How does Hospitality improve diversity, inclusion and equality?

Asma Khan, owner of Darjeeling Express and star of Netflix’s Chef’s Table, has written widely about her experience of starting her restaurant. She says she believed it would never be possible to run a business in a world that she described as "an all white, all male club." She said, if she had a daughter, she would seriously discourage her from a career in hospitality, where kitchens are all too often "a toxic testosterone-fuelled environment."

This last point obviously resonated strongly for me after my then 17-year old daughter announced that she wanted to be a chef. We talked seriously about what a tough career choice that was, especially for woman. We talked about how life as a chef almost completely incompatible with being a mother and how the majority of kitchens remain a very male and macho environment. Needless to say, like all good teenagers, she listened to my advice and chose to ignore me!

At the Propel Hospitality Talent and Training Conference in London on Tuesday 3 October, Asma Khan moved me to tears as she spoke, as she has done before when talking about her incredible work establishing a cafe in a refugee camp in northern Iraq employing traumatised Yazidi women.

This time she spoke about how she still feels like an outsider in the world of hospitality, but she’s learned to see it as an advantage. She talked about how food not only has the power to bring us together, but is also a cause of division. She said in India “Food is main way people are divided” by religion and caste. At her restaurant Khan employs women from all backgrounds, religions and ages and abilities. Everyone is welcome and everyone is equal “We put our religion and our caste at the door, we celebrate every festival. We are a team.

A diverse team gives you strength

Asma Khan believes that you strengthen your team by having a diverse team and urged all businesses build a diverse workplace.

Hiring a diverse team is key to inspiring the next generation in hospitality.

Her advice:

• Understand you are a team

• Be empathetic and let people know that they matter

• Offer flexible work and reduce the hours

Darjeeling Express is a model of what a diverse workplace can be.

However, the reality of diversity in the hospitality sector is different as demonstrated by Be Inclusive Hospitality's 2023 Inside Hospitality Report , a comprehensive account of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in hospitality through a race lens and whic includes 3,120 views and experiences captured encompass all backgrounds, genders, ages, jobs, and lengths of service.

The report says 1 in 3 respondents report personal experiences of discrimination at work and that only 16% of hospitality workers believe it’s an inclusive and diverse industry.

I was honoured to host a crucial discussion in The Restaurant Show with:

• Lorraine Copes Be Inclusive Hospitality award-winning social entrepreneur, hospitality consultant and life coach. Lorraine has two decades as an executive director for brands including Gordon Ramsay Restaurants and Corbin & King, but felt compelled to form Be Inclusive Hospitality CIC in 2020 due to the consistent lack of representation of people of colour in positions of influence and the supply chain. This social enterprise now holds the prime position of igniting much-needed conversations and delivering initiatives to advance change within the hospitality, food, and drink sectors.

• Mecca Ibrahim co-founder of Women In The Food Industry, a Community Interest Company for conversation, insight, stories, resources & community support as women in food face obstacles of inequality & inclusion.

• Chris Todd Head of Talent JKS Restaurants a former chef who now oversees all recruitment and talent initiatives across JKS’s portfolio of 22 restaurants including Trishna, Gymkhana, Kitchen Table, Sabor and Lyle’s; Hoppers, BAO, Brigadiers.

We agreed that more needs to be done to change the perception of working in Hospitality. The sector has improved but we need to blow our own trumpet more to shout over the stereotypes portrayed in TV shows like Boiling Point and The Bear. Education is key. We need to get young children interested in food and hospitality and work with parents, schools and colleges to show it’s an amazing career for life, not just a stop-gap.

Hopes & Fears for Hospitality in 2021

At this time of year, I usually publish my restaurant industry trends and predictions for the year ahead, but if there’s one thing that this year has taught us, it’s that it’s impossible to predict the future, or even the next month.

So, here are a few thoughts about hopes and fears for the restaurant and pub trade in 2021 from my clients and colleagues in hospitality.

Piers Baker, The Sun Inn, Dedham and Church Street Tavern, Colchester:

“I believe 2021 is a major opportunity for a reset of our industry so that the dire straits we found ourselves in March won’t be repeated. What needs addressing? The beer tie, upward only rents, better landlord/tenant relationships, business rates, VAT and insurance. Every hospitality business knows it, the government must (more reason for a Minster of Hospitality). Sustainability, health and a better understanding of the importance of food in our diets for our ability to combat disease. This must start in schools but our industry can play a massive role in this. From employment, partnerships with education, understanding and sourcing of food.

Mid-March, our financial year ending June 2020 was on track to be our best to date. Lockdown meant it ended up being our worst. But the way our customers have reacted since July has given me great hope for 2021 once restrictions are lifted for good. I have taken greater steps to be financially leaner, using technology to make us more efficient, paying suppliers earlier, creating a financial backstop. There is still 3-4 months of hardship and unknowns ahead. Beyond the annoyance and frustration of the government, I do feel hopeful, we will survive and thrive.”

WIlliam Griffiths, The Angel Hotel, Abergavenny and The Walnut Tree Inn:

“We weren't surprised to learn of a new lockdown being imposed in Wales, having seen the cases continue to rise over the past few weeks, despite the additional hospitality restrictions which have been in place. It would be useful to have more clear communication on how long this is expected to last, as the current review every three weeks, means we will have to second guess decisions again, in order to try and give customers and suppliers notice for either reopening, or further cancellations. We already know it's not feasible for us to operate under the alert level three restrictions, therefore, realistically don't expect to be able to reopen now until the Spring.”

Peter Lloyd, Sticky Mango, London:

“It’s difficult to have a balanced point of view when you're trying to save your business. It goes without question that we have to put the safety of our staff, guests and public first, but there needs to be a more targeted approach to how we contain the virus. The reality is we are being denied the right to protect our businesses and livelihoods and not being supported enough by the government. The new grant scheme just doesn’t do enough to cover the fixed costs of rent, utilities, pension and NI contributions let alone the costs and wastage of having to reopen, close down, reopen and close down again. There is no doubt this is a tragic time for all involved but if we don’t get more support we just won’t be here when the dust has settled and the economy needs us all to perform to bounce back. With differed VAT bills due, bounce back loans to repay and forecasted business it’s really not looking good for 2021.”

Brendan Padfield, The Unruly Pig, Suffolk:

“Just as we thought the UK may be turning a corner, I am nervous as to what setback may be caused by the advent of a mutant strain of COVID-19. The hospitality industry is on its knees. If we are going to be able to sustainably support two million-plus jobs as the third largest sector employer, continued government support via a rates holiday and a 5% VAT rate is critical.

COVID-19 has brought out the very best and the very worst in people. My fear for 2021 is that some of the discourteous, selfish and abusive behaviour towards some members of my team and others in hospitality has now become ingrained in society. My hope is that the acts of kindness, loyalty, support and encouragement shown by the majority of customers will continue in abundance. My belief and firm conviction is that it will.“

As the vaccine means that by the summer, things should be getting back to something more normal, I hope that eventually, we will get back to what we love doing - delivering lovely food, great service and making our customers smile. That is why we do what we do because there is simply nothing better in life than the buzz of a busy restaurant s full of happy customers. But will summer 2021 see a downturn in comparative trade as all the benefits of ‘Staycation 2020’ evaporate with larger numbers of customers than normal choosing to holiday abroad?”