In this episode of the Titans of Foodservice Podcast, Nick speaks with Guy Rigby, VP of Food & Beverage for Four Seasons in the Americas. Guy shares his journey in the luxury hotel industry, from starting as a receptionist at the Ritz Hotel in London to working in Houston, Tokyo, Bangkok, and New York. He also shares his insights on the importance of customer service, the challenges of managing food and beverage operations in luxury hotels, and the impact of technology on the industry. 

QUOTES

• “I think the most important thing is to have a passion for the business. You've got to love what you do, and you've got to be passionate about it. And if you're not, then you're in the wrong business." -Guy Rigby [22:02]

• “I wanted all of the restaurants to be relevant. I wanted them to be fun, I wanted them to be busy, and I wanted them to be connected to the community. I wanted them to serve fantastic food and have a great beverage list. And, most importantly, I wanted them to make money and be successful. And so that became a mission statement that all the restaurants had to be relevant, fun, busy, connected to the community, serve great food, but most of all be profitable.” -Guy Rigby [34:23]

TIMESTAMPS

01:28 Guy's background and how he got into the food and beverage industry

10:27 The importance of teamwork 

20:19 Surrounding yourself with exceptional people and the importance of employee culture

25:30 Importance of global experience for Four Seasons employees

34:23 Concept-driven design and specialized restaurant designers 

46:59 Importance of passion and commitment in the hospitality industry

RESOURCES

Portillo Sales

CONTACT 

Nick: nick.portillo@portillosales.com

Guy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-rigby-0345b7b/?originalSubdomain=ca