Interview: Milena Floyd, Creative Restaurant Group

Following her recent promotion to MD, Creative Restaurant Group’s Milena Floyd chats to Dine Out’s Genna Ash-Brown about the UK’s enduring love for Japanese cuisine and culture, female empowerment in hospitality and her ambitions for the business moving forward

Please note: This interview was conducted prior to the fire that struck Endo at the Rotunda on 6 September. We reached out to Floyd for comment following the incident, who said: “I want to thank the London Fire Brigade for their swift response, the TVC team and the residents for their patience and support. “We are incredibly grateful that everyone is safe. While our team is heartbroken by what has happened, we are committed to rebuilding Endo at the Rotunda and cannot wait to welcome our guests back soon.” All of us here at Dine Out wish the very best for the CRG team as they move forward with the restaurant.

From sushi to ramen and yakitori, to anime, minimalism and ‘wabi-sabi’ (the rather lovely philosophy and aesthetic that centres on finding beauty in imperfection), there’s no denying that Japanese culture and cuisine have found a second home here on UK shores. Ingredients and recipes from this region have a lot to offer, whether it’s health, comfort or intrigue. It’s no wonder, then, that Japanese and sushi restaurants have seen a significant year-on-year (YoY) growth of over 524%, according to Google search volumes, highlighting a positive shift towards food from the region, even more so than the ever-popular Indian and Italian fare. The cuisine’s average monthly search growth has notably outperformed others, with 173% YoY growth revealing rapidly surging consumer interest, with the ramen category specifically seeing growth of 560% – the highest YoY increase of all.

“I think what people find so appealing about Japan, and what Japanese people pride themselves on, is doing what they do to the best possible level,” says Milena Floyd, the recently appointed managing director of Creative Restaurant Group (CRG). “When it comes to produce, it’s always fresh and sustainable, and sustainability and freshness are huge topics across Europe at the moment. But ultimately, what really matters? That it’s simple, good-quality produce. I think that’s why Japanese restaurants are now opening left, right and centre.”

The question of authenticity

Floyd originally joined the group – whose high-end London portfolio includes the Michelin-starred restaurants HUMO and Endo at The Rotunda, alongside Sumi, Kioku by Endo and NIJŪ – as head of operations in 2023, before being promoted to operations director in 2024. Prior to this, she spent five years in various operation, management and training positions with Orange Brands Management, owner of the Duck & Waffle and SushiSamba concepts. It’s fair to say she has a solid overview of UK hospitality and how the Japanese segment sits within it. So, how does a concept within this field, like those across the CRG estate, ensure it stands out in such a fast-expanding market?

“For us, it’s all about being product-led,” explains Floyd. “We’ve got a lot of suppliers and we select them very carefully, building strong relationships with them. We’re not just looking for the best price; we’re looking for the best produce. Our food is always done to the best possible spec but delivered in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. It’s not about copying what the Japanese are doing, because you really can’t do that.”

Because the group prioritises sustainability, the Japanese influence is largely found in the techniques used in the kitchen, rather than the ingredients. “We would always try to source local produce over flying something from Japan if it’s not necessary,” says Floyd.

Every venue features Japanese culinary craft in some way; built around incredible sushi, Kioku is more refined, while Sumi is more of a casual neighbourhood restaurant. NIJŪ is more of a sharing concept, a house of ‘katei ryōri’ that brings the art of Japanese home cooking to the heart of Mayfair. Even HUMO, a fire-dining restaurant, has plenty of traditional Japanese techniques woven throughout the menu. “Then there’s Endo at The Rotunda – our flagship,” notes Floyd. “It offers omakase and it’s super traditional. It’s pretty close to what you’d have if you were in Japan, but with the amazing character of third-generation sushi master, Endo Kazutoshi, who loves to entertain people.”

NIJŪ

Floyd believes that people can’t truly understand Japanese culture and cuisine until they have actually been to Japan. What CRG is doing so successfully here in the UK, she emphasises, could not be easily replicated overseas in the country the business is so inspired by. “We would never copy and paste the restaurant,” she emphasises. “We can only catch a couple of techniques and put those in London. It makes me laugh a little but when people say, ‘authentic Japanese’, because, I mean, truly authentic Japanese can only be in Japan.”

