Marg Main brings decades of hospitality expertise to the conversation, from her early hotel days to owning a restaurant in New Zealand. Now the founder of Turning Tables training company and her latest venture, Conversations That Matter, Marg specialises in creating meaningful workplace dialogue and empowering hospitality professionals. In this episode, Marg shares the essential skills that make hospitality leaders successful: reading body language, creating genuine connections, and using humour to build atmosphere. She dives deep into emotional intelligence, communication styles, and the systems every business owner needs to manage teams effectively and handle challenging customer situations. Marg also explores the human side of leadership - managing personal triggers, the importance of post-shift debriefs, knowing when to apologize, and supporting your team without micromanaging. Her insights on work-life balance and compassionate leadership offer valuable lessons for anyone managing people in high-stress environments. A engaging conversation packed with practical wisdom for hospitality professionals and leaders alike. The Restaurant Association is the link between good food, and good business. It supports New Zealand’s diverse and creative hospitality businesses to deliver first-class experiences to diners. Since its humble beginnings in 1972, it has worked to offer advice, help and assistance in every facet of the vibrant and diverse hospitality industry. The organisation now represents, advocates and cheerleads for more than 2500 hospitality businesses within New Zealand. It offers advice and assistance on key industry issues, from property lease advice to wellness in the workplace. The Association also provides its members with industry-wide accreditation programs which set best practice standards and help them measure how they’re tracking. It also works in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development to deliver the Hospostart and Springboard training programmes.
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Tales from the pass: Krishna Botica
Krishna Botica is an award-winning restaurateur in New Zealand with over 30 years of experience in the industry. She started her journey at Prego in the '90s and eventually opened her own venues under the group Mensa, including Cafe Hanoi, Ghost Street, and Perch. She has witnessed significant changes in the industry, from its unsophisticated and unprofessional beginnings to its now competitive and diverse landscape. Krishna reflects on the impacts of COVID-19, shares her insights on what customers want and how businesses can succeed by focusing on their strengths, being transparent and flexible, and constantly pivoting to adapt to the changing market.
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Tales from the pass: Tim Read - Mental Health in Hospitality - Helmet App
Tim Read shares his personal journey of working in the hospitality industry and how the industry has changed due to COVID-19. Tim talks with this weeks host Gerrick Newman about experiencing burnout and mental health distress, and how witnessing burnout in his employees and the loss of his best friend to suicide prompted him to launch his mental health and wellbeing initiative, which the Restaurant Association are partnering on, Helmet.
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Tales from the pass: Shane Liu - Sumthin Dumplin
On this week's Restaurant Association of New Zealand podcast, we are joined by Shane, the founder of Somethin Dumplin. Shane talks about his journey as an entrepreneur in the hospitality industry and his vision for the future of his business. He also shares where the idea for Somethin Dumplin came from and some tips for managing a business and the realities of social media.
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Tales From The Pass - Maggie Gray
In this episode of Tales from the Pass Maggie Gray, host of the Food Truck podcast and co-founder of the Auckland Food Truck Collective, shares her inspiring journey from running a single food truck to building a thriving community of mobile culinary entrepreneurs. Maggie dives into what it takes to succeed in the food truck business, from crafting a simple yet impactful menu to leveraging social media and building a loyal customer base. Discover her top tips for navigating challenges, fostering sustainability, and creating unforgettable food experiences. Whether you're a budding food truck owner or a fan of Auckland's vibrant food scene, this episode is packed with valuable insights and inspiration. Don't miss it!
About Tales From The Pass - A Hospitality Podcast by The Restaurant Association of NZ
Tales from the pass is a space to celebrate and showcase the voices and talent of Aotearoa’s vibrant hospitality industry. Join us every fortnight as we explore topical issues with our industry’s leading experts, chefs, restauranteurs, educators and influencers.
Listen to Tales From The Pass - A Hospitality Podcast by The Restaurant Association of NZ, 99% Invisible and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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