Peter Avis is a multi-award-winning General Manager and customer service consultant with over 25 years of international experience in the hospitality sector. His career, which began as a dishwasher and led to winning the UK Restaurant Manager of the Year in 2009, exemplifies hard work, humility, and a commitment to high standards.
For over 15 years, Peter was integral to the Virgin Group, working closely with Sir Richard Branson. He managed the London Roof Gardens and launched Virgin Limited Edition hotels, including Mont Rochelle Hotel and Restaurant in South Africa and Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco. He also supervised the wedding of Sir Richard’s daughter on Necker Island. Recently, Peter was appointed General Manager of Galvin at Windows at the London Hilton Park Lane.
Born in Liverpool and raised on a council estate, Peter left school at 16. During a visit to his sister in Miami, he took his first job as a dishwasher. His positive attitude quickly earned him a position on the restaurant floor, where he demonstrated natural people skills and business acumen.
Peter's subsequent roles at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas and the Royal Garden Hotel in London taught him the importance of training, communication, service, and consistency. He eventually became an assistant manager at a private restaurant in Knightsbridge, London.
In 2001, Peter joined the opening team of Babylon Restaurant, progressing from supervisor to manager within a few years. Under his leadership, the restaurant won the Best London Restaurant award at the Visit London Awards in 2008, and Peter was named UK Restaurant Manager of the Year in 2009.
In 2014, Peter received the Richard Branson Special Award for Services to the Community and the Carey Award for Manager of the Year. He was appointed Chairman of the UK Guild of Restaurant Services and became the youngest member inducted into the Restaurant Hall of Fame. In 2022, he was awarded Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee Medal and inducted into the Seal of Excellence within the House of Lords for his services to hospitality. Peter was also named a top influencer in hospitality in 2022.
Peter has served on various industry advisory boards and featured in numerous press articles and industry magazines, including GS Magazine, Big Hospitality, Essentially Catering, and The Caterer.
During a 25-year career, Peter has seen first-hand, from the bottom up, what is required to deliver and maintain the highest standards of customer service and care. Peter considers and discusses the skills and requirements to create and manage a memorable experience and how to deal with inevitable difficulties and pitfalls.
Any business needs to keep customers and clients happy. In the hospitality industry, this also means keeping your customers engaged. Peter identifies the key factors required to ensure you and your business deliver on its promise.
Engaged employees perform at a higher level and bring passion and interest to their jobs. Peter identifies the key drivers of experience, productivity, and engagement so that companies can act in real time to drive changes in the workplace.
From a dishwasher in a Miami restaurant to receiving the award of UK Restaurant Manager of Year, Peter has seen all the necessary tools, including commercial requirements, to succeed. He discusses what he has learned and how this can help shape your business both internally and externally.
Our experts are here to make your event run smoothly, whether it's moderating a discussion, sharing insights on a panel, or keeping things lively as a host. With plenty of experience and a knack for engaging audiences, they bring the right mix of professionalism and energy to any event. You can count on them to connect with your crowd and ensure everything goes off without a hitch.
