlantic, all to raise money for the wonderful Hospitality Action. I caught them in the middle of their pre departure preparation but they were kind enough to take a few moments out for us to catch up and find out how things have been since we last chatted. We covered:- Clothing and HygieneLa...

What a cracker of a chat I have for you this week! When Daniel McLoughlin (Owner of Rocksalt Cafe's & Restaurants in Ireland) reached out to me earlier this year to see if I'd have him on the show, a quick bit of research (And some discussion points from Daniel) highlighted what an interesting chat it could be. And it does not disappoint as we get through:- Early Entrepreneurial spiritShannon CollegeIroningFinding your feetTenacityVincent Madden & Arora Hotel GroupDavid Connell &...

We are back in the world of tech this week but have added in more than a pinch of creative and entrepreneurial into the story too. I got some time with the awesome Inge Meijs, Co-Founder and Managing Director of the quite magnificent platform Gastronomixs, the inspiring recipe database for professional chefs. Inge has a great story and there are more than enough lessons and stories from her life as an entrepreneur to whet the appetite here, as well as some great insight into Gastronomixs, We...

Despite being a UK based podcast, we've now been downloaded in 137 countries, that's 70% of the worlds countries, which absolutely blows my mind (Still no Greenland though). So I thought it was a good idea to go hunt out a superstar from a different part of the world and found that in the form of the totally awesome Eddy Tannous, COO at Rotana Hotel Management. It was a chance meeting as Eddy was in London for World Travel Market and we met up in a public space in the stunning Kimpton Fitzroy...

I can't quite believe it took me as long as it did to reach out to todays guest, CEO of AES and The Residence Apartments, none other than Stephen Lowy. Being a 3rd generation Hospitalitarian might lead you into believing that Stephen's route was always mapped out for him but how wrong you would be. There are wonderful lessons all the way through this chat and we get across:- Struggling at schoolFinding hospitalityFinding out about DyslexiaSalford UniversityBlack EyesTravellingAnthony...

What a total thrill it was this week to open my little black book of old work mates and get one of the nicest gents on the planet onto the show in the form of Marc Thompson. He also has a wonderful job title, Manager - Enrichment Programming which he does for the quite marvelous Seabourn Cruise Line. You can learn all about what enrichment programming covers in this episode as well as:- Marc's awesome jobThe cruise industryIndirect Marketing TaglinesThomson Holiday ReppingJobs on a Cruise...

We wouldn't have had todays conversation had our guest not reached out and asked if she could come on the show. And I'm so glad that she did. I chat to Clare Coghill, Chef & Owner of Café Cùil on the Isle of Skye. And what a chat it is, it's got everything, a great story, so many lessons and some cracking anecdotes. We get through:- Island life and weatherPositive Social MediaBeing born into the industryFormative yearsGoing into TVLondon and the Spark for foodMoving into the kitchenThe...

You'll most likely know today's guest as Co-Founder of Honest Burgers but he's been working away on something transformative and has also Co-Founded another business in the form of Pineapple described as "future proofing hospitality through people data and research". I am of course talking about Philip Eeles. Philip is high on energy from the outset and to the backdrop of his balcony in Brighton, and a Gin & Tonic, we set to getting through his rather wonderful story. There's so much to...

Hospitality is awesome isn't it? And as if to prove that theory, In was on the receiving end of top class hospitality as I was welcomed to Pan Pacific London to chat to their amazing Director of Marketing Communications, Michelle Whittemore. Michelle oozes hospitality and our chat is packed full of stories and learning from someone who has forged a superb career so far. We get through:- Welcomes - Pan Pacific StyleStarting in medicineMoving into MarketingDictationExperiencing Agency...

On a sunny Monday morning, a few minutes out of a busy lunch service, I somehow managed to get some time with legendary chef and restaurateur Phil Howard, Chef Patron of the Michelin Starred Elystan Street and co founder of Notto. From the off, it's easy to see why Phil is described as the "Chef's Chef", just get him talking about food and the conversation is easy. He has had one hell of a journey to this point and we cover:- Who is Phil Howard?The changing face of the London food...

Goodness, have I got a beast of a chat for you this week. After much "toing and froing" of diaries, I finally got some time with one of the Pre-Eminent Hoteliers of our time, all round legend David Taylor, CEO of Lore Group. And I really don't know where to begin with this chat as there were so many wonderful takeaways both in story terms and some general career and business learning. It's an epic chat and we get through loads including:- Boarding schoolA hotel glimpseBeing boldTaking it all...