My Morning Routine With Scott Andrews
This month, we had the pleasure of catching up with 41- year- old Scott Andrews. Scott is the General Manager of the beautiful Lympstone Manor Hotel, Restaurant and Vineyard which is owned by the popular Michelin-starred chef, Michael Caines. When Scott is not busy at the hotel, he lives in the town of Moretonhampstead on Dartmoor.
Enjoy!
What time do you normally wake up?
My alarm is set for 6.15am in the morning but I have a nasty habit of waking up around 4.30am, it’s rare that I need the alarm but I always set two as I am paranoid about oversleeping!
Then it’s straight to the bathroom to shave and hit the shower.
After this, I go down to wake up Oban, my Golden Retriever, who loves a lie in!
Do you have any routines that help you to prepare for the day ahead?
I polish my shoes daily before I leave, it is something I observed my father doing and this has been instilled in me.
Would you say that you are a morning or evening person?
I am really not a morning person but due to my job, I have become good at it. Having said that I tend to be at work until quite late which, again, I have grown used to.
In this job, just as you are planning to go home is when a guest will need to see you for something!
Do you plan or prepare anything the night before to make your morning easier?
The night before I always lay out my suit, choose my shirt and tie combo and match with socks. Sad I know!
Tell us about breakfast time:
I find it hard to function without a coffee in the morning, Lavazza instant during the working week with serious Nespresso on Sundays and Mondays which tend to be my days off.
For breakfast I normally have a yoghurt and a piece of toast covered in Marmite. If I’m off I will often cook a full English or have pancakes with fresh fruit.
Do you exercise in the morning and what about mental preparation for the day?
I love the idea of exercise but unfortunately, I would have to get up even earlier to achieve this. One day!
I have a 45-minute drive in and out each day which is an ideal time to listen to music and work things out in my mind. In hotels, it is easy to plan for what you know is going to happen, it’s the curve balls that keep you thinking on your feet.
Do you use any form of technology in the morning?
I watch breakfast news or look at the BBC news App on my iPad, it’s important to know what’s going on when I speak to our guests.
I also check my phone first thing before I leave home to check my emails, I prefer to get ahead, as in my job you never know what is waiting for you once you get to work. It is always good to be prepared!
What are your most important tasks once you get to work?
The most important tasks for me involve doing a walk around the public areas to make sure the hotel is looking sharp. I like to check how many guests we have for lunch and dinner and, of course, how many rooms we are expecting that day.
I also personally write a welcome card for all guests checking in each day. On a Friday morning, Michael and I walk around the grounds with our estate’s team to check progress and to plan ahead.
What about your weekends, is there time to relax?
No, the weekends are our busiest time so we have a lot more going on which normally means a lot more welcome cards to write!
What Book would you recommend as your favourite read?
Service Included: Four-Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter by Phoebe Damrosch.
