Scot Turner is the founder of Auden Hospitality, a creative consultancy transforming how hotels think about food and beverage. With a belief that hotel restaurants should be bold, memorable, and commercially powerful, Auden partners with operators and owners to unlock the full potential of their F&B spaces. Scot has worked alongside some of the biggest names in hospitality including Alain Ducasse and Dominique Ansel, and is the host of “Hospitality Huddles,” the award-winning hotel F&B podcast brought to you by Auden Hospitality. He is also a regular on the speaking circuit having delivered keynotes across Europe and the U.S.
Did you know that we didn’t used to have the Ford Mustang in the U.K.?
I remember the first time I heard the unmistakable purr for the first time. I’d always known about the Mustang, but I’d never felt it.
That roar, those revs shaking the pavement, captures what I love about the U.S.: big, bold, and unapologetic. While you're sipping strong mugs of diner coffee, we’re over here with bone china and cups of tea.
More on this later. But first, some context.
I’ve grown up in hospitality; hotels made me, restaurants inspired me.
This year will be my 27th in the industry. In that time, I’ve opened 50+ restaurants, four hotels, and worked in 16 countries on four continents. In 2022, I oversaw $175M in revenue across 16 brands and 85 restaurants, 11 of which were in New York City for a restaurant business.
I’ve run operations in just about every segment — Michelin, casual, rooftop, QSR, large-scale events, you name it. Now, I lead Auden Hospitality, the business I founded in 2022, shaped by everything I’ve learned.
Recently, I’ve spent more time in the U.S., speaking at the Bar & Restaurant Expos in San Antonio and Las Vegas. After each event, I’ve hopped on a flight to meet friends in other cities, to hang out with locals. Because understanding any market happens best in real life.
So that’s my context: I love hotels, I love restaurants, I travel A LOT, and I love the U.S.
It’s a place I want to be more. While other like-minded businesses in the U.K. are blinded by the giga-projects in the Middle East, I am, and always have been, obsessed with the American Dream. And there are a few fundamental ways in which our two cultures differ that, I think, have a big impact on how we approach hospitality.
Here are my takeaways for the most important things we can learn from each other.
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