HUNGRY.

This week on Hungry: Emily Roux reflects on building Caractère with her husband Diego Ferrari, earning its Michelin star, and learning that excellence depends on patience, consistency and a tightly connected team. She shares lessons from working in Paris, Monaco, Japan and alongside leading chefs, revealing how curiosity, adaptability and deep immersion shaped her cooking.The conversation explores the Roux family legacy, her childhood inside Le Gavroche, the assumptions that come with a famous surname and her determination to establish herself independently. Emily also discusses the realities behind restaurant ownership — rent negotiations, staffing, motherhood, difficult conversations and the financial pressure of surviving Covid.From London’s restaurant boom and Japan’s devotion to ingredients to the importance of sauces, crockery and customer experience, Emily explains how Caractère blends classical foundations with a lighter, more contemporary identity — and why good things, including Michelin stars, take time.Ayra is your external front of house. An artificially intelligent communications manager that lives on your website and across your social channels, chatting and responding to customers 24/7 with warmth and personality.She's trained on your business and built to act. Taking the reservation, holding the card, sending the reminder, recovering the lost booking. Instantly and autonomously.click the link to learn more. 📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here 🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out  ON THE MENU:00:00:00 Intro00:01:05 Why Michelin Success Took Seven Years00:08:01 How Two-Star Chefs Think00:16:34 Inside a No-Shortcuts Kitchen00:21:00 Why Caractère Rewrote the Tasting Menu00:32:07 The Brutal Reality of Restaurant Rent00:38:02 Japan, France and Britain Compared00:46:54 What Le Gavroche Taught Emily Roux00:53:06 Can Caractère Earn Two Michelin Stars?01:03:08 The Woman Behind the Roux Dynasty01:08:22 Motherhood Versus Restaurant Guilt01:11:40 Growing Up Inside Le Gavroche01:15:56 Why Hard Conversations Build Better Leaders01:20:43 Escaping the Roux Nepotism Label01:27:41 How Covid Nearly Ended Everything01:34:07 Why Good Decisions Need Time01:36:05 Michel Roux’s Best Advice01:38:14 Turning Criticism Into Better Leadership ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/) 

 ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/) 

 How do you build a brand that feels less like a product and more like a movement? Minor Figures co-founder Will Rixon sits down with Dan Pope in Nashville to talk cold brew, oat milk wars, barista culture, music, psychedelia, America vs the UK, and why brand should solve real commercial problems — not just look good on a mood board.  📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here 🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out    ON THE MENU:[00:00:00] Asking The Question Behind The Question[00:06:10] Minor Figures Started With Cold Brew[00:14:11] What Baristas Really Care About[00:22:24] The Barista Lip Balm Breakthrough[00:27:05] Minor Figures FM Was Genius[00:31:12] Fighting The Oat Milk Wars[00:36:38] Brand As Memory And Inception[00:42:17] Turning Acid Into A Feature[00:50:04] Why CPG Brands Feel Hollow[00:56:41] Out Of Home Gets Weird[01:03:04] Measuring Creative Vibrations[01:11:11] Brand As A Moat[01:19:30] Why British Brands Fail In America[01:26:16] Sales Built Minor Figures[01:36:42] America’s Business Culture Shock[01:44:09] UK Advertising Feels Too Cute[01:49:27] Why Stu Is A Visionary[01:52:09] Leaving Minor Figures On Good Terms[01:58:59] Jazz Lessons For Brand Building[02:04:18] Every Touchpoint Builds The Brand ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/) 

  Nick Jones, founder of Soho House and St Clement, sits down with Dan Pope to unpack the ideas behind one of the most influential hospitality careers of the last 30 years. From turning a single members’ club in Soho into a global empire, to rethinking what modern luxury should feel like, Nick explains why great hospitality starts with simplification, generosity, atmosphere, and seeing everything through the customer’s eyes. He also shares the failures, risks, design decisions, and hard-earned lessons behind Soho House, New York, Cafe Bohemia, The Ned, and his newest London hotel, St Clement.  📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here 🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out    ON THE MENU:00:00:00 Intro00:01:14 David Bowie And Spotting The Future00:03:28 Rethinking Modern Luxury Hotels00:06:49 Why Hotel Check-In Is Broken00:09:57 Why Simplicity Drives Great Hospitality00:13:04 The One-Page Hospitality Rule00:14:49 Why Soho House Feels Local00:17:24 How Soho House Keeps Its Soul00:21:44 Why Nick Jones Hates “Brand”00:24:23 St Clement’s Undersell, Overdeliver Strategy00:28:39 Removing Silent Hotel Irritants00:31:16 Design Mistakes Operators Keep Making00:33:54 Why Simplicity Becomes Stylish00:36:31 What Airlines Get Wrong00:39:24 Removing Friction From Hospitality00:42:00 What David Bowie Taught Nick Jones00:47:06 How Shyness Shapes Hospitality00:52:24 Making Risky Decisions Under Pressure00:57:27 Why Analog Beats The Algorithm00:59:44 Nick Jones’ Advice To Entrepreneurs01:04:42 Why Nick’s First Restaurant Failed01:08:36 Why St Clement Stayed Quiet01:09:44 Nick Jones’ Four P’s Of Hospitality01:13:15 Why All-Day Eating Still Matters01:17:07 Why Unsung Staff Matter Most01:20:05 Why Hoteliers Aren’t Restaurateurs01:22:21 How Soho House Picked Cities01:25:14 Why Decisions Beat Staying Calm ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/) 

 Glen Leeson, co-founder of The Tamil Prince, The Tamil Crown and Tamila, joins Dan Pope to unpack how one of London’s most talked-about Indian restaurant groups was built from pub pop-ups, second-hand fridges and blind belief.From Patty & Bun’s burger boom to JKS discipline, lockdown hustle, personal guarantees, viral Sunday roasts, Dishoom collabs, delivery strategy and the magic of creating a restaurant that feels alive — this is a proper founder story about graft, taste, timing, luck and learning by doing.📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here 🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out ON THE MENU:00:00:00 Intro 00:01:08 Patty & Bun’s Wild West 00:05:23 London’s burger boom exploded 00:10:23 Why Tamil became three brands 00:13:12 Failed pub pop-ups and bad fit 00:17:08 Selling the landlord with no money 00:20:11 Opening before the kitchen worked 00:21:49 The review that changed everything 00:27:03 Letting neighbours shape the restaurant 00:30:05 Why blind belief matters 00:33:24 Meeting Prince at Market Halls 00:36:52 The Sheffield fridge road trip 00:40:28 Cooking the first Tamil menu 00:43:23 Pitching from a one-bed flat 00:47:16 Creating the Indian Sunday roast 00:53:13 Prince’s insane work ethic 00:56:12 JKS structure versus Patty & Bun chaos 01:02:27 Learning what not to do 01:08:21 Giving weird ideas time 01:11:13 Why competitors should collaborate 01:18:09 Building fun into the culture 01:21:16 Pressure, growth and imposter syndrome 01:29:03 The site that could’ve killed them 01:32:29 The accidental kitchen window 01:35:00 Making the toilet unforgettable 01:39:12 Delivery without killing the experience ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/)   📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here 🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out    

