Human Resources

🏨 Jennifer Clay, Vice President of Hotel Operations at Appellation, discusses hiring practices for General Managers on Oct. 3, 2024. Highlights include interview questions, key traits for success, and the value of downtime for recharging. Key interview insights are shared at 01:28 and 03:15, with a focus on the importance of disconnection at 04:14. Clay recommends sharing episodes for turning ideas into action within hospitality teams.

💰 Splendid Hospitality Group appoints Rachel Bulford as Chief Commercial Officer, joining its leadership team and Board of Directors. Bulford, with her experience as Director of Retail at Gatwick Airport and senior roles at Homebase and Burberry, aims to enhance commercial strategies for the company's hotels, restaurants, and care homes. She holds an MA from Cambridge and an MBA from Bayes Business School, and chaired the UK Travel Retail Forum from 2021 to 2023.

📢 Artistry Restaurants, with 29 Southeast locations and five brands, appoints Bryan Lockwood as CEO to drive expansion, including a sixth brand in 2023. Lockwood, a veteran with CEO roles at Stonefire Grill and Real Mex Restaurants, brings a multi-disciplinary approach to growth. He succeeds Jason Brooks, now COO and partner, formerly of Uncle Julio’s and Bloomin’ Brands. Artistry brands include Boca, Shrimp Basket, Oak & Stone, Atlantic Beer and Oyster, and Sandbar Amelia Island.

📖 Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor at Informa's Restaurant & Food Group since August 2021, has over seven years of specialized experience in restaurant and hospitality industry journalism. She holds a bachelor's degree from The College of New Jersey and a master's from CUNY's Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. Her past roles include Associate and Assistant Editor at Informa (July 2019-August 2021), Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter, and positions at Insider and The Daily Meal. Joanna is also known for her contributions to The New York Times, Forbes, and Vice.

🎭 Ewan Venters, former CEO of Fortnum & Mason, left Artfarm amid concerns the Groucho Club is 'going corporate'. The Soho-based club, acquired by Artfarm in 2022, sparked member concerns over cultural 'destruction'. Artfarm, run by Swiss investors Iwan and Manuela Wirth since Venters joined in 2021, expanded with a Yorkshire sister site and several other hospitality ventures. Venters will exit by January next year, pending a replacement. Recent expansions include Da Costa in Bruton, following the Audley Public House and Fish Shop in Ballater.

🍝 Otto & Pepe, Miami’s first pasta bar by Gabriela Chiriboga and Samuel Ghouzi, opened on September 12 in Wynwood Art District. The 147-seat venue was designed by Saladino Design Studio, featuring house-made pastas and natural wines. Menu by Michelin-starred chef Viviana Varese, with wine expert Karina Iglesias and mixologist Matias Iriarte. The menu offers four categories: red sauce pasta, white sauce pasta, more pasta, and not pasta, plus desserts like tiramisu and brioche with gelato.

🥘 Chris Eden, the former executive head chef at Gidleigh Park, is set to oversee food operations at Watergate Bay Hotel's venues starting 1 October. Eden, who helped Gidleigh Park reclaim a Michelin star in 2023, will work with head chefs Ben Ambridge, Dani Bolton, Nick Giles, and Anthony Quinn. He won a Michelin star for Cornwall's Driftwood Hotel in 2012 and attended St Austell College. Eden's aim is to create dishes with a neighbourhood restaurant feel, ensuring guests leave happy.

📍 SH Hotels & Resorts announced leadership promotions: Shadi Omeish as VP of Operations in North America, and Milton Sgarbi as Regional VP of Operations and Special Projects at 1 Hotel South Beach. Omeish has over 20 years of experience and has been with the company since 2016, managing West Coast properties including 1 Hotel South Beach and 1 Hotel West Hollywood. Sgarbi, also with the company since 2016, will oversee operations at 1 Hotel South Beach, which features 425 rooms, eight dining outlets, and more. SH Hotels & Resorts is expanding globally, with new projects in Seattle, Austin, San Miguel de Allende, Rome, Florence, Dubai, and more. Treehouse Hotels is set to open in Silicon Valley and Manchester this year.