Beyond The Pass

Hans Cook is here! The founder of Cap'N'Chino, he blends his love for specialty coffee with a mission to raise mental health awareness. Starting in 2019 as an Instagram coffee review page, Cap n Chino has grown into a platform supporting mental health initiatives through merchandise, football sponsorships, and a signature coffee blend with Jericho Coffee Traders.

Hans launched his podcast Flat Whites and Insights in 2023 providing a space for open, honest and vulnerable conversations with folks from across the coffee industry. Tune in to this episode to hear us talk a lot about making peace with our mental health, a little about Hilary Duff and why the little things aren't just the little things.

Big shout outs to Vine & Spice in Long Wittenham for being Hans's best meal of the year, James at Farm Boy Brews for being the very best of us and last but not least, hospitality hero Aaron, formerly of Columbia Coffee Roasters, for offering care and connection when it was needed the most.

TW: suicide, suicidal ideation 13:55 - 14:37

Missy Flynn is here! A smashing restaurateur and hospitality human, Missy is the co-owner of the always brilliant restaurant Rita’s and also co-runs Malik-Acid, a beverage design and events agency. She is a trustee for Food Behind Bars, a charity improving food in UK prisons and armed with a master’s in the Anthropology of Food from SOAS, has contributed to various industry thought and trend forecasting pieces across her 20 year hospitality career. Named one of Code’s 100 Most Influential Women in Hospitality in 2022 and a Code 30 under 30 in 2016, Missy’s impact on the industry is undeniable.

Tune in to hear us dissect why a job in service to others is the best kind, the undeniability of fresh prawns with gnocchi and how to bring your values with you to work in hospitality.

Shout outs all around to Eric Ripert and the team at Le Bernardin in NYC for taking the title of the best meal of the year and the biggest one of all to pastry chef and Countertalk founder Ravneet Gill who takes the crown of Missy's Hospitality Hero!

Madeleine Geach is here! Madeline is a Hospitality Leadership Coach, Best-selling author and ex head of people and culture at Hawksmoor. They have been named a CODE most influential women in hospitality two times over and are a restaurant enthusiast through and through. Tune in to hear us chat about the challenges of boundary setting, enjoying a lush confit duck and the absolute magic of smashing out service with your team.

Shout out to the wonderful Oma in Borough Market for claiming the title of best restaurant Madeleine's been to this year, the operators at Elliots for being great humans and last but not least to Madeleine's Hospitality Hero, the one and only Eadaoin McDonagh, COO at White Rabbit Projects.

After additional wisdom nuggets? Curious about Hospitality Leadership Coaching? Head to @thegoodlifecoaching on insta or email [email protected] to keep in touch and follow along the Good Life journey.

George Gill is here! As the Community Manager at CODE and The Good Food Guide, George is all about shining a spotlight on restaurants that embody incredible workplace culture. With a deep passion for hospitality, he’s dedicated to celebrating the spaces where teams thrive and guests feel the love. Tune in to hear this self confessed nostalgic reminisce about the glamour of fish and chips at J Sheekey’s circa 1997, the responsibility of food media in championing a new style of operator and the magic of Nigel Slater and Bill Nighy sharing a Lobster Thermidor.

Massive shout out to George’s Hospitality Hero, his very own Nan—queen of peas done right— with more butter than you’ve ever seen and a generous serving of sugar. Rightful props to The Black Swan in Olstead which has been George’s best meal so far this year and The Plough at Bolnhurst which is the true number one in his heart.

Fatti Tarkleman is here! They are a multi hat wearing chef and recipe developer, currently at Willows in Clapham and founder of the supper club, Eat Cute, designed for queer folks to eat and meet cute. Fatti is a passionate activist for better mental health in the hospitality industry and in general, advocating for supportive work environments and better resources for teams. Through her platform, @foodventures_with_fatti, they share recipes that delight us and actively fosters a more inclusive and mentally healthy culinary community. Tune in to hear us bang on about deep fried pickles, mental health in kitchens and boldly trolling down Clapham high street with a hip to toe leg of lamb!

