Advertise on podcast: Hospitality Huddles

A hotel refurbishment is a major investment. But how do you make sure it delivers more than a beautiful space? Recorded live at the Independent Hotel Show in London, this Hospitality Reframed panel brings together hotel operations,interior design and brand expertise to examine what makes a refurbishment commercially successful - and what can go wrong when the right conversations happen too late. Scot Turner, Founder & Managing Director of Auden Hospitality, is joined by Shaun Bowles, General Manager of the Francis Hotel Bath and Castle Hotel Windsor; Jan Janecek from Office for Contemporary Design; and Miroslava McDermott, Director of Brand & Marketing at Foxhills Club & Resort. Together they explore why a clear brief matters, why operators and brand teams need a seat at the table from day one, how to balance budget with guest experience, and how a restaurant can become a destination in its own right. The discussion includes real examples from the Castle Hotel Windsor, the Francis Hotel Bath and Foxhills' Manor Housetransformation, including the launch of Lomri. Hear how Foxhills approached its restaurant identity, website and guest journey — and the early changes it reported in attracting local diners and members. From breakfast buffets and flexible spaces to construction disruption, team training and the value of involving contractors early, this is a practical conversation for hotel owners, generalmanagers, designers and anyone planning a hotel or restaurant refurbishment. Explore Auden Hospitality's hotel F&B strategy and concept development work: https://www.audenhospitality.com/ Subscribe for more Hospitality Reframed conversations on hotel food and beverage strategy, restaurant concepts andcommercial performance. 01:59 – Why refurbishment success startswith the right project team 03:33 – Define the investment goals beforedesigning anything 04:46 – Why hotel operators must beinvolved from day one 06:38 – Brand is not marketing: getting theconcept right early 08:38 – How a clear brief keeps designersand operators aligned 10:40 – Building long-term value, notchasing quick wins 13:43 – Where to spend and save on hoteldesign 16:45 – Designing spaces around how guestsactually behave 18:22 – How Foxhills and Auden challengedthe traditional Manor House restaurant 20:30 – Making breakfast buffets andmulti-use spaces work 23:06 – Why breakfast affects the wholehotel experience 25:02 – Healthy conflict: protecting theconcept during design 28:23 – Managing hotel refurbishments whileguests are staying 30:00 – How Lomri became a restaurantdestination beyond Foxhills 33:15 – Removing booking barriers andattracting local diners 33:53 – Foxhills shares its earlyrestaurant audience results 35:30 – Why early collaboration made theconcept work 37:49 – The role of team culture indelivering the vision 41:00 – How Auden's training helped theFoxhills team bring Lomri to life 44:03 – Audience Q&A: shouldcontractors join projects earlier? 48:08 – Why the right people at the righttime save money

Most hotel restaurants fail for one simple reason. They try to please everyone. In this episode of Hospitality Reframed, Scot Turner sits down with Mark Hayton to discuss the transformation of The Manor House at Foxhills, one of the UK's most respected country club destinations. Together they unpack the thinking behind creating Lomri, why Foxhills chose to move away from a traditional hotel restaurant, and how a bold concept has helped attract members back into the Manor House, increase repeat visits and bring new local diners through the gates. More importantly, they discuss how successful hospitality projects are actually created. From creating the right concept and involving operational teams early, to challenging assumptions, stress-testing ideas and building authenticity into every decision, this conversation offers practical lessons for hotel owners, operators and developers looking to create restaurants that genuinely perform. If you're interested in hotel F&B strategy, restaurant concepts, hospitality design, destination dining, hotel food and beverage, or creating experiences guests actually remember, this episode is packed with insight. Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to Foxhills and the story behind the club 02:40 – Why Foxhills never stops investing in the guest experience 04:15 – Why food & beverage is the glue that holds a club together 07:40 – The problem with the original Manor House restaurant 09:40 – Why the brief wasn't "refurbish the restaurant" but reinvent the Manor House 11:40 – Why Foxhills chose to be bold instead of playing safe 13:10 – Creating a collection of restaurants, not one restaurant 15:30 – Making multiple concepts work inside one building 18:20 – Why authenticity mattered more than curation 20:40 – How stories transformed the guest experience 22:10 – The moment Foxhills committed fully to the concept2 5:05 – The results after just three months: members returning and repeat visits 27:20 – How one restaurant started driving weddings, conferences and golf breaks 30:25 – Why the right consultant changes the outcome of a project 33:20 – The "premortem" exercise every hospitality project should use 35:05 – "Being bolder is more fun" — the biggest lesson from the project 36:45 – Why genuine hospitality always beats gimmicks 39:30 – Final reflections on creating places people genuinely enjoy To learn more about Foxhills, visit their website https://www.foxhills.co.uk/ To visit Lomri https://www.lomri.co.uk/ And if you are thinking about a new food & beverage development and would like to know more about Auden Hospitality, visit our website https://www.audenhospitality.com/

