Stuart Thom Email & Phone Number

Holywood, Gb

Craigavad - Belfast

Northern Ireland

Belfast. Northern Ireland

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

• Managed the project from a building site to completion and setting up all systems for the restaurant and bar. • Sourcing and negotiating with food suppliers and created the menus in conjunction with the head chef to achieve the agreed cost margins.• Sourcing and negotiating with drinks suppliers, creation of the wine, drinks and cocktail list, to achieve agreed cost margins.• Sourced and negotiated with suppliers for ancillary services.• Created all training plans for front of house staff and recruited all the senior management and floor & Bar team.• Trained all opening staff and created a development plan for all front of house staff for further expansions• Created a marketing plan for pre-opening and the first year of trading. • Responsible for service delivery and the financial success of the venue.

Edinburgh

• Set up my own consultancy business and worked with various independent restaurateurs in Edinburgh to analyse their current business and amend produced business plans which would increase the EBITDA.• Each project was unique to the venue’s objectives which ranged from business expansion, financial analysis, cost control actions and developed a new brand.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

• The Saltire Taverns estate which consisted of three venues. Le Monde – Boutique Hotel with 18 suites, Restaurant & Bar, The Shanghai Night Club and Angels Share – Boutique Hotel with 30 rooms, Restaurant & Bar • Responsible for service delivery and the financial success of all 3 venues.• Direct line to report to the executive board• Created a training and development plan with the training manager for all operational staff.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

* Managed the biggest G1 unit in Edinburgh, Ghillie Dhu. This converted church opened in March 2010 and became the companies second most profitable unit.* Responsible for over 50 staff and a budget of over 2.5 million. Winner of the best small venue at the Scottish and UK events awards in 2011.* Involved in the transition of Festival Inns over to G1.* Full control of the three largest G1 units in Edinburgh; Ghillie Dhu, Biddy Mulligans & The Three Sisters with a combined turnover in excess of 8.5 Million.* Set out a strategic plan for improving food revenue, turnover and profit for the 2 festival inns units acquired.* Increased the turnover by 10% for the period and reduced payroll by 3%.

Opened the Olive Branch in December 2003. 2 units were opened within 6 days of each other. Developed the brand of The Olive Branch into a well known local Bistro style eatery.• Set up the Olive Branch with my wife in 2003. • Completed a thorough market research of the area, looking at competitors, demographics and spending patterns.• Identified a gap in the market, created a concept based around affordable, all day, quality dining.• Once we found the perfect location, we created a detailed business plan, cash flow projections and realistic timescales for opening.• Current location, Broughton Street, was up for sale in August 2003, funding was agreed and we were successful with lease purchase in September 2003. • Layout & design of the internal and external areas of the building were revamped to create a rustic style Bistro with 34 covers and a small dispense bar area.• Planned the menu and sourced suppliers, who could offer quality produce, good pricing and reliable delivery days and times.• Worked on a pricing strategy of an average spend of £15 for lunch and £22 for dinner, based on our initial market research.• Recruitment of all staff and creation of a staff training programme and operating manual.• Constant development of the business resulted in a year on year growth in turnover of 20% for the Broughton Street site.• We opened a further two Olive Branch Bistros within Edinburgh in 2006 and 2008, which were subsequently sold for personal reasons.• Our latest development of the Olive Branch brand is a sandwich and coffee shop in the adjoining premises.

Managed the Gallery Restaurant & Bar and the Cafe.* Opened the restaurant, bar and café in the new link between the National Gallery and Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh* Staff recruitment of all management, floor and bar staff.* Responsible for all pre opening purchases in line with agreed head office guidelines.* Worked to head office guidelines for sourcing Scottish suppliers for food, beverage and consumables.* Liaised on the completion of budget £1.2 million for year one, and set the budget for following years. * Responsible for 4 unit managers and over 30 full time staff.* Changed the concept and the operation of the cafe from full waiter service to counter service.* Developed relations with key partners in the National Gallery and subsequent key sponsors to grow revenue within the budgets set by the National Gallery.* Worked in partnership with the Galleries to generate revenue in areas not utilised.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Responsible for the two sites in Scotland for Conran Restaurants. Zinc Bar & Grill / Etain in Glasgow's Princes Mall, and Zinc Bar & Grill / Ocean Kitchen / Ocean Bar & Coffee Kiosk in Edinburgh's Ocean Terminal. Responsible for the opening of all units and the staff development, recruitment, budget setting and P&L control.• Opened the two Conran restaurants within Princes Square in Glasgow – Zinc Bar & Grill, Etain.• Responsible for all pre opening staff recruitment & marketing for this site.• Involved in setting & finalisation of budget of over £2.5 million for both units.• Responsible for 3 unit Managers.• After the opening of the Glasgow site, I was responsible for a budget of £6.1 Million, 7 unit managers and over 100 staff.

THE TOWER RESTAURANT – MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND / GENERAL MANAGERNovember 1998 – August 2001.Achievements within position: Acorn Award winner in the year 2000.• Opened James Thomson’s second restaurant on 30th November 1998 within the New Museum of Scotland.* Due to the opening of the Museum by Royalty we had to open on time, therefore created an action plan to ensure we opened on 1st December.* Assisted with the initial budget for opening, and then set budgets for next years.THE WITCHERY BY THE CASTLE - RESTAURANT & TRAINING MANAGERDecember 1997 - November 1998.Achievement within position: Gaining the Investor in People accreditation for the company.* Created and maintained a structured training programme designed to achieve the Investor in People accreditation (first Independent restaurant in Scotland to achieve such recognition).

Ba (With Distinction) Hotel, Catering And Institutional Administration, Hospitality Administration/Management

Education record