In my view, the future of hospitality hinges on how we evolve our kitchens. As ready meals get better, and delivery from dark kitchens improves, we need to make sure the food from our kitchen team is up to scratch.  

For me, there is a risk that over time some kitchens, maybe many of them, are seen as the modern version of a coal mine; hot, dark, and a bit frantic. Of course, a great kitchen is none of those things, but the perception remains.  

In order to avoid this becoming our reality, we need to establish a strong competitive advantage, which I believe resides in several crucial areas. The first and most obvious advantage is great cooking. The skills of a talented chef are unparalleled, and no one can match the artistry and precision that a master in the kitchen brings to the table. The value of a great chef goes beyond just the taste of the food. Like a fine wine, the expertise and creativity of a skilled chef command a premium, and people are increasingly willing to pay for this experience. We are able to deliver high-quality meals which set us apart in a crowded market. 

The second advantage comes down to our equipment. Our kitchens are equipped with sous vide machines, deep fat fryers, chargrills, and rationales, among other advanced tools. These sophisticated pieces of kit enable us to produce food of a better quality, far beyond what can be achieved with standard home cooking appliances. Even if the operator’s skill isn’t at a first-class level, the capabilities of this equipment ensure consistently excellent results. 

And then there’s the crucial advantage of the freshness of our ingredients. I couldn’t count how many times I have been at home and have failed to add dill, yoghurt, or an ingredient I have never heard of in the latest Ottolenghi cookbook, simply because I do not have them to hand. For me, this kind of situation highlights the big difference between home cooking and a professional kitchen. In our kitchens, we have a wide array of fresh ingredients readily available every day. This constant access to fresh, high-quality ingredients makes a huge difference in the dishes we produce. 

So, what are the challenges, and how can we improve the future of our kitchens? Several things need to evolve in the next few years to achieve this. First of all, I think the supply chain needs to take on more responsibility for preparing dishes that hold well over time. For example, making a Boeuf Bourguignon doesn’t necessarily need to be done in a central kitchen or on-site; much of it can be efficiently handled by machines. The real challenge lies in how manufacturers can adapt to small-scale, bespoke production, but fortunately, some are already starting to do it. 

The dishes we serve must be better than the store-bought M&S version! Our goal should be to add the finishing touches. We add the parsley, make it look good on the plate, and then serve it with a smile and a lovely glass of red. 

Ticket management has typically been one of the most challenging skills in the industry. Managing three tickets simultaneously is common, but handling more than five is rare and exceptional. While ticket management systems are evolving, they are typically used by operators with multiple sites or very large spaces. What we need is a simpler form of ticket management that everyone can use, regardless of their operation’s size. Will we ever see the end of the tab grab? Only time will tell. 

Ordering should be simple, but it often requires a level of technology that many of us still lack. Achieving a system where the correct amount of fish is ordered based on actual usage, and where we process larger fish to meet a standard specification, is still a work in progress. But, if we could receive the right food at the right time, with the system advising us on what to cook, life in the kitchen would certainly be a lot easier. 

Working on these three areas would undoubtedly transform our kitchens for the better. There would be less work to do, lower stress levels, and lower numbers. Efficiency would be optimised by shifting more responsibilities vertically to tech suppliers and food manufacturers, allowing us to streamline our operations and enhance overall productivity. 

All of this is not to say that there wouldn’t still be some challenges in running our kitchens. However, I think that these changes would allow us to focus on our key advantages and deskill the less important areas of our kitchen, which seems to be the most important next push for the industry. 

A recent topic that seems to come up often when I talk to industry colleagues is the appalling damage covid has done to Gen Z. For a while there has been much talk of the academic damage done, but less energy is focused on the social damage, particularly when it comes to the implications it has had upon them entering the workforce.  

If you are currently employing 16–20-year-olds, you are dealing with a generation that were between 12-16 when the pandemic began. School closures, remote learning, and social distancing measures completely rid them of face-to-face interactions for a long time. Of course, this led to an increase in social anxiety and discomfort in real-world settings. For many Gen Z workers, the prospect of engaging with customers, colleagues, and supervisors in person is really daunting. And, of course, within our industry, the need for social skills when entering the workforce is essential! 