Technology is no longer sitting behind hospitality.It’s shaping the space itself.Recorded live at the Hospitality Tech Expo 2026 at ExCeL London, this special episode of Hospitality Reframed in collaboration with the  @hoteliersvoice  podcast explores how technology, staffing pressures and digital behaviour are fundamentally changing how hospitality spaces are designed and operated.Hosted by Ryan Haynes and Scot Turner, the panel brings together:Alessandra Leoni, Head of Hospitality - Focus on HospitalityPaul Wells, Partner & Architect - Studio MorenPrem Jethwa-Odedra, CEO - Biteluxe…to unpack how smart technology, digital infrastructure and operational realities are reshaping hotel design, F&B spaces and guest experience.From ePOS systems and AI to connectivity, PMS integration, flexible public spaces and revenue-driven design, this conversation explores what modern hospitality spaces actually need to deliver today — commercially, operationally and emotionally.Chapters:00:00 – Welcome to Hospitality Tech Expo 202601:12 – Why hospitality spaces are being redesigned03:04 – The relationship between technology and guest experience05:18 – Designing spaces for both guests and teams07:44 – The operational pressures reshaping hotel layouts10:10 – Infrastructure first: cabling, connectivity and flexibility13:02 – The biggest mistakes made during hospitality design projects15:48 – Why WiFi and digital infrastructure are now critical utilities18:25 – PMS, handheld devices and operational flow21:14 – How F&B technology changes space utilisation24:33 – Reservations, ePOS and inventory systems in modern hospitality27:11 – Technology that improves service vs technology that frustrates it30:06 – Why collaboration between departments matters more than ever33:28 – AI, guest communications and digital engagement36:17 – How hotels are driving additional revenue through tech39:02 – Designing multi-use spaces guests genuinely want to stay in42:20 – Final reflections from the panel

What does great hospitality design actually do?In this special live episode of Hospitality Reframed, recorded at the HRC 2026 Vision Stage at ExCeL London, Scot Turner hosts a panel of operators, designers and sustainability experts to explore one big question:Does design drive revenue — or should we really be talking about profitability?Joined by:Alex Chapman, CEO - DECONDavid Chenery, Director - ReassembleGanan Kanagathurai, CEO - Roti King…the conversation dives into the real role of design in hospitality today — from guest behaviour and dwell time to operational flow, sustainability, emotional connection and commercial return.The panel explores why beautiful spaces alone are not enough, how operators often brief design incorrectly, where value engineering goes wrong, and why sustainability must be considered through the lens of durability, ROI and long-term performance.This is a practical, honest conversation about what hospitality spaces need to deliver today — commercially, emotionally and operationally.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction01:12 – Does design drive revenue… or profitability?03:45 – Why revenue can be the wrong metric for design06:10 – When design helps sales but hurts operations08:30 – What is the real job of hospitality design today?11:05 – Emotional vs operational design decisions13:18 – Why operators often brief design incorrectly16:40 – What a good hospitality design brief looks like22:15 – Where operators should spend vs save25:04 – Why value engineering gets a bad reputation28:11 – What should never be value engineered out31:22 – Sustainability beyond materials and greenwashing34:10 – Durability, ROI and designing for the long term37:08 – Designing spaces people want to stay in40:25 – Behavioural science, dwell time and craveability43:12 – Final takeaway from each panellist

