Gill French always had the desire to travel from a very young age. She was sure this was due to all the travelling her parents did as she grew up.
During her last years at school, Gill French worked as a waitress after school and on weekends, saving as much as she could. At the age of 19, she took off to London to discover the world, despite not even being old enough to go to the pub in New Zealand.
Having landed in London, she bought a Combi to drive around Europe.
“The food, the wine, the views, the art, that was me, I wanted to explore the world, that included all the food and wine in these amazing countries.”
Between travels, She worked in a London Merchant Bank and quickly realised office life was not for her, she studied art for a while, and worked as a photographer.
“I always dipped in and out of hospo, and here I am, still loving being with people and helping create experiences.”
The most important advice she has received was to never look back. She said her biggest mentor has been her Dad, whom she described as humorous, wholesome, charismatic, and humble and her biggest supporter.
Since she joined the industry, a lot has changed. She said the landscape of what is available to customers has now covered all cuisines across a multitude of locations.
“Back in the day, we all drove into town to go to one or two places, the options are endless now, we are very spoilt,” she said.
“The ease of travel to get to all these amazing offerings. With this comes a wealth of knowledge, experience and a diverse pool of people to work with, and lots of modern technology, it brings a freedom.”
The highlight of her career so far was when she was told she was too young to run a 180 seater Brasserie in St James, London. Despite this, she got the role and stayed in that position for seven years.
Gill French believes in the joy of life and the excitement of new experiences, which continue to motivate her.
More news here.