 Grenade founder Al Barratt returns in this re-cut episode on how he built one of the UK’s most successful challenger brands — and sold it to Mondelez/Cadbury in a deal that ultimately valued the business at over £600m.Al breaks down the brutal reality behind big exits: invasive due diligence, trademark protection, global scalability, profit, team quality, and why most “hot” brands are built on smoke and mirrors. He also reveals how Grenade moved from sports nutrition into petrol stations, supermarkets and the chocolate fixture — taking on Mars, Snickers, Dairy Milk and Kinder Bueno by making protein bars feel like a mass-market food product, not a niche gym supplement.A masterclass in challenger brand strategy, premium pricing, retail distribution, category disruption, and building a business that big companies actually want to buy.📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here  🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out     🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/)   📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here 🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out    

📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here  🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out 

  Rory Sutherland breaks down the weird, wonderful psychology behind restaurants and hospitality — why where you make money and what people pay for are often different things, why lowering prices can be dangerous, why surprise creates loyalty, why customers hate uncertainty, and why founder-led brands often outperform finance-led giants. 📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here  🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out   ON THE MENU: 00:00:00 Restaurants Are the Galapagos of Marketing 00:01:05 What Customers Really Pay For 00:03:06 The Restaurant Real Estate Play 00:05:25 Why Tiny Menus Build Belief 00:06:58 Reverse Benchmarking Restaurant Success 00:08:53 Surprise Is The Secret Weapon 00:09:14 Steve Jobs’ Overlooked Genius 00:11:03 Why Uber Feels Like Magic 00:13:21 Price Is A Feeling 00:16:14 Menu Design Changes Everything 00:18:41 Restaurants Push Wine Without You Noticing 00:21:02 The Peak End Rule Explained 00:22:34 Why Clear Signage Makes Money 00:26:32 One Word Can Raise Prices 00:27:51 Taco Bell’s London Mistake 00:31:42 Why Customers Don’t Know 00:34:36 Managing Expectations Changes Everything 00:36:37 Is Uber Eats Really Marketing? 00:37:00 Audience Q: Quick Service Hospitality 00:39:59 Bucky’s Toilet Business Genius 00:42:00 Audience Q: Measuring What Matters 00:46:31 Disney Would Fix High Speed Rail 00:47:57 Audience Q: Scaling Founder Feeling 00:48:50 Don’t Sell To Private Equity 00:52:23 Why Big Companies Kill Ideas 00:53:36 Why Red Bull Shouldn’t Work 00:54:52 Farmers Markets Make No Economic Sense 00:55:53 Copying Creates The Opposite Opportunity  ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/)   📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here 🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out    

 In this stripped-back reissue, Dan Pope sits down with the fitness author, entrepreneur and attention obsessive to unpack how James went from selling workouts online to building brands, books, audiences and Neutonic with Chris Williamson.This is a conversation about honest marketing, confidence, creative chaos, personal brand, creator businesses, Prime, Liquid Death, YouTube, doomscrolling, British ambition, American optimism, and why getting attention is now one of the most valuable skills in business.James explains why better products don’t always win, why most founders misunderstand social media, why confidence comes after action, and why “all wins feel the same.”Part fitness philosophy, part business masterclass, part brutal reality check for anyone trying to build something people actually care about. 📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here  🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out    ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/)   📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here 🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out    

📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here  🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out 

 I thought Karan would define success in the usual restaurant terms — reviews, covers, repeat customers. His answer went somewhere way more interesting. In this episode, I sit down with Karan Gokani to talk about how Hoppers became one of London’s most iconic restaurants — and how it has stayed busy, relevant, and loved for over a decade in an industry where that feels almost impossible. Karan shares the principles behind that success: make it personal, find your purpose, build a culture of kindness, and create something that makes people feel more than they expected. 📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here  🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out    ON THE MENU:00:00 Intro00:34 Opening Hoppers and refusing to dilute Sri Lankan food02:12 Growing from Soho to Marylebone and King’s Cross05:37 The biggest misconception about scaling restaurants06:00 Culture, values, purpose and learning to codify instinct08:15 How Covid changed hospitality teams and restaurant culture09:01 Reading the room and spotting cultural red flags11:58 Karan’s first business principle: make it personal15:35 How taking feedback personally improves hospitality20:52 Karan’s second principle: find your purpose22:04 Saying yes to everything and discovering the common thread23:03 Why Karan’s real purpose is inspiring people24:43 How writing, Instagram and restaurants all connect to purpose28:19 Asking why am I excited?31:15 Beyond Reviews: Karan’s deeper definition of success31:52 How Karan thinks differently from other restaurateurs34:03 How to align a team around shared culture35:18 Service versus hospitality36:19 Building a culture of kindness38:59 Karan’s definition of culture42:04 What Karan has radically changed his mind on45:35 Self-criticism, reinvention and never stepping in the same river twice49:39 Growing up in Mumbai and how it shaped Karan52:28 Why Karan came to the UK54:45 Cambridge, curiosity and the people who shaped him57:23 First principles thinking and mental models58:18 Applying first principles to Hoppers01:03:15 What problem are we really solving?01:07:55 The marketing levers that fill restaurants01:08:19 Why there is no perfect formula for restaurant success01:08:42 Food as language and the restaurant as conversation01:10:06 The soul of a restaurant and the importance of culture01:12:29 The creative insecurities Karan still wrestles with01:13:15 Competition, purpose and staying true to yourself01:14:32 Food as a gateway into culture01:15:19 Why Indian food is far more diverse than people realise01:17:14 Why South Indian food remains underrated01:18:28 The legacy of the British Indian curry house01:21:46 The anthropology and nostalgia of food01:27:48 Breaking down the dishes at the table01:31:33 Designing the architecture and atmosphere of each Hoppers01:35:45 Cooking as an expression of self01:36:43 The similarities between writing and cooking01:38:24 Why the JKS group has been so important to London restaurants01:40:32 Building the infrastructure behind creative hospitality01:42:27 Karan’s favourite books and inspirations01:44:28 Closing thoughts and why there’s more to talk about ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/)   📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here 🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out    

 ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/) 

 Jeremy King doesn’t just talk about restaurants — he talks about change, class, creativity, ego, instinct, death, literature, leadership, and why the best dining rooms become tiny theatres of human behaviour. In this conversation, the legendary restaurateur behind The Ivy, Le Caprice, The Wolseley, Arlington and now Simpson's in the Strand explains why “maintaining standards” is actually the road to bankruptcy, why great restaurants must constantly evolve, and why hospitality is really about love, generosity, observation and care.Jeremy and Dan explore everything from Mick Jagger and Bianca Jagger at Le Caprice, to Lucian Freud, A.A. Gill, Harold Pinter, Graham Norton, Apple, Kodak, IBM, The Beatles, New York brasseries, Parisian cafés, class in Britain, and why every great creative or political movement may have started in a restaurant.  This one is unforgettable. A conversation about restaurants, yes — but really about how to live, lead, notice, change, and leave the world slightly better than you found it. 📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here  🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out    ON THE MENU:00:00:00 Intro00:03:03 Why Restaurants Must Always Change00:05:46 Why Leadership Is A Benign Dictatorship00:07:24 Maintaining Standards Leads To Bankruptcy00:13:47 Why Restaurants Get Defensive00:17:35 Why Enough Is Never Enough00:20:06 Why Altruism Still Matters00:22:13 When Jeremy Refuses A Booking00:26:06 The Silent Couple At Mirabelle00:32:08 Arlington, Soho And Restaurant Design00:35:55 Why Great Restaurants Are Egalitarian00:41:18 Why Money Ruins Taste00:43:49 What Makes The Best Restaurant?00:47:43 Why Restaurants Need Creative People00:49:43 How Le Caprice Changed Service00:55:19 Why Culture Hates Real Change00:59:49 Why Strong Opinions Win01:03:00 How To Prepare For Death01:05:14 Why Jeremy Has Regrets Every Day01:06:16 The Power Of Happy Problems01:08:30 Why Jeremy Finally Wrote A Book01:15:12 Why Restaurant Work Changes Young People01:18:31 How Shyness Became Jeremy’s Advantage01:20:17 Can Dogs Sense Us Coming Home?01:24:11 Why We’ve Lost Our Instinct01:27:14 The Brain’s Restaurant Memory Card01:33:09 Why Moneyball Thinking Kills Instinct01:35:12 How Jeremy Feels A Restaurant’s Hum01:38:07 Why First Impressions Mislead Us01:41:18 Do All Movements Start In Restaurants?01:44:10 Why Creativity Needs Long Lunches01:48:48 Jeremy’s Favourite Books And Writers01:55:31 How Meditation Helped With Lucian Freud01:58:21 How Literature Taught Jeremy Restaurants02:00:01 Jeremy King’s Best Life Advice02:03:29 Ruthie Rogers’ Eye Contact Lesson02:05:33 Why Questions Beat Statements02:07:33 How Mick Jagger Helped Le Caprice02:11:43 Why Jeremy Prefers Narrowcasting02:13:01 Jeremy King’s Rules For Success ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/)   📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here 🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out    

 ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/) 

 "Hospitality happens for people, not to them." In this masterclass of an episode, Unreasonable Hospitality author Will Guidara sits down with Dan Pope on the Hungry podcast to unpack the magic behind Eleven Madison Park's meteoric rise to the best restaurant in the world. From leaving a full bottle of cognac with the bill, to systemizing serendipity with Tiffany & Co. engagement flutes, Will explains why true excellence requires a healthy dose of unreasonableness. They dive into the tension between perfection and human connection, the power of a 'Red Team' in creative brainstorming, and how to apply Michelin-star hospitality to any industry—even a UPS store.ON THE MENU:00:00:00 Intro00:01:01 Excellence vs. Hospitality00:03:49 The Fueling Power of Praise & Criticism00:13:20 Redefining Hospitality in Any Industry00:18:18 Creativity: Inviting People Into Your Imagination00:22:11 The UPS Store & Chewy: Systemizing Magic00:35:45 The Cognac Check Drop at Eleven Madison Park00:44:10 Scheduling Creativity & Collaboration00:49:07 Moving to Nashville & Embracing Messiness00:58:27 Reading the Room: One Size Fits One01:06:48 Systemized Magic: The Tiffany Engagement Flutes01:08:32 The Miles Davis Approach to Restaurants01:18:13 The NoMad Chicken & The Red Team01:28:59 Customer Recovery as Your Best Marketing01:32:36 Seth Godin's Girl Scout Cookie Advice01:35:35 Danny Meyer & The Power of Language01:46:34 Do Not Ruin a Story With the Facts01:53:08 The Art of Gathering & Designing Events02:00:11 Savannah Bananas: Changing the Rules02:11:03 The Peak-End Rule & Letting Go of Control02:22:35 Confidence, Ego, & Meeting Your Heroes02:30:49 AI in Hospitality: Copilot, Not Autopilot ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/)   📙Download HUNGRY Big Banging Reading list here 🧾 HUNGRY survey would be so grateful if you may please fill out    

