Adam Leydon is here! Originally from the lovely Mersea Island in Essex, he has spent 20 years in hospitality, with the last 12 at Hawksmoor where he’s now the L&D Manager. He’s all about helping people grow their careers and takes a really people-focused, empathetic approach to everything he does. He’s a big foodie, loves eating out, and is the vice-captain of Graces Cricket Club, the world’s first LGBTQ+ cricket team. He's passionate about mental health, having hosted the Kelly's Cause ‘Reducing the Stigma’ event for International Men’s Day for the past two years.

Tune in to hear us get into the magic of empaths in hospitality, why curiosity is the antidote to judgement, and the soul-healing comfort of a good bowl of spaghetti carbonara.

Huge shoutout to Luigi’s Al Fresco at The Griffin for best meal of the year and to the kind, calm and empathetic Madeleine Geach for scooping up the title of Adam's Hospitality Hero!

Gina Knight is here! With 18 years of hospitality experience spanning hotels, bakeries, and restaurants, Gina brings sharp insight, compassion, and a mindset-first approach to everything she does. Now Head of People at Flat Iron and a coach, she’s all about helping others cut through the noise and focus on what really matters.

Tune in to hear us chat about creating a career in hospitality that works with your individuality, the power of the Lake District for a mindset reset and what it means to truly listen to your team.

Shout out to Bubala for best meal of the year, Vlatko Trayanov at Paul Rhodes for being a true Hospitality Hero, and to celebrity crush Ed Sheeran for being vibe captain.

Sarah Clark is here! With 30 years of hospitality and retail know how, from pubs up and down the country to leading operations at Pret, Sarah brings a whole career’s worth of wisdom, grit, and humour to the table. Now an executive coach and founder of Nine Yards Coaching, she is helping hospitality leaders go from surviving to thriving.

Tune in to hear us chat about the twists and turns of a hospitality career, navigating an IVF journey while working in operations and why Aberdeen is in fact the greatest city in the uk!

Shout out to Brat for snagging best meal enjoyed so far this year, to Sarah Heward for being an incredible example, and to Sarah's Hospitality Hero Clive Schlee for setting the bar by being a heart led and people focused leader.

Amber Francis is here! Just crowned as the winner of Great British Menu 2025, Amber has cemented herself as a top culinary talent with over ten years of experience operating in some of London’s best restaurants. Named as "one of Britain’s most talented rising culinary stars", she became a head chef at the age of 26, was crowned Young Chef of The Year in 2022, as well as making Square Meal’s Ones To Watch list.

Not limiting herself to the confines of fine dining kitchens, Amber is heavily involved with community projects; having been a Young Chef Ambassador, Mental Health Ambassador, and volunteering with food-based charities. Amber currently works as Head Chef and Senior Food Educator at a school in North London, building communities around food.

Tune in to hear us talk about being the first pregnant WINNER on Great British Menu, the importance of celebrating and elevating unconventional routes through a culinary career and the ultimate superiority of beans on toast with cheese.

Shout out to all of the contestants on Great British Menu 2025 who supplied the best meals Amber ate this year (and possibly ever), Will Faris for starting the Hay-onaisse Revolution and to Amber's Hospitality Hero, Nadiya Hussein, who stays true to herself, carves a path forward for others to follow and cooks beautiful food.

Hans Cook is here! The founder of Cap'N'Chino, he blends his love for specialty coffee with a mission to raise mental health awareness. Starting in 2019 as an Instagram coffee review page, Cap n Chino has grown into a platform supporting mental health initiatives through merchandise, football sponsorships, and a signature coffee blend with Jericho Coffee Traders.

Hans launched his podcast Flat Whites and Insights in 2023 providing a space for open, honest and vulnerable conversations with folks from across the coffee industry. Tune in to this episode to hear us talk a lot about making peace with our mental health, a little about Hilary Duff and why the little things aren't just the little things.

Big shout outs to Vine & Spice in Long Wittenham for being Hans's best meal of the year, James at Farm Boy Brews for being the very best of us and last but not least, hospitality hero Aaron, formerly of Columbia Coffee Roasters, for offering care and connection when it was needed the most.

TW: suicide, suicidal ideation 13:55 - 14:37

Missy Flynn is here! A smashing restaurateur and hospitality human, Missy is the co-owner of the always brilliant restaurant Rita’s and also co-runs Malik-Acid, a beverage design and events agency. She is a trustee for Food Behind Bars, a charity improving food in UK prisons and armed with a master’s in the Anthropology of Food from SOAS, has contributed to various industry thought and trend forecasting pieces across her 20 year hospitality career. Named one of Code’s 100 Most Influential Women in Hospitality in 2022 and a Code 30 under 30 in 2016, Missy’s impact on the industry is undeniable.

Tune in to hear us dissect why a job in service to others is the best kind, the undeniability of fresh prawns with gnocchi and how to bring your values with you to work in hospitality.

Shout outs all around to Eric Ripert and the team at Le Bernardin in NYC for taking the title of the best meal of the year and the biggest one of all to pastry chef and Countertalk founder Ravneet Gill who takes the crown of Missy's Hospitality Hero!

Madeleine Geach is here! Madeline is a Hospitality Leadership Coach, Best-selling author and ex head of people and culture at Hawksmoor. They have been named a CODE most influential women in hospitality two times over and are a restaurant enthusiast through and through. Tune in to hear us chat about the challenges of boundary setting, enjoying a lush confit duck and the absolute magic of smashing out service with your team.

Shout out to the wonderful Oma in Borough Market for claiming the title of best restaurant Madeleine's been to this year, the operators at Elliots for being great humans and last but not least to Madeleine's Hospitality Hero, the one and only Eadaoin McDonagh, COO at White Rabbit Projects.

After additional wisdom nuggets? Curious about Hospitality Leadership Coaching? Head to @thegoodlifecoaching on insta or email madeleine@thegoodlifecoaching.net to keep in touch and follow along the Good Life journey.

George Gill is here! As the Community Manager at CODE and The Good Food Guide, George is all about shining a spotlight on restaurants that embody incredible workplace culture. With a deep passion for hospitality, he’s dedicated to celebrating the spaces where teams thrive and guests feel the love. Tune in to hear this self confessed nostalgic reminisce about the glamour of fish and chips at J Sheekey’s circa 1997, the responsibility of food media in championing a new style of operator and the magic of Nigel Slater and Bill Nighy sharing a Lobster Thermidor.

Massive shout out to George’s Hospitality Hero, his very own Nan—queen of peas done right— with more butter than you’ve ever seen and a generous serving of sugar. Rightful props to The Black Swan in Olstead which has been George’s best meal so far this year and The Plough at Bolnhurst which is the true number one in his heart.