Restaurateur Andrei Lussmann's career in hospitality spans almost 30 years. After completing a degree in Hospitality & Business at Birmingham Polytechnic, Andrei joined PizzaExpress where he worked his way up from restaurant manager to operations director at PizzaExpress's Channel Islands restaurants and finally to international franchise manager. He then worked with Fish … [Read more...]
Search Results for: Five minutes with.
Five minutes with… Thomas Kochs
Thomas Kochs is managing director of Corinthia Hotel London. The German-born hotelier trained with the Steinberger Hotel Group in Germany before taking up the role of banqueting operations manager at the Hyatt Carlton Tower in London in 2000. He joined the Berkeley hotel in 2005, then moved to The Connaught in 2007 as hotel manager. Two years' later Thomas moved to Claridge's … [Read more...]
Five minutes with… Mark Birchall
Lancashire-born chef Mark Birchall worked his way up at a number of Michelin-starred restaurants, including The Walnut Tree in Wales and Northcote Manor in Lancashire before landing his first head chef role at Haighton Manor in Lancashire in 2004. In 2006 he went to work with Simon Rogan as head chef of L'Enclume in Cumbria and remained there for eight years, during which time … [Read more...]
Five minutes with… Danny Pecorelli
Danny Pecorelli is managing director of Exclusive Hotels & Venues, which owns and operates four hotels in the UK – Pennyhill Park in Surrey, South Lodge in West Sussex, Lainston House in Hampshire, and the Manor House Hotel & Golf Club in Wiltshire – two venues Royal Berkshire in Ascot and Fanhams Hall in Ware, and the The Castle Inn in Wiltshire. As well as running … [Read more...]
Five minutes with… Keith Edwards of Soho House Group
Australian born Keith Edwards is chief people and development officer at Soho House Group where he supports the operator of private members' clubs, restaurants, cinemas, workspaces, spas and hotels in London, North America and Europe, in the recruitment and development of its staff. After moving to London in 1997, Keith worked as a floor manager for a restaurant for three years … [Read more...]
Five minutes with… The Chilli Pickle’s Alun and Dawn Sperring
Husband and wife Alun and Dawn Sperring opened The Chilli Pickle Indian restaurant in Brighton 10 years' ago, moving to a larger site in the city as it became more successful. Alun is a classically-trained chef who has worked in kitchens around the world, while Dawn left her job with the London Ambulance Service 15 years ago to work front-of-house in hospitality. Last year the … [Read more...]
Five minutes with… Hasan De Four
Hasan De Four is executive chef of fast-casual Caribbean restaurant Baygo. The company, founded by Chris Morris, opened its first site in the City of London in October 2017 with plans to open more restaurants in the future. Hasan, 41, was born in Trinidad, but moved to the UK when he was 18 to train as a chef. After gaining his NVQ he landed a job in catering at Queen Mary and … [Read more...]
Five minutes with… Julie Barker
Yorkshire-born mother-of-two Julie Barker combines her 'day job' as director of Accommodation & Hospitality at the University of Brighton, with a number of volunteer roles at industry organisations. She is currently a director at The University Caterers Organisation (TUCO), having been chairman for six years, and is a fellow of the Institute of Hospitality and the British … [Read more...]
Five minutes with… Mark Sargeant
Mark Sargeant carved out a successful career as a chef, including a 13-year stint with Gordon Ramsay, before becoming a restaurateur in 2011 with the opening of Rocksalt and The Smokehouse in Folkestone. With business partner Josh De Haan he went on to open The Duke William pub in Ickham in 2015 and then the Wife of Bath, a Northern Spanish inspired restaurant last year. He is … [Read more...]
Five minutes with… Lyn MacDonald
Lyn MacDonald joined Macdonald Hotels & Resorts early last year as group marketing director. Previously, Lyn worked as marketing and PR director at restaurant business Thai Leisure Group where restaurant bookings increased by 41% during her two-year tenure. She went on to work at G1 Group, overseeing website changes which led to a 31% increase in online bookings. Lyn talks … [Read more...]
Five minutes with… Graham Squire
Graham Squire trained under John Williams and Martin Nail at Claridge's, working his way up to senior chef de partie before leaving in 2009 to work with Adam Byatt at his Clapham restaurant Trinity. It was at Trinity where Graham worked alongside Tom Sellers, who went on to open Restaurant Story. In 2014, Tom opened his first pub - The Lickfold Inn – near Petworth in West … [Read more...]
Five minutes with… Nina Chudasama
Nina Chudasama is CEO and co-founder of Hope & Glory Tea who supply whole leaf organic teas to the hospitality industry and sell direct through their website. Nina launched the company with husband Bharat two years ago after running a mobile coffee business and has seen it go from strength to strength since. She talks to Hospitality & Catering News about how she plans … [Read more...]
Five minutes with… Dan Kenny
Chef Dan Kenny took over the full F&B offering at The Artist Residence hotel in Brighton earlier this month having run its restaurant The Set for almost three years. The Midlands-born chef moved to Brighton eight years ago from Vietnam where he'd lived for several years, to work at The Gingerman restaurant. After five years at The Gingerman he left to launch The Set with … [Read more...]
Five minutes with… Nick Deverell-Smith
Nick Deverell-Smith left his job as head chef for the Soho House Group in 2014 to open his first business – The Churchill Arms in Paxford in the North Cotswolds. Nick's career as a chef started at Simpsons in Kenilworth, where he worked under Andreas Antona. He then went on to work at Mallory Court in Leamington Spa for two years where he won the Gordon Ramsay Scholarship, … [Read more...]
Five minutes with… Tom Aikens
Chef Tom Aikens started in the industry at the age of 19, working with David Cavalier and Pierre Koffmann in London before landing a job with Joel Robuchon in Paris. It was on his return to London and his five years at Pied-à-Terre where he became the youngest British chef to be awarded two Michelin stars, aged 26. In 2003 he opened his first restaurant Tom Aikens in Chelsea, … [Read more...]