Hospitality Huddles

Scot Turner
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Are you passionate about hospitality? Do you crave expert insights tackling the current pain points operators like you face everyday? Well, you’re in the right place! Each episode, we will bring together a panel of thought leaders and some of the most creative minds shaping the future of hospitality. Together, we’ll explore the heart and soul of this ever-evolving industry, one huddle at a time. Whether you’re a seasoned industry pro or starting your journey up the ladder, we’ve got something special for you. Hospitality Huddles is more than a podcast; it’s a community of passionate individuals who appreciate the art and science of hospitality. Stay tuned for our thrilling episodes, where we blend the best experience, expertise, and enthusiasm to serve up tips, takeaways and actions to help you think differently. Welcome to Hospitality Huddles, where hospitality meets conversation!

  1. EP60. Toolkits That Transform: The New Rules of Operational Excellence

    FEB 10

    EP60. Toolkits That Transform: The New Rules of Operational Excellence

    Toolkits aren’t paperwork. They’re performance. In this episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey break down one of the most requested, yet most misunderstood, parts of hospitality operations: toolkits, SOPs, operational manuals, and digitised frameworks.Chapters:00:00 – Welcome from Vorboss Studios in East London00:56 – “Toolkits vs SOPs”: why language matters02:01 – Why operators struggle to build toolkits02:36 – Toolkit structure: imagery, brand sheets, videos03:25 – Development: analysing, visiting, filming, documenting04:48 – Capturing day parts and service elements05:25 – Sequence of service, rituals and tone of voice06:31 – Making toolkits accessible: videos, planograms, formats07:03 – Delivering toolkits digitally and physically07:56 – Why PDFs become worthless after 3 months08:23 – Amend: updating and correcting existing documentation09:06 – Standardisation across multi-site or multi-country ops10:14 – “Company standards vs brand specifics” explained11:23 – Takeaway example: universal standards vs brand execution12:12 – Why objectivity matters when amending SOPs12:45 – Writing for operators, not HR13:20 – Recommendations: workflow, equipment, digitisation14:16 – Digitisation tools: scanning, barcoding, mobile-first ops14:50 – Market research and operational insight15:21 – Scoops, portion bottles and consistency tools15:51 – Documentation + value-added recommendations16:30 – Identifying roadblocks and workflow friction17:17 – Equipment, people, digital: the three ops pillars18:22 – Why toolkits matter for scaling hotel groups18:53 – The McDonald’s systems lesson19:10 – Final reflections

    21 min
  2. EP59. Quiet Confidence: The Rise of the New Luxury Consumer with Professor Zi Wang

    FEB 3

    EP59. Quiet Confidence: The Rise of the New Luxury Consumer with Professor Zi Wang

    Luxury is undergoing a profound transformation — and the old rules no longer apply. In this episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner is joined by Professor Zi Wang, luxury branding academic, consultant, writer and coach, to explore how a new generation of consumers is reshaping the meaning of luxury. Zi reveals why today’s luxury is defined less by status and more by quietconfidence, emotional value, identity expression and cultural consciousness. They discuss Gen Z’s rejection of traditional luxury cues, the importance of authenticity, and why emotional intelligence is now one of the most essential skills in hospitality and brand-building. Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction to Professor Zi Wang 01:05 – Zi’s journey: academia, luxury branding and coaching 03:10 – How luxury has evolved beyond status 05:45 – The rise of emotional value in luxury 08:20 – Gen Z and the rejection of traditional luxury codes 11:02 – Symbolism, social media and identity construction 13:40 – Post-pandemic shifts: meaning, intention and consciousness 16:12 – Why “personalisation” is misunderstood in hospitality 18:55 – Emotional intelligence as a luxury differentiator 21:10 – Why luxury brands lose relevance 23:44 – “Quiet confidence” as the new luxury aesthetic 26:11 – Time, space and attention as elite commodities 28:55 – Sustainability and conscious consumption 31:40 – Zi’s work as a consultant, writer and coach 33:20 – Final reflectionsTo learn more about Professor Zi, find her on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zi-wang-59a90b248/ This podcast is brought to you by Auden Hospitality, creating hotel F&B that rewrites the rules. Learn more by visiting our website www.audenhospitality.com

