THEIR HOSPITALITY

Roberta Hall-McCarron – Owner and Head Chef at The Little Chartroom and Eleanore Restaurants

Roberta knew exactly what she wanted to do from a very early age, she loved food and after a week’s work experience in a kitchen, she fell in love with the idea of being a chef. She went to food college, followed by various jobs over Scotland, North England and Dubai, honing her craft and soaking up as much knowledge as she could about culture and food.

She speaks fondly of her time in Dubai saying, “I had no commitments, and it was such a great opportunity. I had a blast and met some incredible people as well as opening my eyes to the world through working with people of different nationalities.”

When she returned, she began working with Tom Kitchin at The Kitchin in Edinburgh where she says, “I learnt so, so much. I wanted to stay and just try and soak up as much as I could, so I did, for 3 and half years, until I moved onto Castle Terrace with Dominic Jack where I stayed for over 6 years.”

It was there she met her husband, Shaun, the restaurant manager. They left together at the same time, and after a short stint in Cambridgeshire they moved back to Edinburgh and in 2018 opened their own place ‘The Little Chartroom’. Says Roberta, “I just wanted it to be a small restaurant that was really friendly, with tasty food. A typical neighbourhood restaurant. We moved premises about a year and a half ago, but we still have the original site which is now Eleanore Restaurant and Wine Bar.”

Roberta achieved further success on TV’s ‘Great British Menu’ by winning and taking her fish course ‘Maxwell’s Colour Wheel’ to the banquet. She told me, “I was so happy, it was an amazing time and the effect it had on the business was incredible. Plus, the support I got from locals was just really touching.”

Roberta is such an inspirational figure for young female chefs, so I wanted to know what advice she had, she says, “I would say you have to work hard but you need to enjoy that work, have a clear goal in your head and try not to stray from it. If you feel you aren’t getting what you need, you need to speak up. It’s important to stick at jobs for at least a year or 2 so that you get the full package of learning, but at the same time you need to be getting something back.

“I also think it’s important to travel and move around to experience different kitchens and cuisines – that’s what keeps things inspiring and interesting. Soak everything up, ask questions and don’t take everything too seriously, you need be having fun and looking forward to going to work.”

It is also very important for Roberta to champion other female chefs and women in the trade. She added, “There are so many more females in this industry now than there was 10 years ago, and that’s really encouraging. We bring balance to kitchens and a light, feminine elegant touch. I think kitchens work best when they have both male and female chefs.

“Sally Abe (fellow chef) organised this incredible day for International Women’s Day in London this year and asked me to come down and talk at it. It featured women from all different sectors of hospitality talking about different things. She’s really driven with pushing forward women in hospitality and just trying to get the numbers up. What she is trying to do for us in the industry is just incredible. She’s amazing. There is loads of stuff to be excited about and positive stuff happening.”

Christine began her career in a call centre at First Direct Bank and quickly realised her ability and passion for sales. After owning her own business and jobs in varying industries, she decided to make the move to the drinks industry in 2019 as a Sales Manager for Bestway Batley’s. It is here that she has become a force to be reckoned with throughout Glasgow and surrounding areas, increasing the company’s presence immeasurably.

She has a real enthusiasm for people and hospitality telling me,“I just like socialising and meeting different people. I worked in a bar years ago and I loved it, so I’ve always had an interest in the hospitality - I like to hear people’s stories! I didn’t want a job in an office, I wanted to be out there meeting people and making a difference.

“In sales you need to be able to listen, never doubt yourself and always ask questions. You know what’s out there, what’s next? Hospitality is about forming relationships with people, so they like you and want to help you. My best advice would be to enjoy it, enjoy every minute that you possibly can because it’s a great industry.”

Christine approaches her job as not just sales, but one that builds relationships with brands and people so that it benefits each customer. She explains, “If the brands and I are working together customers can phone me up and I can make suggestions to them and put them in touch with reps that can offer brand support – it’s offering that extra service. It’s not just about looking after new customers. We look after all customers.”