Hospitality Meets... with Phil Street

Still BuildingBorn in a hotel, thrown out of universityBuilt the UK’s biggest hospitality recruitment business, Lost control of it, Lost his driving licence, Broke his back.You'd think this was a lesson in how not to do it?But far from it!This week on Hospitality Meets, I sit down with Roddy Watt, recruitment pioneer, hotel strategist, owner of one almighty black book and living proof that setbacks are not full stops, they’re commas.In This EpisodeWhy most careers start by accident“Aim at nothing and you’ll hit it” (a dartboard life lesson)Building a 200 person recruitment empireWhat happens when venture capital meets optimismThe week that tested everythingWhy attitude beats experienceWhy high performers don’t get a free passRelaunching again… because why not?Built. Lost. Still BuildingRoddy helped shape hospitality recruitment in the UK.15 offices.Hundreds of consultants.Market leader.Then came the flotation.The numbers.The pressure.The reality check.And a particularly memorable week involving:• Losing his company• Losing his driving licence• Falling off a horse and breaking his backHis summary?“That was a week.”No violin music. Just perspective.And learning that sometimes your worst week becomes the beginning of your next chapter.This episode is funny, honest, slightly outrageous in places, and packed with lessons you only get from someone who’s been around the block a few times🎧 Listen now: https://linktr.ee/HospmeetspodShow PartnersA big shout out to the first of today’s show partner, RotaCloud, the people management platform for shift-based teams.RotaCloud lets managers create and share rotas, record attendance, and manage annual leave in minutes — all from a single, web-based app.It makes work simple for your team, too, allowing them to check their rotas, request holiday, and even pick up extra shifts straight from their phones.Try RotaCloud’s time-saving tools today by heading to https://rotacloud.com/philThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

From Baptism of Fire to Michelin LeadershipThis week on Hospitality Meets, Phil sits down with Douglas Balish - Executive Chef and Director at Grove of Narberth, Hotel Chef of the Year, and a man shaped by some of the toughest kitchens in the business.From washing dishes in Ayrshire…To getting “pans thrown at his head”To learning to run in kitchens where nobody walked…To leading his own Michelin starred brigadeAnd all of the lessons that come with thatThis is a candid episode about pressure, humility, growth — and the fine line between breaking someone and building them.In This EpisodeStarting out as a 15 year old dishwasher in ScotlandWalking away from university to chase kitchens insteadThe brutal reality of early Michelin kitchensWhy some pressure builds you, and some destroys youTaking demotions to grow fasterWorking at Bohemia and being completely out of his depthThe intensity of Whatley ManorMoving to Australia to work at QuayWhy leadership is not one size fits allCreating dishes when nobody’s ever let you create beforeBaptism of FireDouglas doesn’t sugarcoat it. His early Michelin experience was brutal.80-hour weeks.Staff accommodation from hell.Being told he was useless.Working until nothing fazed him.And yet, he doesn’t look back with bitterness.He looks back with perspective.Because for him, that pressure didn’t break him.It sharpened him.Not because bullying is good (Obviously) but because understanding why something is happening mattersThe Psychology of KitchensThere’s a fascinating thread in this episode. Douglas nearly studied psychology. Instead, he learned it in kitchens.He talks openly about:Realising he wasn’t as good as he thoughtBeing publicly humbledBeing dropped down the ranksTaking ownership instead of walking awayAnd most importantly, how that shaped the leader he is today.He’s clear:Management isn’t one-size-fits-all.Some chefs need an arm around them.Some need structure.Some need challenge.The job is knowing the difference.From Scotland to SydneyHis journey takes him through:JerseyThe CotswoldsAustraliaBack to the UK to run his own restaurantAt Quay, he experienced world stage dining, huge covers, relentless precision, global recognition.At smaller, creative restaurants, he discovered something else:The kitchen has to suit the chef.Because even talent struggles in the wrong environment.Leadership NowToday, at Grove of Narberth, Douglas does things differently.Yes, standards are high.Yes, precision matters.But:Young chefs are encouraged to createIdeas are tested safelyFeedback is constructiveGrowth is intentionalBecause he remembers what it felt like to be thrown in without support.And he’s determined to build strength, not just resilience.Stand-Out Reflection“At some point you’ve got to become head chef”"And when you do — you’d better know who you are"This episode is honest, Unfiltered, and full of insight for anyone leading teams under pressureShow PartnersA big shout out to the first of today’s show partner, RotaCloud, the