Meet the Mentor: Milly Gregory
Milly Gregory is one of our incredible mentors and we are very lucky to have her as part of the mentoring programme. She has worked in the industry running pubs and restaurants for 26 years. There is nothing she doesn’t know about the world of hospitality and we caught up with her to find out more about her career and why she believes mentoring is such an important part of developing your role in hospitality.
How did you get into the hospitality industry? Where did it start for you?
As an actress since childhood, the world of hospitality was an obvious place to be in between jobs. At 18 I impulsively decided to fly the nest and move into a live-in gastro pub job in Islington as a waitress as my first 'real' job. Both rewarding and utterly terrifying, it laid the foundations of a 26-year career working in and running restaurants and pubs!
Do you think having access to mentors would have helped you in your career?
Absolutely, after leaving acting at 26 I got completely immersed in running a very busy pub in central London as a GM. Lots of what I did was trial and error and learning on the job. I made so many rooky mistakes and really learnt the hard way! Having a mentor would have been so helpful to run ideas through and also given me much-needed psychological support during what was a massively challenging period of my life.
Who would be your dream mentor?
I think someone who has a real passion for learning more about themselves and developing their career. I love learning from my mentees so it really can feel like an equal experience. It's amazing watching someone develop a deeper understanding of themselves, building confidence and direction.
What piece of advice would you give to your younger self coming into hospitality?
Get as much support as possible! Take breaks and don't burn the candle at both ends!!
Who has been a good mentor to you in your career so far?
I'm lucky to have made lots of friends in the industry along the way - they have been a constant source of support and guidance which I am so grateful for. I have learnt that reaching out for advice from more experienced people is the key to successfully navigating through challenges.
What is your best, worst or funniest hospitality story?
Ooh so many! I once had a power cut whilst in the middle of simultaneously running a wedding, a wake and a packed pub full of punters. I still get shivers thinking about it! It definitely perfected my crowd management skills that’s for sure!
What restaurant/bar/hotel/cage brand is worth keeping an eye on in 2023? What company do you think is doing really exciting things?
The Duke of Richmond in Hackney is owned by Tom Oldroyd. An absolutely fantastic local pub with the best steak and chips I've had in years! Fantastic service too. In lockdown, they provided meals for local families for free which was a huge support to the area.
Do you think you need higher education to be a success in the hospitality sector?
I think there is no rule as to what a person needs to come into hospitality. They just need to have a passion for the work, be empathetic and kind and be able to learn in what is both a challenging and rewarding industry.
Would you recommend others to do the mentoring programme? Both as mentees and mentors?
Definitely, I think a mentoring programme supports so many different areas of hospitality as a whole - the positive knock-on effect of the mentor/mentee relationship is huge both within teams and the wider public.