Behind the scenes with our Assistant General Manager, James Gannon

With a career that’s spanned more than twenty years, taking him from serving drinks at an Irish racecourse bar to heading up the opening of Goodman City, James joined Bellanger in 2023. He tells us why childhood memories of fishing with his uncles and foraging with his parents have helped shape a lifelong passion for hospitality

Tell us a little about yourself

My extended family are pretty much all involved in running pubs, hotels and restaurants, so you could say that I was born into this industry. At the same time, I’ve always had a passion for food, foraging and fishing. My uncles were fisherman and I have keen memories of going fishing or lobster potting with them, spending summers foraging with my dad or having new food experiences in various restaurants. All of these formative influences fed into a passion for hospitality.

How did you get into the industry?

By the age of 13, I was collecting glasses at a race course bar in my native Ireland, and in later years, as a student at Nottingham University, I took bar work to supplement my income. Although I didn’t plan on a career in hospitality, I was drawn to the dynamism and energy of the industry. For me, it’s a vocation. I always worked in casual dining, then at Carluccio’s, when Antonio Carluccio was still at the helm, I really learnt the value of having good systems in place, combined with the importance of customer service. I went on to open the steak restaurant Goodman, in the City, before taking the role of breakfast manager at Hide and latterly General Manager at Cubitt House’s The Princess Royal in Notting Hill.

What draws you to working front of house?

I love the energy. There’s nothing like a restaurant that’s humming. Any busy restaurant floor always has the potential to teeter on the edge of chaos, but you prevent that by having your ducks in a row and by being a solid team. I like that challenge; I see it as a positive. Plus, there’s nothing like the feeling when a guest shakes your hand and the end of their dining experience and thanks you for looking after them. Knowing you’ve made someone else feel good is a wonderful thing. There’s a great deal of satisfaction in doing something well.

Talk us through a typical day

It’s always a delicate balance between back-of-house admin and being on the restaurant floor. I like to deal with emails straight off the bat and also check our bookings list as soon as I arrive. Then it’s a case of thinking about how to organise the restaurant that day. Every day is different – there might be a food tasting one day in preparation for a seasonal change of menus or staff training to organise on another. For me, I find that spending as much time as possible on the restaurant floor (often in excess of 30,000 steps a day) always pays off. You get to see your staff in action, resolve any issues and fine-tune the details.

When you’re not at Bellanger, where can we find you?

When time allows, on a golf course. I’m also Dad to a boy and a girl aged 6 and 5 so I try to spend as much time as possible with them. I’m a keen cook too and love introducing the children to new flavours, as my parents did for me. Harissa roasted chicken and braised fennel is a current favourite at home.

If you had to choose just one dish from the menu, what would it be?

Crab Linguine or Confit Duck – they’re great and very moreish. And I could eat a dozen oysters for breakfast, but that harks back to my Irish coastal childhood.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to work in hospitality?

Be calm, roll with it and enjoy it. Listen to your guests and learn to pre-empt any needs or difficulties. Showing empathy is also an important skill. It’s hard work but you won’t find a more fulfilling or interesting industry. I try to embrace every day while understanding that there’s always something new to learn.