The Castle Hotel

Taunton, Somerset

Since 1950, the wisteria-clad Castle Hotel in Taunton has been run by three generations of the Chapman family. It’s produced some notable chefs, including a pre-TV Gary Rhodes, who won a Michelin star for his modern British cooking here in the 1980s. Owner Kit Chapman, appointed MBE for his work in hospitality, has written influential books about the British restaurant industry and its chefs. He says working in hospitality also equates to being in the “happiness business”. “We want our guests to leave us just that little bit happier than when they arrived, and our job is to show them a good time. As a family business, what marks us out is a personal touch that you rarely find in corporate-owned chains.”

A stickler for old-school customer service, Kit and the management hire restaurant staff on personality as much as formal experience. “Teaching front-of-house staff the values of good hosting is next to impossible beyond the mechanical routines of meeting, greeting, seating and the delivery of food and drink,” he says. “Really great hosting requires much more. You simply can’t rewire a waiter’s or restaurant manager’s personality. Rosie Hamblin, our assistant restaurant manager, is a natural host and she’s only 23. We hired Rosie for her charm, wit and energy. She instinctively understands how to connect with people.” the-castle-hotel.com