The Birmingham Hospitality Association Awards, happening on Friday 18th October 2024 at The Grand, promises to be the highlight of the year, showcasing the very best from the region’s hospitality industry.
The People’s Choice category is entirely in your hands, with the winner decided by public vote. This year, six exceptional nominees are in the running, and it’s up to you to select the 2024 winner.
Voting is now open and closes at midnight on Tuesday 8th October, and the winner of People’s Choice will be announced on the night of the Awards at The Grand.
Dan is a fantastic and worthy nomination for the People’s Choice award within Birmingham. We are so proud of what Dan delivers for us on a daily basis, but also the wider networking he does within the bartenders of Brum scene!
Dan has worked with us at The Grand for over two years now, starting out as our Head Mixologist before moving into the role of Assistant Bar Manager and now heading up the Madeleine Team as the Bar Manager. Dan’s creativity knows no limits and I am so proud of Dan and the way he engages his team to not only deliver excellent food and drink but also how the narrative of this is thought out and delivered to guests in a story telling manner which elevates the offering to another level. One of the highlights that Dan led within the team was the story of French Patisserie coming to life in Cocktail Form, also complimented by the seasonal afternoon tea. This was not only incredibly tasty, but really exported the guests to the cobbled streets of Paris from the moment they arrived.
As well as the daily operations, Dan has also really invested in his team’s development and has supported one of the longest standing team members to take on, and achieve his first accreditation through an NVQ. He has also led the team to success by achieving more awards in 2024 than any other single department of The Grand Hotel. Under his leadership, Madeleine was awarded an Afternoon Tea of Excellence Award for 2024, achieved Hotel Bar of the Year at the Midlands Food and Hospitality Awards and Hotel Bar of the Year at the annual BAB Awards. These well-deserved awards are a testament to Dan and the quality and service he drives through his team every day.
Dan has also initiated and led an innovative collaboration with Orelle Restaurant which saw the takeover of the bars during a weekend in August to further demonstrate our community spirit within Birmingham, as well as driving forward the commercial viability of the hotel and specifically Madeleine Bar. Dan has operated the Garden Terrace with a Madeleine Bar pop up on many occasions throughout the summer also, as he acknowledged people wanting a Madeleine experience whilst enjoying the sunshine.
Alongside all of this, Dan has also been personally listed in the Top 100 Bartenders for the World Class Great Britain 2024.
Dan is widely networked in the city of Birmingham and is the first person to go out of his way to support the hotel, a colleague or indeed the wider industry and community. Dan spearheads so many initiatives to continue the growth of Madeleine Bar and The Grand Hotel and are excited to watch him continue going from strength to strength!! |
Every business should have a Dave Constable! Over the past year, and indeed every year, he has consistently demonstrated qualities that truly set him apart within our business, making him a deserving candidate for this special recognition. Dave is a remarkable individual who has not only excelled in his role but has also made a lasting impact on our team and guests. One of the most significant ways he has stood out through this year has him naturally stepping up when we were without a maintenance manager for 6 weeks. Dave, knowing we were in the planning stages of a major refurbishment, dropped everything when we needed measurements, answered queries, showed contractors around and all while completing his own job as an engineer. Made even more remarkable as we were also another engineer down at this point. Queries came through from the contractors about some ceilings and Dave, even though he was concierge during our last refurbishment, could answer all of them, explaining why some ceilings were like they were and why and this helped massively with costs. But what it showed me was that Dave has always had the interests of the hotel in the forefront of his mind, taking interest in things many years ago, not knowing he would end up as asst maintenance manager! Once we had recruited a maintenance manager, we had to persuade Dave to take the asst maintenance manager role as he still thought he wasn’t worthy! His knowledge is unbelievable on the hotel, its history and its quirks! He has been a massive support to his new manager but also to me starting as GM 2 ½ years ago and indeed to all new team members. He works tirelessly and with a smile. He follows service engineers when they come in and asks them every question, so he improves his own understanding and help his learning. Even with all this going on Dave has shown so much support and consideration to a fellow colleague who was going through a personal crisis. The colleague suddenly found himself with days to find a new home after issues at home. The colleague, who struggles with legal documents had nothing to worry about as Dave stepped him and helped him through it. He helped book appointments for viewings and took his fellow worker to the viewings and when they found the