    49 min
  3. Ep 58. Auden's Wrapped 2025 - People, Places, Projects

    JAN 16

    Ep 58. Auden's Wrapped 2025 - People, Places, Projects

    From Blackpool to Istanbul, via Kenya, Australia, Hong Kong, Vegas, Budapest, Kuwait and Dresden — this episode of Hospitality Huddles is our full 2025 Wrapped.Recorded in early December, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey reflect on a year of global travel, concept development, hotel openings, operational toolkits, market research and big learnings. It’s a relaxed, honest recap of where the year took us, what stood out, and why 2026 will be the year the hard work of 2025 really comes to life.Chapters:00:00 – Welcome & setting the scene01:10 – January: Blackpool market research02:48 – Kenya and Nairobi market insights03:40 – Toolkits, SOPs and early-year groundwork04:04 – Asia trip: Bali, Australia and Hong Kong04:18 – Windsor and the Castle Hotel concept04:41 – Vegas and Bar & Restaurant Expo06:27 – Spring concepts and Foxhills development07:58 – Budapest: To The Table08:50 – Noreen opening and summer momentum09:59 – Mayfair flagship hotel concept11:27 – Kuwait reconnaissance and toolkit deep-dive15:23 – Dresden market research and strategy15:56 – Kensington Hideaway opening prep16:18 – Istanbul Hilton opening17:39 – Reflections on 2025 and looking aheadTo learn more about our work at Auden Hospitality, visit our website www.audenhospitality.com

    18 min
  4. EP51: AI in Hospitality: Why It’s a Tool, Not a Shortcut

    12/01/2025

    EP51: AI in Hospitality: Why It’s a Tool, Not a Shortcut

    AI can transform hospitality, but not in the way most people think. It’s not about shortcuts or replacing humans — it’s about efficiency, validation, and support. In this episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey share how they use ChatGPT and other AI tools to deliver projects faster and more accurately. From validating financial narratives to analysing competitor sets, they explain how AI can reduce workload while keeping human experience at the centre. Expect insights on: - Why AI should support, not replace, human expertise - How transcripts and project files can build efficiency - The role of AI in financial validation and tone of voice alignment - Real-world case studies: competitor analysis, sales mix reviews, andfeasibility studies - Why guest-facing language still requires human oversight Chapters: 00:00 – Using ChatGPT for efficiency, not shortcuts 01:45 – Travel case study: testing ChatGPT in Bulgaria 04:41 – Building client transcripts into project workflows 05:40 – Efficiency vs. validation: why speed matters 08:25 – Human vs AI: the back-and-forth process 10:44 – Teaching AI brand tone of voice 13:00 – Market study for a London five-star hotel 15:02 – Using sentiment search and AI to validate data 17:21 – Cutting 2–3 days’ work down to 3 hours 20:44 – Risks of AI “ghosting” and false assumptions 22:30 – The restaurant analogy: AI as the AGM, humans as the GM 22:52 – Closing reflections: AI as support, not replacement

    24 min
  5. How Convenience Can Drive F&B Profitability with Laurens de Kleine

    11/25/2025

    How Convenience Can Drive F&B Profitability with Laurens de Kleine

    Hotels have a common problem, food & beverage profitability. So if we could give you a solution that provides you with market intelligence, people-less automation and takes care of the operation, it would sound too good to be true.   Wrong, you just haven't heard about Wundermart.  In this week's episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner sits with Wundermart Co-Founder, Laurens de Kleine to chat about hotel F&B and also the future of breakfast dissecting work Auden Hospitality and Wundermart have carried out together on a forward-thinking breakfast solution.  This is a truly great episode if you are wanting to think differently about what hotel F&B looks like. To learn more about Wundermart - visit their website https://wundermart.com/ Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:57 What are you seeing in Hotels 05:08 Why hotels keep looking back 08:08 How data helps make a difference  10:35 How AI can optimise performance 14:22 How Wundermart helps hoteliers 15:30 Why it works for Guests and Hoteliers 20:00 Why convenience trumps price 25:00 Frictionless Breakfast 33:40 40% Opportunity  37:20 Quality over Quantity 43:00 People are Predictable

