Steve Brown
Unlike the Lake District or the Peak District, which are iconic brands in themselves, the East Midlands [Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland] is an artificial geographical region. Our aim is to increase the value of tourism to the economies of these counties by promoting their heritage, culture, food and accommodation, and by helping small businesses improve the quality of their provision and their visitor welcome.
I'm also deputy chairman of the East Midlands Development Agency. Our board is private sector-led—it attracts directors who want to put something back; who've benefited from successful businesses and want to create sustainable business opportunities for others. I'd like to see 3,000 extra jobs created in the next three years, and to increase the standards of businesses, especially smaller ones like hotels, B&Bs and tour operators.
We had to convince the lender that the budget of £6m over three years would be money well spent. We're exceeding all our targets. We want to move the East Midlands from eighth to sixth in the regional tourism league table.
Running the Quality Programme in the East Midlands is just like running any business [Brown is a founding director of CenterParcs and was managing director at the Champneys Health and Fitness Group]. We look at the gaps and the opportunities and develop a strategy with a measurable outcome. But it's about more than profit. Large areas are seriously deprived. In the high peak area of the Peak District, we're helping farmers to diversify into successful tourism businesses.
Sat is very keen to create opportunities for the next generation, to bring in youngsters who would never have aspired to be a top chef, for instance. We're running training schemes for students in customer care and local knowledge—students make up a large proportion of the workforce and we're helping to open their eyes. We're also working on a skills initiative to train chefs as there's a national shortage of commis chefs.
We were looking for ambassadors or champions to work with us; people with considerable experience and passion, like Sat. He has a passion for excellence—you get the real gourmet experience through his menus [Restaurant Sat Bains is the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the East Midlands].
Sat's philosophy is: "Use me wherever I can help". He's a talented chef and restaurateur, and he really looks after his staff and their development. We don't work in each other's pockets. I'm really grateful to Sat for being a Quality Champion.
Sat Bains
I really believe in this region. When I did the [BBC programme] The Great British Menu I was the only chef who represented a region and had a restaurant in it. All the others work in London. I'm not into bullsh*tting—I support the locality. My restaurant in Nottingham is small, but well received [it was the AA Restaurant of the Year 2007].
I'm passionate about everything I do—I do something and then I talk about it. As an East Midlands Tourism Quality Champion the onus falls on me to promote the region's many small tourism businesses, to lead by example and to do my bit. And I'm excited by that—I do what I believe in and have the fire and desire to see something through.
Working in the hospitality industry, you've got to understand the customer experience. There's no place for laziness. I try to get my message across, in an open and honest way, and nurture my employees to do their best. I also work closely with higher education colleges to get the message across.
Without a doubt, the UK hospitality industry has to pick up its game and take a lead from France, Italy and Spain. It's not about being surly and boisterous. Young people come into it thinking it's all Gordon Ramsay and rock 'n' roll.
Steve's a phenomenal director. I think we share a similar passion. He has real fire and determination—there's a synergy there. Being associated with this project is great—we both strive to deliver the best.
There's never enough time for a chef—we deal in real time. So you've always got to go the extra mile. I'm not interested in leaving a legacy, but I don't want to be known as someone who just sat on his arse.
