By Denis Sheehan MIH
The late Sara Jayne Stanes OBE once told me that hospitality’s key to long term success was in learning to be more hospitable to our own, the people we work alongside. How pleased she would have been to sit in on the lunch that took place yesterday at Galvin at Windows, celebrating two remarkable KPs.
Following a conversation with Peter Avis FIH, and Paul Anderson FIH, we arranged to welcome two KPs nominated by their colleagues to enjoy a similar conversation with Peter. So, yesterday a group gathered to do just that.
The two KPs were, Dennis Frigot, a trainee KP at The Crumbs Project, and Bolly Joof, a KP at Scottish Rugby Hospitality, BT Murrayfield (Elior UK), who on a busy day supervises 15 other KPs.
Peter Avis’ first job in hospitality was as a 17 year old trainee KP at a restaurant in Miami. When Peter walked through the doors of the restaurant on his first day, the restaurant manager asked him to sit down with him over a cup of coffee and tell him about his life journey to that moment in time. He also explained how important the role of a KP was in ensuring every item at every diner’s table was presented immaculately. How a KP’s work was a vital part of the wider restaurant team goal in delivering the best possible guest experience.
When you hear the story from Peter first hand it is far more powerful than my writing about it, he was absolutely inspired by what he had been told and applied it with enthusiasm, sharing his restaurant managers aspiration. To this day Peter repeats the same exercise with all new team members.
Peter told the story yesterday and during lunch explained to both Bolly and Dennis how he has applied that same approach throughout his career. Peter has a rare talent in being able to transfix the attention of whoever he is speaking with. While talking directly with Dennis and Bolly and providing them both with examples of how any next step in their career’s might be taken, I suspect like me everyone else at the table was equally spellbound.
One of the other career lessons Peter passed on was the importance of getting out and meeting other people in the industry. Something that he found the Institute of Hospitality was particularly helpful to him in enabling. So, he was delighted as a Fellow of the Institute to present Dennis and Bolly with their respective Affiliate membership of the IoH.
Bolly and Dennis were also presented with their Kitchen Porters Club aprons by Paul Anderson FIH, Managing Director of Meiko UK, who are the long term sponsors of the Kitchen Porters Club.
Paul like Peter took time to speak with both Bolly and Dennis advising them both on how they might best develop their careers in hospitality and catering.
Trainee KP Dennis Frigot’s nomination came through Ursula Boardman, Head of Centre, The Crumbs Project who accompanied Dennis from Bournemouth on his first ever trip to London. Both were joined by Professor Peter Jones MBE, Chair of The Crumbs Project.
Bolly Joof’s nomination came through Kieran Wight, Head Chef, Scottish Rugby Hospitality, BT Murrayfield (Elior UK), who also accompanied Bolly from Edinburgh to Galvin at Windows. Kieran Wight started his career in hospitality and catering at the tender age of 14 as a KP, and now at still only 24 years of age is Head Chef at one of the UK’s biggest sports caterers.
The event was remarkable in many ways, the venue as always is a case study in what a restaurant should be. The camaraderie within the hospitality family present was a privilege to be part of.
Thank you to Peter Avis and team at Galvin at Windows and to Paul Anderson and the Kitchen Porters Club for making the day possible.
