In this episode of the Ceres Podcast, Stelios discusses the hospitality news with David Nicolaou from Auckley Friary & Charlie Collins from Frydales in Leicester.

If you have listened to this episode, what do you think? Let us know at info@worldofceres.com

Download your FREE copy of the Fish & Tips E-Book and boost your business today. 

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We're excited to welcome back Lee Sheldon from Mastering Multi-Units (MMU), which specialises in developing managers, particularly in the hospitality sector. This is Lee's second appearance on the Ceres Podcast—he previously joined us in episode 112, packed with valuable insights.

Lee brings a wealth of experience from his years in frontline operations, having held single and multi-unit management roles. At MMU, they focus on supporting managers right where it matters most—on the frontline. Lee shares his multi-unit and remote management expertise, emphasising the importance of applying better behaviours and high-impact activities in real-world situations. He's also a passionate advocate for Franklin Covey programs, which MMU integrates into their unique approach to development.

During our conversation, Lee recommended "Radical Candor" by Kim Scott, a must-read for anyone serious about enhancing their leadership skills. Tune in for an insightful discussion on managing people and teams—topics that arebecoming increasingly important as our industry grows.

Learn more about MMU & Lee Sheldon

Download your FREE copy of the Fish & Tips E-Book and boost your business today. 

Join the discussion on the Ceres Podcast Facebook Group.

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Join David and Stelios as they discuss news stories that affect the hospitality industry. They will discuss the news with their wit, honesty, and charm.

Today's news stories are:

-> Concerns Arise as Convicted Deliveroo Rider Found Still Making Deliveries

-> Cheon Fat's Sales Suppression Battle with HMRC

-> Opinion - Will Cultured Meat Outpace Plant-Based Alternatives?

-> Opinion - Why Fewer Menu Items Mean More Customer Satisfaction

-> Unraveling the Dine-and-Dash Dilemma in UK Restaurants

-> Burger Boom or Bust?

Download your FREE copy of the Fish & Tips E-Book and boost your business today. 

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In this episode I talk to Steve Drake from Sorrel Restaurant in Sorrel. 

We talk about so many great things that we cant list them here, and I could write a really long description but its better if you just listen. 

Alex started his career in London as a private butler for the French Ambassador and has worked on projects with The Hoxton Hotel, Eight Members Club and Coya Restaurants.

From 2017 he became Global Brand Director at The Hakkasan Group and In 2019, he founded Aware Hospitality, specialising in food and beverage concept creation and international project management

Their latest projects include CHA CHA London (which launched in Notting Hill in September) and Bazaru Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.

It was really good to talk to Alex, who is a very knowledgeable and highly driven businessperson.

In this episode we talk to the owner of Finnegans Fish Bar Group. It was really enjoyable catching up with Huw, he is very knowledgeable about fish and chips but also about business. 

You can learn more about Finnegans Fish Bar here.  

Charlie Terry, the CEO of CEEK Marketing, he is a Marketing Consultant, Board Advisor, an expert on Social Media and SEO, and so much more.

We had a great conversation on the technicalities of being online for business.

Learn more about CEEK Marketing.

In this episode, I talk to Australian hospitality expert Shaun De Vries about hospitality in the UK and Australia. It's more of a joint conversation, to be honest, we end up going off script and just talking. 

In these crazy times, it can be pretty therapeutic to talk without a fixed plan, we kept to what we know, but it was pretty fluid. 

You can subscribe to Shaun's podcast on The Open Pantry Podcast.

This episode is unashamedly about fish & chips; we tackle a lot of the pressing issues.

Some of the topics we cover are the dreaded Covid-19, Seafish Awards, NFFF, Training, National Fish & Chip day and so much more.

Thanks to our guests Tim Barnes from Krispies and Charlie Collins from Frydales.

In this episode of the ceres podcast, we talk to Amir Gehl, the founder of Difference Coffee. Amir buys some of the most expensive coffee in the world and sells it to some of the UK's finest restaurants. If you have a Nespresso machine at home, then you can buy some too.