people management platform for shift-based teams.RotaCloud lets managers create and share rotas, record attendance, and manage annual leave in minutes — all from a single, web-based app.It makes work simple for your team, too, allowing them to check their rotas, request holiday, and even pick up extra shifts straight from their phones.Try RotaCloud’s time-saving tools today by heading to https://rotacloud.com/philThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Building a Regenerative Farm StayThis week on Hospitality Meets, Phil sits down with Caitlin Owens, Managing Director and co-owner of Fowlescombe Farm, a luxury farm stay in Devon built on regenerative farming principles.What started as a family meat farm became a pubWhat started as a consulting career became a hospitality adventure.What started as “how hard can it be?” became… chlorine spraying out of beer lines.This episode is about naivety, chaos, regenerative farming, and why hospitality might just be the most beautifully human industry of them all.In This EpisodeQuitting consultancy during lockdown to learn hospitality in SwitzerlandRunning a pub during the wild summer of 2021The science (and danger) of cleaning beer linesWhy hospitality operates permanently on the edge of chaosWhat consulting really taught her (hint: it’s not insurance maths)Bringing regenerative farming into luxury hospitalityWhy “low choice, high quality” beats endless optionsThe rise of the farm stay experienceDescribing humanity to a Martian (yes, really)From Farm to Fork, For RealFowlscombe isn’t just “farm to table” as a marketing lineThe farm is regenerativeThe soil health is measuredAnimals fertilise the land naturallyMonoculture is avoidedThe hospitality exists because of the land, not the other way aroundChaos, Sheep & Beer ShowersRunning the family pub (The Millbrook) during post-lockdown mania meant:Chlorine explosions in the cellarSmelling permanently of aleA sheep on a lead turning up for the village nativityA horse tied to the drainpipe while the chef fed it carrotsSkills from “Outside” HospitalityCaitlin didn’t climb the traditional hospitality ladder.Her background in consultancy gave her:Structured thinkingClear communicationConfidence with tech providersThe ability to not be messed around by suppliersA reminder that hospitality doesn’t need to be a closed shop.Different backgrounds make stronger teams.Regenerative HospitalityFor Caitlin, sustainability isn’t just environmental.It’s about:Less wasteFewer food milesLower choice, higher qualityDoing less, but doing it exceptionally wellYou won’t find 24-hour room service and 200 menu options.You’ll find five carefully chosen cocktails.One menu per day.Ingredients picked from the garden.Intentional. Grounded. Memorable.Standout Line“Hospitality operates on the edge of chaos. The critical success factor is staying on the right side of it”This is an episode about:Taking risks.Backing instinct.Building something rooted in the land.And discovering that sometimes, the best leadership inspiration comes from Ted Lasso.Show PartnersA big shout out to the first of today’s show partner, RotaCloud, the people management platform for shift-based teams.RotaCloud lets managers create and share rotas, record attendance, and manage annual leave in minutes — all from a single, web-based app.It makes work simple for your team, too, allowing them to check their rotas, request holiday, and even pick up extra shifts straight from their phones.Try RotaCloud’s time-saving tools today by heading to https://rotacloud.com/philThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Why Understanding Drives PerformanceThis week on Hospitality Meets, Phil is joined by Will Fraser, co-founder of Pineapple, founder of 100 & First, and former professional rugby player.What begins as a conversation about people data quickly becomes something deeper, a clear eyed look at why teams struggle, why talent alone isn’t enough, and why most performance problems come down to misunderstanding, not ability.This is a calm, thoughtful episode about clarity, context, and why better conversations beat better strategies.In This EpisodeWhy performance is a by-product, not something you can forceThe difference between thinking you know something and actually knowing itWhy misunderstanding (not laziness) drives most workplace issuesWhat elite sport gets right about teams that business often gets wrongThe hidden cost of constant change and short term thinkingWhy stability can be a genuine competitive advantageHow people data should start conversations, not end themFrom Elite Sport to HospitalityWill’s thinking was shaped during his time at Saracens, where a strong focus on people and culture transformed performance under pressure.After injury ended his playing career, Will began applying those lessons in business, and quickly noticed a gap between how elite teams operate and how most organisations try to drive results.The biggest difference?Shared understandingWhat the Data ShowsThrough Pineapple, Will