Thomas is a 4th generational farmer in Cambridgeshire.  He spent lockdown pondering a global problem.  But he did that looking out of his window in a very real, local and achievable way, that could have almost instant and measurable results.   As is all too often the case it’s the simple ideas that look like they have the greatest opportunity.  If you've seen ‘kiss the ground’ on Netflix then this is the deep dive podcast equivalent of one way to help with the challenge of what is happening to

Adam has been working at the top end of prestigious events for 22 years.  Chatting through some of the choreography and planning required to deliver for clients who expect perfection, and are happy to pay for it was inspiring.  100 meals delivered to the table in perfect synchronisation by 50 model looking FOH members, immaculately presented is just one that creates a vivid picture in my mind.

Many of your will know today’s guest Nathan Outlaw from his various TV appearances, Michelin stars, all round love of hospitality and the author of 5 well regarded books.  Chatting to Nathan you can see why he’s such a popular hospitality human.  Relaxed, positive, knowledgeable, with no pretentiousness and happy to chat about the challenges, lows and highs of his hospitality adventure. Learn about how a tough pandemic has led to Nathan being excited to focus on his two Port Isaac...

I spoke to Stefan to get an insight and understand how different markets across the globe are performing and wether that performance is in part due to governments taking a different approach on how to manage Covid.  We recorded this show a few weeks ago, but at the time Stefan’s hotels across China, Australia and New Zealand were trading pretty well, whilst London obviously was closed.  Where his hotels were doing ok, they were aimed at the domestic market only. 

A tale of perseverance, of business acumen, of learning and making things up as you go, of responding to business catastrophe and adapting fast to keep the business running.  Dan and his team's perseverance and commitment comes across in so many of the stories he tells.  Wether that’s being found half clothed having slept in the delivery van before meeting an important potential customer, or relocating the entire business over a weekend following a fire.

I’m fairly techie and I’ve found it frustrating over the years seeing the potential of data in the hospitality sector.  Cleary unlike for example selling double glazing, we operate in a social space where people often want to hear from us.  Where guests are happy to take photos and share them to social media, where they are happy to check in and arrange to meet friends.  And whereby perhaps sharing data on birthdays, or dietary preferences or working patterns are all things the customer is...

Phil Haughton has had a great food adventure over many decades.  He has just written a book ‘Food for Thought’ that brings together this journey, combined with recipes and producers he’s met along the way.  Phil’s current business is the Better Food stores and cafes dotted around Bristol.  That combination of combining the hospitality of a cafe drawing people into the building and then hopefully inspiring them to leave with some exceptionally ethical and delicious food and drink.

Hamish is a brave soul who at the age of 41, with his own business and a career working around the wine and whisky trade decided that his number one love in the world was plants.  Not only was he brave enough to sell the business, he was crazy enough to have no idea where his next adventure would take him.  He pretty much let the plants decide. Now he has a distillery, a cafe, a herb garden, an owl, an actual house and an incredible story to tell.  Along with products in M&S, Fortnum and...

Darren has been working at the Chewton Glen for over 30 years so really has seen a huge amount of change, and as far as the grounds are concerned has curated much of that himself. Developing an orchard of 250 of the rarest trees in the country perhaps, breeding your own Queen bees, or surveying wildlife on an annual basis, or attracting a wider species of birds into a habit for the first time in decades, to growing food for a cookery school, to planting xmas trees and so so much more. 

Sarah has been pretty vocal throughout the pandemic in representing the Scottish Hospitality Sector. We chat about being the MD of a decent sized company in the city of London, to buying an ex Little Chef by the side of an obscure road in rural Scotland. Along the way driving revenue to over £1.7 million per year from a pretty small footprint. Sarah has embraced technology to revolutionise how this road side cafe operates.  Motivated by the pandemic, but along the way learning some really...

Chris is CEO of Harvest London, vertical farms in the city of London.  Chris is going to help us understand how vertical farms could be part of the solution to feeding the planet.  The benefits of growing food where it is to be consumed, rather than 1000’s of miles away, the benefits of harvesting food and getting it to the restaurant door within four hours, rather than perhaps four weeks.  The benefit of a perfect summers day, every day, no matter the time of year or external weather...

Burgh Island is such a unique location; a tidal island just off the south coast of Devon. I was intrigued to understand more around the complexity of running not one, but three restaurants, on an island that for many hours of the day cannot be accessed at all, or certainly not without its challenges.  Add to that Tim Hall’s reputation for excellent food and access to some beautiful foraged ingredients, a new owner of the hotel and a new fish restaurant and it seemed a good opportunity for a...