Women supporting women

Floyd joins a long list of talented women from diverse backgrounds who are changing the face of the industry. But that list is, unfortunately, still not long enough. While, according to Forbes, females make up 52% of the hospitality workforce, less than 30% hold leadership positions. Floyd is part of a minority. And while it’s long been acknowledged that hospitality is an unfairly male-dominated industry, progress seems painfully slow, with only 17% of head chefs across the UK being women, despite widespread recognition of the sector’s incredible female culinary talent, and the gender pay gap standing at 7.7%. While that may be lower than the national average of 13.1%, it still represents a significant barrier to true equality at all levels of the restaurant business. Even high-flyers like Floyd aren’t exempt from the stigma and disadvantages that linger over women in the sector.

“Unfortunately, hospitality has never been an easy profession for women,” she states. “Early on in my career, I was overlooked because of my gender. I know I’ve had to work much harder than my male colleagues to get where I am now. In fact, in this sector generally, women have to work harder – especially when you’re a mum. The moment you become a mum, people start to think, ‘Oh, maybe I won’t promote her because she might have another one.’ It’s very sad, but it’s the truth. Experiences like this shaped me and made me more determined to prove myself and create opportunities for others.”

The issue is insidious and institutional, and will simply never be rectified without more like Floyd at the helm. A champion for women, she has proven her worth as an invaluable mentor at CRG, opening the door for the next generation of women in the business while serving as an example of what’s possible when talent meets dedication.

“I have never been overlooked at CRG,” she adds. “Here, what matters is the passion, the talent and the results – not the gender. My goal is to lead by example and show that women can thrive at the very top of the hospitality industry. I want to build a culture where women see there’s a place for them, whether it’s in the kitchen, front-of-house or at a board level.”

Team welfare is top priority at CRG; not just for women, of course, but for all. The leadership team are not constantly thinking about policy, assures Floyd, recognising that different people have very different circumstances and must be given room to grow.

“It’s about going back to the basics – you must listen to your team,” she emphasises. “What makes us different is that we give that owner/operator freedom to our team. We want them to run the restaurants as if they are their own. We want to ensure they feel heard and that their opinions matter. Something you hear a lot in hospitality is, ‘I want you to run it by head office and they’ll tell you what to do.’ We try to change that; we really just want to guide them. What do they want to do in the restaurants? How do they want to lead the team? But then, at the same time, we’ve got to make sure it’s fair for everyone. We look at our team as people rather than numbers. After all, we can’t do what we do without them. They are the most important thing.”

What next?

From dealing with inflation to managing bills to factoring in the National Insurance contribution price hike lumbered on businesses in April, operating a successful restaurant right now is certainly no walk in the park. “For a portfolio like ours, you have to be really conscious,” warns Floyd. “The most difficult part is keeping up with bills, but since we are also very much into our produce, we do our best to support local farmers – because they need it, too! That means our cost of sales is not the same as the restaurant next door, which is just looking for a good deal – but our bills are just as high. We understand that this is the reality and have to try and optimise elsewhere. While it is very difficult at the moment, it will pass. Just keep going – don’t compromise what you’re good at.”

CRG continues to invest in its estate, despite the tide of challenges. On top of establishing two new restaurants in 2024 (NIJŪ in April and Kioku in May), the group undertook a full refurb of Endo at The Rotunda. “Last year was busy, so this year is really all about elevating what we’ve got. Before we think about further growth, we want to make sure everything is in a good place,” she adds.

Long term, further expansion across the capital is definitely on the cards – though the group will be sure to take a timely and measured approach.

“I see a lot of competitors and other groups expanding drastically this year and into next, but we plan to take it slow and steady,” Floyd concludes. “We’ve got a couple of things we want to do lined up, but only in the right location and at the right price point because, obviously, people are much more cautious of spending right now. But we’ve got the team, which is the most important thing – amazing general managers and chefs, and our head office, which might be small, but it’s exceptional. We’re ready to take on more, just not too much. You’ll probably be seeing one new concept from us in 2026.”

So, watch this space...

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