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What does a uniform tell you before anyone says hello?

Gresham Blake joins Antoine Melon and Gideon Lask to talk about dressing hospitality. His clients include The Savoy, Soho House and Nobu, but the conversation keeps coming back to the people wearing the clothes: how they move, how they feel and how much of themselves they can bring to work.

We hear how insurance and sculpture gave way to tailoring, what his mother taught him about making clothes, and why a designer needs to leave their ego at the door. There are bespoke tartans, managers who want to wear their own suits, ambitious briefs and the rather less glamorous business of budgets, washing and getting an order signed off.

Our hospitality highs and lows take in a lonely stay in a huge Dubai suite, the importance of getting a coffee at breakfast, counter dining and Gideon’s new favourite London hotel, The Newman.

Then we put Gresham Under Pressure with an imaginary hotel opening: the owner is mistaken for a waiter, the uniforms won’t let someone carry a tray, and Madonna wants the entire band dressed by tomorrow morning.

And if you know who’s designing the future BT Tower hotel, Gresham would very much like an introduction.

Mentioned in the episode:

Gresham Blake: https://greshamblake.com/

Gresham Blake Studios: https://gbstudios.com/

Lind + Almond, the designers behind The Newman: https://www.lindalmond.co/

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Martin Williams joins Antoine Melon and Gideon Lask to talk about creating restaurants people want to come back to, and the pressure of keeping them going.

The founder of M and CEO of The Evolv Collection tells us about putting his home on the line, returning to Gaucho and the lessons he took into Covid. We get into the reopening of Quaglino’s, what to keep and what to change when you inherit a much-loved restaurant, and why hospitality is part dinner party, part theatre.

There are strong opinions on restaurant brands that travel, the importance of a proper welcome and how to grow without losing a restaurant’s soul. Martin also takes on our fictional Under Pressure cards, from a chef walking out mid-service to a regular behaving badly.

The Evolv Collection: https://evolvcollection.com/

Quaglino’s: https://quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk/

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Zoë Paskin went back to London to help at The End for a month. She stayed for a decade.

The co-founder of Studio Paskin, behind The Palomar, The Barbary, Evelyn’s Table and The Blue Posts, joins Antoine Melon and Gideon Lask to talk about what makes a room come alive — and the work behind a great night out.

Zoë recalls returning to restaurant service at Hawksmoor, the trip to Jerusalem that turned a pop-up idea into The Palomar, and how music and counter dining bring guests into the action. We talk about working with her brother Layo, giving talented people room to grow, and what changes when you can no longer be at the door every night.

There’s Manchester’s restaurant energy, a surprisingly good meal on the Eurostar, and our fictional Under Pressure service: Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman arrive without a booking, the music divides the room and a guest challenges a £600 bottle of wine.

Warmth, instinct and the occasional difficult decision. A conversation about creating places people want to come back to.

Mentioned in the episode:

Studio Paskin — https://www.studiopaskin.com/

Eurostar Premier’s food and wine team — chefs Jeremy Chan and Jessica Préalpato, and head sommelier Honey Spencer: https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/eurostar-experience/food-on-board/eurostar-premier

VAT’s The Problem campaign and petition — https://www.vatstheproblem.co.uk/

Proloco, Manchester — https://www.proloco.uk/

Cocina Mexicana by Adriana Cavita — https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Cocina-Mexicana/Adriana-Cavita/9781788795531

Table Hopping by Dylan Jones — https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/dylan-jones-3/table-hopping/9780349000725/