Viewpoint

We give industry leaders the chance to share their views on some of the key issues shaping hospitality, and discuss how their businesses are tackling the latest trends and challenges.

VIEWPOINT

Goodwood Estate's Darron Bunn on why hospitality businesses have a duty to invest in future talent

23-Sep-2016 By Emma Eversham

Darron Bunn has racked up more than 20 years' as a chef, working with Marco Pierre White and Nico Ladenis before running gastropubs, leading brigades at five-star hotels and more. As group executive chef at Goodwood Estate he oversees all food operations,...

VIEWPOINT

The Chestnut Group's Philip Turner on creating a business from the customer's perspective

03-Jun-2016 By Emma Eversham

Philip Turner worked in banking before taking the leap into hospitality to open The Packhorse Inn near Newmarket in 2012. His company Chestnut Group, which refuses to define itself as a pub, restaurant or hotel, will grow to at least four sites by the...

VIEWPOINT

Harry Cragoe of The Gallivant on why banning tips is good for business

22-Apr-2016 By Sophie Witts

Harry Cragoe, owner of The Gallivant restaurant with rooms in Camber, pays all his staff a minimum of £9 per hour and has launched the #toohiptotip campaign to ban service charges in restaurants. He believes more hospitality businesses need to use a similar...

VIEWPOINT

Edmund Inkin of Eatdrinksleep on why hotels don't always need to invest in the latest technology

12-Feb-2016 By Emma Eversham

Edmund Inkin is joint owner of Eatdrinksleep, the company behind the Felin Fach Griffin near Brecon and The Gurnard's Head and The Old Coastguard in Cornwall where technology takes a back-seat. He explains why.

VIEWPOINT

Chris Knights of Young's Pubs on the importance of developing pub chefs

29-Jan-2016 By Emma Eversham

Chris Knights, group executive chef at Young's Pubs and Geronimo Inns, launched Young's Chef Academy last year. He feels strongly that developing and recognising chefs within the company will help address the skills shortage and retention. 

Viewpoint

Brett Redman of Jidori on the Japanese cuisine explosion

17-Dec-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Brett Redman’s Japanese venture, Jidori, follows the trend set by its sister restaurants, Elliots and The Richmond, by being vastly different to each other, yet following the same principles of serving quality produce cooked over a wood or charcoal grill....

VIEWPOINT

Chef David Kelman of Ellenborough Park Hotel on why spending time out of the kitchen could help solve the chef shortage

27-Nov-2015 By Emma Eversham

Over the last few years David Kelman, executive head chef at Ellenborough Park hotel in Cheltenham has spent his spare time teaching secondary school pupils to cook and mentoring them for cooking competitions. He believes introducing students to cooking...

VIEWPOINT

Bedford Lodge hotel chief executive Noel Byrne on the benefits of hotels joining consortiums

13-Nov-2015 By Emma Eversham

Noel Byrne has been chief executive of Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa in Newmarket for the past 11 years. The hotel was recently accepted into the Pride of Britain Hotels consortium, a move Byrne is pleased with and proud of.  

VIEWPOINT

Keith Marsden on why all pubs should put experience before food and drink

16-Oct-2015 By Emma Eversham

Keith Marsden, winner of the BII Licensee of the Year 2015 award and owner of The Prince of Wales and the Dark Horse in Moseley talks about the benefit of winning awards and why it doesn't matter whether your pub is food or wet-led. 

VIEWPOINT

Chef Dave Pigram on integrating superfoods into menus

18-Sep-2015 By Emma Eversham

With superfoods predicted to be a growing trend for menus BigHospitality speaks to Dave Pigram, head chef at The Waterleaf Restaurant at Reynolds Retreat in Kent, about how he is using them in his menus and why they can be beneficial to health and business.

VIEWPOINT

Grace Wood of Barton Grange on why hotels should be adding events into their offering

21-Aug-2015 By Emma Eversham

Grace Wood, event manager at the 51-bedroom independently-owned Barton Grange Hotel in Preston, Lancashire, believes events can be big money-spinners for hotels and gives her top tips to running them. 

VIEWPOINT

King of #CookDaily on why vegan food is 'going to be massive'

09-Jul-2015 By Emma Eversham

Chef King Senathit has been serving his unique twist on vegan food from #CookDaily at Boxpark in Shoreditch since March and is on a mission to prove that vegan food doesn't have to be boring.

VIEWPOINT

Chef Kevin Tickle on why foraging is not a trend

26-Jun-2015 By Michelle Perrett

Former Rogan & Co head chef Kevin Tickle will head up the food offer at Forest Side hotel in Grasmere when it opens in September. Here he talks about his plans and why foraging, for him, is more than just a trend. 

VIEWPOINT

Ivo Stoyanov of Joel Robuchon on how restaurants can be more adventurous in their wine choices

12-Jun-2015 By Emma Eversham

Bulgarian-born Ivo Stoyanov is beverage manager and head sommelier at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in London where he has adopted an unconventional approach to the restaurant's wine selection. Here he talks about his choices and suggests how other...

VIEWPOINT

Ben Bengougam on Hilton Worldwide's careers programme and encouraging employee development

22-May-2015 By Sophie Witts

Ben Bengougam started his career washing pots in a hotel kitchen, now he is vice president of Human Resources at Hilton Worldwide. Following the launch of the company’s Youth in Hospitality month he spoke to BigHospitality about tackling the industry’s...