Why So Many Restaurant Openings Quietly Fail - And How You Can Avoid It | Colin Hutton episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 10, 2026 · 1H 55M

Why So Many Restaurant Openings Quietly Fail - And How You Can Avoid It | Colin Hutton

from The Chef JKP Podcast · host The Chef JKP Podcast

Send us Fan MailWhat does it take to understand hospitality from every side of the business?Chef JKP sits down with Colin Hutton, CEO and Founder of Umami Comms and Magna Carta, to trace a career that began behind the bar and eventually led to building one of the region’s first hospitality-focused communications agencies.Colin shares how dropping out of university took him through bars, hotels and restaurants across Europe before bringing him to Dubai in 2009. He talks about learning hospitality from the ground up, moving from operations into brand marketing, and spotting the gap that eventually became Umami Comms.They also get into what restaurants often get wrong about PR and marketing, why launches need months of preparation, how Dubai’s dining scene has evolved, and the delivery problem Colin is now trying to solve with Magna Carta.WHAT YOU'LL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE• Why Colin dropped out of university and chose his own path• How working across Europe became his real hospitality education• Moving to Dubai in 2009 and adapting to a completely different market• How bartending competitions took him from operations into brand marketing• The idea that led to launching Umami Comms in 2016• Why restaurants need to plan PR and communications months before opening• What hospitality brands misunderstand about marketing, PR and staying relevant• Building Magna Carta to improve restaurant delivery margins and performanceCHAPTERS00:00 Childhood Food Memories & Growing Up In Dublin13:43 Dropping Out Of University & Choosing His Own Path17:08 Couch Surfing Europe & Finding Hospitality31:58 Moving To Dubai In 200939:34 The Bartending Competition That Changed His Career49:39 Spotting The Gap That Became Umami Comms01:03:13 What Restaurants Get Wrong About Launching01:28:13 Building Magna Carta & The Future Of DeliveryFEATURED GUESTColin HuttonCEO & Founder, Umami Comms and Magna CartaInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/colin.umami/https://www.instagram.com/umamicomms/https://www.instagram.com/magnacartahq/SEASON 13 PARTNERThis season is proudly sponsored by Elle & Vire Professionnel, trusted by chefs around the world for exceptional French dairy products shaped by decades of expertise and craftsmanship.Elle & Vire Professionnel Middle Easthttps://www.instagram.com/ellevirprofessionnel_me/AUDIO PARTNERRØDEhttps://rode.com/SUPPORT THE SHOWChef JKP Thermos Flaskhttps://chefjkp.com/product/jkp-thermos-flask/FOLLOW CHEF JKPInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefjkp/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chefjkp/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chefjkpWebsite: https://chefjkp.com/Food is Memories™️ 🍸#chefjkp #thechefjkppodcast #colinhutton #umamicomms #hospitality #restaurantmarketingSupport the showFollow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

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Send us Fan Mail What does it take to understand hospitality from every side of the business? Chef JKP sits down with Colin Hutton, CEO and Founder of Umami Comms and Magna Carta, to trace a career that began behind the bar and eventually led to building one of the region’s first hospitality-focused communications agencies. Colin shares how dropping out of university took him through bars, hotels and restaurants across Europe before bringing him to Dubai in 2009. He talks about learning hos...

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Why So Many Restaurant Openings Quietly Fail - And How You Can Avoid It | Colin Hutton

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