HUNGRY.

How To Be a World Class Operator - Ole & Steen, Wagamama, SoHo House, Caravan Managing Director

18 snips
Apr 14, 2025
Graham xxx, Managing Director with a rich background at Ole & Steen, Wagamama, SoHo House, and Caravan, offers invaluable insights into navigating the complexities of the food industry. He candidly discusses the founder-operator tension, emphasizing the art of managing expectations and trust. Graham highlights the danger of diversifying menus, advocating for specialization. He also explores leadership dynamics, effective team communication, and the importance of starting with an 'empty bank account of trust' when joining a challenger brand.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
ADVICE

Focus on One Thing

  • Focus on one core offering and execute it flawlessly.
  • Avoid expanding the menu too broadly, as it dilutes focus and complicates operations.
ANECDOTE

Chippy Success

  • Graeme built successful chippies by understanding local demographics and consumer preferences.
  • Building strong supplier relationships ensured consistent quality and pricing.
INSIGHT

Menu Expansion Pitfalls

  • Expanding menus beyond core offerings can lead to a decline in core sales.
  • Focus on a few key items and execute them well rather than offering everything.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app