I started working in the hospitality industry while I was still in school, and from early on I became convinced that spaces where people gather over food and drink are really important to a strong community. I loved seeing people carve time out to meet with others, to drink great coffee, to take time for themselves. I also found it really exciting that working in those spaces I had the opportunity to make someone’s day. I learned that service is a skill and when done well and from the heart can really mean something to people. 

These are the reasons I have spent most of my working life in the hospitality industry. However, over the years I became increasingly aware of a lot of wasted opportunity in this sector, with lots of cafes and restaurants failing to put people and community at the centre of their businesses. Too many of these spaces can feel unwelcoming and intimidating. Furthermore, a failure to properly bring staff into decision making, offer meaningful contracts, remuneration and training is common in this space and is, to my mind, a wasted opportunity to really empower people.