How I Got Here: Elliot Smith
Why restaurants?
I love to be surrounded by food and drink learning new things everyday. Feeling the buzz on a Saturday night.
Tell us something you wish you had been told at the start of your career?
Make sure you make time for your loved ones.
What’s your favourite restaurant or group of restaurants?
Dory’s in Margate.
What motivates you?
Knowing that something I’m good at makes others happy.
What keeps you up at night?
The dog's snoring.
What time do you wake up?
6.30am.
Coffee or tea?
Neither.
How often do you check your email?
About 15 times a day.
How do you let off steam?
Few beers, a local pub and home cooking.
Do you prefer a night on the tiles or a night on the sofa?
Sofa.
What’s your signature dish to cook at home?
Ramen.
Typical Sunday?
Walks with the Mrs and our dog, and cooking something delicious.
What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
Left my career as an electrician to become a barman.
Favourite holiday destination?
Koh Samui.
What boxset are you currently watching?
Ozark.
What was your dream job growing up?
The truth is I never really had one - I just wanted to be able to provide for my family.
Which colleague, mentor or employer has had the biggest influence on your approach to the restaurant business?
Chris Hicks, owner of The Rose.
What piece of advice would you give to those looking to climb the rungs in the business?
Work hard, show an interest in everything you do, keep smiling, and don’t be scared of making mistakes.
If you could change one thing about the restaurant industry today, what would it be?
People’s lack of respect and how we are treated sometimes at work by the general public.
Bio
When Smith left school, he was destined to join his family’s business and work as an electrician in Whitstable. However, when his partner at the time was training to become a chef, Smith was introduced to the world of hospitality and fell in love with the work. He joined the team at the Compasses Inn in Crundale, working weekends on the bar and quickly found that more and more of his time was spent there instead of at his family’s firm. After travelling in South East Asia for a year, Smith dedicated himself to hospitality and joined the team at The Marine Hotel in Tankerton, Whitstable, and later spent two and a half years running the floor as restaurant manager at the Fordwich Arms. He left to join The Rose in late 2020.
