Hospitality Meets... with Phil Street

This week I sat down with the brilliant Gemma Glasson, Managing Director of Wahaca and one of those leaders whose journey reminds you that careers rarely move in straight lines… and thank God for that.From starting out in the world of KPMG and Ernst & Young, to stepping into hospitality with a desire to have more impact, more energy, and a bit more colour in her working life, Gemma’s story is packed with intelligence, curiosity, self awareness, and the kind of warmth that makes you understand very quickly why she’s ended up where she is.Along the way there are some absolute gems… including a debate on whether salt and vinegar crisps should be blue or pink, a trained accountant being completely undone by coins at a school bake sale, and a glorious story from Mexico involving mezcal, a brass band, and a firework bull ending up on Thomasina Miers’ head.Standard!But underneath the laughs is something deeper, a conversation about finding work that actually fits who you are, leading with both structure and energy, and why hospitality only really works when you remember it’s a people business first.In this episode, Gemma and I get into…• Starting out in accountancy and why big professional service firms can give you an incredible foundation• The moment she realised she was leaving part of herself, her “yellow energy”, on the table• Moving into Wahaca and being told, essentially, to come in and get stuff done• Why entrepreneurial energy and structured execution can be a brilliant combination• Growing through the business from commercial roles to food, COO and now Managing Director• What it means to help lead a much-loved British restaurant brand as it turns 18• Why hospitality is equal parts exhausting and exhilarating• How Wahaca thinks about people, guest experience and profit, and why that order matters• The power of pride in creating consistency, care and brilliant guest experiences• Building authentic brand partnerships with Attis, Dusty Knuckle and local bakeries around the UK• The role curiosity plays in building culture, collaboration and better ideas• Why understanding personality types can improve leadership, communication and team dynamics• How to deal with uncomfortable conversations before they become bigger problems• Why fun is not the opposite of seriousness — it might actually be one of the best ways to get serious things doneSome cracking quote-ables from Gemma“You have to take ownership of your own positivity”“We are a people business who just happen to serve food and drink.”“Get rid of the sand”“Know the difference between what you know and what you think you know”Why this episode is worth your earsIf you’ve ever found yourself wondering whether the career path you’re on really fits who you are… this one will hit home.Gemma’s story is a brilliant reminder that leadership doesn’t have to look one certain way, and that some of the best careers are built when you stop trying to fit the mould and start understanding what actually energises you.It’s also a cracking conversation about brand, culture, people, hospitality, and the magic that happens when you combine structure with curiosity.And if nothing else…Come for the leadership wisdom.Stay for the flaming bull in Mexico.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

What do you get when an introvert ends up running one of the most iconic hospitality resorts in the country?A very good reminder that the loudest person in the room isn’t always the best leaderThis week, after what feels like about 17 years of trying to line up diaries, I finally sat down with the legend that is Chris Eigelaar, Managing Director of The Belfry Hotel & Resort.Now, if you know The Belfry, you’ll know it’s not exactly a sleepy little B&B with a bowl of mints on reception.We’re talking world famous golf, huge events, 468 bedrooms, 1,100+ team members, a £90m transformation, and the kind of sporting history that makes golf fans go a bit weak at the knees.And yet, underneath all of that, Chris is one of the most grounded, thoughtful leaders you could hope to meet.We talk about growing up in hotels in South Africa, arriving in London with a thousand quid and a return ticket, learning that he was a much better front of house operator than chef… and why understanding yourself might be one of the most important things you ever do in leadership.Also, yes, there is a story involving a documentary, a fake power cut, and a perfectly timed on camera jump.Which is, obviously, exactly the sort of thing I’m here for.In this episode, Chris and I get into…• Growing up in a hotel family, where hospitality was basically in the wallpaper• His dad giving him two career options: the Navy… or hospitality• Starting out wanting to be a chef before being politely redirected elsewhere• Moving to London with £1,000, traveller’s cheques, and vibes• Picking up whatever work he could get, including some wonderfully random shifts• Helping open the Sofitel St James and building his early career in luxury hospitality• Why he briefly left hotels… then realised he missed the madness• Landing at The Belfry and leading one of the most iconic resorts in the UK• What it really takes to deliver a £90m investment programme in a live business• Why he believes in a flat structure, open doors, and walking the floor• Learning not to force yourself into someone else’s leadership mould• Why being an introvert in hospitality is not a weakness• The power of good mentors… and the lessons bad ones teach you too• Resilience, togetherness, and what tough moments reveal about teams• Why one great golf shot is enough to make you think you’re Tiger Woods for 3 secondsSome cracking quotes from Chris“Hospitality chooses you”“Just be comfortable with yourself”“My role is to remove barriers so people can do their jobs”“There’s no right or wrong leadership style, it’s how you use it”“If one person does it, everybody does it, that’s hospitality”Why this episode is worth your earsThis one’s for anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t quite fit the “standard” idea of what a hospitality leader is supposed to look like.Chris is proof that you don’t need to be the biggest voice in the room.You don’t need to be all jazz hands and noise (Sorry, I'll tone it down... I won't)You just need to know your people, know yourself, and create the sort of environment where others can do their best work.Also, if you fancy a bit of behind-the-scenes Belfry brilliance, leadership wisdom, golf chat, and a story about jumping away from an electrical unit on camera…You’re in very safe hands.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