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A rare behind-the-scenes roundtable with four of the UK’s most exciting challenger brand founders — Toby Hopkinson of All Things Butter, Jack Scott of DASH Water, Imme Ermgassen of Botivo, and Florence Cherruault of The Pickle House — filmed live at Strakers.Dan digs into the messy, brilliant reality of building modern food and drink brands: when to stay focused, when to diversify, how to win retail listings, why hospitality can build cultural credibility, and what happens when your “side idea” suddenly becomes 70% of the business.From cottage cheese and pickle juice to Victoria Beckham, Ottolenghi, Coco de Mer, Waitrose, United Airlines, New York launches, supermarket mistakes, brand copycats, and the power of packaging — this is a sharp, funny, honest conversation about growth, taste, culture, and the brutal lessons founders only learn by getting things wrong.ON THE MENU:• Cottage cheese becoming 70% of All Things Butter• DASH’s failed mixer launch• Pickle House’s move from cocktails to wellness• Pickle juice for muscle cramps• Botivo’s collaborations with Ottolenghi and Coco de Mer• Fashion, food, drink, and culture-led brand building• Victoria Beckham drinking DASH• Using restaurants to build product credibility• Hospitality vs grocery retail• Launching into Waitrose• Why premium venues create brand halo• Taste as the real reason people repurchase• Product iteration vs marketing spend• “Cost of goods is marketing”• Polarising products and passionate fans• One-star reviews and super-tasters• Hiring senior leaders• Difficult conversations with retailers and manufacturers• When manufacturers copy your product• Why brand is a moat• Packaging, texture, and supermarket shelf appeal• Creating ritual in non-alcoholic drinks• Functional drinks, CBD, THC, caffeine, and nootropics• Saying no to shiny opportunities• International expansion mistakes• Launching in the US• Tariffs, middlemen, and legal risk in America• United Airlines as a major Pickle House opportunity• Scaling back international markets• Why some brands travel better than others ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/) 

Building a great restaurant starts with something unexpected: chaosControlle  chaos. This week on Hungry Phil and Abs of Poor Boys talk high-energy design, bold menu choices, and how creating a memorable, slightly disorienting experience gets people talking—and coming back.They share how they turned unconventional ideas into a powerful brand, including how they used an ingredient chefs have been throwing away to create something customers couldn’t get enough of. The conversation dives into how restaurant design, atmosphere, and product thinking act as secret weapons in modern hospitality—and why leaning into what makes you different can drive real success. A must-listen for anyone looking to build a restaurant people can’t stop talking about.ON THE MENU:Building Poor Boys from chaos to cult statusTurning waste ingredients into restaurant goldWhy consistency beats chasing food trendsPremium ingredients without shouting about themHow Southern hospitality shapes the customer experienceThe business case for hand-cut chips and fresh foodUsing delivery as a growth and discovery toolPackaging, plates, and the psychology of leftoversMenu design, service systems, and customer trustStaying resilient through pressure, setbacks, and personal challenges ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/) 

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Your Restaurant should slightly confuse people when they walk in. Yes you heard that right. According to Lukie Farrell (Speedboat), that tension—between chaos and clarity—is exactly what makes a place unforgettable.In this episode, Lukie breaks down how he built one of London’s most talked-about Thai restaurants by embracing controlled chaos, bold design, and just the right amount of confusion. From smuggling authentic Thai ingredients to refusing Western shortcuts, he explains why authenticity became his biggest advantage.We dive into the psychology behind restaurant design, the MAYA principle (most advanced yet acceptable), and how Speedboat creates a high-energy, multi-sensory experience people can’t stop talking about. Lukie also reveals why the best kitchens reject the “rockstar chef” ego, how team creativity actually works, and what most people get completely wrong about Thai food.Plus: the real story behind “British Thai,” Chinatown London, and how global restaurant hits are built without losing cultural integrity.If you want to design a restaurant people obsess over—this is the playbook. ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ==============================================  🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/) 

Once you hear this, you’ll never walk down a supermarket aisle the same way again.  A sensory scientist walks into a supermarket… and suddenly nothing you buy is accidental.  In this episode, Charles Spence breaks down how evolution, psychology, and a bit of brand mischief shape everything from what we crave to what we click “add to basket” on. From the savannah to the supermarket, your brain is still wired to hunt for energy-dense food — and brands are quietly exploiting that wiring with color, sound, texture, and even the weight of your cutlery.Expect mind-bending insights: why red means sweet (and blue used to mean danger), how a pink box can kill a product, why your brain processes food in a split second, and how something as simple as music can literally change how things taste. There’s even a deep dive into “sonic seasoning,” where soundtracks can make food sweeter, saltier, or more intense.We get into the hidden levers of great branding — from Apérol’s unmistakable orange glow to Coca-Cola’s packaging illusions — and why the best brands aren’t just tasted, they’re felt. Plus: the science behind nostalgia, why Christmas songs hit like emotional freight trains, and how restaurants can learn from cinema to create unforgettable experiences.This is a masterclass in how humans actually perceive the world — and how the smartest brands design for it. ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲  🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/) 

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Welcome to the chaotic, beautiful, and brutally honest world of Ravneet Gill. In this episode, the acclaimed chef and Junior Bake Off judge peels back the curtain on the grueling realities of hospitality. Ravneet opens up about the messy middle of launching her hit London restaurant, Gina, navigating the dual guilt of motherhood and entrepreneurship, and learning to let go of perfectionism. She also shares hilarious anecdotes about accidentally convincing the internet David Blaine was moving into her restaurant and reflects on how getting fired from her dream job paved the way for her ultimate success. ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/) 

Full episode here! 👉🏻 https://youtu.be/cVG8TqtxJQEAfter 20 years running The Hand & Flowers and 35 years in kitchens, Tom Kerridge says something most chefs won’t: restaurants don’t make money anymore.In this clip, Kerridge breaks down why margins have been wiped out, why being “busy” means nothing, and why opening a restaurant today can actually be the worst financial decision you make. It’s a brutally honest look at hospitality — from pricing, staffing and VAT, to the hard leadership calls that come with ownership.This isn’t about food. It’s about business reality, risk, and the uncomfortable decisions that keep companies alive.===============📱 ON THE MENU===============🍽️ Why packed restaurants still lose money📉 How margins in hospitality were quietly eradicated🤔 Why opening a restaurant now makes less sense than ever⚖️ Separating emotion from business decisions🚪 Closing sites, letting people go, and radical transparency🧠 The shift from reactive chef to strategic operator🔥 Why Kerridge thrives on risk — but hates being a passenger🧩 What COVID taught him about control and problem-solving

Dan Pope sits down with Jack Rubin, co-founder and CEO of Purdy & Figg — a cleaning brand that somehow turned selling countertop spray into one of the fastest-growing consumer businesses in the UK.Jack explains how a company that started with almost no marketing orthodoxy managed to rocket toward £100M scale by focusing on something surprisingly unglamorous: customer acquisition, ruthless simplicity, and relentless testing. Thousands of creatives, endless A/B tests, and years of building a loyal customer base all culminated in moments where a single campaign could generate a million pounds in a day.Along the way, Jack reveals why he barely thinks about “brand” in the way most marketers obsess over it, and why instincts, judgment, and rational thinking matter more than frameworks. That’s where the conversation drifts into bigger territory — from Sun Tzu-style strategic thinking to Jeff Bezos and the idea that great founders make unusually good decisions under uncertainty.But this isn’t a polished startup fairy tale. Jack also talks about the chaos behind hyper-growth: demand planning nightmares, operational fires, factories on the brink, and the uncomfortable truth that scaling a physical product business is mostly logistics, not glamour.The result is a conversation about business that feels more like philosophy — why simplicity wins, why complexity kills companies, and how a seemingly boring product can become a £100M brand. ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/) 

