Sam Gadd and Zak Newton have big ambitions. The Durham duo are building a hospitality group with good ethics and customer satisfaction at its core. With three restaurants already forming the foundation of their hospitality group ( Zen, The Rabbit Hole & Tango) the coming months brings expansion and exciting new ventures. We caught up with them to find out a little more about the men behind Zen Group.
What were your career ambitions growing up ?
ZAK
Well despite us both being firm believers that we were going to pass SAS selection with our eyes closed, I always wanted to be in charge & running a business. I can still remember charging my parents for entering their own living room (AKA Zak’s cinema) to watch a movie & no chore was completed for free.
SAM
I was never too motivated by money, but always had a keen interest in business especially in hospitality. I suppose given my family’s track record; it was a given where I was going to end up!! What started out as cheap labour for my parents has ultimately landed me where I am today.
Tell us about your current roles and what do you most enjoy ?
ZAK
We both share our daily duties -it’s always a surprise to what situation you find yourself resolving on the restaurant side.
Personally, I focus more on the group structure & finances.
SAM
R&D and operations: the research is always fun and exciting but it’s important not to take your eye off the day to day. I guess that’s the way it works with the two of us as there’s always someone around to steer the ship.
What I enjoy most is giving people the opportunity to grow with us and the business. We put a lot of emphasis into employee progress. This is reflected in our staff retention, especially mid to high management.
What is your proudest business achievement to date ?
ZAK
I guess it’s whenever I reminisce – I can still remember times when I had pennies to my name & we had nonstop business ideas in our teenage years. It’s funny to see how they have played out over the years. Another big personal one for me was taking the leap of faith from being 50/50 between my engineering career & business owner to committing myself 100% to our businesses. Timed perfect for the start of covid of course!
SAM
Self-accolade and reward are something I’ve always struggled with. Trying to be the best and as consistent as possible reflects our success this far but we are both still very much at the beginning of our journey.
We take our ages into consideration, we’re no spring chickens, but being in the position we’re in, in what is ultimately an older bulls world, allows us to take time and dictate a lot of our decision making. We never take it for granted, we do have time on our side and this allows us to be more cautious and not go for too many carrots when they are dangled in front of us!
How has your industry evolved in the last decade and what changes do you see in the next decade ?
ZAK
It’s no longer acceptable to simply feed consumers and be done with it, it’s becoming more important than ever to offer the customer a quality experience with a focus on value. There’s lots of competition opening but by keeping ahead in venue development and investing in the right team we firmly believe the future is bright.
SAM
Staffing and technology, along with a lot more exposure to good and bad food.
People are starting to take the industry a lot more seriously which is good. There are so many new innovative ways to track customer feedback, business performance and finance management.
Like Zak mentioned, the customer journey is just as important as the customer feeding. This is also great for us as it allows us to more inventive and come up with new concepts- which we have plenty of!
I do see quite a few obstacles over the next 10 years- the economy being one of the major factors.
What are you currently working on ?
We have two very exciting locations joining our group shortly. With one being an acquisition of a local likeminded business & the other is an evolution of one of our current venues. Unfortunately, all is still under wraps for now.
What excites you about the hospitality business?
Tell us about the team you work with ?
ZAK
For me personally it’s about creating an experience and continuing to do so in a challenging economic circumstance. Staying sharp & having the ability to react quickly helps us to stay strong.
We have an excellent staff retention rate with our full time employees. Some have been with the business for over 12 years- the last time someone left was for personal circumstances. We are proud of this as it’s a very competitive labour sector.
We always allow our teams to have creative input at all levels which means everyone feels valued.
SAM
Seeing people enjoying themselves and having fun in the venue- both the staff and the customers. Seeing a smile and joy on faces means we must be doing things right.
What is the best piece of business advice you have been given ?
ZAK
Take your time, especially if you’re younger. We used to jump at every opportunity that presented itself, but ultimately find your niche and expand upon it. You only have so much time that you can dedicate to different ideas. We have some amazing concepts that we have shelved until the time is right. There’s plenty opportunities out there and most come by being good at what you do best.
SAM
Live within your means, invest wisely, treat all those around you as you would expect to be treated yourself.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years time ?
ZAK
I see us with a well-crafted hospitality group that sticks to our foundation of quality at an affordable price point with ethics at its heart.
I also see Zen at multiple venues within half that time.
SAM
On a boat hopefully. 😉
Work is always going to be in hospitality for the foreseeable. There is one other project very close to us which given the right opportunity we would like to test. It would very much be a full time project and involve us having very a structured business and management team behind us, to allow one of if not both of us to committed to.
How do you unwind outside of work ?
ZAK
I don’t 😂 …but I’m trying to balance my family life out more now my daughter is getting a little older. Most of my hobbies from skiing, mountain biking or racing, required near death experience for me to switch off! I’ve recently started flying lessons which requires maximum attention with a little less risk!
SAM
Unwinding is a big part of my life for me… I have quite a hyperactive mind so finding something I can focus my attention on can be challenging.
My dog Luna and family life really help me unwind.
I’ve always been a keen gamer, World of Warcraft is my legacy game, I think that detachment helps me keep out of trouble and gives my brain a much-needed rest.
I did a lot of Muay Thai boxing in my 20s, it is something I would like to keep up with just injuries come a little too frequently when you get into your mid 30s so I find myself doing less aggressive training at the moment like lifting weights.
I like to travel, summer I’ll head to Ibiza – it’s only a stone’s throw away. I have a lot of fun out there and it’s also very good for business. Ive met some very interesting people, many of which work in the industry.
In the winter, I do like to get away for a month or so normally to Thailand. I have good friends out there, old trainers and coaches along with people who have settled out there to live. My parents recently moved to Bangkok which is a reason to visit Thailand more often.
www.zendurham.co.uk
www.rabbitholedurham.co.uk
www.tangodurham.co.uk