right one helped with the paperwork, bank, insurance etc. He also helped with the move but more importantly has been a huge support for this colleague. He has been a shoulder to cry on, a motivating force in showing them life goes on and instrumental in helping the colleague find happiness with a soul mate. So not only is he dependable, he is Cilla black! Dave, always volunteers if there is a problem, has popped in on his day off as he was passing, just wanting to check in with new team member as it was his first weekend shift on his own. He never looks for praise, thanks or even acknowledgement he just does it. What makes Dave, truly deserving of the People’s Choice award is not just his accomplishments, but the way he connects with others. He has an innate ability to inspire and uplift those around him.Whether it’s through a simple act of kindness, going out of his way to help a colleague, or creating a memorable experience for our guests, Dave embodies the values and spirit that make our hotel a special place to work. In summary, Dave, has made a truly outstanding contribution to our business over the past year. His hard work, resilience, and positive attitude have not only elevated our team but have also left a lasting impression on everyone he has interacted with. For these reasons, I believe Dev Constable is the perfect candidate for the “People’s Choice” award, and I wholeheartedly nominate him for this honour. |
After a distinguished career across various hospitality roles across Birmingham and the West Midlands, Gareth Jones joined Moxy Birmingham NEC and immediately began making an indelible mark. His vast experience became his superpower as he seamlessly embraced the multi-skilled nature of the Moxy Crew Member role and quickly established himself as a key player in every aspect of our team. While Gareth excelled in reception—garnering countless guest accolades and becoming a firm favourite with our regulars—his true passion and expertise shone brightest in our Food and Beverage area.
After the pandemic, as the hotel thrived and demand skyrocketed, it became clear that we needed specialised talents in key areas, particularly in the kitchen. Recognising this, Gareth stepped up to become our dedicated Hotel Cook, taking charge of our all-day dining Moxy B&F zone, managing the kitchen, and training the team. However, he was not content with the status quo. He saw untapped potential in our menu and took it upon himself to reimagine our offerings.
With an innovative spirit, Gareth meticulously crafted a new menu that not only delighted guests but also suited our kitchen’s unique capabilities. He engaged with staff, and more importantly, our customers and guests, to ensure that each dish resonated with them, adapting on the fly to meet individual needs. A shining example of his dedication occurred when a guest with multiple allergies wanted to dine with us. Rather than turn them away, this was no challenge to Gareth who personally sat down with the guest, reviewing each ingredient to guarantee both a safe and delicious meal—an effort that earned heartfelt gratitude from the guest.
Beyond culinary creativity, Gareth has been an invaluable mentor to the wider Moxy Hotels team. He leads hands-on training sessions ensuring consistency and excellence in the food & beverage department, even in his absence, and has been recognised by both the hotel’s management company, Hotel Co 51, and Marriott International. His commitment to pushing himself, his team, and the hotel’s food & beverage offering has led to a significant uplift in our Food and Beverage performance, driving our spend by over £4 per room up from the same time the previous year — a true testament to his influence, and impact on our business.
Recently crowned Marriott’s Crew Member of the Year (out of 130 worldwide Moxy Hotels!), Gareth is continually striving for more; constantly challenging himself and inspiring those around him. His impact on our business, and with his peers, as well as his local, national and international colleagues, has been nothing short of transformative. Gareth truly is an extraordinary candidate for the People’s Choice Award
Kotryna works in F&B at HGI Birmingham and her passion for training alongside her motivation to learn have secured her two promotions within the last 12 months; last year to Supervisor and then more recently to Assistant F&B Manager in June.
Kat is one of the leaders of our ‘make a difference’ guest initiative, whereby we share guest stories where the team have gone over and above to turn around a guest experience. Kat has won this monthly title two separate times over the last 12 months, and is often responsible for pushing the rest of the F&B team to initiate and share stories. Her efforts have helped to push our Tripadvisor ranking over 20 places higher in 2 years, along with achieving more than 80% in our breakfast and restaurant scores for 2024 so far. (6th in Valor). Examples of her stories are in the evidence.
Kotryna is our training champion and most recently put herself forward as leader of the F&B skills training initiative, our coffee champion and our upselling champion. She is always the first to volunteer to drive a new initiative and the time and effort she puts into training others Is outstanding. Recently she arranged a cocktail masterclass for all employees across the hotel, and 12 people from different departments came to the session at the bar.