This is the first episode of Hospitality Reframed — and it starts with one of the most misunderstood topics in business: sustainability.In this conversation, Scot Turner sits down with David Chenery to strip sustainability back to its fundamentals. Not as a marketing message, but as a system of choices, constraints and long-term thinking. They explore why sustainability is less about saving the planet and more about building healthier systems, why cost and competition create real tension, and how culture, design and storytelling shape whether sustainability actually works in practice. From circular economy design to guest experience, procurement challenges to scaling across hotel groups, this episode reframes sustainability as something far more human, operational and commercially relevant. Chapters: 00:00 – What sustainability actually means in business 02:45 – Cost vs sustainability: the real tension 04:40 – Culture as the driver of sustainable behaviour 08:33 – Why carbon isn’t the full story 10:03 – Designing for emotion, not just metrics 11:13 – Circular economy and storytelling in spaces 13:07 – Why “soul” matters more than aesthetics 14:55 – Non-places vs meaningful spaces 17:20 – Sustainability as an extension of hospitality 18:41 – Systems thinking and ecosystems in business 21:34 – Designing spaces that age and evolve 27:17 – Balancing real impact with visible actions 31:33 – The Restorative Design Framework explained 36:34 – Why circular economy works in practice 44:17 – Hotels vs independent agility 48:46 – Does sustainability cost more? 52:48 – Real examples: reuse, cost savings, and impact 57:00 – The future: abundance, resilience and systems 59:05 – Final reflections on hospitality and human connection

Hotels keep softening their concepts — and it’s killing their identity.In this episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey dive into why bold F&B wins, why micro-niche strategy is the future, and why trying to please everyone leaves hotels with concepts that excite no one.Chapters:00:00 – The frustration: hotels keep softening concepts01:15 – Bold F&B explained: clarity over gimmicks03:02 – Why independents win (and hotels copy badly)05:20 – Micro-niche strategy: stop trying to be everything08:00 – Standing for something vs pleasing everyone09:40 – Local-first positioning: not a buzzword12:15 – Why “safe” menus are a risk14:00 – Hotels need confidence, not committees16:50 – What success looks like: purpose-built concepts18:25 – Final reflections

Hotel strategy starts with data — but it can’t end there.In this episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey discuss their recent trip to Dresden, Germany, and what it taught them about market research, data validation, and walking with purpose. They explore how real insights onlycome when you get out of spreadsheets and into the streets — talking to people, observing day parts, and seeing how locals and tourists actually behave.Expect insights on:- Why strategy needs both data and context- How walking the city can validate or disprove the numbers- Dresden’s F&B landscape: local vs tourist trade- How to spot gaps in hotel positioning through observation- Why teams must “walk with purpose” to see opportunity clearlyChapters:00:00 – Welcome to Hospitality Huddles at Vobos Studios01:27 – How strategy and market research link together02:00 – Why going on-site matters more than data alone03:32 – Validating data in Dresden and finding real context05:14 – First impressions vs. reality: what surprised us most07:19 – Understanding the hotel and its F&B operations08:55 – Walking the streets: outlet density and patterns09:56 – What counts as “fine dining” in Dresden11:18 – The difference between tourist and local areas13:30 – Identifying opportunity in local neighbourhoods14:35 – Exploring local operators and residential districts15:48 – Why many hotels believe their own narrative16:42 – Data without context: the danger of assumption17:47 – Walking with purpose and learning to look up18:28 – Closing reflections: take the time to see it for yourself

Toolkits aren’t paperwork. They’re performance. In this episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey break down one of the most requested, yet most misunderstood, parts of hospitality operations: toolkits, SOPs, operational manuals, and digitised frameworks.Chapters:00:00 – Welcome from Vorboss Studios in East London00:56 – “Toolkits vs SOPs”: why language matters02:01 – Why operators struggle to build toolkits02:36 – Toolkit structure: imagery, brand sheets, videos03:25 – Development: analysing, visiting, filming, documenting04:48 – Capturing day parts and service elements05:25 – Sequence of service, rituals and tone of voice06:31 – Making toolkits accessible: videos, planograms, formats07:03 – Delivering toolkits digitally and physically07:56 – Why PDFs become worthless after 3 months08:23 – Amend: updating and correcting existing documentation09:06 – Standardisation across multi-site or multi-country ops10:14 – “Company standards vs brand specifics” explained11:23 – Takeaway example: universal standards vs brand execution12:12 – Why objectivity matters when amending SOPs12:45 – Writing for operators, not HR13:20 – Recommendations: workflow, equipment, digitisation14:16 – Digitisation tools: scanning, barcoding, mobile-first ops14:50 – Market research and operational insight15:21 – Scoops, portion bottles and consistency tools15:51 – Documentation + value-added recommendations16:30 – Identifying roadblocks and workflow friction17:17 – Equipment, people, digital: the three ops pillars18:22 – Why toolkits matter for scaling hotel groups18:53 – The McDonald’s systems lesson19:10 – Final reflections