now works with hospitality businesses to understand patterns around:AttritionInternal progressionTeam stabilityOne consistent insight stands out:Greater stability and internal progression = lower turnover.Simple. Powerful. Rarely acted on.The Talent MythWill challenges the idea that great performers can simply be “moved” and expected to thrive.Drawing on examples from football, including Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford, he explains why performance is often owned by the system, not just the individual.Change the context, and performance usually dips.Stand-Out Thoughts“Most performance problems aren’t competence problems — they’re understanding problems”“If you think something rather than know it, you haven’t had the conversation”“Stability, not constant change, is often the real advantage”Why ListenThis episode is for anyone who has:Seen good people struggle in new rolesFelt pressure to change something without clarity on whatWondered why common sense is so rarely common practiceIt’s a reminder that teams don’t fail because they don’t care, they fail because they don’t understand.And understanding only comes from time, clarity, and conversation.Show PartnersA big shout out to the first of today’s show partner, RotaCloud, the people management platform for shift-based teams.RotaCloud lets managers create and share rotas, record attendance, and manage annual leave in minutes — all from a single, web-based app.It makes work simple for your team, too, allowing them to check their rotas, request holiday, and even pick up extra shifts straight from their phones.Try RotaCloud’s time-saving tools today by heading to https://rotacloud.com/philThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Prepare. To. Be. Happy.Returning to Hospitality Meets, Klaudia Mitura - work psychologist, L&D leader at the Science Museum Group, host of The Happiness Challenge podcast, author of The Alphabet of Happiness, and an actual Certified Chief Happiness Officer (yes, really) delivers one of the most uplifting, honest, and quietly powerful conversations we’ve ever recorded.This episode is not about toxic positivity, pretending everything’s fine, or slapping a smile on life’s messier moments.It’s about science backed happiness, micro habits, curiosity, resilience, and learning how to live with the noise in your head - not silence it.It’s warm.It’s funny.It’s deeply human.And it might just change how you think about happiness altogether.In This EpisodeKlaudia’s return to the podcast nearly four years on, and how life has unfolded sinceLosing a job, being separated from family, rescheduling a wedding four times, a family cancer diagnosis… and why happiness still matteredWhy Klaudia decided to treat her life like a scientific experimentWhat the science of happiness actually tells usWhy happiness isn’t a destination - it’s a starting pointThe power of micro-habits and why 1% changes beat life overhaulsWhy happiness fuels kindness, generosity, optimism and impactThe danger of “I’ll be happy when…” thinkingWhy curiosity might be the most underrated life skill of allHappiness, But Not the Cringey KindKlaudia is very clear on one thing:This is not about toxic positivity.It’s not about ignoring grief, stress, uncertainty, or the very real challenges of life and work.It’s about acknowledging them and giving yourself the tools to cope, recover, and move forward.As Klaudia explains, happiness:Helps us regulate our nervous systemMakes us more resilient under pressureIncreases kindness, generosity and problem solvingGives us the energy to face hard things, not avoid themOr put simply:Happiness doesn’t deny reality.It helps you deal with it.Stand-Out Quotes“Happiness is not a destination. It’s a starting point”“We regret not allowing ourselves to be happier”“You can be going through something hard and still experience joy”“Happiness fuels kindness. Without it, we can’t change anything”“You don’t need a life overhaul - you need small habits, done consistently”Why ListenThis episode is for you if:You’re tired of overcomplicating happinessYou want practical tools, not platitudesYou lead people and want them to thrive, not just surviveYou’re curious about how your brain actually worksYou want permission to feel joy without guiltIt’s a reminder that happiness is not selfish.It’s not fluffy.And it’s definitely not accidental.As Klaudia dares us all to do:👉 Be 1% happier. That’s enough.Get her book here - https://amzn.eu/d/gDRfFydShow PartnersA big shout out to the first of today’s show partner, RotaCloud, the people management platform for shift-based teams.RotaCloud lets managers create and share rotas, record attendance, and manage annual leave in minutes — all from a single, web-based app.It makes work simple for your team, too, allowing them to check their rotas, request holiday, and even pick up extra shifts straight from their phones.Try RotaCloud’s time-saving tools today by heading to https://rotacloud.com/philThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy