Page 51 - April 2023

WORK/LIFE

My 9-to-5
you can spend your entire evening here. There’s away instead of doing a seven year course. I like
pressure on us to make sure the customers working with people and expressing myself.
The founder of Edinburgh-based
have spent their money well. It’s a high-end
restaurant Fhior, Scott Smith, shares experience in a relaxed, homely environment.
his daily life and career path. What’s the best piece of career advice
you’ve been given?
My most memorable career moment is… Be kind is the only great piece of advice – people
Before Fhior I had another restaurant in Leith have a vision that a successful businessman is
Where do you call home? called Norn and I won the Acorn Award which ruthless and cutthroat but if you want to be
Fhior is on Broughton Street in between the New is given annually for the 30 stars of hospitality successful and happy you should be good to
Town and Broughton but I live in Clermiston. in the UK under 30. I had big plans but I never your staff.
I used to live in Edinburgh city centre but I pushed for accolades or put myself into the
wanted to live somewhere with outdoor space limelight so to be given an award was a surprise.
so I moved here. St John’s Road is nearby which
has amenities such as a big Tesco. After work I… About Broughton
On days off I do a lot of climbing and bouldering Broughton lies on the edge of the New
My day starts with… at Eden Rock or Alien Rock which are both Town around one mile from the city centre
My alarm is set for 7.30am but my three-year- near the restaurant. I have a busy work life so and borders Bellevue and Canonmills. The
old wakes me up at 6.30am. The nursery drop my mind is always racing but when you are area is close to a variety of green spaces
off is at 8am and then my working day begins. climbing you are on the wall focusing on what’s from Calton Hill, which has fantastic
in front of you. views over the city, to the Royal Botanic
Any business is always a risk but what separates
A typical working day usually involves… it from gambling is it’s an educated risk – you Gardens and Inverleith Park. Broughton
An ideal day at the restaurant is catching up do research and make a business plan. To If I wasn’t the founder of Fhior, I’d have enjoys all the benefits of city centre living
on emails first thing in the morning and then I minimise risk you have to be confident in your been… with a wide variety of local shops, bistros
have meetings with the head chef or restaurant ability, vision and goals and you need to be Anything creative. I wanted to be an artist at one and restaurants in the New Town and
manager and we discuss staff changes and able to lead a team to make them confident to point or an architect but I wanted to work right Stockbridge.
what dishes we are working on. I am in the deliver your vision.
kitchen at 11am to test the food and then we
have a team meeting where we talk about any There have been staff shortages in a lot of £248,682 average selling price
menu changes and things to improve on. industries but for us reputation comes before
profit so you attract the right calibre of people
Lunch service is from 12pm-3pm. After that I compared to what the industry is known for. 101.1% of Home Report
go to more meetings or I catch up on emails. Instead of long hours for low pay our team are valuation attained
Sometimes I meet suppliers away from the well paid and work three days with three and
restaurant. At 5pm I go back to the kitchen to half days off. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice
check the preparation for dinner service. At a personal or social life to do what you’re The median time to under offer is
6pm we have a briefing before we serve dinner. passionate about. 25 days
I head home at 11pm.
The best part of my job is…
I got my job… The reactions of customers. They are initially *Figures are based on properties marketed and sold
I have always been in hospitality since I was 15. uncertain as they don’t see the menu until they through ESPC. Home Report valuations relate to
It is all I’ve known. Opening a restaurant was are at the table. People are stricter with how properties where the Home Report was available on
espc.com. Figures relate to the three-month period
the end goal when I got into hospitality as I love they spend their money now. It is difficult to ending on 31/03/2023.
the creative side of it. It’s hard to be creative keep the menu value for money as costs are You can find out more information about Fhior at fhior.com
with someone else’s money. going up. At Fhior you pay for a full experience – or @fhiorrestaurant on Instagram.

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