Patrick Harbour
Company:
Harbour & Jones Ltd.
Job title:
Director
How did you get into the sector:
I started my career in hotels and then went to work for a Royal Family in the Middle East. When I came back to work in the UK I had the opportunity to work with Prue Leith who as well as running the cookery school, event catering and a restaurant also ran prestigious sites such as the QE11 Conference Centre in Westminster. She was a great boss who took a chance on someone who had never worked in this sector but I learnt quickly and here I am still!
What do you enjoy about your role:
I enjoy the fact that every day is different. We are fortunate to have many and various sites, from our restaurant in St Paul’s Cathedral to a leading British fashion house and I enjoy the variety that brings. I enjoy the fact that food is still a huge part of my day, I work with our sales team to create the food stories for our sales pitches and can’t wean myself off seeing our menus for events and watching the seasons change through our offerings in our restaurants and cafes – as much as our chef team would prefer me not to!
Career low:
Working for a contract catering company that would offer the earth to get the job but as the operator it was impossible to deliver the service for the price the client had been promised. I felt on the whole it lacked integrity and poisoned the relationship between the client and the caterer.
What are your plans for the next year:
We are currently looking to move from our offices in Long Acre to a larger building to accommodate our ever increasing team and we have some great plans to celebrate HM The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee at St Paul’s Cathedral and not to mention elements we are involved in with the London Olympics!
What was the biggest break of your career:
I think working for the Jordanian Royal family. Not only was this the most amazing experience but I am sure that seeing this on a CV opened doors for me long after I had left the Middle East
What are you most proud of in your career:
I am very proud of Harbour & Jones. We started nine years ago with just the two of us and one site and have grown the business every year. We now have 41 sites and employ 600 staff. I am also proud of the relationships we have with our clients, to date we have never lost a contract other than those that have closed or been acquired and we work hard to maintain what we said we would do and continually improve!
What advice would you give to people keen to progress in the industry:
I would say work hard, it’s a tough business but the success it can bring you, if you are prepared to roll your sleeves up, can be huge and immensely rewarding.
Who inspires you:
Chris Corbin and Jeremy King of The Wolseley. They are driven about food and service and attention to detail and I think this is why they have been so consistently successful and something in which I aspire our teams in H&J to be.
What do you do in your downtime:
I have an allotment which gives me pleasure and frustration in equal parts. I also love to cook and enjoy ploughing through cook books and trying out new things. I’m going through an Indian food phase at the moment and find the different spices and ways of creating dishes to be really exciting.
What question do you always ask in interviews:
I have no standard question , it depends on the role we’re recruiting. If we’re looking for a chef though I always insist that they make me an omelette.
Tips that have made you a success:
Work hard, don’t be afraid to take risks, make decisions.