Lee Cash was always driven to become self employed in the hospitality sector.  He learnt his craft with some of the best, from Robin Sheppard at Bespoke Hotels and chef Raymond Blanc.  But all the time driven and motivated to test himself, to learn all he could and get ready to put into practise the art of perfecting 1000 little details to make his own venues successful.  I always enjoy chatting to people who really have proper hospitality in their soul.  Who understand how spaces feel.

Jonathan Neame is the chief executive of Shepherd Neame brewers.  With 320 pubs and pre pandemic turnover of £150 million they are bigger than the normal business I chat to on this podcast, but they have an interesting family history.  Having been around for over 300 years, and maintained family ownership I think they qualify as having had a very inspiring independent hospitality adventure. Topic wise Jonathan is clearly well informed on all that is going on in the pub sector.

From honing his skills in hotels on an employed basis, to learning the art of the restauranteur with his own venues, to taking all of that knowledge and finally getting to apply it in his very own hotel with his partner Rob, Tim has been on a great hospitality journey. Wether attracting the locals for lunch, or a few cocktails as the sun sets on the river, or mingling with famous guests such as Hugh Grant or the Gallagher brothers, they’ve really found a way of becoming the heart of their...

Michel Roux Jr is a true 'Human of Hospitality' who was practically born in a kitchen when his Mum went into labour whilst working in his Dad 'Albert Roux's' restaurant.  Michel is well known, partly simply through the recognition of his Dad and Uncle opening Le Gavroche in 1967 and becoming the first British restaurant to be awarded 3 Michelin stars, but also via his extensive work on television, through shows such as Masterchef the professionals. Michel took over heading up Le Gavroche in...

We touch on re-wilding land, the early benefits of naivety, 18% mortgage rates, the dangers of michelin stars, running venues as satellites, wider challenges and opportunities for the sector in 2021 and our mutual hope that people will strive for a more simple, perhaps less luxurious life, where time with other humans is the greatest priority over and above material items.

Emma has had a fascinating career working in the heart of government in the EU,  in part negotiating trade deals.  Great timing for a chat that starts with Emma’s thoughts on the EU and our opportunities and risks as we hurtle towards departure. We also discuss how it felt like as the relationship between government and the sector was very strong in spring, but really broke down over the summer recess period.

A very different style of episode this week.  Rather than a detailed conversation with one awesome human of hospitality we have 9 great humans, most of whom have been previous guests.  And we have just one topic of conversation.  Why they are supporting the campaign for a Minister for Hospitality.

We dive into understanding what the problem with school food is, how have we ended up here, what should be done, what can be done and what is being done.  The impact that Naomi and the Chefs in Schools team are having is exceptional.  Wether helping get fully trained restaurant style chefs into schools, or working with existing teams, they are focused not only on providing better food in canteens, but working with the curriculum in educating children and inspiring them around what good food...

Carly went from a wooden hut to raising 1/2 a million pounds and building a beautiful cafe in the park.  Along this journey Carly realised that people were the key to all that she was achieving.  Carly, her husband 'Ian' and their team won multiple awards. Carly and Ian have been busy developing a new concept OPOP.  One price, one plate, with ethics and people and shared success deep rooted in it’s DNA.  We also have a great chat about B-Corps.

Set in 58 acres of parkland at the end of a magnificent sea loch, The Torridon has one of the most spectacular and idyllic locations in the country. What Dan and the team have created in the Torridon is awesome. So remote with the challenges of staffing and weather and access, yet they have an incredible reputation.  As treasurer of the Master Innholders, Chairman of Pride of Britain Hotels and Director of Luxury Scotland Consortium Dan’s also got a pretty broad perspective for all in...

Zoe is from the 'ecological land cooperative' (ELC) - a charity trying to solve some of the problems of excessively large farms, often mono-culture dominated and using too many chemicals having a very detrimental impact on the land and great ecosystem. I speak to many people being inspired to enter the world of hospitality, not only to sell better quality more ethical food to the consumer, but also interested in how to grow this food and actually produce it in the first place. This charity...

Rocco Bova is living quite the hospitality adventure. Running a health resort in Mexico.  Sometimes a reputation for drug cartels, kidnapping and more recently a catastrophic impact of COVID-19.  But Rocco loves Mexico, and he’s lived in enough countries to be able to make an objective decision. Demonstrating just what an exciting and varied career hospitality can provide he’s worked in all the corners of the globe, really getting to know local cultures.