Ben O'Brien - Sourced, Sessions and The Future of Hospitality

Ben O'Brien, the innovative mind behind We Are Food, joins us to uncover the dynamic relationship between hospitality, sustainability, and the future impact of AI on businesses. Journey with us through Ben’s fascinating career from the bustling café scenes to an unexpected foray into the music industry. His living experience near London’s Borough Market ignited a passion for connecting small producers with music festivals, reshaping the festival food scene into a thriving enterprise. The episode unfolds the story of launching a food hall amidst pandemic challenges, spotlighting pioneering technological solutions like QR code ordering systems that revolutionized customer experiences. Ben shares insightful reflections on business expansion, highlighting both triumphs and setbacks along the way. Ben also takes us behind the scenes of transforming spaces like St Pancras Station into bustling markets, threading experiences of strategic collaborations and the challenges of navigating large entities like Network Rail. We explore the evolution of hospitality technology and its transformative impact on training, employee engagement, and customer satisfaction. From advancements in food hall ordering systems to integrating AI-enabled cameras for operational efficiency, Ben provides a comprehensive look at how technology propels the industry forward. Highlights (07:30) Hospitality Tech and Career Journey (12:55) Entrepreneurship in Food and Music (21:13) St. Pancras Station Farmer's Market (32:55) Evolution of Hospitality and Technology (43:11) Business Expansion and Transition (57:46) Food Hall Expansion and Brand Licensing (01:01:07) Consulting in Hospitality and F&B (01:12:29) Advancements in Hospitality Technology Tune in - Links below 👇 👉 Spotify 🎙https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/captiveconversations/episodes/Ben-OBrien---Sourced--Sessions-and-The-Future-of-Hospitality-e2rkqaq 👉 Youtube 📹 https://youtu.be/2bjXt_nAj2w Ben''s Answers: 🌟Best Hospitality Experience - Gordo's Dalson 🌟Best Hospitality Tech - Tenzo, Storekit, Atoa 🌟Best Restaurant - The Sea, The Sea 🌟Best Burger - Lucky Chip, Lagom, Burger & Beyond 🌟Best Hotel - The Pig, Bath 🔗 Links to check out from the show notes: 📣 WeAreFood https://wearefood.co.uk/ 📣 Tenzo https://gotenzo.com/ 📣 StoreKit https://storekit.com/ 📣 Atoa https://paywithatoa.co.uk/