Neil Gander
Founder of Electric Mayonnaise, Neil is a former chef and operator who specialises in breaking down commercial management into practical actions, helping leaders master P&L, dish costing, and operational profitability.
Electric Mayonnaise Our Academy Partner
About Electric Mayonnaise
Electric Mayonnaise is a hospitality-focused learning and development partner on a mission to make hospitality careers awesome. Established in 2017, they work alongside progressive hospitality businesses to develop their people, strengthen their teams and build the industry’s future leaders.
Their training is designed and delivered by people who have actually worked in hospitality. Rather than relying on generic management theory, they teach practical skills that managers can immediately apply—from menu engineering, dish costing, labour controls and understanding a P&L to recruitment, performance management, HR essentials and handling difficult conversations with confidence. This enables managers to make an immediate commercial impact while helping to create stronger, more sustainable businesses for the future.
Through apprenticeships, leadership and management development, consultancy and employment programmes, they combine commercial knowledge with people skills to help hospitality professionals become more capable, confident and well-rounded leaders.
They are hugely excited to be partnering with Countertalk to launch the Countertalk Academy. Together, they want to make high-quality, industry-led development more accessible—creating stronger leaders, better workplaces and more rewarding careers across hospitality.
Meet our Trainers
Ella de Beer
Co-founder of Electric Mayonnaise with 20 years of operational and HR leadership experience, Ella leads training modules designed to give managers the practical tools and confidence to manage performance, navigate employment law, and build strong workplace cultures.
Lucy Grant-Evans
A 12-year hospitality people and learning specialist, Lucy leads training modules that give newly promoted managers the practical communication, recruitment, and coaching skills needed to lead teams effectively from day one.
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.
ViewA 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.
ViewHow 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.
ViewFive 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.
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