Hospitality Action’s Northern Chefs’ Dinner: A Reminder of Why I Love Hospitality

On Monday evening, we had the pleasure of attending Hospitality Action's Northern Chefs' Dinner at the newly transformed Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, and what a fantastic evening it was.

We've supported Hospitality Action for many years and have known their wonderful team for years. It's an organisation we're always proud to get behind, and Monday was another reminder of why their work is so important.

Hosted by the brilliant Paul Askew, Chef Patron of The Art School in Liverpool, the evening brought together five exceptional chefs, each bringing their own creativity and experience to the table.

Sameer Sehgal of Fenix Restaurants, Jack Bond of The Cottage in the Wood, Aiden Byrne of LI~LY Restaurant, Mary-Ellen McTague of Pip at Treehouse Hotel Manchester and Stuart Collins of Docket Restaurant delivered an incredible dining experience, all in support of a fantastic cause.

But beyond the food, it was the conversations that really stayed with me.

During the evening, we heard from all the chefs but one moment that stuck with me was when Aiden Byrne spoke about running his own restaurant, opening just four days a week, and how he's never been happier. His family works alongside him, and he's built a business that allows him to do what he loves while enjoying the life that comes with it.

I really connected with that.

Hospitality is my life. It's a family business, it's what I grew up around, and it's something I genuinely couldn't imagine not being part of. Yes, there are challenges, long days and plenty of stressful moments, but I absolutely love what I do.

And that's what I want for everyone working in hospitality.

Unfortunately, we know that isn't always the reality.

Behind the smiles, the exceptional service and the experiences we create for our guests, there are people facing real challenges. Whether that's financial hardship, mental health struggles or simply the pressures that come with working in such a demanding industry, not everyone is fortunate enough to say they're happy in their working life.

That's exactly why organisations like Hospitality Action are so important.

They support the people who spend their careers looking after others, offering a helping hand when it's needed most.

Monday's dinner raised an incredible £29,500 on the night and that’s still increasing, a fantastic achievement and a real testament to the generosity of our industry.

A huge congratulations to everyone involved, particularly the five chefs who gave their time and talent, Paul Askew for hosting, and of course the Hospitality Action team for everything they continue to do.

Hospitality can be a tough industry, there's no denying that. But evenings like Monday remind me why I'm so proud to be part of it.

Because at the heart of hospitality, it's always been about the people.