Luxury is undergoing a profound transformation — and the old rules no longer apply. In this episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner is joined by Professor Zi Wang, luxury branding academic, consultant, writer and coach, to explore how a new generation of consumers is reshaping the meaning of luxury. Zi reveals why today’s luxury is defined less by status and more by quietconfidence, emotional value, identity expression and cultural consciousness. They discuss Gen Z’s rejection of traditional luxury cues, the importance of authenticity, and why emotional intelligence is now one of the most essential skills in hospitality and brand-building. Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction to Professor Zi Wang 01:05 – Zi’s journey: academia, luxury branding and coaching 03:10 – How luxury has evolved beyond status 05:45 – The rise of emotional value in luxury 08:20 – Gen Z and the rejection of traditional luxury codes 11:02 – Symbolism, social media and identity construction 13:40 – Post-pandemic shifts: meaning, intention and consciousness 16:12 – Why “personalisation” is misunderstood in hospitality 18:55 – Emotional intelligence as a luxury differentiator 21:10 – Why luxury brands lose relevance 23:44 – “Quiet confidence” as the new luxury aesthetic 26:11 – Time, space and attention as elite commodities 28:55 – Sustainability and conscious consumption 31:40 – Zi’s work as a consultant, writer and coach 33:20 – Final reflectionsTo learn more about Professor Zi, find her on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zi-wang-59a90b248/ This podcast is brought to you by Auden Hospitality, creating hotel F&B that rewrites the rules. Learn more by visiting our website www.audenhospitality.com

From Blackpool to Istanbul, via Kenya, Australia, Hong Kong, Vegas, Budapest, Kuwait and Dresden — this episode of Hospitality Huddles is our full 2025 Wrapped.Recorded in early December, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey reflect on a year of global travel, concept development, hotel openings, operational toolkits, market research and big learnings. It’s a relaxed, honest recap of where the year took us, what stood out, and why 2026 will be the year the hard work of 2025 really comes to life.Chapters:00:00 – Welcome & setting the scene01:10 – January: Blackpool market research02:48 – Kenya and Nairobi market insights03:40 – Toolkits, SOPs and early-year groundwork04:04 – Asia trip: Bali, Australia and Hong Kong04:18 – Windsor and the Castle Hotel concept04:41 – Vegas and Bar & Restaurant Expo06:27 – Spring concepts and Foxhills development07:58 – Budapest: To The Table08:50 – Noreen opening and summer momentum09:59 – Mayfair flagship hotel concept11:27 – Kuwait reconnaissance and toolkit deep-dive15:23 – Dresden market research and strategy15:56 – Kensington Hideaway opening prep16:18 – Istanbul Hilton opening17:39 – Reflections on 2025 and looking aheadTo learn more about our work at Auden Hospitality, visit our website www.audenhospitality.com

AI can transform hospitality, but not in the way most people think. It’s not about shortcuts or replacing humans — it’s about efficiency, validation, and support. In this episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey share how they use ChatGPT and other AI tools to deliver projects faster and more accurately. From validating financial narratives to analysing competitor sets, they explain how AI can reduce workload while keeping human experience at the centre. Expect insights on: - Why AI should support, not replace, human expertise - How transcripts and project files can build efficiency - The role of AI in financial validation and tone of voice alignment - Real-world case studies: competitor analysis, sales mix reviews, andfeasibility studies - Why guest-facing language still requires human oversight Chapters: 00:00 – Using ChatGPT for efficiency, not shortcuts 01:45 – Travel case study: testing ChatGPT in Bulgaria 04:41 – Building client transcripts into project workflows 05:40 – Efficiency vs. validation: why speed matters 08:25 – Human vs AI: the back-and-forth process 10:44 – Teaching AI brand tone of voice 13:00 – Market study for a London five-star hotel 15:02 – Using sentiment search and AI to validate data 17:21 – Cutting 2–3 days’ work down to 3 hours 20:44 – Risks of AI “ghosting” and false assumptions 22:30 – The restaurant analogy: AI as the AGM, humans as the GM 22:52 – Closing reflections: AI as support, not replacement