    46 min
  6. EP.57. Risk, Failure, and Why Hospitality Needs More of Both

    11/18/2025

    EP.57. Risk, Failure, and Why Hospitality Needs More of Both

    Why are hoteliers so afraid of failure? And what does risk really mean in hospitality today? In this bite-size episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey explore why risk aversion can hold hospitality back — and why measured risks, experimentation, and even failure are essential for progress. Expect insights on:- Why psychological fear stops leaders from trying new ideas- How to define “measured risk” in hotel F&B and operations- The danger of holding onto failing concepts for too long- Why investing properly at the start matters for success- The balance between giving projects enough time and knowing when to walk awayChapters:00:00 – Why are we scared of failure?01:48 – Measured risks in hotels and F&B02:39 – The psychology of fear and trying new things03:33 – Taking risks at Auden: lessons learned04:41 – Defining failure upfront and setting cut-off points06:39 – Why you still need to invest properly to give ideas a chance09:15 – The Mark Hotel hot dog stand: a case study in doing it right10:04 – Trinity Outside: patience and persistence in risk-taking11:35 – Key takeaways on risk and failure13:20 – Balancing time, instinct, and experience13:58 – Final reflections: don’t be scared, just try

    15 min
  7. How to Make Brands Amazing with Richard Liverman

    11/11/2025

    How to Make Brands Amazing with Richard Liverman

    This is a very special episode as we are joined by our Strategic Brand Expert, Richard Liverman, who has worked with our Founder, Scot Turner to shape the Auden brand to share some of the insights he has brought to our conversations over the last 18 months. This is a fantastic insight into how Richard helps brands be amazing including lessons learnt working with Nike, Godiva and Jack Daniels as well as how you can apply some basic business foundations into your business.This is an episode full of business advice for any leader. 00:00 Episode Teaser 01:22 How Richard Helps 03:29 Clarity is King 05:36 You're not the Hero 09:21 Creating Ambassadors 13:00 Why No Budget Sparks Creativity 16:00 Don't be Boring 19:15 The Nike World Cup Lesson 25:48 The Shopping Centre Theory 32:00 Why Every Business Needs Scaffolding 36:52 Be Uncomfortable 39:00 The Secret To Keeping Your Brand Fresh 40:00 Stop, Start, Continue Richards Resources: To learn more about Richard and how he helps businesses - visit his website Richer Solutionshttps://richersolutions.com/ 📚 Book recommendations in the episode to help your business: Building a Brand Story by Donald Millar https://amzn.to/4qFmVRI Remarkable by David Salyers https://amzn.to/49IZ11z Atomic Habit by James Clear https://amzn.to/4ov4oX1

    43 min
  8. EP.55. What Hotels Can Learn from Quick Service Restaurants

    11/04/2025

    EP.55. What Hotels Can Learn from Quick Service Restaurants

    What do McDonald’s, Shake Shack, and Subway have to teach hoteliers about F&B? A lot more than you might think.In this bite-size episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey break down the key lessons hotels can take from the world of Quick Service Restaurants (QSR). From process design and automation to training and consistency, they explore how QSR thinking can transform hotel F&B operations.Expect insights on:- Why QSRs succeed through process, repetition, and scalability- The difference between “quality” and “consistency” in food delivery- How prescriptive training can make teams more confident- Why hotels should simplify rather than overcomplicate operations- Real examples of applying QSR thinking in hotel outletsChapters:00:00 – What hotels can learn from QSRs03:30 – Don’t make it complicated: efficiency at scale07:17 – Why quality = consistency in QSR10:13 – McDonald’s burger process explained15:07 – Development designed for operators, not chefs16:19 – Scoops, measures, and standardisation in hotels20:12 – Process, repetition, and prescriptive training21:24 – Final reflections: lessons for hoteliers

    22 min
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About

Are you passionate about hospitality? Do you crave expert insights tackling the current pain points operators like you face everyday? Well, you’re in the right place! Each episode, we will bring together a panel of thought leaders and some of the most creative minds shaping the future of hospitality. Together, we’ll explore the heart and soul of this ever-evolving industry, one huddle at a time. Whether you’re a seasoned industry pro or starting your journey up the ladder, we’ve got something special for you. Hospitality Huddles is more than a podcast; it’s a community of passionate individuals who appreciate the art and science of hospitality. Stay tuned for our thrilling episodes, where we blend the best experience, expertise, and enthusiasm to serve up tips, takeaways and actions to help you think differently. Welcome to Hospitality Huddles, where hospitality meets conversation!

Information

  • Creator
    Scot Turner
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    75
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Scot Turner
  • Show Website
    Hospitality Huddles