For Issue 09, we were honoured to speak with hospitality veteran, Jeremy King, who’s owned and managed some of London's most iconic restaurants including The Ivy, The Wolseley, Le Caprice, and J Sheekey to name a few. The humble restaurateur prides himself on being fuelled by positivity and discusses the importance of constantly trying to improve, maintaining business partnerships and the challenges he’s faced throughout his incredibly successful career. His passion for hospitality is clear - even if he did fall into the industry at the start - and we hope you enjoy reading his insightful words of wisdom as much as we did.
Where does your ambition come from?
My ambition comes from a simple motivation that whatever I do in life I like to do it to the best of my ability – or better!
After over 45 years in the hospitality industry, do you still have the same passion for it that you did at the start? And if so, how have you kept that fire burning?
Truth is I didn’t really have a passion for Hospitality at the start. I was never in this profession through vocation but because of a set of circumstances that resulted in me ‘falling’ into Hospitality – it chose me rather than the contrary. I even looked at the possibility of doing something else and leaving the industry but the longer I remained the greater my passion became. I am now happily ensconced and acutely aware that Hospitality offers more dimensions than most occupations – as long as you seek to make it so. Again I am motivated by the desire to make the most of whatever situation I find myself in and be fuelled by positivity – rather than the prevailing disposition many in Britain have towards negativity.
You’ve opened and sustained some of London’s most recognisable and iconic restaurants, what does it take to achieve success and longevity in this competitive industry?
Avoiding the real threats to longevity which so often trip up restaurateurs: – hubris, arrogance and complacency. The understanding that unless we constantly attempt to improve and develop we will fall behind.
You’ve mentioned the importance of being a restaurateur rather than just a restaurant owner, working on the floor and frequenting each venue. Why is this so essential?
The easy way to be a ‘restaurateur’ is to do it the hard way. Restaurant ‘owners’, as opposed to Restaurateurs, are often found sitting in Boardrooms or at the dining table and lose touch with the ramifications of Boardroom decisions that often take both staff and customers for granted. If you look at the world of retail the real icons and international stars are the ones who still inhabit the shop floor – Sir Paul Smith being pre-eminent.
You’ve been working with your business partner, Chris Corbin, for nearly 40 years now. What’s your secret to maintaining such a long standing powerful partnership?
We learnt from each other and trusted each other and our motivations - even if we disagreed over something. If partners have conflicting views the secret is to first look at the virtue in the other’s argument rather than try to prove it wrong. There needs to be the trust that if there is disagreement the contrary view is derived from a desire to find the best solution rather than force your solution. Often the best resolution is actually a hybrid of differing views.
If you could snap your fingers and implement any changes in the hospitality industry, what would they be?
1) The removal of Service Charge – sounds easy but is incredibly complicated and endangers staff earnings unless legislation changes
2) For the Government to finally recognise our importance to the economy and give us a Minister for Hospitality
3) The removal of immigration restriction for Hospitality workers – in fact all workers from the EU and the Commonwealth
Your industry has changed tremendously since you started out. How do you continue to adapt and navigate it?
Thank God that it has. It was a very dark place when we first started. Private restaurants were often peopled by a shadowy workforce with no career prospects who were paid by cash and constantly on the run from the taxman; no chance of a mortgage, pension, life insurance or even real respectability. Often deeply male and misogynistic with an underlying tension and an unhealthy relationship between ‘kitchens and floor’. We set out to make this a respectable and aspirational industry and thanks to our European workforce we learnt how to achieve this and elevate the standing of London and indeed Britain on the world culinary stage’. The task endures!
Which of your ventures has the biggest learning for you and why?
I think it has to be The Wolseley. I remember when Le Caprice was celebrating its 25 year anniversary – after we had sold it and were three years into The Wolseley – and Chris asked me whether I regretted selling Caprice Holdings. I told him that I didn’t because I didn’t think we would have created The Wolseley if we hadn’t sold - and in many ways it has to be our greatest challenge and achievement. I remember running into a friend on Piccadilly not long after the opening and them asking “How’s the new baby?” and I thought that he was being literal and then realised he meant The Wolseley…. I told him that if we were using that analogy we needed to think in terms of twins or triplets – from which, as any parent knows, there is little respite.
Many a restaurateur would say to me that they were going to do the same as The Wolseley – but they didn’t – and saved themselves grey hair like mine! I think we all aspired to recreate the continental Brasserie/Grand Café but it hadn’t previously transpired – sadly a genre of restaurant now hard to find on mainland Europe – but the most gratifying because it allows us to be whatever the customer wants of us rather than us prescribing. What I love about the Grand Cafés is that they are comparatively egalitarian - you give clients the opportunity to spend, but it isn’t mandatory and thus does not preclude the less affluent. It is important to remember that often the most interesting customers who bring the life and soul to a place are those spending the least.
What would you tell your younger self who was just starting out?
Never ever relinquish 100% control of your destiny
What’s been the greatest risk you’ve ever taken?
In truth buying Le Caprice. We had a fairly disastrous start with a backer and it all went wrong. The risk was persuading Chris that nevertheless we should start again and try and buy it outright. We achieved that thanks to my parents putting their house up as collateral – nothing has subsequently come close to that much risk!
If you had a microphone and the whole world was listening, what would you say?
I eschew ever swearing but I think the realisation of the enormity of that proposition might initially elicit the word “Fuck”! I might go on by saying “I would like you to take a leap of faith and see what rewards would be achieved if we are kind to each other, trust each other and remember that we are all equal and deserving of the same rights.” Trouble is I am afraid that the world wouldn’t listen – too many of us appear to be irredeemably selfish and narcissistic.
Where will Jeremy King’s ambition take him next?
Hopefully happiness and the elusive self-fulfilment
Thank you so much to Jeremy for taking the time to share his story with us. Subscribe down below to get AMBITION sent direct to your inbox, every month!
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