10 Questions with Sian, our General Manager!
1. What made you want to become a General Manager?
I worked at our sister pub, The Chequers, for three and a half years alongside Jordan, as his Deputy. It’s a wonderful ‘home from home’ Gastro Pub – “the hub of Eversley”, and it really made me want to have a place of my own, that I could put my own mark on. It was definitely time to make the move from being a Deputy to a GM for me, and I’m glad I got the opportunity with a shiny new pub. It was something to get myself stuck into, as a challenge for myself, as sad as it was leaving the Chequers.
2. If you’re having a dinner party at home, what do you cook?
Call it a basic choice, BUT I would certainly serve some very yummy creamy blue cheese garlic mushrooms on toasted ciabatta with a balsamic glaze, followed by some juicy free-range duck breast, dauphinoise potatoes, honey roasted carrots, parsnips and beetroot with a sweet wine jus (the duck cooked pink of course).
3. If you got your dream job tomorrow, what would you be doing?
Dream Job (maybe not a permanent one) but I would love to work on a monkey/orangutan conservation in Sri Lanka or somewhere totally exotic, I would try not to steal one as a pet.
4. Any front of house annoyances?
Many, but it’s such an annoyance when we run out of something boozy on the bar! Everyone likes to craze over certain gins, and they go down so quickly. Luckily Silent Pool distillery isn’t that far away.
5. What’s your embarrassing work moment?
One Sunday, myself, a bowl of veg, gravy, and three of my team ended up on the floor in a messy gravy pile . It wasn’t pretty, and it definitely wasn’t deliberate. We now take more care when carrying food from the kitchen, and I have also learnt the lesson to not wear a white shirt on a Sunday. Ever.
6. What words of wisdom would you give any young General Manager starting out?
For any young General Manager starting out, whatever pub group /company it is with, make sure you have gained enough experience and taken everything on board. Make sure you have such a good supporting team and great leaders around you to bring out your best skill set, so you can lead by example, and further grow your career.
7. What attracted you to The Duke of Wellington?
From when I first came to look at the pub, I fell in love! The Duke of Wellington is beautiful and has lots of character and history about the place. The location is quaint, a cute peaceful village which is not too far from bigger towns, and also the size of the pub is perfect for me, manageable for my first role within Peach as a General Manager.
8. Anything you won’t eat?
There isn’t much I wont eat being a food lover, but I will not eat any type of liver, or any meat with lots of fat such as pork belly, call me fussy?
9. What’s your biggest achievement?
Biggest achievement, definitely will be the launch of The Duke. From the day we took over, through to the last few weeks has been tough, but so exciting and I cannot wait to see what the near future brings. I know this place will become “the best place in town” and be a great success, and I have such a good team doing it with me which I couldn’t be more grateful for.
10. And what makes you stay at Peach?
Four years this September I have been with Peach, and I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else, or in fact for ANY other pub group (or with any other people). I believe in their vision and ethos, it works. The support from everyone within the Peach team, the rewards, incentives and encouragement. There is room to grow and the possibilities are endless.
