This week, I sat down with the brilliant Paul Hunter, and after nearly a year of trying to make it happen, we finally got the conversation in the can.

And it was worth the wait.

From early days in hospitality (and admittedly being a “bit of a mischievous lad”) to launching hotels across London, navigating redundancy during COVID with twin new borns, and now stepping into a brand new luxury estate role back in Yorkshire… Paul’s journey is packed with honesty, resilience, and a proper appreciation for the twists life throws your way.

We talk about growth, mistakes, leadership, and why sometimes the plan you had isn’t the one you end up living, and that’s exactly where the magic happens.

In this episode, Paul and I get into…

• His early entry into hospitality through weekend jobs and how it quietly became a career
• The “cheeky chappy” phase… and the moment his brother told him to go to London and grow up
• Learning the craft of hotels with Premier Inn, and why fundamentals matter more than flash
• Launching multiple hotels across London and what that teaches you about scale and standards
• Winning an Acorn Award and how that opened his eyes to a bigger world beyond his role
• Managing three different hotel brands in Leicester Square (and juggling three ways of working at once)
• The brutal reality of COVID redundancy with a young family, and navigating uncertainty
• Relocating back to Yorkshire and rebuilding from the ground up
• Launching GuestHouse Hotels’ No.1 York and building something from scratch
• The power of giving people second chances, including working with prison rehabilitation programmes
• Why mistakes aren’t failures, they’re proof you’re actually pushing yourself

Some cracking quoteables from Paul

“You can have a plan… and then something comes along and completely changes it”

“I think that’s where I learned hotels”

“Mistakes aren’t bad things, they just mean you tried something different”

“If you’re not making mistakes, you’re probably playing it too safe”

“Life’s about making mistakes… as long as you learn from them”

“You don’t get that level of success without being great at what you do”

Why this episode is worth your ears

If you’ve ever felt like your career hasn’t gone in a straight line… good. That’s exactly the point.

Paul’s story is a brilliant reminder that growth often comes from the unexpected, whether that’s a tough boss, a redundancy, a relocation, or just saying yes to a conversation you didn’t see coming.

There’s loads in here about leadership, resilience, and the importance of early opportunities in shaping careers, especially in hospitality.

Whether you’re just starting out or leading teams of your own, this one will give you a fresh perspective on what progress actually looks like.

Show Partners

A 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/phil

This week, I sat down with the brilliant Dawn Lister - and honestly, I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get someone from the world of sales on the show.

And what an introduction to it this was.

From wanting to be an air stewardess at 10 years old, to building a 20+ year career in hotel sales, Dawn’s journey is packed with graft, growth, resilience… and a lot of persistence (some might call it “relentless follow-up” 😅).

Now Sales Director for B&B Hotels UK, Dawn brings a no-nonsense, people-first approach to an area of hospitality that often gets misunderstood, and massively underestimated.

In this episode, Dawn and I get into…

• How a childhood dream of travel turned into a lifelong career in hospitality
• Starting in conference & banqueting… and quickly being moved out of it 😅
• Falling in love with sales (mainly by talking too much at coffee breaks)
• Why she didn’t go to university - and built her career through doing instead
• The importance of early mentors (and learning under “formidable” leadership)
• Being told to stop calling people so much… and why persistence still wins
• The reality of sales: rejection, resilience, and finding the right fit
• Leading with a “people first” mindset - both with customers and teams
• Why hospitality sales isn’t about the product… it’s about the experience

Some cracking quote-ables from Dawn

“Revenue isn’t revenue until it’s banked”

“Hope is not a strategy” (Dammit)

“If you’re not the right fit, that’s fine, but let’s have the conversation first”

“We’re all selling similar products… the difference is how you make people feel”

“Some people told me to stop calling… those are the ones I enjoyed winning the most”

Why this episode is worth your ears

If you’ve ever worked in sales, or been on the receiving end of it, this one’s for you.

Dawn strips it right back to what great sales actually is:

curiosity, conversation, and care.

There’s no fluff here. Just real insight into what it takes to build relationships, handle rejection, and lead teams in a world where everyone’s selling something similar.

And if nothing else… you’ll never look at a follow-up call the same way again

Show Partners

A 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/phil

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 done

Some 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 ears

If 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 Partners

A 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/phil

Show your support for Hospitality Sector Letter to the Chancellor

What happens when two people who love a bit of unstructured behaviour get together for a structured conversation?

The answer?

Lots of unstructured conversation

This 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 chancellor

To 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 stage

Yes. 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 ever

Some 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 ears

Conrad’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 Partners

A 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/phil

Still Building

Born in a hotel, thrown out of university

Built 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 Episode

1. Why most careers start by accident
2. “Aim at nothing and you’ll hit it” (a dartboard life lesson)
3. Building a 200 person recruitment empire
4. What happens when venture capital meets optimism
5. The week that tested everything
6. Why attitude beats experience
7. Why high performers don’t get a free pass
8. Relaunching again… because why not?

Built. Lost. Still Building

Roddy 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 back

His 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/Hospmeetspod

Show Partners

A 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/phil

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 useful

Some 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 ears

If 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 trade

Show Partners

A 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/phil