Who We Are?
We’re a team of experienced hospitality professionals specialising in all things people.
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As a team, we work with emerging and established businesses, taking the time and going that extra mile to understand every company and the challenges it faces.
Each consultant has a different background and skills set and a unique approach to every job, but we all share the passion for great hospitality!
Stef Moorhouse
Stef Moorhouse has over 30 years’ experience of working with customer-facing hospitality businesses.
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She started out as a job-seeking archaeology graduate working part-time as a waitress in Pizza Express and has never looked back.
Whilst with PE in their ‘90s glory days, she moved quickly through the ranks as Manager, Regional Trainer and Head of Training. She then went on to help grow Gourmet Burger Kitchen as Head of HR and Training, taking the number of sites from 3 to 55 in a very short space of time.
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Since 2011 she has led a growing team of HR, training and recruitment specialists, all of whom put people at the heart of what they do. Moorhouse Training now consults and trains for over 25 businesses including Franco Manca, The Real Greek and Tonkotsu, as well as supporting a number of new start-ups.
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Stef and her team are experts at being able to blend seamlessly into the business they are working with, to the extent that they don’t feel like consultants, hence the chameleon logo!
PB (Pauline Barlow)
Pauline (PB/The Welsh One!) started out as a server in restaurants in the 90s to make some tips for the weekend! It was never her intention to stay…
However, after a swerve via the music industry and working for PolyGram Records and Strictly Rhythm, PB then went to go and live in glorious New Zealand where the care and love for hospitality there injected her with the passion and desire to take this restaurant game a lot more seriously…!
After she returned from New Zealand, she joined Ha! Ha! Bar and Canteen as a bar/server, and worked hard to become a Supervisor where she moved to the beautiful Brighton..
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Working under some brilliant people, PB became obsessed with the industry and went on to become a General Manager for great brands such as Ha! Ha’s!, Giraffe, and Bill’s (when they were just a tiny two!), as well as some Brighton cool independents.
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From here, PB became Ops in Bill’s, Wahaca, and The Cosy Club, by now having opened over 30 restaurants.
After ten years as an Operations Manager, PB wanted to take all her knowledge and inspire the next generation, and so was extremely excited to join Moorhouse Training last August where she has loved meeting lots of exciting leaders of the future…
Cristina de Bernardi
Cris was studying to be an accountant, putting herself through school by working in restaurants and bars in her home country of Italy.
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At 19, she moved to the UK and spent six years with Strada as a Manager, running some of the flagship restaurants but also fully supporting the training and recruitment of new Strada employees and Managers.
A year break in the UK allowed Cris to discover the hospitality sector in Australia, too.
She then moved to pasta giants Giovanni Rana, looking after restaurants and franchises in Luxemburg, and had the fantastic opportunity to support the New York flagship from time to time.
She has worked with Moorhouse for 8 years, specialising in operational training and mentoring, L&D, and recruitment at all levels. If you need support on the restaurant opening structure, that is her bread and butter.
Cris's phrase, “I believe in people, I believe in achieving results without forgetting our human side. I believe in the beauty of hospitality that brings together such a universal diversity and culture”.
Her biggest passions, without a doubt, are traveling, people, and food!
Mags Mosafi
Mags Mosafi has worked in the hospitality industry for 30 years.
She trained as a chef in Westminster College, Vincent Square, London. After firmly finding her love for food and cooking, she decided to diversify into Hospitality Management.
She joined Mitchells and Butlers after graduating from Leeds Metropolitan University. Working for All Bar One, Browns and Gastro Pubs, she worked as a General Manager and then Head of Resourcing and Development for the brands collectively.
For the last 10 years, Mags has been working as a Hospitality Consultant, working with many casual dining brands, start-ups and independents helping with all aspects of learning, recruitment and development.
Mags loves visiting exotic countries and finding new dishes to try out at home on the family.
Her passion is delivering exciting and memorable training that sticks.
Kate Mackay
Kate came to the UK after growing up in Asia and started as a waitress in GBK. Worked way up to management then a trainer that supported both FOH and BOH teams. Always felt inspired by the mentors and managers that helped during her progression within the industry, it then only seemed fitting to be able to give back to others through training.
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Through the years Kate has worked with new openings and operational support to both existing and new brands, support or build pillars to training and development of different teams, create material to different clienteles including spec cards to both restaurants and central kitchens, and help integrate IT based solutions to teams.
Valeria Bolzoni - Administrator Coordinator
Valeria has twenty years of experience in the dynamic and lovely hospitality world. She brings knowledge and passion to her role as a Moorhouse administrator.
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Her hospitality career started in Italy and has taken her across vibrant places in the world, Including Miami, Amsterdam, Dublin, and London where she immersed herself in diverse roles such as Waitress, Barista, Supervisor and Manager, in different restaurants, hotels and coffee shops.
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She has dedicated four years to training hospitality professionals to pass on her passion.
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Erika Garcia
Erika has lived in London for the last 12 years. She started her journey in hospitality at the age of 15, passionate about the industry she has done all sorts of positions including kitchen, front of house and management including 9 years working for Leon until she found her professional goal as a trainer. Her motto is there is always something new to lean and improve.
Irene Uggeri
After 5 years of classic and modern language high school near Milan and one year of sabbatical year working in her parents’ bakeries and some catering events, Irene moved to London in 2015, she worked for an Italian restaurant Princi until 2017 starting as a runner developing up to become a Manager. Irene joined the Franco Manca family in the same year where she had the opportunity to meet Stef, Cristina, and other trainers from Moorhouse. Irene started her career path as a waitress and after few months she was in the management team for the new King’s Cross opening in October. She was working as a manager in other restaurants of the company too and she was always involved in the training of the staff, and she was a support for the other managers for the new openings. Her goal was become a trainer and she joined Moorhouse in November 2023, starting as a supporting trainer in the new opening of The Real Greek. Irene would like to make the difference in the hospitality world and teach people how to love this job as much she does.
Wendy Costa
Wendy Costa our northern queen has been in the hospitality industry all her working life!
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Started washing up at her local carvery then moved to spend 5 years with Hard Rock Café working across all departments from the kitchen to FOH and Management.
She then moved to Gourmet Burger Kitchen where she worked for 11 years, again as a manager then moving into a regional learning and development role.
Wendy has worked at Moorhouse since 2018 training at all levels and leading various projects for different brands. She has also taken on employee relations focused work in the last 3 years and really enjoys keeping all the clients up to date on all things Employment law and helping out with anything employee relations related as and when it is needed.
Paul Morey
People are my passion. I love working with people and supporting them to achieve their goals.
I have worked in hospitality since I was 16 years old working in a hotel and have worked in all areas of the industry, including bars, nightclubs, cafe's, restaurants, function centres and hostels, before moving into management and becoming a General Manager at 25 years old for Gastropubs and boutique hotels in Central London.
I then took the move to the Training Sector, where I have been able to develop my own skills, whilst sharing my knowledge and deliver coaching for Level 2, 3 and 4 Hospitality Apprenticeship qualifications for 4 & ½ years, before joining the Moorhouse Team where I can continue following my passion.