Serena Moody’s grandad, Peter Dunenil, was a highly respected butcher who supplied London’s famous hotels, including the Savoy and the Ritz. But he kept his most precious culinary secret for his own family – wife, Pamela’s, legendary recipe for oxtail stew. This nostalgic memory of her own family gathered together around a happy table, bowls brimming with delicious stew, has played a key part in Moody’s successful career in hospitality.
‘The art of hospitality has always felt remarkably familiar to me. I have such a huge respect for those in the industry, as it is all centred around making people feel at home, looked after,’ she says, ‘the simple desire for someone to leave a restaurant or hotel happier than when they came.’
Moody, a Senior Consultant at Drayon Partners, specialises in the hospitality and consumer sectors. She began her career working for, amongst other places, the restaurant Fallow, an upmarket gastronomic temple in the heart of St James’s. From there, Moody progressed into search, becoming involved with staff recruitment at one of the venues she was working at. An experience that was something of an epiphany – ‘It made me realise it is the people I love in hospitality, and I preferred that side of the business to operations,’ she says.
Having served honourably on London’s foodie frontline, Moody has informed views on what it takes to build and sustain a successful top-end destination. ‘There are three or four key areas which combine to make up a top-quality restaurant or hotel,’ she says. ‘Firstly, authenticity, I’m used to working in luxury hospitality, but a perfect example of being genuinely authentic is a little place called Casse-Croûte, near London Bridge. They only have three starters, three mains and three desserts on the menu, and it's very French, but because it has such a strong and simple brand identity, people keep coming back.’
After that? Well, some sector leaders, Moody believes, fail to allow their senior teams to make fully autonomous decisions. ‘This is in relation to things like team structure, right down to little things like what napkins to use. Not only does it create a stagnant feeling in the organisation because personal progression is not viable, it also prevents the concept from evolving. In time, customers notice that.’
Flexibility comes next. ‘Hospitality can be an incredibly turbulent business model, vulnerable to external factors, being adaptable and patient to circumstances builds resilience and keeps the business agile.’
Finally, she says, ‘investing in good people is key. When staff feel valued by strong and experienced leaders they will stay on. And, in hospitality, more than any other sector, people are the brand. If they leave, over time, the special magic you had, the mysterious alchemy that comes together to make a place unique, leaves with them.’
When pushed, Moody lists JKS Restaurants, Artfarm, Maybourne Group, who own Clarridges, the Connaught, and the Berkeley, as well as her old alma mater, Fallow, as companies who do all of the above, and more. She’s also a fan of Danny Meyer’s concept of “Enlightened hospitality.” The Union Square Hospitality Executive Chairman’s famous philosophy of putting staff welfare before even customer satisfaction as the first building-block of a successful venue.
In an essay, George Orwell once described his ideal British pub. A fantasy inn with perfectly cellared beer and a crackling fire he named The Moon Under the Water. Here’s an idea for a restaurant I think George would like. It serves one dish only – oxtail stew. And is always popular with families, each gathered around a happy table, echoing with the babble of familiar conversation. We could call it Moody’s.