IN THE SPOTLIGHT – Matt Compton

MEET MATT, GENERAL MANAGER OF OUR NEW VENUE WILLOW. HE JOINED US 6 YEARS AGO AND WITH HARD WORK AND DETERMINATION HAS DESERVEDLY BEEN HANDED THE REINS OF WHAT WE EXPECT TO BE A VERY POPULAR ADDITION TO THE PAROGON PORTFOLIO. WORKING WITHIN REACH OF TRENTHAM GARDEN CENTRE COULD PROVE DANGEROUS AS BY HIS OWN ADMISSION HE HAS A WEIRD AND WORRYING OBSESSION WITH PLANTS.

He has worked in hospitality for a number of years now, ranging from large scale family style restaurants to small bars, learning and progressing and every step of the way.

“I was 16 when I started working in restaurants as a server and instantly fell in love with the environment and atmosphere that comes with this industry. The characters you meet, the sense of been part of a team, the buzz of a busy service soon became very addictive, and I knew this was the career I wanted”

In 2015 Matt joined the Parogon Group as an Assistant Manager where his training began at the Orange Tree working on the bar, learning everything he could about our bar service and the fantastic range of cocktails on offer. After two weeks exposure to one of Parogon’s busiest bars he moved to the Swan With Two Necks for training as a floor manager, exposing him to the high standards of customer service our guests expect.

“Those first few weeks were very intense as there was so much information to take in. It was the first time I had worked in restaurants that not only had extremely high standards, but were also very busy. But the systems they had in place and the people they had looking after me during this period made everything so much easier to learn”

It was after these initial few weeks of training that he then moved to his permanent place of work, the Wayfarer where he would not only continue to develop and grow as a manager but also meet his fiancée and soon to be wife Lara, who is currently Deputy Manager at the Wayfarer.

“My time at the Wayfarer was great. Not only because of meeting Lara, which I better mention so I don’t get in trouble, but also because it exposed me to things I hadn’t done before like taking the lead on managing larger events we had in the function room. This was great experience, and I was lucky enough to be play a part in Parogon’s annual charity event which raised £12000 for Dougie Mac as well as hosting the leaving party of former Stoke City footballer Andy Wilkinson”

After a couple of years at the Wayfarer Matt then moved to the Orange Tree to further his development and expose him to a different style of restaurant than the Wayfarer. After a further couple of years there he then did a 12 month stint at the Swan with Two Neck followed by a further 12 months at the Blockhouse and then doing 6 months at the Seven Stars in between lockdowns.

“Moving between our restaurants has been great as it meant I could learn the subtle differences between each of the restaurants giving a well-rounded understanding of what Parogon is about. This is great knowledge to have ready for when I take the reins at Willow”

However, it’s not all about work and when Matt isn’t pacing the restaurant floor, he’s pacing around local areas like the Downs Banks and Hilderstone with Lara, walking their Lakeland terrier Ruba.

He is also a keen wine enthusiast learning and collecting as much as he can, but the tasting is his favourite part of his hobby and regularly goes (when allowed) to wine tastings.

With his wealth of knowledge and experience he has of working for Parogon, he will be a great General Manager of Willow and will use his passion for the industry to lead the team in providing an exceptional experience for everyone who visits.