Glen Ford
Butler/ Chief of Staff/ General Manager
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About
Well-presented, responsible, ethical, and loyal professional with 36+ years experience
Managing people, workplace systems and technology to deliver agreed outcomes
Seeking a full-time employed role within businesses or households that value high standards, where my current general manager, previous managing director, house manager, and operations skills are assets.
Experience
Work Experience
Consultant General Manager
Newens The Original Maids of Honour - Kew Gardens
September 2023 to Present
- Reporting to the owners/ Finance Director & part-time Head office team
- Responsible for all aspects of three main businesses (Original Maids of Honour OMH/
Maids Hotel MH/ Maids at The National Archive TNA)
- OMH – fully hands on stabilisation of a very long standing, fast paced multichannel business.
(60 seat restaurant & kitchen, take-away shop, online shop, on-site bakery, on-site patisserie & infrequent external event catering).
- Urgent business triage (business accounts data analysis, reporting data systems review, supplier review, standardisation/ rationalisation/ GP review of all products and services, staff re-training, staff retention, new staff recruitment, continuous staff morale management/ brand image harmonisation).
- Urgent seasonal project – create/ confirm all Christmas 2023 offerings for all sales channels/ GP reviews/ supervise multi-channel marketing
- MH – less problematic part of the business. (2 themed ensuite hotel rooms & 1
junior suite).
- Phase one - oversee and test introduction of multi-channel hotel management platform,
ongoing iterations.
- Phase two - explore strategies to increase room rate & occupancy
- Phase three – develop a fully costed project plan to bring back on line, 2
ensuite guest rooms & 2 self contained 1 & 2 bedroom apartments)
- TNA – from time to time emergency hands-on management of the groups restaurant and external catering contract at The National Archive
Food and Beverage Supervisor
Audley Group - Sunningdale Hill - Ascot
June 2023 to September 2023
Audley Sunningdale Park is the Audley Group's premier luxury retirement village. Set within stunning historic park lands, the village has its own health club, library,
fine dining restaurant, private dining room, bistro, bar, large terrace and guest suites. The customers comprise of owners, who reside on site in their own private homes and the general public.
I worked as an integral part in the smooth running of all food and beverage outlets,
supervising the team to ensure that Audley Owners and External Customers have the highest quality of service and experience. Ensure the team adhere to legislative requirements such as COSHH, Fire safety, Health & Safety and Safeguarding of our owners. Maintaining high standards of comfort, cleanliness and hygiene.
- Day to day delivery of a 5* hotel experience
- Managing till programming, online booking, payment handling procedures, stock, waste management, par level control, rotas and all unexpected duty manager duties.
- Delivering excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Self-motivated and driven by standards and sales opportunities.
- Excellent organisation skills with the ability to prioritise and produce creative solutions.
- Hands on and flexible approach in order to be able to carry out a variety of tasks to the need of the village.
House Manager/ Butler/ Chief of Staff
Private household - London
March 2020 to June 2023
Ran the domestic operations for a busy family. 3 UK residences, 3 generation household.
Principle couple, adult children & grand-child
- Recruiting, training, supervising, scheduling, discipline of all domestic staff roles; 4 housekeepers, 1chauffeur, 2 chefs, 1 nanny, 1 gardener, 1 general handyman
- Planning, organisation, and delivery of all day to day and food and beverage needs,
including but not limited to breakfast, lunch and dinner, more formal entertaining events and regular larger events with caterers, entertainment etc.
- Covering all roles during staff rota days, absences, illness, holidays
- Recruiting, supervising, scheduling, and project management all external contractors including: A/C,
IT, Landscapers, mechanics, architects, builders, plumbers, electricians
- Recruiting, supervising, scheduling, and project management of various event designers and catering companies
Managing Director/ Owner The Inventory Company UK LTD - London
September 1996 to February 2021
Specialist full-service House Management services company catering exclusively to UHNW clientele
- A successful, highly respected firm
- Servicing London based client households
- Recruiting, training, supervising, scheduling and discipline of domestic household staff roles: housekeepers, chauffeurs, chefs, gardeners, and handy-persons
- Referral, supervising, and project management of property management contractors including, AC, heating and hot water engineers, IT, telecoms, landscapers, mechanics,
builders, plumbers & electricians • Referral, supervising, and project management of specialist event designers and catering companies • Managed daily business delivery processes, customer satisfaction, staff satisfaction, technology efficiencies, brand reputation, business/ margin profitability
Stewarding Assistant Manager The Dorchester Hotel UK - London
February 1995 to September 1996
The stewarding department maintains the kitchens, pantries and service areas of the hotels’ Food and Beverage operations, including several thousand pieces of kitchen,
restaurant and banqueting inventory and furniture. Predominately co-ordinating the logistics of cleaning, waste management, planned maintenance, health and safety compliances. Maintaining exacting standards and daily financial budgets
- 3 restaurants, 5 kitchens, 3 bars, room service and 4 function rooms
- Working within a team of 4 assistant managers and 1 head of stewarding to cover 24
hours per day,365 days per year
- Working closely with food and beverage management, restaurant managers, banqueting managers, hotel security and many contracted specialised service providers
- Recruiting, training, supervising, scheduling, and discipline of 30+ stewards
- Annual review of specialist service providers (waste management systems, commercial catering machines, extractor grease trap maintenance, Halo fire suppression systems)
Assistant Restaurant Manager The Langham, Hilton International Hotel UK - London
December 1992 to February 1995
Opening of the exclusive private dining room concept restaurant.
- took up the international placement as my final year experience requirement of
Hilton International,
4 year International Hotel Management degree
- 36 seat capacity. 2 chefs, 3 room staff
- catering to the highly individual needs of exclusive luncheons, dinning club events,
celebrity guest chef dining experiences
Chef de rang The San Francisco Grill, Sydney Hilton International Hotel - Sydney NSW
March 1987 to December 1992
Premium silver service, CBD, grill restaurant within the 5-star, Sydney Hilton
International Hotel. World famous reputation for traditional French, table cooking
(steak tartare, Caesar salad, flambé steaks, garlic prawns, beef fillet with green pepper sauces, crepes, sabayon, strawberries Romanoff) and trolley service (roast prime-rib beef, hand carved Scottish smoked salmon, handmade bread & 2 dessert trolleys).
Alongside fresh, daily, locally sourced oyster menu, flame grilled meats.
Walk-in wine cellar. Walk-in humidor. Walk-in Cognac cellar.
- started as commis waiter
- continuous internal and external training to gain, chef de rang position
- Food and beverage Olympics, 1991. Silver medal
- 130 seat capacity. 15 chefs, 30 waiting staff
Education
Education
Bachelor's degree, International Hospitality Management
1989 to 1992