What It Takes with Olly Fawcett

Martyn Odell has had one of the most interesting careers that we have had on the show. From being the lead in a live nudity comedy show as a 20 year old, to working inside Joe Wick's Bodycoach business, and now taking on the global issue of food waste. There isn't much that Martyn hasn't yet done! But how can someone like Martyn achieve so much, and continue to balance the scales of life, work and pure passion? We tried to find out. Follow Marytn: https://www.youtube.com/@UC2qIX8cVL5LY0ZqTz7BjMNg https://www.tiktok.com/@lagomchefhttps://www.instagram.com/lagomchef/ Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pchttps://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/

Elliott Grover joined us to share his incredible journey through the restaurant world. After leaving Cornwall at 15, he worked his way up to become Executive Chef at The Cut, Britain's best steak restaurant, while also creating the menu for The Oscars. He began at The Ivy, moved to Le Caprice during its prime, and spent eight years at London's famous seafood spot, Scott's. After running ten restaurants at The Ned and heading up Duck & Waffle, he was selected by Wolfgang Puck to lead the kitchen at 45 Park Lane and oversee the food for The Oscars.From Britain's finest kitchens, Elliott serves up amazing stories about food, leadership, and life in top restaurants. Follow Elliot & 45 Park Lane: https://www.instagram.com/elliottgrover/?hl=en https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliott-grover-8a175a51/ https://www.instagram.com/45parklane/?hl=en Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/ CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to Elliot Grover 01:20 Growing Up Watching Rick Stein 03:00 16th Birthday in Le Caprice Kitchen 04:05 Career Move: Relocating to London 06:00 Inside Le Caprice 07:15 Elliot's First Day at Le Caprice 10:00 Working with Chef Lee Bull 15:16 Transition to Scott's Restaurant 17:08 Leadership in the Kitchen 19:00 Eight Years at Scott's: Lessons from a Long-Term Chef Position 24:30 Kitchen Management: How to Look After Your Culinary Team 30:00 Key Factors in Successful Kitchen Team Management 31:15 Public Misconceptions Of The Kitchen 34:05 Trust in the Kitchen 35:30 Poor Management at The Ned and Nick Jones 38:00 Food Quality at Duck and Waffle 40:02 Dealing with Pressure in the Kitchen 44:00 Landing the Dream Job: Interviewing for Wolfgang Puck's Team 47:30 Working with a World-Renowned Chef, Wolfgang 49:38 The Wolfgang Puck Philosophy 51:00 Cooking for the Stars: Elliot's Experience at the Oscars 53:00 What It Takes to Be an Exceptional Chef

Marisa Poster, co-founder of PerfectTed, shares her journey from a challenging childhood in New York to launching a clean energy drink brand. Struggling with ADHD and anxiety, she found relief in matcha after realising caffeine worsened her symptoms. After moving to London, Marisa and her co-founders identified a gap in the market for quality matcha. Their appearance on Dragons' Den led to a partnership with Steven Bartlett, resulting in millions of orders overnight. Marisa discusses the overwhelming success they've experienced, achieving £1.4 million a month—far surpassing their initial forecast of £1 million a year by year three. Follow Marisa & Perfect Ted: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisa-poster/ https://www.instagram.com/perfecttedenergy/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/mposter/?hl=en https://www.youtube.com/@UCmyWvhJdwHbWn8A7BeqtaTw Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/

Alessandro Palazzi, the bartender behind Dukes Bar's famous martinis, has been honing his skills in London for over 15 years. With an impressive 46-year career that includes work in Italy, France, and the UK, Palazzi has become one of the world's top bartenders. How did this Italian-born drink maker become internationally renowned, and how does he continue to set the standard in the art of cocktails? Follow Alessandro Palazzi: https://www.instagram.com/alessandro_palazzi/?hl=en Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/ CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction: Meeting Alessandro Palazzi 02:00 Swifties Take Over London 03:00 Early Days: Growing Up in Rome 06:20 Discovering a Passion for Bartending 12:20 A New Chapter: Moving to Notting Hill at 17 13:59 Life as a Kitchen Porter 16:02 An Italian's Perspective on English Cuisine 19:58 The First Steps Behind the Bar 22:50 Parisian Adventures: Working at Georges V in the '80s 30:30 Back to London: Career Progression in the '80s 36:00 A Brief Return to Italy: Running a Restaurant & Wine Bar 37:50 The Ritz Years: Bartending in the '90s 47:09 Building the Perfect Bar Team 54:52 Notting Hill: Bartending at a Musicians' Boutique Hotel 1:02:00 The Great Eastern: Opening with Sir Terence Conran 1:08:00 The Rich History of Classic Cocktails 1:15:40 Making Experiences at Dukes Bar 1:18:30 Collaborating with Berry Brothers 1:23:00 The Perfect Martini 1:25:06 Loyalty to Dukes: 17 Years and Counting 1:28:00 What It Takes to be a Renowned Bartender

