Hospitality Legends: Neil Macleod

How Neil Macleod built his success; from being young in his family hotel and the journey he has been on since. Learn about when he started in Hospitality, where he met his business partner, and how the empire started to unfold.

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Neil Macleod. I’m Founding Director of company called Mission Mars , and it has been going for a good ten years now. During these ten years, we’ve developed two brands; one being Alberts Schloss and the other being Rudy's Pizza. Albert Schloss is ten years old now. Give or take a month or two. But to be here this amount of time, you must learn to innovate, we have got a timeless atmosphere I think. But if you ask me what I do now. I spend my time encouraging the operational team to understand a bit more about hospitality. We hope to still be around in 50 years time and we are always moving forward.

We call it ‘new world class’ and that really is an aspiration. You always try to get there; you might get close to it but you will never be perfect. How can you determine that success? But encouraging that thought, encouraging the team to adopt skills to support that, and hopefully support them to a have a nice life whilst they’re doing that. Just to keep things moving forward and making new things happen. My partner, Roy, is a bit different. He is right in amongst it all the time.

I go back a long way in this industry, I was born in a hotel in Scotland so as far back as I can remember, I would make the eggs in the morning, and was taught to become a chef around 13 years old, it doesn’t really seem like work at all, I love it.??

Tell us a little more about Rudy’s!

Well Rudy’s is about seven years old now! We didn’t invent Rudy’s, that was invented by Jim and Kate, they were a lovely couple who are involved massively in the TV and film industry. They just loved pizza so they spent a long time travelling around Europe, working around at pizza places, finding out how to do it. It is pretty unique, Rudy’s, they worked out what it is about the dough that makes it so special. I have heard that 'Double Zero' is very good pizza in Manchester!

Rudy’s have got this magic. It’s really impressive, they had a reverence around the dough and really needed it to be perfect! However, it started to get a little tough on them. They had children and that’s when they found it too time consuming so they asked if we could help them and eventually if we could buy it. They still have some involvement, every time we open a restaurant, they come and see if we need any support and see how we are getting on, we love that. The main thing is trying to find ways of making people love the dough. Because if you don’t love the dough, you have no chance. You can tell if someone doesn’t love it, and that is sad but not often!

What is your favourite part of your job? ?

Favourite part of my job is seeing young people in the business. What happens quite a lot is, young people begin working here, starting off all timid and shy, which is fine but then they start flourishing and they are really competent in all aspects of the business, experts of their trade. That brings a big smile to my face. But also just walking in and seeing this restaurant flying.

Another thing I love about my job- the holidays!

What was your first job?

First job was in my family hotel in Inverness, started off as a pot wash and then transitioned into the kitchen doing around 160 breakfasts every morning and then at least 200 main meals every night of the week. It was a lot, I was only young but I really enjoyed it and earned good money! My mum did a lot of the front of house, my old man would be counting the money, it was like having your own village, a lot of fun! That is where my whole hospitality experience started. And then from there, I went to work with a guy called Ron Jones, he was noble for his services in hospitality and he was at another hotel and then asked me to to join the Savoy Hotel Group when that had to be changed after a corporate battle. I then decided to go into advertising for a while but it wasn’t for me and went straight back to hospitality!

Who is/was your idol growing up?

My mum.

But industry idols: I liked the ‘Galloping Gourmet’, ‘Fanny Cradock’, she was the first female TV chef, absolutely hilarious. And of course, what’s his name, the drunk one… Keith Floyd. They were brilliant, but he was always getting ‘pissed’. I did also love ‘Big Cook, Little Cook’, that one is a little more recent. Maybe it’s not beyond me to be one of these TV chefs!

What would you say your biggest milestone has been?

Probably meeting Roy, my business partner, 35 years, we’re very good friends. We never knew eachother very well, but we still ended up in business together. We weren’t school boy mates or anything like that but we work together well and he is very good with his job.

What has been the most exciting day in the workplace?

I think it would be in here (Alberts Schloss), with the entertainment, the food and drink and the atmosphere. When it all first happened and came together about 6 months after it opened, it wasn’t just one day but it was pretty exciting see. Alberts Schloss is pretty unique, financially, pretty strong part of the business. It’s the idea that people work here, people come in here; people in their 80s and also people with little babies in their arms, people with all different cultures, ages, lifestyle choices. When you see all of that come together and they’re watching the cabaret or something like that, I think it’s amazing, I think it’s a whole new world when it’s a successful day. We just like to make people feel welcome.

What advice would you give to a young person starting out in hospitality?

You need to turn your dream into a goal, to have a goal, you need to have a plan. Most dreams aren’t impossible, if your dream is to fly unaided to Mars, that’s not really gonna happen but if your dream is to be on a space project to get to Mars, that’s possible. Don’t get me wrong, you need a plan, and lots of hard work and get on with it.

If you could have done one thing differently over your career, what would you have done?

We looked to open in West London before we opened in Ashton under Lyne, both places are complete polar opposites to each other, offering different opportunities. And if we had opened there, don’t know if we would have been more or less successful? If it had been successful, it may have taken us to a brand new level but then I also wouldn’t have met my ex-wife. Swings and roundabouts. I try not to have any regrets.

What was your dream job when you were younger?

If I’m honest, its probably what I do really!

We are really grateful for Neils' time and for sharing such brilliant stories! To hear more from what is going on over at mission Mars, please see the links below.

Mission Mars Website and socials: https://www.wearemissionmars.com & https://www.instagram.com/wearemissionmars/

Alberts Schloss Website and socials: https://albertsschloss.com & https://www.instagram.com/albertsschloss/

Albert Hall Website and socials: https://www.alberthallmanchester.com & https://www.instagram.com/alberthallmcr/

Rudys website and socials: https://www.rudyspizza.co.uk & https://www.instagram.com/wearerudyspizza/