From Blackpool to Istanbul, via Kenya, Australia, Hong Kong, Vegas, Budapest, Kuwait and Dresden — this episode of Hospitality Huddles is our full 2025 Wrapped.
Recorded in early December, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey reflect on a year of global travel, concept development, hotel openings, operational toolkits, market research and big learnings. It’s a relaxed, honest recap of where the year took us, what stood out, and why 2026 will be the year the hard work of 2025 really comes to life.

Chapters:
00:00 – Welcome & setting the scene01:10 – January: Blackpool market research02:48 – Kenya and Nairobi market insights03:40 – Toolkits, SOPs and early-year groundwork04:04 – Asia trip: Bali, Australia and Hong Kong04:18 – Windsor and the Castle Hotel concept04:41 – Vegas and Bar & Restaurant Expo06:27 – Spring concepts and Foxhills development07:58 – Budapest: To The Table08:50 – Noreen opening and summer momentum09:59 – Mayfair flagship hotel concept11:27 – Kuwait reconnaissance and toolkit deep-dive15:23 – Dresden market research and strategy15:56 – Kensington Hideaway opening prep16:18 – Istanbul Hilton opening17:39 – Reflections on 2025 and looking ahead
To learn more about our work at Auden Hospitality, visit our website www.audenhospitality.com

AI can transform hospitality, but not in the way most people think. It’s not about shortcuts or replacing humans — it’s about efficiency, validation, and support.
In this episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey share how they use ChatGPT and other AI tools to deliver projects faster and more accurately. From validating financial narratives to analysing competitor sets, they explain how AI can reduce workload while keeping human experience at the centre.
Expect insights on:
- Why AI should support, not replace, human expertise
- How transcripts and project files can build efficiency
- The role of AI in financial validation and tone of voice alignment
- Real-world case studies: competitor analysis, sales mix reviews, andfeasibility studies
- Why guest-facing language still requires human oversight

Chapters:
00:00 – Using ChatGPT for efficiency, not shortcuts
01:45 – Travel case study: testing ChatGPT in Bulgaria
04:41 – Building client transcripts into project workflows
05:40 – Efficiency vs. validation: why speed matters
08:25 – Human vs AI: the back-and-forth process
10:44 – Teaching AI brand tone of voice
13:00 – Market study for a London five-star hotel
15:02 – Using sentiment search and AI to validate data
17:21 – Cutting 2–3 days’ work down to 3 hours
20:44 – Risks of AI “ghosting” and false assumptions
22:30 – The restaurant analogy: AI as the AGM, humans as the GM
22:52 – Closing reflections: AI as support, not replacement

Hotels have a common problem, food & beverage profitability.

So if we could give you a solution that provides you with market intelligence, people-less automation and takes care of the operation, it would sound too good to be true.

Wrong, you just haven't heard about Wundermart. In this week's episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner sits with Wundermart Co-Founder, Laurens de Kleine to chat about hotel F&B and also the future of breakfast dissecting work Auden Hospitality and Wundermart have carried out together on a forward-thinking breakfast solution.

This is a truly great episode if you are wanting to think differently about what hotel F&B looks like.

To learn more about Wundermart - visit their website https://wundermart.com/

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:57 What are you seeing in Hotels

05:08 Why hotels keep looking back

08:08 How data helps make a difference

10:35 How AI can optimise performance

14:22 How Wundermart helps hoteliers

15:30 Why it works for Guests and Hoteliers

20:00 Why convenience trumps price

25:00 Frictionless Breakfast

33:40 40% Opportunity

37:20 Quality over Quantity

43:00 People are Predictable

Why are hoteliers so afraid of failure? And what does risk really mean in hospitality today?

In this bite-size episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey explore why risk aversion can hold hospitality back — and why measured risks, experimentation, and even failure are essential for progress.

Expect insights on:
- Why psychological fear stops leaders from trying new ideas
- How to define “measured risk” in hotel F&B and operations
- The danger of holding onto failing concepts for too long
- Why investing properly at the start matters for success
- The balance between giving projects enough time and knowing when to walk away
Chapters:
00:00 – Why are we scared of failure?
01:48 – Measured risks in hotels and F&B
02:39 – The psychology of fear and trying new things
03:33 – Taking risks at Auden: lessons learned
04:41 – Defining failure upfront and setting cut-off points
06:39 – Why you still need to invest properly to give ideas a chance
09:15 – The Mark Hotel hot dog stand: a case study in doing it right
10:04 – Trinity Outside: patience and persistence in risk-taking
11:35 – Key takeaways on risk and failure
13:20 – Balancing time, instinct, and experience
13:58 – Final reflections: don’t be scared, just try

This is a very special episode as we are joined by our Strategic Brand Expert, Richard Liverman, who has worked with our Founder, Scot Turner to shape the Auden brand to share some of the insights he has brought to our conversations over the last 18 months.