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Ever wondered what it takes to build a £10M restaurant empire? Chef Adam Handling joins Dan Pope to unpack the brutal realities of building a £10M restaurant empire. From nearly losing his parents' house during COVID-19 to making £148,000 on Valentine's Day via home deliveries, Adam's journey is a masterclass in resilience. We dive deep into his Chanel vs. Hermes philosophy on brand building, why his team researches guests online for the ultimate dining experience, and his bold mission to redefine British cuisine. If you want to know what it really takes to chase two Michelin stars while dodging every missile on planet earth, this is a must-listen.#AdamHandling #Hospitality #BusinessGrowth #DanPopeON THE MENU:00:00 Intro01:05 Surviving the Restaurant Business03:16 The Cayman Islands Restaurant Disaster10:16 How COVID Almost Destroyed Everything15:02 Risking His Parents' House to Survive17:59 The Power of Positive Leadership25:00 Turning Down £100k to Protect the Brand27:14 From Rebellious Kid to Gleneagles Chef34:36 Building an Unbreakable Core Team43:00 Brand Identity: Frog & Ugly Butterfly55:14 The Secret to Ultimate Guest Experience01:10:02 Making £10M & Reinvesting Profits01:17:21 Launching a Secret Caviar Brand01:19:33 Chasing Two Michelin Stars01:24:31 Inside Adam's Intense Daily Routine01:31:13 Personal Struggles & Cancel Culture01:38:03 Redefining British Cuisine02:14:37 Dealing with Haters & Misconceptions ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/) 

Former professional footballer Hal Robson-Kanu discusses how adversity shaped both his football career and his business philosophy. Reflecting on being released by Arsenal F.C. at 15 and suffering serious ACL injuries, he explains that real resilience comes not from eliminating doubt but learning to live with uncertainty and continue acting despite it. He argues adversity is essential for development, because only through facing difficulty do people discover their capacity to persevere.Robson-Kanu connects these lessons to entrepreneurship with The Turmeric Co.. The company’s “north star,” he says, is creating genuine “life transformations” through clinically backed products rather than typical consumer brands that prioritize marketing over product efficacy.He also reflects on elite sport, emphasizing that high performance is less about motivational speeches and more about obsessive attention to fundamentals—training routines, discipline, and preparation over long periods. Success, whether in football or business, comes from consistent intent, clear direction, and aligning the energy of a team toward a shared objective.Ultimately, his core belief is that “all is mind”: mindset shapes performance, opportunity, and outcomes in sport, business, and life. ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/) 

Ivan Orkin is one of the most unlikely success stories in the world of food.A Jewish kid from New York moves to Tokyo, opens a tiny ramen shop in the suburbs, and somehow ends up becoming one of the most respected ramen chefs in Japan — a country famously protective of its culinary traditions.In this conversation, Dan sits down with the founder of Ivan Ramen to unpack how that happened.Ivan talks about teaching himself ramen, opening his first shop in Japan with barely any money, and the moment a single influential ramen critic changed the trajectory of his business overnight. He explains why ramen is one of the most creative foods in Japanese cuisine, why “authentic” is often the wrong word to use, and how breaking rules is sometimes the only way to find your voice.Along the way they dive into the realities of running restaurants across different cities — from Tokyo to New York to Las Vegas — the difference between destination dining and foot-traffic restaurants, and the constant tension between creativity and the brutal economics of hospitality.It’s a conversation about stubbornness, identity, and what it really takes to build something original in a culture that isn’t your own.ON THE MENU:00:00:00 Intro00:02:08 Japanese Literature and Murakami00:04:23 Why Ivan Studied Japanese at University00:11:05 The Genesis of Ivan Ramen - $60k to get started00:12:26 Foreigner in Japan’s Ramen Scene00:14:02 Fixing the Hospitality Problem in Ramen Shops (Lessons form Lutece)00:25:33 What makes a good Ramen?00:36:12 Taking Advantage of the Gaijin Card00:40:05 How Tokyo Became an International Food City00:40:12 Pizza & Wine - Tokyo Rivals the Best of the World00:41:11 Ivan’s Favorite NYC Pizza Spots00:44:06 Why the Pizza Scene Exploded in New York00:47:50 Why Ivan Doesn’t Fear Recipe Copying00:51:02 Ray Kroc and No-Nonsense Business Advice01:01:52 How the USA is Killing its Small Businesses01:06:08 What Most Restaurant Business Plans Miss01:07:08 Why "Authentic" is a Terrible Word01:07:52 The Moment Ivan Decided He Could Go For It01:12:21 The Best Sandwiches in NYC01:15:47 Ivan on London’s Food Scene01:17:16 Ivan on British Tea (PG Tips vs Fancy Tea) ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🌟 HUNGRY's Absolutely Bloody Marvellous Sponsors🌟 ============================================== A massive shoutout to our incredible sponsors who make HUNGRY possible: ​ ►North Star: (www.northstarbc.co.uk) 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) This episode was edited by: G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/) 

