National Hospitality Day: Case Study

The hospitality industry has had a challenging 18 months, but it’s great that we’ve been able to get back out catering at lovely events! 

We’ve chatted to our amazing Caviar & Chips Operations Coordinator Matty, to get his thoughts on the hospitality industry and his new role with us. 

1. What job did you have before joining Caviar & Chips? 

Before joining Caviar & Chips, I was a Psychology and PE Teacher at a secondary school. I graduated university and then studied a one year teacher training course where I achieved my teaching qualification. Following this, I worked as a pastoral Manager and Director of Football at a secondary school.

2. Why did you choose Caviar & Chips? 

My girlfriend previously worked on an internship for Caviar & Chips, so she knew the company values and team really well. So when the Operations Coordinator role came up, I knew that the company values were in line with mine – and of course I’d already heard of their great reputation too. 

I had followed Caviar & Chips on their Facebook page for a while, so I had a good insight into what they were about, the sort of service they provided, and their overall vision. This alone pretty much sold the job to me.

3. Why did you switch to hospitality?

I felt like I needed a new and exciting challenge, so I began to look for different job roles, in completely different industries. I enjoy being around people, and with a psychology degree and the experience from my previous role I knew I was empathic and good at understanding situations. So when looking for roles, I realised there were quite a few transferable skills from teaching to hospitality (who would have thought it, I certainly didn’t). 

I was used to working with a team of people and teaching students, so when I saw the Operations Coordinator job at Caviar & Chip it was something that stood out to me – as I could see myself prepping for events and leading the team of hosts on the day.

I also love being in a positive environment. I organise and host at a lot of weddings, and it’s really lovely to be a part of the couple’s wedding day – especially as it’s arguably one of the biggest days of their life.

4. What do you enjoy about the hospitality industry?

I find that a role in hospitality is a selfless job, in the sense that you’re usually working when others aren’t. It’s also very rewarding, as it’s a job that affects everyone’s life at some point,  no matter who you are or where you come from. Everyone either goes to the pub, enjoys a meal out at a restaurant, attends weddings or birthday events… the list goes on. The service provided in the hospitality industry is extremely important, as it can be the difference between repeat business, or bad reviews. It’s definitely a virtuous industry to work in which I really enjoy.

I also find working in hospitality comes with responsibility. The average person has to have thought about where they want to go out for dinner and the service that is delivered can have a huge impact on their evening. So if you provide an outstanding experience to guests, whether that’s in a pub, a restaurant or at a wedding – it gives you that little boost for the day, and that feeling is truly rewarding.

5. What advice would you give for people who want to get into the hospitality industry?

You need some resilience. We work at numerous events each week and we have really high standards. Caviar & Chips is a multi-award winning catering company and so you’re going to be put under pressure in certain situations and there will always be challenges. You’re delivering amazing guest experiences and providing guests with a great time, so there’s going to be a certain level of pressure to ensure this expectation is delivered. Weddings are one of the most special days for the couple and at Caviar & Chips we’re all about creating special memories and moments and we want their day to exceed expectations. 

Secondly, try and take every day as it comes. There’s organisation behind working in the hospitality industry, in terms of planning and preparing for the event. However, you will always need to be adaptable. All events are going to be different, you could have a blueprint of how everything is going to work at a particular event – but things will always change on the day. You can’t practice and train for these things, so don’t be afraid, just take it in your stride and do the best you can (we’re only human after all)! For me, hospitality is a boat journey, not a train journey.  You’ll get from point A to B all the same, just with a few more bumps and waves on the way – that’s what makes it so much more interesting than other sectors.


6. What’s your favourite food and drink that you’ve had at an event?

My favourite drink would have to be a Moscow Mule – I tasted this for the first time while training for a wedding I hosted at recently, and it was so refreshing. Also the Lamb Croquettes with Chimichurri canapés are soooo delicious!

We’re always looking for great people to join our team, so check out our join our team page if you think you’re the right fit. For more information on National Hospital Day visit their website.

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