Jon Spiteri Rejects Leave Problems at Door
Third-generation restaurateur Jon Spiteri argues the common managerial advice to 'leave your problems at the door' is wrong, advocating instead for a
Jon Spiteri, born in 1957, grew up in a family with over 100 years in hospitality. He now runs the West London restaurant Latimer with his children, rejecting the standard workplace mantra that employees should leave their personal problems at the door.
Spiteri's parents moved from Tunisia to England in 1957, opening an 18-room guesthouse and snack bar. He describes his upbringing above the business as less of a family life and more of a social life centered on taking care of others. This foundational experience shaped his career, leading him to help open notable restaurants like St. John and Sessions Arts Club. He says the industry pulls you back in.
A Philosophy of Care
Spiteri believes you enter hospitality for love, not money. He extends this care to his staff as much as his customers. His core philosophy directly contradicts common managerial advice.
Most managers tell employees to leave their problems at the door. Spiteri calls this the wrong approach. "Bring your problems to work, and let’s see if between us we can sort them out," he says. He views the business as working only when people take care of people, a lesson learned from his family's century-long tradition.
Storytelling and Authentic Connection
Decades in the business have taught Spiteri new ways to connect. A customer advisory board meeting changed how he and his daughter think about telling their restaurant's story. The key lesson was to put yourself out there.
For Spiteri, this means moving beyond food photos and polished marketing. He wants to include staff in the narrative. "I don’t want people to say what we think. We want them to say what they think," he explains. This authenticity extends to social media, where he redefined success.
He argues a post doesn't need millions of views to matter. "If you just get one person that comes in, that’s fine," Spiteri states. He believes restaurants must be present, relevant, honest, and straightforward online. Storytelling, for him, is a tool for understanding customers better, revealing that the expected audience isn't always the one that arrives.
Engaging with the Audience
Spiteri emphasizes that operators often don't know their true customers. Engaging with them to understand why they come is crucial. This process requires a willingness to speak, listen, and accept disagreement.
"Not being afraid to say something and letting people interact with you about stuff," is how he describes it. He sees this interactive storytelling not as a separate marketing task but as integral to hospitality. It is another method for building relationships, one person at a time. The family's century-old legacy continues through this focus on genuine human connection at Latimer.
