Tell us a little more about yourself and your career to date.
I have worked in hospitality in one form or another since turning 18. I was the kid at school in top set for his subjects, going on to do four A-Levels and expected to be the first in his family to go to university. However, college was a struggle and I found I couldn’t cope with change… in later life I would discover this was due to me being neurodiverse and having what used to be called Asperger Syndrome.
After college I considered entering the priesthood (that’s a conversation for another time), but ended up in my local McDonalds flipping burgers. I worked my way up the ladder over seven years, giving me training on how to run a business as well as being able to adapt myself to any situation and connect with any person regardless of their background. This was followed by a couple of years as Catering Operations Manager for Welcome Break Motorway Services running various F&B outlets across many QSR brands.
In 2007 I joined De Vere Venues… To this day I believe they misread my CV and thought I had worked for MacDonald Hotels! It was an amazing environment where I learned from some of the best in the hotel and conferencing sector. I started out as Night Manager, progressing to Front of House Manager and then Finance Administrator.
In 2010 I took a break from my career to move to New York to train to be an actor. Over the next five years, whilst still working in hospitality, I appeared in national and international commercials, toured stage productions and small West End roles. I am even an award winning playwright, winning the 2014 Daily Mail New Drama Award.
It was during this time that I worked at The Dorchester. I was very proud of my time there and learning from some amazing industry leaders. This lead to my decision to make a proper career in hospitality, joining Holiday Inn Brentford Lock in west London. For the first time I was in a place where not only did I feel comfortable being neurodiverse, but my employers did too.
Over the years I have enjoyed working to create a unique lifestyle experience which culminated in my appointment as opening Director of Sales for the UK’s first Mama Shelter in Shoreditch. It was an amazing experience and I am very proud of all we did there. Again it was a place where my neurodiversity felt accepted, and there was no snobbishness from the French based team about me coming from a “corporate” background or coming from a ‘Holiday Inn’ to a trendsetting lifestyle brand. Where else could I create a fun staycation package like “Sexcation” people? Sadly that was all brought crashing down, like it was for many people in our industry, by the pandemic.
You’ve been working for the NHS since the pandemic began… can you tell us a little bit more about this?
I was made redundant in October 2020… It was a time of absolute despair. It was terrifying to realise as I ate into savings, just how close I was to being on the streets. Three months and I would potentially be homeless. At first I took a job as a delivery driver for Tesco, along with so many others from our sector. It was amazing to be able to meet people from all areas of London, from all different backgrounds and income levels. It was humanising at a time when I needed to feel human again.
In January I joined the NHS as part of the vaccination program. I have to be honest and say it is embarrassing when people applaud me for this in conversation. I joined the NHS because the pay and hours were better, not because I am an angel on a mission to help others as a vocation… something which is very true of my professional healthcare colleagues. What I have enjoyed is the ability to bring my skills from hospitality to the role, which has led to success for me by way of a promotion. It has also led to a team effort that has made our vaccine centre in Westfield Stratford one of the top three providers in the region. Whether it was those front of house roles meeting and greeting people and making them feel at ease about the vaccination, the operational skills to manage the safe passage of up to 2.5k people a day in and out of a small unit that used to be an Ikea showroom, or the sales and marketing skills used to not only give correct information to skeptics and those unsure, but also working with BBC London News on interest stories over the last few months… it has been an affirmation of the skills learned over the years and a financial lifesaver for me as I wait and hope for a return to hospitality.
What’s the most unexpected thing you found whilst working in the vaccination centre?
I know that working in the NHS can be tough at times; everyone has seen news stories about abuse of nurses and paramedics. However I was shocked at the level of rudeness and abuse. Despite this we all continue to treat people and I applaud my colleagues who will still see a patient and vaccinate them, even after having received abusive, sexist or racist language. In a hotel or restaurant you would be ejected. In the NHS you are shown continued care regardless.
What makes hospitality such a great industry to work in?
For me it is meeting people and making them feel safe, at ease and at home. I have been blessed to meet some amazing people over the years. Everyday normal people, as well as celebrities and royalty. Whoever they are, wherever they are from, we treat them the same. In true hospitality environments everyone deserves 5 star service, be it the Premier Inn or the Plaza Athenee.
At a recent Coffee and Conversation, you talked about the fact that IoH Membership got you through lockdown… genuinely moving those of us on the IoH team who were listening… Which elements of Membership did you use most during lockdown?
Networking with people who share the same passions has been a boon. The coffee and conversation opened a door for me to connect and communicate with people who understood my world and my worries. Additionally, the Mentor Me scheme has helped connect me with people who have sage wisdom and experience to help guide me back to good mental health. Though something aimed at graduates as they enter the industry and start their career, I have used it to connect with people who have been in the industry much longer than I have. This is the first time I have had to cope with the impact of being made redundant, being told you are surplus to requirements. At the start of the pandemic I also lost my mum and was essentially alone in the world. Joining the institute and meeting other people allowed me to see I was not alone in this situation and not the only one feeling this despair. It really has played a part in allowing me to accept my mental health situation and work to improve it.
What change in government policy is crucial to help the recovery of the hospitality industry moving forward?
I have always questioned the VAT that hotels have to charge when compared to our colleagues around the globe. I am sure that there are many things that government could or should do to support our industry. If you were to ask me, which you are, I would say that for the long term the 5% VAT rate should be retained.
What has been the most memorable moment of your hospitality career so far?
I am a big believer in giving young people a chance, and developing future talent. I had a work experience student spend two weeks with me. She was hard work, mouthy in the office, shy and silent with guests. Two years later I had a phone call from the local council apprenticeship officer. They had a student who wanted to work for me as an apprentice. We started her in F&B instead and two years later she move into sales. She found the move tough at first, but the smile on her face as she called her mum to say she had confirmed a large three day conference was a joy to behold.
As restrictions have recently been lifted in the UK, what’s your hope for the hospitality industry as the year progresses and for the beginning of 2022?
I hope that government is clearer on what they communicate. We also need to pay better attention to the needs, wants, desires and fears of our teams. Anyone who is currently struggling to recruit or retain talent in their business, needs to take a good long hard look at how some areas of our industry has operated over the years.
What made you join the Institute of Hospitality?
A desire to network and connect with fellow hospitality professionals, access learning and development opportunities and be a voice for change and improvement in an industry I truly love!
Tell us three things about yourself that we don’t know!
Be part of our well-respected network, get trusted advice and take a positive approach to your learning and development.
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