*updated version* A masterclass in the nuts and bolts of running a world-class restaurant.In this episode, Dan sits down with one of Britain’s most uncompromising chefs to talk about building a two-Michelin-star restaurant in the least glamorous location imaginable — a strange little oasis tucked under a Nottingham flyover, surrounded by graffiti, traffic, and the occasional burning car.But that’s exactly the point.Sat explains why great restaurants aren’t just about food — they’re about theatre, emotion, risk, and creating something so memorable that people will travel across the world to experience it. From the philosophy behind Restaurant Sat Bains to the psychology of hospitality, the conversation dives into why authenticity beats polish, why imperfection can be powerful, and why chasing Michelin stars is often the least interesting part of running a restaurant.Along the way they explore Sat’s unconventional ideas — like the now-famous “Sat’s Gamble” wine lottery — the realities of attracting true traveling food lovers, and what it actually takes to build a restaurant that people obsess over.This is a conversation about vision, stubbornness, and why sometimes the best restaurants in the world are built in the most unlikely places.*If you noticed any issues with ads playing under the audio of this episode, please refresh the feed and re-download the episode to fix.  Thank you for listening!00:00 Gastronomic Narnia00:03:30 Your Restaurant is a Breathing Organism00:05:50 The Secret Behind the Perfect Dish00:9:26 Secret Scallop Techniques and What 30yrs in Kitchens Teaches You00:14:30 The REAL difference w/ Sat Bains and Other Michelin Restaurants00:17:45 How to Mix Complacency, Naivety, and Relentless Drive00:19:35 More on Sat Bains' Scallop Technique 00:21:30 How Sat Bains Treats His Staff00:22:42 Acidity Explored00:24:45 Why Makes Sat Different? (Mentoring New Chefs)00:31:50 Cooking vs Actually Running a Restaurant00:33:45 You've Got to Allow Your Guests to Spend Money00:35:30 The Marketing Genius Behind Sat Bains' Menu Structure00:47:00 Why Freedom Beats Mentors in Creativity00:57:00 Your Restaurant is NOT a Dentist Office01:00:00 Lessons From Growing Up in a Shop01:04:00 Creativity Means Nothing Without Business01:14:00 The £50 Two-Michelin-Star Breakfast Idea01:26:00 The Little Things Matter (How to Match Customer Expectations)01:35:30 Staring Death in the Eye (Sat's Heart Attack) 01:39:00 Why Honesty Beats Perfect Social Media01:40:00 Sat’s Gamble Wine Lottery Explained01:58:05 Sat Gets Kicked Out of the House at 18yrs old 02:02:00 Turning Art Into Michelin-Star Dishes02:17:00 How Creative Ideas Become Real Plates02:25:31 The Biggest Mistake Chefs Make  ============================================== ♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲 ============================================== 🌟 HUNGRY's Absolutely Bloody Marvellous Sponsors🌟 ============================================== A massive shoutout to our incredible sponsors who make HUNGRY possible: ​ ►North Star: (www.northstarbc.co.uk) 🤝 Let's Connect! ►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/) ►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/) 

From bricks through the window in 1960s Skelmersdale to queues around the block in Liverpool, this is a story of immigrant hunger, insecurity, obsession with standards — and building something that blesses a city. Dan sits down with Nisha Katona — founder of Mowgli Street Food — the woman who turned authentic Indian home cooking into the first national Indian street food chain in Britain. Nisha breaks down why Mowgli was never meant to be a “curry house,” why Hindu home cooking avoids garlic and onion at lunch, and how sitting outside Greggs watching men in high-vis jackets shaped her pricing strategy.We talk about scale, magic, heart, delivery, Empire, authenticity, Nando’s, Greggs, and why growth should never be something you’re ashamed of.This is a masterclass in building a restaurant brand with soul — and keeping that soul intact across 27 sites.If you care about food, cities, entrepreneurship, culture — or how to turn anxiety into momentum — this one’s special.ON THE MENU:00:00 Intro00:54 Is Nisha a Workaholic?02:54 Does Scale Kill Magic in Restaurants?03:13 Treating Every Restaurant Like Your Child04:26 Why She Decorated Mowgli to Fail07:29 The First National Indian Street Food Chain08:44 Curry House vs Authentic Indian Home Cooking11:54 The Four Pillars of Building a Restaurant Brand25:47 Researching Demand Before Opening a Restaurant26:33 Pricing for Men in High-Vis Jackets27:14 Chicken Tikka Masala & Britain’s National Dish32:27 Why Mowgli Finally Launched Delivery35:28 Temple Daal: Authentic Indian Home Food41:40 Why Scale Doesn’t Kill Magic43:18 Why She Backed Uber Eats in the North44:46 Why Restaurant & Delivery Can Coexist45:51 Restaurants Are Like Cinema for Your Tastebuds59:45 Immigrant Parents, £2 in Their Pocket01:00:50 Growing Up With Racism in 1960s Britain01:27:00 Why She Refuses to Overbuild01:30:48 The £35k vs £285k London Rent Decision

This week on Hungry, the founders behind SULT — the electrolyte brand turning “unhinged luxury” into a cultural movement.From building a status-driven brand that people actually want to post on Instagram, to rewriting the rules of marketing in the age of TikTok and YouTube, this is a masterclass in modern brand-building.We get into why unpredictability creates obsession, why most brands overcomplicate business, and how SULT uses storytelling, sex appeal, humor, and world-building to stand out in a saturated wellness market.We talk Better & Wetter campaigns, Margot Robbie-style bath content, Hailey Bieber’s Rhode, Vivienne Westwood fashion shows, F1 boxes, Michelin-star storytelling hooks — and why the first three seconds of your content might be everything.If you’re building a brand, running a food or drink business, or trying to crack YouTube, this episode is packed with practical insight and uncomfortable truths.This isn’t just about electrolytes.It’s about status, culture, identity — and making something people feel part of.===========ON THE MENU===========The Wellness Culture BacklashMaking Electrolytes SexyConsistency vs Quality on SocialSocial Media Is Your CVWhat Is “Unhinged Luxury”?Unpredictability Creates ObsessionThe £15K Acoustics LessonThe Iceberg of Content CreationWhy We Can’t Crack YouTubeFrom Empty Restaurant to Michelin HookThe Hardest Thing: Having a Point of ViewWhy Status Beats Shelf SpaceDo You Fit at Vivienne Westwood or F1?Why Rhode (Hailey Bieber) WinsBusiness Is Just X to YMake Brands Simple AgainThe 3-Second Attention EconomyIgnore Traditional Marketing Rules00:00 Intro00:01 Milly’s Eating Disorder & Recovery00:05 Toxic Wellness & Running Culture00:09 SULT’s "Not That Deep" Philosophy00:14 Netflix-ification of Brand Building00:19 Ignoring Experts & Taking Risks00:24 "Unhinged Luxury" & Storytelling00:30 Scaling in Public vs Building in Public00:34 The Whiteboard Content Strategy00:42 How to Write Viral Hooks00:46 Organic Growth vs Paid Ads00:56 The Brooklyn Beckham Story01:00 Choosing Brand Colors & Standing Out01:06 Why They Ignore Business Advice01:08 The Power of Anti-Selling01:13 Building a Tribe & Status01:15 Learning from Rhode & Anti-Trends01:17 Dealing with Copycats01:20 Embracing Chaos in Business01:22 Co-Founder Dynamics & Conflict01:28 The Simon Squibb Story01:33 Simplifying Business & Branding01:37 How the Co-Founders Met01:39 Why Launch an Electrolyte Brand?01:45 The 4 Pillars of Marketing01:53 Launching in Boots & Retail Strategy01:58 Financial Transparency & Investors