As an industry, we see it in the people we recruit. Our teams struggle with some basic engagement skills; eye contact, initiating conversation and smiling, among others. As operators, we are having to work much harder than we did pre-covid to help young people through this journey. And we must – our industry survives on young people and improves the lives and capability of so many. It also helps people to develop essential life skills. 

This is unprecedented territory for us all – how do we help? From talking to others in the industry, I know there has been a focus on teaching conflict resolution and better customer service etiquette, whether that is through mentoring, or role-playing different scenarios. The other big one is opening up communication, to create an environment where employees feel comfortable asking for advice or discussing challenges, whether it be job-specific or general social competencies.  

We rely on young people in our businesses, so we want to encourage and support them so we can retain them. Gen Z are tech-savvy, quick learners, and often more open to change and innovation than older generations. I find that these traits can be really undervalued by leaders, but in our post-pandemic world, they need more recognition – particularly now we are increasingly relying on digital solutions and service models everywhere! 

In our pubs, I always enjoy it when I see the younger members of the team getting dropped off in a nice Range Rover. Their parents could easily afford to give their children the money they are earning. But instead, they recognise that working, particularly in hospitality, gives them much more. For starters: a work ethic, an ability to understand the value of money, an ability to talk to other people and engage with different generations in a meaningful way. These skills are invaluable and cannot be taught by staying at home or by asking mum and dad to fund your life every weekend!  

And beyond this, I think that our industry is now more important to UK plc than it has ever been. It would be great if, at some point, the government stopped taxing us to the hilt, and instead helped drive an industry that prepares people for the working world in a way that school, or even university, cannot. It is real work, with real customers and real expectations. 

I heard recently that hospitality employs over three million people. But given the high staff turnover, the percentage of young people that are in some way involved and moulded by hospitality is immense. An incredible number of the people I meet have, at one point in their journey, worked in hospitality, even if it was only for a summer.  

We need more recognition for the job we do, and more support for helping people through this journey. One-to-ones and coffee chats are all part of the training journey, but I think that one of the most important things is praising people when they do a good job. This is the reinforcement people need to try harder, be braver and challenge their fears. 

I do not think I am alone in believing that our standards have dropped since covid. We are all working hard to build back and get to the levels we want, and even to go beyond that. Of course, many things have changed due to covid, but with change also comes a real opportunity for hospitality leaders to shape a more resilient and capable workforce. So, get to it! 

As I journey around the industry, I am fascinated by who is successful and who is not. In particular, I love to see the success that single sites can have. My sister and her husband run a very successful single site near York (The Alice Hawthorn for those who know it – John is an amazing chef!) I was even more surprised when my sister said that she enjoyed reading my articles – and not just because she never compliments me! It is true that some people are just great single site operators – they have their own procedures and routines, and for the most part, tend to stick to them.  

I have recently been talking to another single site operator quite close to me in Harrogate. They have no wish to be a multiple, either because they earn enough money, or are settled in how their lives work, hopefully it is both. As I observe single sites though, I find that their biggest challenge is how they avoid getting set in their ways, and how they seek out best practice.  

Reading, attending conferences, and having a good network of similar local business is important, and should never be underestimated. So is using suppliers and even the ‘dirty’ word, consultants. Some of the above are free, and some cost money, whether that is time away from the business, or the cost of employing someone else. 

The hard bit when you are a single site operator is challenging yourself to get better, to try and change, and try things that might not work. The danger is that slowly but surely you become less competitive and less profitable until it is too late and the cash to be brave has run out. And, sometimes, this should also happen right at the start of your journey.  

I am constantly frustrated by newcomers to the industry who listen too much to their head chef, and run a menu and a cost structure that doesn’t work! These are probably two of the biggest risks for single site operators: going into a business with some key skill gaps and relying on the wrong people, and then having a successful business and not initiating enough change. 

We want to help operators recognise where their operations may need to be adapted and show them the best ways to enact these adjustments. This is why we decided to launch an operational excellence programme on labour management for single sites. We are also keen to help facilitate more programmes on the subject matters that we are not experts in, because we understand the value of shared knowledge. We are constantly learning new ways to help operators to be their best and plan to continue doing so.  

I really hope that we can help a nation of single site operators become better and better.