London,
we’re here for you…
After years of creating pop-up schools around the world, we had always dreamed of creating something more permanent - a sustainable solution to high unemployment and the unrelenting hiring crisis.
Following the profound impact of the pandemic and Brexit on so many hospitality operators in the UK, London was always the most logical city in which to transform this dream into a reality.
In May 2022 we took our first step on this journey, launching a pilot school in East London to discover if our solution had a place in this beautiful, struggling city.
With the support of nine local hotels and countless other partners, our first programme was a huge success and laid the groundwork for our first permanent school. Saira London is here to stay…
Going forward, we are running several schools each year in new locations around the city. Our third programme launches in March 2023, helping support our industry and local communities in a desperate time.
Hotels can get in touch via the button below to discuss joining our second programme.
75
Graduates
96%
of graduates would highly recommend the course to future students
93%
of graduates felt the course met their expectations for furthering a career in hospitality
Our hospitality partners
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Saira Hospitality and supporting their mission to evolve hiring practices in London. As a Collective Partner, we’re honoured to be part of such an inclusive project that will have a positive impact on people’s livelihood while launching new, lasting careers in the industry. We are excited to share our insights and experience, and be part of the process that nurtures undiscovered talent starting out in hospitality.”
- Stephen McCall, CEO of Edyn
Our process (in a nutshell):
The Saira London Team
Greg Früchtenicht, DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS
I scrubbed pots, poured pints and managed a small hotel bar before moving away from the world of hospitality and focusing my career on the world of luxury travel. When the pandemic came, I entered back into the hospitality space, co-founding the “Nights On Us” initiative, an appreciation campaign aimed at celebrating and thanking the NHS with complimentary luxury hotel stays. The generosity I experienced via Nights On Us inspired me to seek a role in which I could help hospitality businesses to give back and connect more deeply to those who need support. When I met Harsha, I knew my future was all things Saira, and today am motivated to seek, inspire and train the future talent of our beautiful industry.
Lisa Mcbain, HEAD OF OPERATIONS
My first taste of hospitality was cutting it as a kitchen hand during the busy summer and Christmas holidays at my uncle’s award-winning Inn ‘The Nobody Inn’. Since then, my professional background has been varied, from running trendy bars, restaurants and music venues to experiential event management for drinks brands in the 90’s, I moved into more wine focused work and completed my WSET training. As a qualified coach, I strongly believe that everyone has the power within to reach the top - being part of Saira London has been an incredible journey. I live by the premise that you don’t always know what you want until it’s in front of you and so in the words of Dr Seuss “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
Maggie Flora, TRAINER
Prior moving to the UK to study MBA, Maggie has 14 years of experience in a variety of hospitality establishments including an Oceanarium complex, casual restaurants, culinary school, and boutique, upscale, and luxury hotels. She's held roles in events management, food & beverage operations, quality improvement, sustainability, learning & development, and human resources. With her diverse hospitality experience across departments and cultures, she brings a rounded perspective and a rich contribution to the Saira learning journey.
Rosalba Tito, TRAINER
My name is Rosalba. I studied hospitality in Italy, graduating in 2004. I have been working for about 20 years now in fine dining clubs and restaurants, this experience inside the industry has given me the opportunity to travel, meet new friends from all over the world and learn about different cultures. I don’t consider hospitality my job, but my passion! It’s a great pleasure to be a part of Saira’s schools and have the opportunity to share my passion with my students.
Arnaud Dumas, TRAINER
I am a French man who has been living in London for the past 25 years. My professional career has included working for fine dining & Michelin star restaurants, often working under celebrity chefs. The restaurants I have worked for cover a variety of international cuisines and the expertise that I have acquired from my distinguished mentors over the past 32 year has made an immense impact on the quality of my professional understanding.
I am aware of the challenges companies are facing in this difficult time when it comes to recruiting experienced staff and I believe Saira Hospitality is the best solution to help the industry in that endeavor.
Matteo Marin, TRAINER
I was raised in Italy and “naturalized” in London almost 10 years ago. The hospitality industry has shaped my professional life from the very beginning, I enjoy the community feeling that is found in many hotels/restaurants around the world as well as the diverse job opportunities available in this industry. I certainly took advantage of the mobility and the diversity of experiences that hospitality can offer, over the last two decades I’ve worked as a service staff member, in hotels sales, as a vocational teacher and eventually created a luxury travel/events agency. Saira has always been a company that I admire because it caters for the most important part of hospitality: its people.
Maria Malaniia, TRAINER
I'm thrilled to be a Saira Hospitality trainer as I have followed the project for a while and am super excited to be part of such a meaningful initiative! I care about giving back through work and believe that hospitality is an excellent outlet to support both people and companies.
I'm an extroverted introvert, a hospitality management graduate, a dog mum, and a kickboxer. Before becoming a brand manager, I started my career in restaurants and now I am a freelancer with a portfolio of roles that are varied and keep me continuously learning new skills. I'm a jack of many trades.
Our Talent & Trade partners
Discover the wider impact Saira has had on hotels, students and community.
How you can support
Donate
Donations keep our work going and help to enrich the experience of our students throughout the program.
Partner
Whether your a hospitality brand that wants to source and hire new talent, a restaurant that would like to add a donation to each cover or a brand that wants to support our students, we’re always here to chat.
Volunteer
We’re always looking for passionate individuals that want to help support our work. Get in touch to book in a time to speak.
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