Your definition of hospitality?
I love the idea that hospitality should be like welcoming someone into your home for a cuppa, a biscuit and a chat. It should feel comfortable, effortless and enjoyable.
What does sustainability mean to you?
It’s about only taking what we need to and leaving the environment in a better place than we found it. It’s not always easy, but nothing that’s worth doing properly is.
Team or staff, and why?
Definitely Team – we cannot do what we do without great people around us working together as one.
Where do you see hospitality’s priorities?
In our people. Hospitality is a hugely rewarding career but hard work. Throughout the pandemic, people were forced to find alternative work and sadly not everyone is coming back. We must invest in our future leaders, chefs and everyone else to show them why our industry is so rewarding. This needs to start at schools and colleges to build our talent pipeline and continue to invest in and develop people at all levels.
Is hospitality local or global?
Local sourcing is really important and will become even more so in the future. However we can’t get away from the fact that in the UK, we take inspiration from all over the world and global food cultures enrich our food scene.
What’s best about your weekend?
Getting time with the family. They don’t always get to spend time with me in the week, so I really try to make more time for them at the weekend and you will often find us all together at the local rugby club on a Sunday.
I relax by…
Exercising. It’s great to clear the head, get some thinking time and burn off energy. I’m a happier person when I exercise and in the gym at 6am most days.
Eat out or eat in?
Both! the people you’re with are more important and having friends and family around me with great food and drink can take place anywhere.
Tea or coffee?
Tea
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise our readers.
In my spare time I teach Scuba Diving. It’s completely peaceful with time away from computers and phones. It allows you to really focus on what is around you. I have loved diving for a long time and found a huge amount of enjoyment in teaching other people to dive too. Seeing the delight in their faces as they overcome a challenge or as they dive in the sea for the first time is amazing and really rewarding. The highlight this summer was when I qualified my 10-year-old son as a diver.
- Tell us something about yourself that would surprise our readers… Paul Anderson
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- Tell us something about yourself that would surprise our readers… Katariina Reissaar
- Tell us something about yourself that would surprise our readers… James Askew