Jo Bird transitioned from Rankin Photography to a three-month adventure in Australia at 27. Upon her return, she became the Creative Lead for GymShark and Lounge, two of the UK's biggest brands. With her innovative approach, Jo played a key role in helping these brands break through in a competitive market. Now, she’s on a mission to establish her own personal brand after embracing new opportunities following redundancy. Follow Jo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justjobird?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app https://www.instagram.com/justjobird?igsh=MXdhM3RyMWJiNmIzZA== https://www.tiktok.com/@justjobird?_t=8pxkGlk51U1&_r=1 Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/ 00:00 Introduction to Jo Bird 02:00 Creativity in Jo's Family 04:20 Growing Up in Her Sister's Shadow 06:30 Limited Exposure to Creative Careers 09:30 Dropping Out of University 12:46 Moving to London for Work 17:00 Opportunity at Rankin's Studio 27:20 From Launch Party to Chicken Shop 32:00 Building a Creative Portfolio 34:30 Working with Jonathan Knowles 46:38 Joining GymShark as a Creative 58:30 Attracting Diverse Creative Talent 01:08:52 Headhunted by Lounge Underwear 01:17:24 Community-Building as Strategy 01:23:20 Work Culture at Lounge 01:29:20 Transitioning to Freelance Work

Tom Aikens first walked into a kitchen at 18, and never looked back since. Up until he won 2 Michelin stars at 26, he worked under some of the best chefs in the world including Pierre Koffman & Joël Robuchon. In this episode of What It Takes, we spoke about his journey to winning his first stars, how he got there and the challenges he had to face along the way. Follow Tom: https://www.instagram.com/tomaikens/?hl=en Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/

The Resturant industry is not for everyone, it demands a lot from those who want to be successful in it. One of the successes is Tom Booton, who first walked into a kitchen at 15, and now at 31 he is the Head Chef at the incredible Grill at The Dorchester. For a 32 year old, Tom has already seen his fair share of success and failures, but he always learns from them and keeps moving forward. Follow Tom: https://www.tiktok.com/@bootontom https://www.instagram.com/bootontom/?hl=en  @bootontom  Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/ 00:00 Introduction to Tom Booton's Chef Journey 02:04 Discovering Passion Through Work Experience 03:38 Becoming a Chef at Age 15 05:54 Overcoming Career Path Doubts 08:24 Succeeding Without Chef Qualifications 11:30 Career Sacrifices He Made in His Youth 16:30 Moving to London: A Career Decision 19:00 Chef Trial Shift Experience in London 25:30 Leaving The Westbury: The Reality Behind the 'Dream’ Job 29:20 Understanding Kitchen Operations 32:05 Embracing the Nordic Lifestyle: Working at Dill in Iceland 35:20 Gaining Experience in New York 39:30 Returning to London and Joining Dabbous 44:00 Career Journey with The Dorchester 54:07 Dealing with Trolling from Chefs 01:00:20 Economics of Running a Chef's Kitchen 01:02:50 Keys to Restaurant Success

Kym has now shot over 130 races for F1, across the globe. But he hasn't been doing it for his whole life, in fact he is relatively new to the world of F1. So what made him one of the best and most well known photographers in Formula 1, and what does it take to stay at the top of motorsport. Follow Kym: https://www.tiktok.com/@kymillmanf1?lang=en https://www.instagram.com/kymillman/ https://www.youtube.com/@UCZqNme_MY-jl_1ziSr2VMjA https://www.kymillman.com Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/

Laura is currently launching Monk, a revolutionary ice bath brand which as been in development for over 2 years. But this isn't Laura's first business, she has not only already sold a brand she started, but also been through the high AND lows of building something from scratch. Follow Laura & Monk: https://www.instagram.com/laurafullerton/ https://www.instagram.com/discovermonk/ Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/ 00:02:15 Mastering the Flow State 00:07:40 Account Executive Insights 00:09:15 Sink or Swim 00:14:90 Creative Director's Journey00:29:20 Entrepreneurship Challenges: Losing Friends While Building a Business 00:33:30 Building Laura's First Brand 00:36:10 Life Under NDA 00:42:25 Leaving Corporate Life for Entrepreneurial Passion 00:48:20 Cold Water Therapy Benefits: Enhancing Health and Wellness 00:53:00 Biohacking Explained00:58:32 Cold Water Immersion: Combating Anxiety and Depression Naturally 01:06:58 Branding Strategy 01:16:04 MONK Product Launch 01:19:00 Brewdog Founder James Watt's Mentorship 01:24:20 Stress Management: Effective Coping Mechanisms for Entrepreneurs 01:27:00 Training Your Body to Handle Pressure 01:28:02 Exit Strategy: Building a Business with the End in Mind

He was once almost about to be the new face of Versace, but then he became the face of M&S! Chris Baber has grafted his was into many amazing opportunities with the food world over the last few years, from winning TV show Yes Chef to working with Aston Martin on incredible projects. Chris has done it all, but how does a passionate home chef make it to the main stages? Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisbaber?igsh=NzN6bmVzanowNm5t https://www.tiktok.com/@chris_baber?_t=8nzl6p3VQiu&_r=1 Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/ Listen Here: 01:38 "Recognising What You Have Before It's Gone" 03:45 Balancing Career Path 04:45 Entrepreneurial From a Young Age 07:00 Self-Startup Culture 09:50 Business Ventures During A-Levels 13:09 Nearly Becoming the Face of Versace 16:06 Sharing Recipes Online and Building a Following 18:00 TV Debut: Being Invited to Compete on 'Yes Chef' 22:05 Relocating to London to Work In Mayfair 25:58 Overcoming Challenges in Professional Kitchens: A Chef's Perspective 29:35 Building an Online Community 34:30 Networking in the Food Industry: Meeting M&S Director 37:30 Working Relationship with Marks & Spencer 41:50 Networking for Success & The Power of Connections 44:30 Developing a Unique Chef Identity 50:15 Celebrity Chef Partnerships: Collaborating with Hexclad Cookware 53:57 When a Product Sells Itself 55:20 What Drives a Successful Chef 56:31 What It Takes to Be a Thriving Chef