Shout outs to Camberwell Arms and Common Press for being great places to work, Kromanti Rum for being delicious and Silo in East London for always being creative and delish.

Biggest shout outs of all to Fatti's Hospitality Hero(es): Lorraine Copes, founder of Be Inclusive Hospitality, our very own Tobie Anna Durk, chef extraordinaire Ixta Belfridge and last but certainly not least chef Keisha Sakarah of Caribe fame!

We are kicking off Season 4 with the fabulous Paul Spencer. Beginning as a chef in the French suburbs, Paul worked his way from BOH to FOH all the way to his current role of COO at Edyn overseeing the brands Locke, Cove and SACO, operating in nine countries by the close of 2024. Paul is a force for good in hospitality, showing up as a role model and guide for creating a more mentally healthy way to operate as a leader. Tune in to hear us talk about the cost of admission in a passion driven career, honesty as power and the true delight of making someone's day.

Special shout out to Paul's Hospitality Hero(s) Marcus Waring and Theo Randall for being not only great chefs but indeed great people too and praise where praise is due to Le Mary Celeste in Paris for taking the title of best restaurant Paul has eaten at so far this year.

Tom Rees is here! They are brilliant! It's the final episode of the season! For some reason it sounds like I recorded this in the bottom of a well! We will invest in a really beautiful mic for season 4! Can't wait to be back with y'all in the fall!

Hailing from Wales, Tom has spent the last 7 years in London working at many renowned industry haunts including Trullo, Club Mexicana and Bubala London, where they now work as a Supervisor and D&I advocate. As a non-binary individual, Tom deeply values inclusivity and strives to create a welcoming environment in all their endeavours. Recently, Tom completed their BSc in Human Nutrition and launched their own consultancy, Wylde Nutrition, marking the start of their career in nutrition alongside their advocacy work in hospo. Tune in to hear us talk about the best paying barbecue job in the world, the late great George Michael and the best way to support trans and gender non confirming people at work!

A very big cheer for Tom's Hospitality Hero, the brilliant brilliant chef Diarmuid Goodwin!

Fancy a Wylde Nutrition picnic this summer?? Head to www.wylde-nutrition.com

On this episode the incomparable Michelle Moreno sits down with us. Michelle is a true hospitality pro who has travelled all over the world opening, consulting and creating bars and restaurants. These days she is the founder and director of QAB Leadership and especially focused on supporting women into leadership positions across the industry. Her wisdom is unmatched - tune in to hear the truth about imposter syndrome, the beauty of the Real Housewives and why the P&L should be banished forever.

A massive shoutout to Michelle's hospitality hero Annie Wilde!!!! and a smaller shout out to Mike Hayden who didn't get the official title but was a very good boss.

Find Michelle on instagram @qableadership or on their website https://qableadership.com

In this episode we are sitting down with the brilliant and innovative Paramjit and Bruce Nagra. They are the founders of Crazy Gin, an innovative distillery that is disrupting the status quo in flavour and practice . Committed to creating more space in the drinks industry for a new diverse generation of distillers, Crazy Gin are innovating and advocating in equal measure. Tune in to hear us chat about what inspired inventing clear lassi gin, busting through the wall when the door is closed to you and the importance of making space at the table.

On this episode we sit down with the fabulous Sofia Gassne. Sofia has two decades of hospitality experience spanning basically every role that can be done. She is currently the Head of HR at Hawksmoor and the founder of Culture Bar, which facilitates hospitality specific training focused on Women’s Safety, anti-harrassment and bullying, DEI and much much more. Tune in to hear us throw down about the cost of harassment in the workplace, the Horniman museum's take on Sweden and the pure goodness of a friend making you bolognese for dinner.

Massive shout to Sofia's hospitality hero Angela Hartnett (but she couldn't pick just one so shout outs are also due to Queena Wong!)