Show your support for Hospitality Sector Letter to the ChancellorWhat happens when two people who love a bit of unstructured behaviour get together for a structured conversation?The answer?Lots of unstructured conversationThis week I sat down with Conrad Brunton, founder of Tonic Talent, passionate hospitality advocate, charity champion, networking powerhouse… and a man who clearly believes that if you’re going to do something, you might as well do it properly.Before we get into his journey. Conrad is seeking your help. If you have even a tiny sliver of love for Hospitality, please follow the link at the top of the page and put your name to support his open letter to the chancellorTo his story, From washing pots at 14, to running the best fish and chip shop in England (Genuinely), to bankruptcy, to building a respected recruitment business and one of the Midlands’ most influential hospitality networks, Conrad’s story is packed with resilience, humour, honesty, and a few brilliant war stories.Including… dropping a potato down the shirt of a senior British politician just before he went on stageYes. That actually happened.But underneath the laughs is a deeper conversation about pride in your work, why hospitality people are wired differently, and the importance of standing up for an industry that so many of us love.In this episode, Conrad and I get into…• Starting in hospitality at 14 as a KP and discovering the “buzz” of kitchens• The concept of restaurants being “a cockroach in the bloodstream” (credit: Sir Terence Conran)• Working at incredible places like Simpsons, Malmaison and the Fat Duck• Opening a fish and chip shop, and eventually being named the best in England• What bankruptcy really teaches you about resilience and self-belief• Why recruitment is really about conversations, not CVs• Building Tonic Talent, now celebrating 10 years in hospitality recruitment• Why great recruiters should feel like an extension of your brand• The importance of culture, accountability, and simple things like a good checklist• The incredible power of hospitality communities and networks• Why the industry needs to stand up for itself right now more than everSome cracking quoteables from Conrad“Restaurants are like a cockroach in the bloodstream, once it’s there, it never leaves”“If you’re going to do something, do it to the absolute best of your ability”“I don’t actually like recruitment… I like the conversations”“Treat people the way you’d want to be treated, it’s not complicated”“Hospitality people love what they do. Not many industries can say that”Why this episode is worth your earsConrad’s journey is a brilliant reminder that hospitality careers are rarely straight lines.They’re messy.They’re unpredictable.Sometimes they knock you flat.But if hospitality gets into your bloodstream…You tend to find your way back.And along the way you might build something pretty special.Just try not to drop a potato down anyone’s shirt.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

This week I sat down with the brilliant Ella de Beer co-founder of Electric Mayonnaise and one of those hospitality people whose career reminds you just how brilliantly unpredictable this industry can be.From waitressing at 14 in South Africa (while telling everyone she was 16… obviously), to opening restaurants, running pubs, building multi-site businesses, leading people functions at brands like Ottolenghi & MJMK and now helping shape the next generation of hospitality leaders, Ella’s story is packed with graft, curiosity, and a healthy dose of “why not give that a go?”Along the way there are some absolute hospitality gems… including the moment she handed Leonardo DiCaprio chicken on a stick, worked 3am Soho finishes fuelled by “Chinese tea” and helped open a 300 cover restaurant just as the financial crash hit. Ideal timing.But underneath the brilliant stories is something deeper, a conversation about the power of hospitality as a career, the importance of learning by doing, and why developing people might just be the most important job our industry has.In this episode, Ella and I get into…• Starting in hospitality at 14 and discovering confidence through people• Moving from South Africa to the Netherlands (and learning Dutch while running a restaurant)• The chaos, glamour and 600-cover Saturdays of Soho hospitality in the early 2000s• Why big volume restaurants teach you lessons you never forget• The moment a 300-seat opening met the global financial crash• What London operators learn the hard way when they buy countryside pubs• Building "Sourced Market" at St Pancras and what happens when 1,500 small suppliers meet train station footfall• Moving from operations into people leadership, and why ops experience changes everything• The unique magic (and slightly chaotic brilliance) of working at Ottolenghi• Why hospitality might be the best industry in the world for social mobility• How Electric Mayonnaise is rethinking hospitality education through apprenticeships• And why learning in hospitality should always be practical, human, and immediately usefulSome cracking quote-ables from Ella“Hospitality is where I found my confidence”“You could stand behind the till at St Pancras for eight hours and never stop serving”“Hospitality has to be taught by people who’ve actually done it”“We’re just teaching the way we all learned, by doing the job”“Our responsibility is to show young people this industry can be a real career”Why this episode is worth your earsIf you’ve ever started in hospitality with no real plan… and somehow found yourself building a career along the way, this episode will feel very familiar.Ella’s story is a brilliant reminder that hospitality isn’t just about service or restaurants.It’s about confidence, opportunity, learning on the job, and giving people a chance to grow into something bigger than they thought possible.And if that doesn’t make you proud to be in hospitality…You might be in the wrong tradeShow 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

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