After a little break, we are back at it. In this episode, we talk my good friends Cem & Cihan Oktem from The Packet Bridge Fish & Chips in Bolton Le Sands, and Westgate Fish & Chips in Morecambe.

We talk about so much industry stuff. But also how the brothers both work with each other often from a distance.

In this episode we talk to  Chloe Combi who is a Writer, Speaker, Consultant.

We talk about the next generation of people coming not into the workplace but the consumer space too.

This is a wide ranging conversation, we discuss all topics from movements, covid 19 and training Gen Z’s.

Find out more about Chloe at https://chloecombi.net

in this episode we talk to Max Kotin, Global Communications of Dodo Pizza.

Today Dodo Pizza have 619 pizza outlets in 13 countries, including the US, the UK, and China.

Follow Max on Linkedin

Read more about Dodo Pizza. 

Join David Miller and Stelios in this Master Class as they interview John Bones, the commercial director of R S Cockerill Ltd, a leading crisping and table potatoes supplier. This marks their first conversation with a professional from the industry, offering enlightening insights—because, believe it or not, John really knows his potatoes.

Download your FREE copy of the Fish & Tips E-Book and boost your business today. 

Join the discussion on the Ceres Podcast Facebook Group.

Episode Sponsor -> Orange Chipping Basket

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📧 To send your feedback or suggest a guest, email The Ceres Podcast at stelios@worldofceres.com

In this episode, we talk to Pete Fraser from Harbour Lights in Falmouth & Frasers Fish & Chips & Penzance.

We discuss his journey in the fish & chip industry and how he manages teams across two sites, how he manages with seasonal trading, serving 180,000 people last year.

If you want to get in touch with Pete, email him on pete@harbourlights.co.uk

In this episode, I talk to Stuart Devine, Operations Director of The Ashvale Group.

We discuss all the recent happenings and how it affects a group of 8 outlets (soon to be 7) and how you manage with 140 employees. While I had Stuart on, I picked his brain on regional issues and differences. 

In 2015 Stuart was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for his services to the seafood industry and charity work.

In this episode, we talk to Adrian Bartlett. He is an ambassador of Seafish UK & Love British Food, He is partners with Andy Hunting, and they both travel the country as The Crabstock Boys. 

They have a lofty goal of making trying to get people to fall in love with British seafood, but more importantly, British crab.

In this episode, I catch up with Steven Hesketh CEO of Savvy Hotel Group. We met in person just before COVID 19 hit and with everything happening we caught up online to have a chat.

Yianni Papoutsis was the co-founder of the Meatliquor. He started as one of the first street food trucks in the U.K., the Meat Wagon. Yianni was doing street food before it was fashionable and explained why the U.K. just doesn't have street food like they do in the U.S. 

After teaming with Scott Collins and opening a pop-up restaurant, they opened thirteen restaurants, including twelve in the U.K. and one in Singapore (now closed). 

It was so good to talk to Yianni about his thoughts on the current COVID pandemic. His views on the future of the industry and our ideas on how the government could probably help with the long-standing issues in the hospitality sector. 

Yianni is now a consultant in the hospitality and entertainment industry. 

We talk to Cyrus Todiwala about the current COVID-19 pandemic and how it is affecting the hospitality industry. We talk through how he has managed at Cafe Spice Namaste, the challenges with takeaway & delivery models and how he envisages the future.

Elaine Batho is a Life Coach & Wellness Consultant. She has been in the hospitality industry for 30 years, and we discuss how looking after yourself is really important, especially if you are a leader, but the positive impact it can have on teams too.

Charlie Collins is the owner of Frydales in Leicester & Syston.

Charlie & Stelios chat about current affairs, how he became an owner of two fish & chip shops at the age of 25, we discuss the current COVID-19 pandemic, delivery aggregators and the future of fish & chips.

In this episode, we talk to the awesome publicist of The Pig Hotel Group, Emma Cripwell.

The Pig Hotel Group have seven hotels and soon to be nine. As you know, nearly all hospitality sites in the UK have had to close because of COVID-19.

Today The Pig Group have announced they are now open for bookings again.

In this episode, we talk to the remarkable Andy Hayler from AndyHayler.com and Elite Traveler Magazine. 