Kotryna is a mentor to several more junior team members, and has helped fellow team member Eshaa become promoted to supervisor earlier this year. She also has taken an active role in mentoring our interns through a programme with the local council. We have supported three young people with learning disabilities in the restaurant and bar and each time Kat has been responsible for their training and support.
For Christmas 2023, the hotel secured 500 more covers than 2022, delivering 1700 covers in our restaurant and executed brilliant with multiple repeat parties already secured. Kotryna was one of our Christmas ‘champions’ and a key part of this solid execution. She was the main trainer for all of the new casual employees in preparing them to deliver Christmas brilliantly.
Kotryna is very self motivated and never afraid to introduce new ideas and initiatives to drive revenue. This has included a bottled water project whereby she created a competition for the F&B team, with a prize for the top water seller. (in evidence)
Lastly, she is a dedicated and passionate duty manager, always willing to step in and help other departments and going over and above for guests. In May she was involved in a very traumatic incident at the hotel, during which a guest had a heart attack in our gym and needed CPR. Kotryna was the first on the scene and bravely gave first aid which ultimately saved the guest’s life, and the testimonial from the guest and their colleagues is in the evidence submitted.
Thanks to all her efforts, Kotryna has now been promoted to manager and I know she will continue to drive her team to success.
Matty is a remarkable candidate for the People’s Choice Award at the Birmingham Hospitality Association Awards. His rapid ascent in the hospitality industry, marked by achieving a Head of Department (HOD) role at just 20, highlights his exceptional talent and dedication. At The Grand Hotel, Matty has continually expanded his responsibilities, achieving two promotions within just six months.
Matty’s leadership now spans a wide range of critical operations, including managing all meetings, events, banquets, weddings, individual and group reservations, and entertainment groups. His strategic mindset and proactive initiatives have driven significant financial success for the hotel, contributing to revenues of £16.1 million for the coming year and exceeding 2023’s budget by nearly £500,000. Matty’s excellent communication skills and his ability to explain both successes and challenges in board reviews, HOD meetings, and commercial meetings further underscore his capability.
His focus on both revenue generation and cost-saving measures, such as implementing a new CRM system, QR-based drinks ordering platform, and a troubleshooting contact centre, has not only enhanced guest experiences but also improved internal efficiency and profit conversion. Matty’s commitment to excellence is evident not only in his own work but in the cultur, he fosters across his team and the entire hotel. His attention to detail in quality, service, revenue maximization, and team relations is truly admirable.
Matty’s achievements were recognised in 2024 when he was awarded an Acorn Award as one of the top 30 under 30 in the industry. His outstanding contributions make him a deserving candidate for the People’s Choice Award.
Sarah Jane has been an invaluable member of our team since July 2018, serving as a Food & Beverage Supervisor in our main restaurant. Her dedication to living the Hilton Values is evident in her daily interactions with guests, consistently going above and beyond, regardless of how busy she is. Sarah Jane’s exceptional memory for faces and her warm, personal greetings have endeared her to our regular guests, who fondly refer to being “Sarah stamped” with her trademark red lipstick. Her ability to make children feel welcome and at ease, along with their parents, is remarkable. She goes the extra mile for guests celebrating special occasions, arranging cakes, “bubbles”, or teddy bears, and singing happy birthday to create memorable experiences. No task is too challenging for Sarah Jane, who takes pride in brightening the mornings of even the grumpiest guests. Her infectious smile and nature have garnered numerous positive mentions in guest feedback, highlighting how she enhances their stay. Despite facing personal tragedy with the loss of her partner and a subsequent PTSD diagnosis, Sarah Jane has shown incredible resilience. She continues to spread her positive energy and has become a vital member of our Mental Health First Aid Team, offering support and understanding to both team members and guests in need. Sarah Jane’s impact extends beyond her immediate duties. She has secured business events through her genuine, bubbly interactions with potential clients. Her kindness even extends to our four-legged guests, whom she walks around the hotel (often taking a sausage with her for a doggy treat), ensuring their owners can enjoy breakfast in peace in the restaurant. Her organisational skills and high standards are reflected in the team’s performance and the positive feedback we receive about the breakfast experience. Sarah Jane is a true asset to our hotel, embodying the essence of hospitality. Once you’ve met her, you will never forget her, as she leaves a lasting mark on your heart. |