Thanks for your support in 2020 – now to strengthen our global connections in 2021

None of us need reminding of the horrendously challenging year it was last year for the restaurant and bar industry around the globe – not least in the UK and USA.

We have all had our plans blown away, but worked as best we could to keep our businesses afloat.

The programme we had mapped out for Atlantic Club, including trips to Atlanta and London, had to be cancelled. Instead we went digital with a series of online webinars run in conjunction with our friends at CGA, Harrison, Herman-Stewart and Harri.

These allowed us to take a wider view of the common issues and trends affecting business decisions both sides of the Atlantic, and the innovative solutions that operators have developed to chart a course through the new trading terrain.

We had a truly international audience for all three from locations as far apart as Los Angeles, Mexico City, Dubai and Melbourne, Australia. So a big thank you again, especially to those to had to get up extra early or stay up into the early hours to take part.

Our international roster of speakers included Fogo de Chao CEO, Barry McGowan; Brewdog’s group COO, David McDowall; Frontburner Restaurants CEO, Jack Gibbons; Loungers chairman, Alex Reilley; Menu maven Nancy Kruse; Leadership guru Jim Sullivan; Former CEO of Carluccio’s, Mark Jones; CEO of KNEAD Hospitality, Jason Berry; UK street food pioneer and founder of Food Mutiny, Richard Johnson; and COO of the Miami-based 50Eggs group, Yavuz Pehlivanlar.

Not knowing when ‘live’ face-to-face events will return, Atlantic Club is now planning more online discussions, exchanges and get-togethers for the first half of 2021. More details will be available shortly.

We are also planning exclusive digital sessions with Jim Sullivan for early in the New Year.

Our website – www.petermartin-online.com - is also up and running, with a back catalogue of articles to read, and some insightful video interviews from the CGA Peach 2020 digital conference in November, including my interview with the legendary Danny Meyer and Hawksmoor’s Will Beckett. Have a look.

Our regular Making Waves email will also launch in the new year to keep us all in touch.

So, we may not have the start to 2021 we would all have wished for, but we are still very much here to keep our friends and partners in the global out-of-home market connected.