Last week we caught up with one of the founders of Jupiter Scholarship, John Lederer, to find out why he thinks restaurants are one of the most rewarding career paths to choose.
With two teachers for parents, John was determined that, whatever he did, it wouldn’t be teaching. Although he lacked any experience or connections in the industry, he immediately set his sights very high, successfully applying to the prestigious Lausanne School of Hospitality, where the courses are famously intense and pressurised. Most Lausanne graduates go into hotel management, but John knew early on that his passion lay in the restaurant world. He describes the difference between the two as being like classical music and punk rock. “In hotels, you want people to feel relaxed and at ease. Your main aim is to make sure they feel better when they leave than when they arrived. But you have at least several hours to achieve this - it doesn’t all have to be accomplished at check-in. In restaurants, it’s more instant, more visceral. You need to engage and please customers fast or they’ll dial out. You have to organise and direct their experience like a piece of theatre, and everything from the service and food to the decor and lighting must form part of that show.”
John has led teams in a wide range of restaurants from chains like Prezzo and Masala World to Michelin starred offerings such as Rue St. Jacques. He’s also built a number of businesses from scratch, the ones he is most proud of being Brasserie Blanc and the White Brasserie.
So, what advice would he give to anyone starting out?
“Watch how other colleagues react to the boss. How is their leadership style landing with them? Learn from that and remember it when you get to the top yourself.”
What do you believe are the most important qualities for a successful leader in the hospitality industry?
“For me, it would be things like integrity, vision and the ability to motivate others, plus a bucket-load of empathy. You definitely need to know your stuff, but also be able to embrace the new and innovate. Be brave.”
What advice would you give to emerging leaders looking to advance their careers in this industry?
“Culture is key. If you don’t get the culture right, no fancy signage or amazing decor will help.”
Are there specific habits or routines you would advise people to adopt to help them succeed?
“The first would be to prepare thoroughly before any conversation or meeting. Try to anticipate all the directions the conversation might go in. I personally feel the best hospitality leaders have mild schizophrenia as well – they are one-part showman, one-part accountant. Having both gives you the edge!”
So why restaurant hospitality?
“In which other career path can you start at the bottom and work your way up to the very top without a professional qualification or formal training? There’s so much potential for progression. And every day’s varied. At any moment your focus might have to switch between customer issues, dealing with staff, marketing, menus, purchasing or the finance side of things. And the skills you learn are highly transferable too – whether in HR, marketing, promotion, operations or management – you can take most of them anywhere, at home or abroad. For me, though, the best part, is the people you meet. If you are in any way interested in people then this is one of the most rewarding careers you can find.”
If John’s insights have piqued your interest, register here so we can share with you how you can develop your career in the restaurant hospitality business.