Real talk with Countertalk

What's it like to open a hospitality business with your partner and is it a good idea? Helen & Luke talk about their real life experience and how they managed to land their dream spot in Peckham. Listen to hear their advice on how to secure a professional relationship, what they've learnt about separating work & their personal life and the added value of having a third business partner. 

We're OUT for the summer! But before we go, here's some info about our next event

Do you need an agent? What do they do? How much do you actually get paid to write a book? Get the answers to these questions and so much more in part 2 of our virtual event, how to write a cookbook. With Lemara Lindsay-Prince and Julia Pal. 

Led by author, pastry chef and Countertalk founder Ravneet Gill, we will be joined by Lemara Lindsay-Prince, commissioning editor of #Merky Books AND Julia Pal, senior digital marketing manager of cookery at Penguin Random House.  The evening will begin with an introduction to the book writing process. Expect valuable insights from THREE people who have been on very different ends of the book writing process. Ravneet will be discussing how she got her deal and the steps she took to make it happen. Lemara is on hand to break down the unknown and talk through how books are commissioned and what editors are essentially looking for. And Julia will be jumping in to give you all of that cookbook related value and how an author can establish themselves using digital platforms.  Stay tuned for part 2!

Roberta Hall McCarron of seminal Edinburgh restaurant The Little Chartroom talks about the struggles of parenthood in hospitality, running a restaurant with your husband, and the importance of spreading your wings

Countertalk SPACES is LIVE! After months and months of planning & prepping we are ready to show off our shiny new platform to the world. That biz idea that you've got, the supperclub you are dreaming up can all become a reality through CT SPACES. And if you are a pop up space or restaurant that wants a fresh audience or extra revenue on your closed days then you can benefit too!

As summertime approaches, the world of private cheffing heats up. If this world is a mystery to you find out how to get IN and the mistakes to avoid. In this episode, our founder Rav talks about her personal experience as a private chef, how she started, the money she made and when it all went wrong... 

Tom Zahir owns popular New Orleans Street food company, Decatur. After years of trading, developing the concept and moving venues they gained a cult following during lockdown. By pivoting to create ICONIC 'Royal Boil' recipe kits, if you love food you've definitely seen someone online enjoying one of these.  Decatur have finally got the keys to their own railway arch and have big plans for the future.  In this episode we talk, building resilience in the face of working for very little money, learning when to say no and how to spot a bullsh*it offer! 

This is part 2 of our virtual 'how to start a food business' with Petra of KERB.  In this episode we run through some of our most popular questions from YOU, the community that wants to make their dreams happen.  Find out why brand building is so important, what can you do to diversify your revenue streams and the power of your smallest viable audience. 

In this throwback episode we are joined by Petra Baran of KERB and talk the realities of what you need to get going in the food world. Petra talks through her journey in food, from selling chocolate out of a van to revolutionising the way small food traders get into busy trading areas. Petra has been there, done it & has helped many others to accelerate their businesses into some that you may now be extremely familiar with.  If you've been thinking of starting your own food biz and need that fire in your belly give this a listen and you'll leave feeling motivated and ready to go! 

In this conversation, Jay Patel the owner of Legare in Tower Bridge details his experience in the hospitality world. Where he started and the steps he took to go from being a runner to a general manager right through to opening the doors of his own restaurant. 

The best bits from our 'how to get better at social media talk' in 2021. Our very own Kitty gives us the lowdown on #'s, photo tips, posting schedules and more. 

From working in McDonald's to becoming a pastry chef to starting an ice cream business, Terri Mercieca the founder of Happy Endings joins us to talk about perspective. In this episode we unravel our own thought processes from working in kitchens, for someone else to running your own business and what we wish we had known. 

Dan is the founder of SixEight Agency, a brand-storytelling expert and brand strategist who gets huge results in terms of visibility and footfall. For 5 years Dan has helped food brands like Tonkotsu, Dishoom and Flat Iron turn customers into a cult of superfans through his unique 3 step Cult Brand System, creating a human personality for brands to attract their tribe and create more sales - a system which makes it easy to tell a never-ending story that stands out from the noise, and builds you a tribe for life.

Natalie Dormer is our resident psychologist-turned-financial-coach who specialises in helping people understand their own relationships with money and giving practical advice that can assist in creating saving plans and developing healthy spending habits. 

Welcome to our first DM Receipt, putting your questions to our experts. Questions about hours are among the most common issues, and the most common grievances at work. In this episode our legal expert Dan dives into real facts - what are your legal rights, how should they be enforced - and what could you do if something isn't right? Dan is a Partner and Head of the Employment Team at Leathes Prior, a leading law firm that acts for many household name employers nationwide. Dan is an experienced employment lawyer, with a wealth of experience advising on all aspects of employment law across various industries and before the Employment Tribunals across the UK. Many clients that he advises are within the hospitality sector, and he is known for his pragmatic advice and solutions he provides.  

Find out where it all began, why we exist and what you can expect from future episodes. Let's get started!