We discuss the Covid-19 and the restaurant industry, and Andy helps me understand a little more about the pandemic as he knows a lot more about it than me (which is not hard). 

Stelios is thrilled to be joined by Stuart Devine, MBE, from the Ashvale Group in Aberdeenshire. They dive deep into Ashvale’s story, moving beyond our last discussion, which was heavily focused on COVID-19. 

Download your FREE copy of the Fish & Tips E-Book and boost your business today. 

Join the discussion on the Ceres Podcast Facebook Group.

Episode Sponsor -> Natural Batter Mix

📮Join the Ceres email list to keep updated and get monthly offers.

📧 To send your feedback or suggest a guest, email The Ceres Podcast at stelios@worldofceres.com

In this instalment of Hospitality Insight, we talk to Gary Lewis, Business Development Manager at KTC Edible Oils & President of NEODA.

Was good to talk to Paul Williams from KFE Limited.

It is a long one, but hey it seems if your business is close. We have nothing but time.

Why not find out more about KFE.

In this instalment of Hospitality Insight, we talk to Tony Crolla from the Vittoria Group in Edinburgh.

In this instalment of Hospitality Insight, we talk to Stuart Mitchell from Mitchell Potatoes. We talk about how the current COVID-19 pandemic is affecting their business and talk about the decisions they have made for their business and customers.

In this instalment of Hospitality Insight, we talk to Dino & George Papa-Adams from Papas Fish & Chips Group.

We talk about how the current COVID-19 pandemic is affecting their business and talk about the decisions they have made.

Learn more about Papas Fish & Chips.

In this instalment of Hospitality Insight, we talk to Tony Rodd co-owner of Copper & Ink in Blackheath Village, London.

We talk about his bad the current COVID-19 pandemic is affecting restaurants in London.

Learn more about Copper & Ink.

In this instalment of Hospitality Insight, we talk to Nick Hucker from Preoday.

We talk about how the current COVID-19 pandemic and how food retailers, restaurants are all implementing click & collect and delivery systems. 

Learn more about Preoday.

In this instalment of Hospitality Insight, we talk to Andrew Crook (President) of The National Federation of Fish Friers.

We talk about his bad the current COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the fish & chip industry what he and the NFFF team are doing to help. 

Become a member here.

In this instalment of Hospitality Insight, we talk to Kevin Newey from Shire Foods.

We talk about his bad the current COVID-19 pandemic is affecting food manufacture; we take a different take on this as they supply retail supermarkets.

In this instalment of Hospitality Insight, we talk to David Moore of Pied a Terre.

We talk about his bad the current COVID-19 pandemic is affecting hospitality in London.

Join David Miller and Stelios in episode 166 of the "Ceres Master Class" podcast, "The Chipping Process." This essential guide delves into the nuances of potato chipping for the fish and chip industry. 

Download your FREE copy of the Fish & Tips E-Book and boost your business today. 

Join the discussion on the Ceres Podcast Facebook Group.

Episode Sponsor -> Orange Chipping Basket

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📧 To send your feedback or suggest a guest, email The Ceres Podcast at stelios@worldofceres.com

In this instalment of Hospitality Insight, We talk to co-owner of Krispies In Exmouth,  Kelly Barnes.

We talk about the current outbreak of the coronavirus and how its affecting business.

In this episode we talk to James Ritchie from Simpsons Fish & Chips in Stroud. 

No messing around with long introductions, just listen :)

In this episode, we talk to Derek Collinson from Polarfrost Seafoods.

We cover so many topics relating to seafood, fishing, Brexit, and so on.

To see more about what Derek does visit:
http://polarfrost.com
https://fasfa.co.uk

In this instalment, we talk to Marc & Jacques Verite from Bistrot Vérité in Birkdale, Southport.

Was so good to have a chat to them both, we talk about so many great topics. Interestingly they are both from a family business, so it was good to see both their perspectives.

I absolutely love these chaps, I can see why they are respected by so many in the industry.

John Molnar is the co-owner of The Cods Scallops Group based in East Midlands. 