Hotels have a common problem, food & beverage profitability. So if we could give you a solution that provides you with market intelligence, people-less automation and takes care of the operation, it would sound too good to be true.   Wrong, you just haven't heard about Wundermart.  In this week's episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner sits with Wundermart Co-Founder, Laurens de Kleine to chat about hotel F&B and also the future of breakfast dissecting work Auden Hospitality and Wundermart have carried out together on a forward-thinking breakfast solution.  This is a truly great episode if you are wanting to think differently about what hotel F&B looks like. To learn more about Wundermart - visit their website https://wundermart.com/ Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:57 What are you seeing in Hotels 05:08 Why hotels keep looking back 08:08 How data helps make a difference  10:35 How AI can optimise performance 14:22 How Wundermart helps hoteliers 15:30 Why it works for Guests and Hoteliers 20:00 Why convenience trumps price 25:00 Frictionless Breakfast 33:40 40% Opportunity  37:20 Quality over Quantity 43:00 People are Predictable

Why are hoteliers so afraid of failure? And what does risk really mean in hospitality today? In this bite-size episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey explore why risk aversion can hold hospitality back — and why measured risks, experimentation, and even failure are essential for progress. Expect insights on:- Why psychological fear stops leaders from trying new ideas- How to define “measured risk” in hotel F&B and operations- The danger of holding onto failing concepts for too long- Why investing properly at the start matters for success- The balance between giving projects enough time and knowing when to walk awayChapters:00:00 – Why are we scared of failure?01:48 – Measured risks in hotels and F&B02:39 – The psychology of fear and trying new things03:33 – Taking risks at Auden: lessons learned04:41 – Defining failure upfront and setting cut-off points06:39 – Why you still need to invest properly to give ideas a chance09:15 – The Mark Hotel hot dog stand: a case study in doing it right10:04 – Trinity Outside: patience and persistence in risk-taking11:35 – Key takeaways on risk and failure13:20 – Balancing time, instinct, and experience13:58 – Final reflections: don’t be scared, just try

This is a very special episode as we are joined by our Strategic Brand Expert, Richard Liverman, who has worked with our Founder, Scot Turner to shape the Auden brand to share some of the insights he has brought to our conversations over the last 18 months. This is a fantastic insight into how Richard helps brands be amazing including lessons learnt working with Nike, Godiva and Jack Daniels as well as how you can apply some basic business foundations into your business.This is an episode full of business advice for any leader. 00:00 Episode Teaser 01:22 How Richard Helps 03:29 Clarity is King 05:36 You're not the Hero 09:21 Creating Ambassadors 13:00 Why No Budget Sparks Creativity 16:00 Don't be Boring 19:15 The Nike World Cup Lesson 25:48 The Shopping Centre Theory 32:00 Why Every Business Needs Scaffolding 36:52 Be Uncomfortable 39:00 The Secret To Keeping Your Brand Fresh 40:00 Stop, Start, Continue Richards Resources: To learn more about Richard and how he helps businesses - visit his website Richer Solutionshttps://richersolutions.com/ 📚 Book recommendations in the episode to help your business: Building a Brand Story by Donald Millar https://amzn.to/4qFmVRI Remarkable by David Salyers https://amzn.to/49IZ11z Atomic Habit by James Clear https://amzn.to/4ov4oX1

What do McDonald’s, Shake Shack, and Subway have to teach hoteliers about F&B? A lot more than you might think.In this bite-size episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey break down the key lessons hotels can take from the world of Quick Service Restaurants (QSR). From process design and automation to training and consistency, they explore how QSR thinking can transform hotel F&B operations.Expect insights on:- Why QSRs succeed through process, repetition, and scalability- The difference between “quality” and “consistency” in food delivery- How prescriptive training can make teams more confident- Why hotels should simplify rather than overcomplicate operations- Real examples of applying QSR thinking in hotel outletsChapters:00:00 – What hotels can learn from QSRs03:30 – Don’t make it complicated: efficiency at scale07:17 – Why quality = consistency in QSR10:13 – McDonald’s burger process explained15:07 – Development designed for operators, not chefs16:19 – Scoops, measures, and standardisation in hotels20:12 – Process, repetition, and prescriptive training21:24 – Final reflections: lessons for hoteliers