Most companies bet everything on one big launch.Doug Lamont thinks that’s how you kill growth.In this clip, the former CEO of Tony's Chocolonely and Innocent Drinks breaks down a radically different way to scale — one built on rolling innovation, layered bets, and removing fear from failure.Instead of over-researching, over-launching, and over-spending, Doug explains why the smartest brands:- test cheaply- back winners late- kill losers fastand never rely on a single “big idea” to carry the businessFrom product launches to international expansion, this is a masterclass in how real growth actually happens — especially from £100m → £500m+.===============📱 ON THE MENU===============🎯 Why “the one big thing” strategy usually fails🔥 Rolling innovation vs over-researched launches🧠 Removing fear from failure inside big organisations📦 Why marketing can’t save products that don’t sell🌍 How country expansion really works (3–5 year bets)💰 When to actually turn on the marketing spend⚖️ Small and medium bets vs betting the house

"Brand is the intangible layer that sits atop any business... and floods it with color and emotion." Tobey Duncan, CSO of Uncommon Creative Studio, joins Dan Pope to dismantle the fluff surrounding modern marketing. They explore "Purpose 2.0," why brands need enemies, and how to turn consumer tension into cultural fame. From the genius of Bold Bean Co to the audacity of Oasis, this episode is a masterclass in building brands that actually matter.00:00:00 Intro00:01:04 Why Creativity Requires Dissatisfaction00:02:40 London vs. Sydney: Creative Differences00:06:10 Defining Brand Strategy & The "Intangible Layer"00:10:06 Why Brands Must Claim a Role in Culture00:11:48 The Evolution of Brand Purpose (Purpose 2.0)00:15:05 Fixing Consumer Problems vs. Fixing Brands00:19:32 Case Study: Bold Bean Co's Brand Strategy00:28:02 Strategy vs. Tactics: How They Work Together00:33:19 Case Study: The Ordinary & Skincare "Guff"00:42:43 B&Q Case Study: From Chores to Change00:47:38 The Power of Finding Consumer Tension00:51:44 British Airways: Exporting Originality00:53:15 Why London is a Creative Powerhouse01:03:09 What Brands Can Learn From Bands (Oasis)01:06:25 Rational, Emotional, and Fame-Based Comms01:09:20 PerfectTed & Leveraging Cultural Heat01:12:44 Why You Should Set Strategy Once & Not Pivot01:26:17 The Brand OS Framework: 5 Key Inquiries01:32:04 Guinness: Breaking Category Codes01:44:07 Marketing Planning: The "Jobs to Be Done" Framework01:55:24 The Crisis in Modern Brand Building

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This week we have a throwback to an incredible convo with the co-founder of TRIP, Olivia Ferdi.It’s what every wonderful guest on the poddy teaches me.TRIP ripped up the rule book.Definition of outlier.TRIP is for everyone and anyone, anywhere, anytime and everywhere.TRIP is a coffee replacement. Booze replacement. Cocktail mixer. Meal Deal enhancer. Grab & Go.All charged with a beautiful mission: Be Kind to your Mind.Won listings at Co-op Sainsbury's, Waitrose & Partners, @Annabel’s, Soho House & CoON THE MENU:1. Why your brand must be chameleon to be a truly omni-channel brand – lessons from Annabel’s, Mayfair and Co-Op.2. Why your brand should act as a PROMPT to unlock an emotion in people – TRIP own “Be Kind to Your Mind”3. How TRIP won a Bill’s listing in 4 weeks – when one door shuts, open a window. Be fluid.4. How to repurpose your brand and shelf space to unlock more occasions = more consumption = more £ wonga.5. How TRIP raised £10 million quid – do you really need presentation a deck?6. Why founders must actually seek and embrace stress it’s a gateway forward.Every top food and drink founder reads our Newsletter - why wouldn't you? https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/Watch the full shabang on Youtube -  https://www.youtube.com/@HungryFMCG/videosLet’s link up on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/Stalk me on Insta- https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/ This episode originally aired in June, 2023.

