EP Business in Hospitality Issue 53 - April 2015

David Simms | Business
A HANDS-ON
APPROACH
The appointment of David
Simms as managing director
of Simon Rogan’s Umbel
Restaurant Group is key
as the company strengthens
its existing portfolio of
restaurants and considers
expansion with new sites.
EP met the experienced
consultant and chef to
discuss his new role and
plans for the business
Since establishing L’Enclume in
Cumbria in 2002, Simon Rogan has
slowly grown his portfolio to include
a variety of restaurants and a pub with a
focus on fine British fare. His signature style
of creating menus with his own farm-grown
ingredients along with his innovative
techniques have made him one of Britain’s
most recognised and respected chefs.
The accolades that the restaurants have
won support Simon’s talent and culinary
approach. His seasonally focused restaurant
Fera had only been open for four-and-a-half
months in Claridge’s when it gained a
Michelin Star in 2014. It is clear that the
Southampton-born chef and his restaurants
are on an upward trajectory.
EP meets David Simms at Fera when
the busy lunch service is ending and the
restaurant is preparing for a private dinner
event for 150. He is dressed in chef’s whites
and has just left the kitchen, which is in
full production. It is evident that he takes
a hands-on approach to managing the
business, so how does David feel he has
prepared for the role of managing director?
“I’ve had the privilege of working in
different environments throughout my
career, always staying within fine dining
but getting to work with both corporate
and small restaurant groups,” he says. “I’ve
known Simon for about five or six years
through our positions in the industry and
have always respected his culinary ethos.
This role was an opportunity to manage
a group of restaurants that are truly special
in the sense that all have the same culinary
theme running throughout, yet have
completely distinct personalities.
“My focus this year is getting to know
and understand the intricacies behind each
of our operations and making sure that we
are consistent in delivery and are also at the
forefront of development and innovation.”
Simon Rogan’s Umbel Restaurant
Group has plans to strengthen the existing
portfolio of restaurants across England. It is
only natural to ask if there are a particular
number of sites the group is targeting to
have open by the end of the year?
“No, I know that other restaurant groups
work towards targets like that, but it really
depends on the concepts that you are
working on. We review each opportunity
as it comes in but several factors have to
come together for us to move on a new
site,” David explains. “We are constantly
reviewing how our current restaurants are
running and whether they are all hitting the
high benchmark we set for ourselves. I don’t
foresee any further announcements of new
openings occurring this year – but if the
right opportunity were to come along we
would find a way to make it work.”
David has a quiet confidence when
speaking of plans for Umbel Restaurant
Group. Despite only having joined officially
in mid-January, it is clear that he is in tune
with Simon’s vision and approach.
Reviewing David’s previous experiences,
one can see how he is a good match for the
developing group. Before joining Simon
Rogan this year, he established consultancy
Kendall & Simms, which catered to and
developed different food concepts for
venues. Although the consultancy didn’t
last, it gave David valuable insight on the
challenges and successes when running
a business. Prior to that, he had worked as
Group Chef Hospitality for Restaurant
Associates where he worked with Albert
Roux in establishing Roux at Parliament
Square and Jason Atherton.
How did the opportunity with Simon
Rogan come about? “I was deciding what my
next steps were going to be after Kendall &
Simms,” explains David. “Simon and I had
met briefly to catch up, and since the group
was getting ready for a very busy December,
Simon asked if I would like to come and help
out. I enjoyed my time there and was able to
see the management structure within the
restaurants. I liked the level of respect
I found within the different teams and how
openly any issues were dealt with.
“Simon had gone on vacation for the
first two weeks and when he came back
I was fully involved with the group and in
full swing with the Christmas period. He
asked whether I would continue staying on
18 | EP Magazine | April 2015