Tech Stack Chats with Fernanda Antonio, People & Culture Director, Caravan Restaurants
In this edition of Tech Stack Chats, we speak with Fernanda Antonio, People & Culture Director at Caravan Restaurants. Fernanda shares her perspective on how technology is shaping the hospitality sector, from empowering teams and improving service to navigating challenges and embracing innovation for long-term growth and success.
We are currently in the process of changing our till system across all of our sites, and this has been very carefully planned. From the perspective of the team and how they deliver service, the change is about combining a strong hospitality focus with technology that supports the delivery of the best possible guest experience.
For example, introducing KDS screens across all of our back-of-house operations has been truly game changing. Our chefs now have full visibility of order flow and of the elements that really matter. They have much greater control of their kitchens and can dedicate more time to focusing on the quality and specification of the dishes being served.
How do you empower your teams to adapt to the changing hospitality tech landscape?
For us, culturally, it has been important to ensure that the teams understand the exact reasons why we are making the change. The purpose is always to create a benefit, firstly so that they can have a better experience and focus on their main role within Caravan, and secondly to make their jobs much easier.
From a scale of curious to fully implemented how would you rate your AI adoption in your business operations?
I believe we are past the stage of curiosity and are now at a point where we want to be ahead in technology, ensuring that our teams spend more time on the things that truly make a difference. We know this will make them happier, support their wellbeing, strengthen their ability to look after their teams, and enhance the care they provide to our customers.
At this stage, it is about prioritising the key areas where we can utilise the best technology available and make serious investments that will deliver returns across the business. Anything that gives our people more time to deliver excellent hospitality or to support their teams more effectively will be a significant advantage and something we will seriously consider.
What are the biggest challenges you currently face and how can hospitality tech help?
There is so much available, and it can be very difficult to choose the right option. I also think it is important to know what has already been tried and tested so that we can make the best decision for Caravan. At the moment, for example, if we were to explore AI opportunities within our recruitment processes, it is challenging to understand what others are using, what works and what does not, where the advantages and disadvantages lie, and how we should decide where technology needs to be included.
Why do you think now is the right time for a dedicated hospitality tech show like HT360?
Technology is evolving so rapidly around us, and particularly within the hospitality sector. There is a strong need to be continually exploring, staying alert to what is new, what is excellent, and what could help us deliver the best possible experience for both our customers and our teams. I believe there is still a gap when it comes to hospitality-focused tech businesses.
It is therefore fantastic to see a dedicated focus, with new businesses recognising the importance of our sector and how we can continue to improve through the use of the right technology.
What would you like to see from suppliers at HT360?
I would say that having a strong understanding of our sector, along with our main concerns, problems and current challenges, is absolutely key. It is about showing how technology can help us to address or even eliminate some of these issues, so that we can focus on the things that truly make a difference. There are some excellent systems available, but it can be overwhelming to navigate through the many impressive suppliers in the market.
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Meet operators and industry leaders just like Fernanda at Hospitality Tech360 (HT360), launching 30 March - 01 April 2026 at Excel London as part of Food, Drink & Hospitality Week.
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