Jon Walsh pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to scale a challenger FMCG brand without drinking your own Kool-Aid. From tying purpose to exit strategy, to why profit is a prerequisite (not a betrayal), to the tiny commercial decisions that quietly unlock big growth, this is a grounded, no-nonsense breakdown of taking Bio&Me from £2m to £20m. Heavy on real-world trade-offs, buyer reality, margins, packaging, people, and founder intensity — light on startup theatre. A sharp, practical listen for anyone trying to build something durable. =============== 🍽️ ON THE MENU ===============🎯 Why purpose and exit strategy aren’t opposites💰 How building for valuation actually sharpens purpose🧬 Turning gut health science into a real brand advantage📈 Scaling from £2m to £20m without losing the plot👥 Letting go of knowing everything — and why that’s progress🤝 Delegation, trust, and building a team that outgrows the founder📊 Why sustainable profit matters more than growth theatre⚖️ The delicate dance between growth and EBITDA🏭 Co-manufacturers: the hidden risk-takers founders forget🔍 Finding margin through nuance, not hacks📉 Promotions, pricing, shrinkflation, and honest trade-offs🛒 Why proximity to purchase beats flashy brand spend🧠 Innovating close to the core — and when to break the rule🥣 Going cross-category without killing valuation🧪 Science + taste: why health food must still be delicious🏬 How retailers really think about challenger brands🧑‍💼 Buyers, rangers, merchandisers — who actually holds power📦 Packaging as your most important marketing asset📐 The big rocks vs the pebbles of scaling a brand💥 The hardest decisions founders avoid: people and partners😬 Breaking up with early suppliers as you scale🕰️ The intensity myth: what “hard work” really looks like🚫 Why work–life balance is mostly bullshit at £20m❌ The biggest mistakes made on the way up🧭 What didn’t change from £2m to £20m — and why that matters🛍️ Why retailers aren’t the enemy (and never were)🔮 How thinking about exit quietly shapes every decision todayWhether you’re building an FMCG brand, advising founders, or navigating the jump from scrappy startup to serious scale, this episode is a masterclass in commercial realism, leadership maturity, and doing the unglamorous work that actually compounds.==============================================TIMESTAMPS00:00:00 Why Purpose and Valuation Reinforce Each Other00:01:43 What Bio&Me Actually Is (and Why It Exists)00:02:28 Gut Health as a Real Commercial Advantage00:03:18 From £2m to £20m: Understanding Run Rate00:04:40 Letting Go of Knowing Everything00:05:20 Delegation, Trust, and Growing a Leadership Team00:06:46 Why Profit Is Non-Negotiable00:07:25 The Delicate Dance Between Growth and EBITDA00:07:54 Funding Losses by Selling Equity00:08:18 Moving Into Profit — and Team Buy-In00:09:16 How Bio&Me Actually Became Profitable00:10:19 Co-Manufacturers Take the Biggest Early Risks00:11:25 Promotions, Pricing, and Margin Finesse00:12:33 Shrinkflation, Transparency, and Consumer Trust00:13:59 Honest Marketing Beats Clever Marketing00:15:18 Relentless Cost Discipline as You Scale00:16:47 Team Size Myths and the Shoreditch Trap00:18:10 The Hires That Really Moved the Needle00:19:11 Innovate Close to the Core00:20:22 When (and Why) to Go Cross-Category00:21:24 Gut Health Science: Fibre vs Fermentation00:22:52 Purpose as a Filter for Expansion00:24:03 How to Be Meaningfully Better Than Competitors00:26:17 The Reality of Managing Multiple Categories00:27:12 Why This Is a Golden Age for Challenger Brands00:29:10 Coopetition and Founder Generosity00:31:03 The Three Big Growth Levers to £20m00:32:29 Proximity to Purchase Beats Brand Hype00:33:20 In-Store Marketing That Actually Works00:34:29 Building vs Maintaining a Brand00:36:40 Understanding Buyers, Ranging, and Power00:38:51 Packaging as Your Best Marketing Asset00:40:30 The Hardest Decisions Are About People00:41:27 Breaking Up With Early Partners00:43:17 Why Scaling Is Intensely Hard00:44:10 The Work-Life Balance Myth00:45:42 Competition as Fuel00:47:34 Buyer Needs vs Consumer Needs00:49:16 The Biggest Mistakes on the Way Up00:50:33 Under-Investing in Marketing00:51:32 Waiting Too Long to Hire00:52:42 What Changed — and What Didn’t — at £20m00:54:00 Why Retailers Aren’t the Enemy00:55:42 How Exit Thinking Shapes Decisions Today

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In this brutally honest conversation, Tom Kerridge joins Dan Pope to unpack what it really takes to survive—and thrive—in modern hospitality. From building The Hand and Flowers into a two-Michelin-star pub, to closing businesses post-Covid, navigating razor-thin margins, and separating ego from decision-making, Kerridge offers a masterclass in resilience, leadership, and realism.Plus they explore why restaurants are “pirate ships” full of misfits and intensity, why front of house matters as much as food, and why most chefs overestimate their own importance. Kerridge opens up about addiction, ADHD, chaos versus control, and replacing alcohol with obsessive focus—first swimming, then lifting, then business... what an unbelievably candid conversation with one of England's hospitality legends. But, this isn’t a romanticised chef story. It’s a clear-eyed look at pressure, responsibility, fear, and why hospitality only works when passion is matched with brutal commercial discipline.📺Check out the video on Youtube :yt: for an even Hungrier experience=============== 🍽️ ON THE MENU ===============🔥 Why hospitality is one of the hardest businesses on earth💸 The brutal economics behind why restaurants barely make money🚪 Why opening a restaurant “makes no sense” on paper🧭 Tom Kerridge’s non-negotiable business principles🦠 Why Covid sharpened—not softened—decision-making🧠 The difference between thinking like a chef vs a restaurateur🔄 When to kill ideas, pivot concepts, and move on fast🤝 Lessons learned from working with Gary Neville🏋️ Talent vs relentless work ethic in elite kitchens⭐ What Michelin stars really change (and what they don’t)🏴‍☠️ Why kitchens are “pirate ships” by design🛎️ How front of house quietly makes or breaks restaurants💥 The tiny irritants that destroy great hospitality👫 Building businesses with partners—and surviving it⚡ ADHD, chaos, control, and creative intensity🍺 Replacing addiction with obsession👨‍👦 What success actually means as a parent🏉 Why rugby explains kitchens better than business books📱 The invisible chef WhatsApp networks🏆 What separates a three-star human from everyone else📺 Navigating TV without becoming a caricature🏅 How Kerridge won Great British Menu💣 The one truth chefs hate hearingWhether you’re a founder, operator, chef, or creative leader, this episode is a no-nonsense masterclass in pressure, responsibility, and building something that actually lasts.==============================================On The Menu: 00:00:00 The Hospitality Industry Is a Monster 00:03:45 Why Restaurants Barely Make Money 00:04:45 Why Opening a Restaurant Makes No Sense 00:07:00 Tom Kerridge Business Principles 00:08:35 Radical Transparency With Staff 00:12:15 If It Was Easy Everyone Would Do It 00:13:25 Why Kerridge Loved Covid Problem-Solving 00:15:05 Chef vs Restaurateur Thinking 00:16:45 When Concepts Fail and Must Change 00:18:20 Lessons From Working With Gary Neville 00:22:40 Talent vs Relentless Hard Work 00:29:50 Putting Personality on the Plate 00:30:55 One Star vs Two vs Three Michelin 00:34:45 Kitchens Are Pirate Ships 00:36:20 Making Michelin Feel Safe 00:38:20 The Coach’s Ridiculous Burger Explained 00:41:45 Silent Irritants That Ruin Restaurants 00:42:30 Front of House Creates the Experience 00:48:15 Building a Business With Your Partner 00:52:55 ADHD, Chaos, and Control 00:55:35 Replacing Alcohol With Obsession 01:03:00 What He Wants His Son to Learn 01:06:45 Rugby, Kitchens, and Team Roles 01:08:35 The Chef WhatsApp Inner Circle 01:14:45 What Makes a Three-Star Human 01:15:45 Navigating TV and Media Without Becoming a Caricature 01:20:35 How Kerridge Won Great British Menu 01:24:45 The One Truth Chefs Hate Hearing