This is a fantastic insight into how Richard helps brands be amazing including lessons learnt working with Nike, Godiva and Jack Daniels as well as how you can apply some basic business foundations into your business.This is an episode full of business advice for any leader.

00:00 Episode Teaser

01:22 How Richard Helps

03:29 Clarity is King

05:36 You're not the Hero

09:21 Creating Ambassadors

13:00 Why No Budget Sparks Creativity

16:00 Don't be Boring

19:15 The Nike World Cup Lesson

25:48 The Shopping Centre Theory

32:00 Why Every Business Needs Scaffolding

36:52 Be Uncomfortable

39:00 The Secret To Keeping Your Brand Fresh

40:00 Stop, Start, Continue

Richards Resources:

To learn more about Richard and how he helps businesses - visit his website Richer Solutionshttps://richersolutions.com/

📚 Book recommendations in the episode to help your business:

Building a Brand Story by Donald Millar

https://amzn.to/4qFmVRI

Remarkable by David Salyers

https://amzn.to/49IZ11z

Atomic Habit by James Clear

https://amzn.to/4ov4oX1

What do McDonald’s, Shake Shack, and Subway have to teach hoteliers about F&B?

A lot more than you might think.
In this bite-size episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey break down the key lessons hotels can take from the world of Quick Service Restaurants (QSR). From process design and automation to training and consistency, they explore how QSR thinking can transform hotel F&B operations.
Expect insights on:
- Why QSRs succeed through process, repetition, and scalability
- The difference between “quality” and “consistency” in food delivery
- How prescriptive training can make teams more confident
- Why hotels should simplify rather than overcomplicate operations
- Real examples of applying QSR thinking in hotel outlets

Chapters:
00:00 – What hotels can learn from QSRs
03:30 – Don’t make it complicated: efficiency at scale
07:17 – Why quality = consistency in QSR
10:13 – McDonald’s burger process explained
15:07 – Development designed for operators, not chefs
16:19 – Scoops, measures, and standardisation in hotels
20:12 – Process, repetition, and prescriptive training
21:24 – Final reflections: lessons for hoteliers

What does it take to go from employee to founder — and create a boutique hotel brandin Dubai?

In this episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner sits down with Judit Toth, Founder of Inhabit Hotel, to explore her remarkable journey from wellness and sales to building her own hotel company. From the chaos of pre-opening tosustainability practices and financial discipline, Judit shares the entrepreneurial mindset that turned her vision into reality.

Expect insights on:

- How to make the leap from employee to entrepreneur in hospitality
- Lessons from launching a hotel brand during Covid
- Why “young at heart” is a better target audience than demographics
- How to build culture through empowerment, trust, and ownership
- Balancing sustainability with profitability in boutique hotels
- Why human connection remains more valuable than technology
Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction to Judit Toth and her journey
01:40 – From Hungary to Dubai: career beginnings
05:28 – Why Dubai is a hub for entrepreneurship and growth
09:51 – Making the leap from employee to founder
16:28 – Creating a boutique hotel for the “young at heart”
20:23 – Empowerment and culture in hotel operations
24:16 – Doing things differently: entrepreneurial mindset vs tradition
28:13 – F&B challenges and profitability lessons
30:04 – Biggest learnings from pre-opening
34:16 – How guest expectations are changing
36:07 – Future trends and the next generation of travellers
38:25 – AI vs human connection in guest experience
41:11 – Closing reflections and where to find Judit

Hotel food and beverage is never just a restaurant and a bar. It’s weddings, conferences, VIP dining, in-room service, and even that couple who want dinner in the middle of a meadow.
In this bite-size episode of Hospitality Huddles, Scot Turner and Bal Mahey unpack why hotel F&B is uniquely complex — and what leaders must do to design, plan, and operate spaces that can adapt to constant demands.
Expect insights on:
- Why hotel F&B is far more demanding than standalone restaurants
- The importance of designing for operational ease, not just aesthetics
- Real examples of how one space must serve multiple functions in a single day
- Why adaptability, strategy, and team collaboration are critical
- How to avoid compromising on the non-negotiables
Chapters:
00:00 – Hotel F&B has to be everything at once
01:55 – From meadows to weddings: why hotel service is complex
04:52 – Guest-centric experiences beyond the restaurant and bar
08:40 – Operational realities vs. design ideals
10:15 – Learning from the craziest guest requests
13:48 – The “swan effect” of luxury hotel service
15:09 – Spaces that flip from conference to dining to events
17:22 – Don’t compromise on the non-negotiables