How Celentano's Anna Parker flipped her fashion experience to hospitality
The managing director of Celentano's, Glasgow, transferred her experience in the world of fashion to the restaurant floor
Did you study a hospitality-related course at school, college or university?
I actually studied French language and history at Glasgow University, then moved to London to study for a masters in international fashion marketing. It obviously focused on a completely different industry, but it started my love for the type of work that focuses on following trends, on the importance of building a brand and of understanding your customer.
Did you do any work experience in the industry at a young age?
Yes, as a waitress in a now-closed Greek restaurant before I moved to London.
What initially attracted you to working in hospitality?
It's the customer-facing aspect that I enjoy, but I am also obsessed with eating out and trying new places. When you're in service, it is the adrenaline of a busy night that makes it so enjoyable. When service is going well, it just makes you feel good.
How did you make the transition into a job in hospitality?
My husband Dean [Parker, founder and chef at Celentano] and I had always talked about opening our own restaurant, but through lockdown we got the opportunity to talk about our ideas in more depth.
When the opportunity of the space within Cathedral House in Glasgow came up, we couldn't turn it down. To ease me into hospitality life after a nine-to-five job, I worked at Darby's restaurant in London, shadowing the manager, before we made the move to Glasgow.
How did you decide on your career direction?
I started to fall out of love with my career in fashion, so the change in direction became more appealing, if not slightly terrifying! When the opportunity came up, we just couldn't turn it down. It felt like the right place at the right time.
What industry networks have you been part of that have supported you in your career progression?
I've had some lovely support from Dean's previous team in London [Dean was Robin Gill's right-hand man at the Dairy, Sorella's and Darby's] but also restaurant managers and owners in Glasgow have been so welcoming. It is so nice to share ideas and discuss issues with other business owners as opposed to feeling like you're in competition.
We are all out here doing our own thing, so it is better to support one another. I have also been lucky enough to be invited to a few events for Women in Hospitality, which again has been a great support.
Could you talk me through the steps in your career in hospitality to where you are now?
My hospitality career is a short CV! But I do believe my previous career built me a background in marketing and resilience, which is necessary in hospitality. My masters in international marketing really gave me the basis to the business side of my brain.
I specialised in the fashion industry then went on to work in fashion buying, which built my marketing, customer focus, creativity in ideas, knowledge on profit and loss and margins, supplier relationships and team building skills. Being the co-owner and managing director of Celentano's, I use all of these – you have to be flexible and adaptable to the industry and the product.
What are the biggest challenges you've faced working in hospitality?
Honestly, I've felt a little bit of imposter syndrome at times – purely because I am not originally from the industry – but there are so many transferrable skills and I think it is important that people really acknowledge what skills they have and how they can use them across different industries. On a business side, opening a business while the world was coming out of lockdown has been a huge challenge. It is difficult to compare year-on-year, as the world has been going through so many challenges. This is where flexibility within business comes into hand. You need to be proactive and reactive to customer needs and industry changes.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Work hard, focus and enjoy it. I really do think hospitality is one of the hardest industries to work in. It is tiring and challenging. However, when you really dive into it and focus on how to bring the best out of your team and your customers, you can have so much fun.
Would you recommend a career in hospitality to your friends and family?
Only if they are serious about it. You need a lot of stamina and resilience as well as a good team around you, which I am very lucky to have at Celentano's.
