WE ❤️ HOSPITALITY - Ryan Holmes

The last year has been terrible for the hospitality sector. Most businesses have seen extreme financial challenges and its reputation as an employer has been severely affected.We are now hearing from many, many of our clients about their fears for the future from staff shortages to skills gaps and top mid-senior talent moving to other sectors.Krishnan Doyle is sharing his conversations with service industry leaders and operators on all that is good about hospitality & catering with the purpose to improve the sector's reputation as one of the largest employer worldwide but also as a great place to develop your career.How did you get into hospitality?

I finished school and went straight to catering college, I always wanted to be a footballer but that never happened so hospitality was always the next choice, my Nan inspired me to cook from a very young age. 

Do you think it is important to have studied hospitality to be a success in the sector?

I think it is, I studied for 3 and a half years in Plymouth and spent time in collage in France too, it gives you a great platform and knowledge to further your career within the industry. But in top of that you need to be prepared to work hard, nothing will be handed to you on a plate because you have qualifications. 

Which leader / figure inspired you and why?

Too many to mention here! I have always been so lucky to have a mentor, someone who has believed in me and then pushed me to the next level. I was lucky during my time at Catermasters that Nigel Johnson and Richard Moody helped me so much, I went from being a chef who just cooked on the stove to someone who started doing sales presentations and developing food offers. Looking back that really was the turning point in my career, you always need to work with people who can push you that bit harder and can get the best out of you. This is something I do with my teams now, give them the drive and motivation to be the best they can be.

What keeps you in the sector and why to you enjoy working in it?

The challenge, no day is the same. It’s a fabulous industry, I have been lucky to have travelled to some beautiful countries and worked with some very talented chefs, I’d much rather work in hospitality than be stuck in a 9-5 desk job!

Tell us about the development / training that you give to your teams and management

Mentoring, you must take your team on a journey. To get the best out of your team you need to invest time in them, listen and believe in them. I was lucky enough that someone believed in me all those years ago, so I always do the same for my team. We all have weaknesses; I prefer to focus on the 

What advice would you give to those starting out in the sector?

Work hard, push yourself, have the right attitude and always have a plan of where you want to be.

If you could go back and tell yourself one piece of advice as you started your career, what would it be?

I wish when I was younger, I knew what I knew now! It took a while in my career for the penny to drop, since then I have always had a plan and huge drive to succeed. 

If you would like to take part as a leader in this thriving sector, get in touch with Krishnan (krishnan@corecruitment.com)