Hospitality has always thrived on energy. It’s fast, emotional, unpredictable; and when it works, it feels almost magical. But as brands scale and margins tighten, that same energy can tip into disorder. The question facing today’s leaders is no longer whether chaos exists, but how to channel it without losing control. 

At the heart of the debate is a paradox: structure can feel restrictive in a creative industry, yet without it, consistency collapses. Guests notice. Teams feel it. And growth amplifies every weakness. Modern leadership, it seems, is less about commanding the room and more about designing systems that quietly hold everything together. 

“We live and work in one of the most chaotic industries… but we need structure,” said Gemma Glasson, Managing Director of Wahaca. Her point wasn’t about bureaucracy: it was about building frameworks that allow creativity to flourish safely. 

The discussion took place at BrewDog Waterloo as part of Service, an event hosted by Hospitality Tech360 partner Tech on Toast. The leadership panel was hosted by Phil Street, Business Development Director at Korero, featuring Glasson, Caroline Ottoy, Managing Director of WatchHouse, Marcel Khan, CEO of Fulham Shore (parent company of Franco Manca and The Real Greek), and Matt Bigland, Founder & CEO of foodhalls curator Blend Family.  

Structure Enables Creativity 

Glasson’s background, including time at KPMG before moving into hospitality leadership, has shaped her belief that discipline underpins excellence. In a sector where every shift can present a new variable, structure isn’t restrictive; it’s protective. It safeguards consistency for guests and clarity for teams. 

Bigland agreed that “chaos creeps in when you don’t have processes,” but he was equally clear that not everything needs one. Over-engineering can suffocate agility. The real skill lies in knowing what to systemise and what to leave human. Automate the repetitive tasks. Standardise what’s predictable. Free your people to focus on experience. 

Scaling Without Losing Your DNA 

For Marcel Khan, growth brings a different tension: pace versus standards. Leading Fulham Shore’s portfolio of high-profile brands, he understands how quickly expansion can blur identity. He said he “flipping hates” the phrase “done is better than perfect,” arguing that in hospitality, you should always aim high. 

Caroline Ottoy brought the conversation back to people. For her, operational calm starts with intentional culture. Vision must be clearly articulated, translated into measurable goals and reinforced through consistent communication. 

That means structured weekly meetings focused on solving issues, quarterly targets aligned to company strategy and clear accountability across teams. When everyone understands the direction of travel, complexity becomes coordinated movement rather than internal noise. 

Culture, she suggested, is not accidental. It is engineered. 

People, Systems, Purpose 

When asked which matters most in the next phase of leadership — people, systems or clarity of purpose — the panel leaned heavily toward people. 

But the answer wasn’t simplistic. Purpose sets direction. Systems create repeatability. People animate both. 

The future of operational control isn’t tighter management or thicker manuals. It’s aligned teams, disciplined simplicity and leaders who understand that control isn’t about eliminating energy. It’s about designing it. 

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