Hospitality Meets... with Phil Street

Prepare. To. Be. Happy.
Returning to Hospitality Meets, Klaudia Mitura - work psychologist, L&D leader at the Science Museum Group, host of The Happiness Challenge podcast, author of The Alphabet of Happiness, and an actual Certified Chief Happiness Officer (yes, really) delivers one of the most uplifting, honest, and quietly powerful conversations we’ve ever recorded.
This episode is not about toxic positivity, pretending everything’s fine, or slapping a smile on life’s messier moments.
It’s about science backed happiness, micro habits, curiosity, resilience, and learning how to live with the noise in your head - not silence it.
It’s warm.
It’s funny.
It’s deeply human.
And it might just change how you think about happiness altogether.
In This Episode
Klaudia’s return to the podcast nearly four years on, and how life has unfolded since
Losing a job, being separated from family, rescheduling a wedding four times, a family cancer diagnosis… and why happiness still mattered
Why Klaudia decided to treat her life like a scientific experiment
What the science of happiness actually tells us
Why happiness isn’t a destination - it’s a starting point
The power of micro-habits and why 1% changes beat life overhauls
Why happiness fuels kindness, generosity, optimism and impact
The danger of “I’ll be happy when…” thinking
Why curiosity might be the most underrated life skill of all

Happiness, But Not the Cringey Kind
Klaudia is very clear on one thing:
This is not about toxic positivity.
It’s not about ignoring grief, stress, uncertainty, or the very real challenges of life and work.
It’s about acknowledging them and giving yourself the tools to cope, recover, and move forward.
As Klaudia explains, happiness:
Helps us regulate our nervous system
Makes us more resilient under pressure
Increases kindness, generosity and problem solving
Gives us the energy to face hard things, not avoid them

Or put simply:
Happiness doesn’t deny reality.
It helps you deal with it.
Stand-Out Quotes
“Happiness is not a destination. It’s a starting point”
“We regret not allowing ourselves to be happier”
“You can be going through something hard and still experience joy”
“Happiness fuels kindness. Without it, we can’t change anything”
“You don’t need a life overhaul - you need small habits, done consistently”
Why Listen
This episode is for you if:
You’re tired of overcomplicating happiness

This week on Hospitality Meets, Phil sits down with Dulcie Swanston, bestselling author, executive coach, leadership trainer, neuroscience and psychology “magpie,” and one of the clearest thinkers you’ll ever meet in hospitality.
Dulcie’s career spans 23 years at Bass PLC / Mitchells & Butlers, senior HR leadership, graduate programme design, global executive coaching, and now running multiple businesses that all share one simple mission:
Make complicated things simple, and usable now!
From accidentally falling into hospitality after realising acting wasn’t for her… to becoming one of the most trusted leadership thinkers in the industry… this episode is packed with stories, insight, Yorkshire humour, and a lot of truth.
In This Episode
Why Dulcie believes “it’s not bloody rocket science” and why simplicity is a leadership superpower
Accidentally landing a graduate role at Bass PLC because it was the only application deadline still open, and why that changed everything
Turning up on day one… only to be told the marketing department no longer existed
Becoming the company’s first ever “commercial graduate” a role nobody could quite define
Working across finance, property, operations, HR and brand, and why that breadth became a gift
Managing O’Neill’s pubs taking £50–60k a week and winning global performance awards
Recruiting and developing women into leadership roles when talent was hidden in plain sight
Finding her true calling in HR in her mid 30s and realising leadership is about helping others be great at their jobs
The difference between leaders whose teams perform only when they’re present… and leaders whose teams thrive when they’re not
Why great leaders (and great coaches) aim to make themselves redundant

Imposter “Syndrome”? Not Here.
One of the standout sections of the episode is Dulcie’s reframing of imposter syndrome which she refuses to call a syndrome at all.
Instead, she calls it:
Well, tune in to find out
Her take?
“If you think you’re finished as a leader or coach — you’re finished.”
She shares powerful imagery about the two voices on our shoulders, why our brains constantly lie to protect us, and how learning to notice those lies without shame is the key to growth.
Stand-Out Quotes
“Happy people make more money.” Dulcie Swanston
“The brain isn’t a video recorder — it’s an editing machine.” Dulcie Swanston
“Great leaders get their teams to perform brilliantly when they’re not there.” Dulcie Swanston
“If you think you’re done learning — move aside.” Dulcie Swanston
“Comfort with ambiguity is one of the greatest leadership strengths there is.” Dulcie Swanston
Why Listen
This episode is a goldmine for anyone who:

This week on Hospitality Meets, Phil sits down with Matt McCabe, Founder of Subu Connect - a platform created to bridge the gap between food and beverage suppliers and global buyers across airlines, foodservice and hospitality.
Matt’s story is one of curiosity, courage, accidental brilliance, and a lot of beautifully human learning along the way. From a 19-year-old Irish hotel management student taking a leap into a German kitchen… to buying food for prisons, parliaments and planes… to building his own tech platform from scratch - this is a masterclass in connection, leadership, humility and trust.
It also includes one of the greatest stories ever told on the podcast involving… mayonnaise.
In This Episode
How a leap of faith took Matt from hotel school in Ireland to cooking in Germany, Switzerland and London — including a stint at The Dorchester with 120 chefs in the kitchen
The moment Matt realised chefs don’t buy food and how that insight led him into procurement and supply chain leadership
Why asking for help (and admitting you don’t know something) is one of the most powerful leadership skills you can develop
What running food supply for UK prisons, the House of Lords, and then Emirates Airline Catering taught him about scale, systems and humanity
The emotional and cultural challenge of moving his family to Dubai - and what that transition really felt like
How a chance LinkedIn event invitation on holiday led to the creation of Subu Connect almost overnight
The reality of becoming a founder: self-belief, risk, financial uncertainty, and emotional investment
Why Matt believes “Every Connection Matters” - and how relationships compound over time

