Michael Bremner's guest appearances

Michael Bremner

Humans of Hospitality

Mark Lewis

Rick Stein

Helen Browning

Jonathan Downey

David Sax

Rob Wilson

Jack Stein

Ben Jackson

Gary Jones

Tim Hall

Hamish Martin

Chris Davies

Mark Hix

Karen Richards

Ben Tish

OwlTail

There seems to have been a bit of recognition this week in just how long the hospitality sector is going to be effected by this crisis.  First in and last out seems to pretty much be the case.  That’s tough news to process for many operators, but we are a resilient and creative bunch.  Much of people’s headspace is now moving from how do we close, minimise outgoings, furlough and pay the team, to what on earth does re-opening look like.  And if we can’t re-open how do we pivot and do something to pay both the personal mortgages and business costs until we can re-open viably. This weeks guest is  Michael Bremner.  Chef and winner of Great British menu, and owner of two restaurants in Brighton.  Michael was incredibly honest and reflective in our chat. It can be tricky as a business leader to walk the tight rope of staying positive and motivated and wanting to say the right things for our team and our customers, whilst also being realistic enough to understand that we are not instantaneously going to return to normal when lockdown is over. I think overall Michael and I believe we will ultimately keep and open our businesses in some guise…it’s just the time period that is the variable.  And that’s some of what we chat about.

There seems to have been a bit of recognition this week in just how long the hospitality sector is going to be effected by this crisis.  First in and last out seems to pretty much be the case.  That’s tough news to process for many operators, but we are a resilient and creative bunch.  Much of people’s headspace is now moving from how do we close, minimise outgoings, furlough and pay the team, to what on earth does re-opening look like.  And if we can’t re-open how do we pivot and do something to pay both the personal mortgages and business costs until we can re-open viably. This weeks guest is <a href="https://humansofhospitality.co.uk/episode/033-michael-bremner-bbc-great-british-menu-winner/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Michael Bremner</a>.  Chef and winner of Great British menu, and owner of two restaurants in Brighton.  Michael was incredibly honest and reflective in our chat. It can be tricky as a business leader to walk the tight rope of staying positive and motivated and wanting to say the right things for our team and our customers, whilst also being realistic enough to understand that we are not instantaneously going to return to normal when lockdown is over. I think overall Michael and I believe we will ultimately keep and open our businesses in some guise…it’s just the time period that is the variable.  And that’s some of what we chat about.

#078 CVIRUS SPECIAL - Michael Bremner - 64 Degrees

Getting to chat to Michael was awesome, like meeting my brother from another mother.  But he has a way cooler accent!  I share Michael's views on a great deal of issues around hospitality...not least his thoughts around reviews, tripadvisor and the like.  This really was an utterly delightful conversation. You may already know Michael from the BBC's Great British Menu programme.  In 2016 he did pretty well, getting to the finals. A year later, he went one better, winning the entire competition and the chance to prepare a banquet for Wimbledon Tennis Club.  Actually, Michael Bremner wasn't a stranger to preparing great food under the watchful gaze of the people just about to eat it. When he opened his first restaurant, 64 Degrees, in Brighton in 2013, he designed the restaurant so diners were just an arm's stretch away from the chefs. They could see the dishes coming together right in front of them. (The same early design also forgot about a bar: you'll hear how that turned out later!)  In the next hour you'll also discover how avoiding food envy has shaped Michael's award-winning menu...and how he and his partner Carla (who gets legendary status in this edition) had the wherewithal to open a second, very different restaurant only months after his marathon at Great British Menu. 

Getting to chat to Michael was awesome, like meeting my brother from another mother.  But he has a way cooler accent!  I share Michael's views on a great deal of issues around hospitality...not least his thoughts around reviews, tripadvisor and the like.  This really was an utterly delightful conversation. You may already know Michael from the BBC's Great British Menu programme.  In 2016 he did pretty well, getting to the finals. A year later, he went one better, winning the entire competition and the chance to prepare a banquet for Wimbledon Tennis Club.  Actually, Michael Bremner wasn't a stranger to preparing great food under the watchful gaze of the people just about to eat it. When he opened his first restaurant, 64 Degrees, in Brighton in 2013, he designed the restaurant so diners were just an arm's stretch away from the chefs. They could see the dishes coming together right in front of them. (The same early design also forgot about a bar: you'll hear how that turned out later!)  In the next hour you'll also discover how avoiding food envy has shaped Michael's award-winning menu...and how he and his partner Carla (who gets legendary status in this edition) had the wherewithal to open a second, very different restaurant only months after his marathon at Great British Menu.

#033 Michael Bremner - BBC Great British menu winner