He has not long won independent fish & chip shop of the year award, so it was so good to sit down and have this talk. 

Gregg Howard is from Our Plaice in Hagley and The Chip Shed which operate from multiple locations in Warwickshire and the Cotswolds. 

We talk about his journey, winning Fish & Chip Shop of the Year in 2004 and his role as the president of the National Federation of Fish Friers. 

Afroditi Krassa has worked with some fantastic clients on amazing projects. So it is pretty fascinating to hear about her journey and career in product design.

Many wouldn’t consider this an episode about hospitality, there is no doubt that it is. Design is essential if you want to get hospitality right.

Clients that AK have worked with so far, Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay, Heston Blumenthal, Dishoom, Itsu, Curzon Victoria, Suvlaki, Hilton, and so many more great projects.

Want to know more, visit https://www.afroditi.com

In this episode with Kelly & Tim Barnes we chat about their year as the Independent Fish & Chip Shop of the Year winners. 

Was a great conversation about how they prepared for the awards and how its affected them after winning.

I've known David for nearly ten years as you will hear, he's been a customer many years but for the most part but a good friend too. 

I found this episode interesting, although I have known David for a long time, I didn't realise the extent of his health issues and how he overcomes them. 

One thing I find amazing about David is his love for his family, it drives him forward. 

David is very passionate about fish and chips, but even more so he's even more into training. 

If you are listening to this episode and fancy being training by David at the NFFF School, then get in touch with the National Federation of Fish Friers.

Eric Snaith is the owner of Titchwell Manor Hotel in Thornham but also Eric’s Fish & Chips.

In this episode we discuss his childhood in the hotel business, the blood sweat and tears of the family investing in Titchwell Manor Hotel, we also chat about nurturing younger staff, and giving people the freedom to make mistakes and helping them learn from them.

In this episode of the Ceres Podcast, Mark Petrou hosts a captivating conversation with our good friend Andrew Thrasyvolou, the previous owner of Brownsover Fish Bar in Rugby. Andrew, the winner of the Seafish Fish & Chip Shop of the Year in 2002, brings a unique perspective after a hiatus from the industry, now navigating a new accidental career at Stokescroft Nursery. 

Download your FREE copy of the Fish & Tips E-Book and boost your business today. 

Join the discussion on the Ceres Podcast Facebook Group.

Episode Sponsor -> Ceres Orange Chipping Basket

📮Join the Ceres email list to keep updated and get monthly offers.

📧 To send your feedback or suggest a guest, email The Ceres Podcast at stelios@worldofceres.com

Andrew Crook is the President of the National Federation of Fish Friers, this is our second time having Andrew on the podcast. 

Thank you to everyone who sent us in a question or concern, I give a lot of credit to Andrew for being upfront and honest.

Don’t be a lemon, if you have a fish & chip shop join the NFFF and be involved. Be a stakeholder in your industry. It is okay to disagree, just get involved and be heard.

NFFF Website / NFFF Facebook Page

Kate Nicholls is the CEO of UKHospitality, the authoritative voice representing the broad hospitality sector.

Supporting everything from bars, coffee shops, contract catering, hotels, nightclubs, visitor attractions and other leisure venues. Its main aims are to represent the sector, promote the industry, share best practice and create a unique networking platform.

The sector is a significant contributor to the UK economy, employing 2.9 million people and generating £130bn in economic activity while paying £38bn in taxation to fund essential local & national services. Hospitality is the 3rd largest private-sector employer in the UK; double the size of financial services and more significant than automotive, pharmaceuticals and aerospace combined.

Where to follow UKHospitality Website, UKHospitality Twitter, Kate Nicholls Twitter.

Mark Thomson, Ambassador to Scotland - Glenfiddich.

Mark is a fascinating chap, there is something quite 007 about him. We bust some of the basic myths you hear about whisky, we talk about the whisky industry and why whisky is essential to get right in hospitality.

I really found the topic of whisky really interesting because it is generally shrouded behind the mystery and so many so-called rules that accompany it that it puts people off from drinking it.

If you like whisky this could be the perfect episode for you.

Follow Mark on Instagram