MAGAZINE

Read the latest issue online here

I first came across Tatiana’s story last year, at Hospitality Action’s (HA) Winter Chef’s Gala Dinner. Held in the grand ballroom at Raffles London at the OWO, one of the latest (at the time) – and swankiest – additions to the city’s hospitality scene. It was certainly a night to remember, with the likes of Claude Bosi, Robin Gill and Endo Kazutoshi among the guest chefs cooking up Michelin-level dishes to raise vital funds for HA. With the charity dedicated to supporting the sector’s workers amid the UK’s growing cost of living and mental health crises, it was an event that left delegates with plenty of food for thought, but it was definitely Tatiana’s story that stuck with me the most.

A former assistant general manager at Hawksmoor Spitalfields, she is also a quadruple amputee who has experienced a level of trauma and hardship most of us could never imagine. But at a recent meet-up at the Hawksmoor site, where I was also joined by the restaurant’s general manager, Julia Buchalska, and Tatiana herself, Jeremy Gibson, marketing and operations director at HA, described her as a “force of nature”, and I honestly couldn’t have put it better myself. If you’re ever lucky enough to be in the same room as Tatiana, you’ll immediately feel uplifted by her warm and positive spirit. Her eloquence is captivating, her resilience is inspiring, and her determination to use her experience to grow and help others is truly moving. Her story reflects the strength of community when a team comes together to achieve a common cause, while also shining a light on the entirely wonderful yet utterly critical work carried out by such organisations as HA. But, above all, hers is a story of hope. It’s our honour to be able to share it. You can read it for yourself from page 18.

Enjoy!

Genna Ash-Brown
Editor