Stand-Out Quotes
“I never really believed in myself. I was waiting for the lightbulb moment — and I used that as an excuse not to start”
“Every connection matters. No conversation is ever wasted”
“I physically feel it when the company struggles — like you would with a child or a loved one”
“We’re not the stars — the suppliers are. We’re just the stage”
“People didn’t invest in the platform. They invested in me and what I stand for”
Why Listen
This episode is a beautiful exploration of:
Career reinvention and courage
The hidden emotional side of entrepreneurship
Leadership through vulnerability and trust
The power of curiosity and asking better questions
Why hospitality skills translate into almost every other industry
How values shape sustainable businesses

It’s a reminder that...

This week, Phil sits down with Chetan Bhanot, Group General Manager of The Mandeville Hotel in Marylebone and Pendley Manor in Hertfordshire - two stunning properties he leads with equal parts humility, humour and impressive calm.
Chetan’s story spans 32 years in hospitality, from hotel school in India, to Hilton and InterContinental, to JW Marriott Mumbai’s first-ever opening, to London’s NH Hotels, Harrington Hall, and now a dual-property leadership role he’s held for nearly a decade. It’s a journey filled with learning, pressure, kindness - and the occasional guest who forgets where they left their car.
This episode is rich with leadership lessons, humanity, and proper belly laughs.
In This Episode
Finding hospitality through a school friend in India, discovering the power of people and team sports, and starting a career that now spans over 30 years Chetan Bhanot
The power of environment — why even the most talented people struggle in broken systems, and how the team–self–ownership triangle must align for success
Hotel school → Hilton → InterContinental → JW Marriott — the early years that shaped his entire leadership philosophy
Moving to the UK and rising through NH Hotels to Director of Hotels UK, with senior leaders who “held the ladder” so others could climb
COVID chaos: losing full kitchen teams, reopening four times in two years, housekeeping stepping in to help the kitchen, and how the team “kept smiling through it all” Chetan Bhanot
The 2011 London riots — the scariest moment of his career, locking down the hotel, protecting guests, and hotels banding together to keep each other safe
Work-life balance vs. balance — and why hospitality now can offer both
Paying it forward — why leaders must give others the same opportunities they were given, and why career growth comes when you stop chasing titles and start enjoying the work
Huge expansion plans at both The Mandeville and Pendley Manor, from new bedrooms to new ballrooms to full refurbishments

And the Funny Story You Have to Hear…
A guest storms into reception convinced his car has been stolen from the hotel.
Police nearly called.
Panic everywhere.
Then CCTV...
I'll let you tune in to hear
Stand-Out Quotes
“You’re not what happens to you — you are how you choose to rebuild”
“During COVID, we didn’t open once — we opened four times. And every time, the team stood together”
“Failure is a negative word. Replace it with ‘learning’ — it changes everything”
“A team works when ego and job titles are left at the door”
“People held the ladder for me. Now it’s my turn to hold it for others”
Why...

To watch this episode, head to https://youtu.be/tMghGC2VZMo
This week, we’re in one of the stunning bedrooms at Corinthia London, talking to a man whose story genuinely feels like a film.
Simon Casson, now CEO of Corinthia Hotels and former President EMEA at Four Seasons, was once told at 15 that he was a failure, that his education was over, and that he should “learn to fix cars or join the army”
He went home devastated. His mum came back from a bar shift, wrapped her arms around him and said:
“Simon, you’re special. You’re going to be a leader of men. You’re going to achieve great wealth and success. And I believe in you”
From washing dishes and sleeping in a room above a local restaurant… to becoming the youngest GM in Four Seasons… to running 45 hotels and 17,000 people… to now leading Corinthia’s push to “challenge luxury’s usual suspects” - this is a story of belief, graft, failure, and a very people first kind of success.
In This Episode
“You’re a failure” at 15 – the careers officer, the crushing conversation, and the one sentence from his mum that changed everything
Dishes, cheap digs & cheap labour – washing up, living above the restaurant, then a “management training scheme” that was really just doing every job in the hotel (and secretly the best education imaginable)
Castles, chefs & the Four Seasons bug – being spotted by Kit Chapman at The Castle at Taunton, working alongside a young Gary Rhodes, and being introduced to Four Seasons as “the greatest hotel company in the world”
From managing to leading – the early disaster as Room Service Manager at Four Seasons London and the moment it all changed
Washington, Doha, Dubai & beyond – Clinton era D.C., meeting heads of state and celebrities, becoming the youngest Four Seasons GM in Doha, opening hotels in the Middle East and Africa, and eventually becoming President for Europe, Middle East & Africa
Sacrifice, anxiety & imposter syndrome – missing chunks of his kids’ childhood, hiding the fact he had no degree, and learning that pressure, doubt and growth often live in the same room
The “second mountain” – stepping away after 35 years at Four Seasons, retreating to a farm in Croatia, and then being courted by global brands before choosing Corinthia as the place to write his next chapter
Corinthia’s new chapter – why London was transformational, how New York became “the star of the Met Gala”, and what it really means to be a “true contender” in global luxury

Stand-Out Quotes
“When the whole world’s saying, ‘No, you can’t,’ you really just need one person to say, ‘Yes, I believe in you. You can.’”
“We’re all masters of our own destinies. We all have to polish our own diamond.”
“Leadership has to be rooted in humanity. It has to be rooted in kindness. It has to be anchored in really caring about people’s...