Find a Job

Countertalk Countertalk
Feature

Countertalk Academy The education and support that independent hospitality deserves

Training Mentorship

The Academy is where independent hospitality invests in the incredible people who keep it running. 

Built entirely around the reality of how independent businesses work, it gives chefs, managers and team leaders the business and leadership education to match the skill and passion that got them here. 

Two strands, training and mentorship, one shared purpose: better leaders, stronger teams, and a thriving industry that holds on to its best people.

We proutly partner with Electric Mayonnaise to deliver our training modules and curate our mentorship programme. Electric Mayonnaise is a hospitality-focused learning and development partner on a mission to make hospitality careers awesome. Their training is designed and delivered by people who have actually worked in hospitality. 

Training

Countertalk Training is built for independent operators by independent operators who understand the nuances and realities of your needs. That means every module lands on the problems you are genuinely facing, in the kind of business you are genuinely running. It fits around your rota rather than fighting it, and proves useful from the moment you walk out of the room, with a cohort of peers alongside you whose conversation is as valuable as the module itself.

Check out the modules here >

Mentorship

Countertalk Mentorship pairs ambitious people with industry leaders further along the path, who understand the specific texture of their working life. Getting ahead so often depends on who you happen to meet and who happens to take an interest. This programme makes that access deliberate rather than accidental, open to everyone rather than only to those with connections, and giving talent across every discipline the advocacy that turns potential into progression.

See our mentors and apply here >

FAQs

Pairings run from September through to March, with a minimum of two sessions a month. Mentees apply for the Mentor who matches their discipline and by ambition, they are shortlisted by Countertalk and then personally chosen by the Mentor, so that each pairing ensures the best possible connection, value and outcome.

Applications open through the Countertalk website ahead of each January cohort. You will be asked about your experience, your discipline and what you want from the year ahead.

View

A six-month mentorship programme pairing people building a career in independent hospitality with established industry leaders with proven expertise in their discipline. Twelve pairings run each year across six disciplines, from kitchen and HR to front of house and drinks.

Mentorship is for anyone with ambition and commitment, at any stage and from any background, who would benefit from sustained guidance as they take their career up a level. Mentees are chosen on potential and passion rather than pedigree.

View

How does it work

Modules run three times a year in cohorts of up to fifteen, at £250 per session.

Because each one stands alone, you can select the individual sessions that suits your role and stage - whether that's just one, or more than one in whatever order works for you.

 

How do I apply

Book directly through the Countertalk website, choosing the modules and dates that fit around your rota. Places are limited to fifteen per cohort, so early booking is advised.

View

Five standalone modules covering the business and leadership skills that independent hospitality rarely teaches formally, from reading a P&L to managing a team well. Each one is a four-hour, in-person session developed and delivered by expert trainers with direct operator experience.

It is for chefs, managers and team leaders in independent hospitality who are stepping up, or already there and want the structure, skills and understanding to match. It is equally built for operators who want to invest properly in the people ready to grow with them.

View

Find a Job