A few moments with Hristina Hristova – Senior Waitress at Colbert

Tell us a little bit about yourself

Well, I come from a beautiful country called Bulgaria, and I moved to the UK with my husband and children nearly 10 years ago. I really love the UK, despite the weather! Initially,  I applied for a role with the company and had hoped they would assign me to their flagship restaurant called The Wolseley, in Piccadilly, but I was offered a job at their sister restaurant called Colbert instead. At first, I thought this must be a simple restaurant, not as grand as The Wolseley, but very quickly I realised what a completely special restaurant Colbert was, and I’m so pleased I stayed. I have been working at Colbert for 9 years now. It is one of the busiest restaurants in the group and one of the most loved. Not just by me, but also by our guests.

So what is it exactly that you do at Colbert?

It's funny, my job might seem straightforward – serving food, pouring drinks, and clearing tables – but it's so much more than that. Over the years, I've learned to truly engage with our guests, talking with them about more than just the menu and getting to know them personally. It's been incredibly rewarding to build relationships and friendships with our regulars, who have come to know and trust me.

Sometimes, guests visit just for a cup of coffee and some good company, and it's a privilege to be part of their day. Yes, we're servers and we have tasks to complete, but exceptional service is about knowing our guests, understanding their preferences, and making them feel as valued to us as they are to their own families.

In your opinion, which dish is the most popular at Colbert?

Honestly, that’s a really tough one to answer because our menu offers lots of variety, along with our specials.

On the breakfast menu, the eggs benedict is incredibly popular. For lunch service, it would have to be the chopped chicken salad, and at dinner times, our steaks are always very popular.

What makes Colbert unique or different to other restaurants?

The location is important – Sloane Square is a very popular area and we have many regular guests who live nearby and dine with us almost daily. We also have many famous guests who dine with us, along with guests from the middle east, Scandinavia and so on, who return time and time again. Our reputation as a quality restaurant with fine food and exceptional service is what we are proud of, and what makes us stand out in the crowd.

So what does it mean to provide exceptional service?

It’s quite simple - to me, providing exceptional service means making sure our guests leave with a big smile, knowing they were truly valued. It’s about sharing recommendations on new or seasonal dishes, offering great drink choices, and making sure everything runs smoothly and at their pace.

At Colbert, it’s all about elevating our guests dining experience and ensuring they walk away happy and looking forward to their next visit with us.

Tell us about the people you work with

I thoroughly enjoy working with my colleagues and take great pleasure in mentoring and supporting the newer team members. It's rewarding to guide them through their initial challenges and watch them grow. Sometimes they may seem puzzled by my approach, but I always empathise with their perspective and try to help them feel more at ease, especially during our busiest times. I believe that providing this support is so important during their training phase, and this is where I feel I add value to our team.

What advice would you give to a young person who wants to begin a career in hospitality?

I would tell them that this isn’t just a summer job – this is a career, and that you can have a rewarding and happy career when you open your heart and mind to everything that hospitality offers. When you get to know your guests and really spend time understanding them, you build lasting friendships that you probably wouldn’t find in other jobs.

Who in our industry do you look up to?

Looking back there have been a few icons for me – Shirley Randle, a previous GM. She was always so fair, very knowledgeable, gracious and kind. She really looked after the team here and we were better for knowing and working with her.

I also admire Emiliano Lapergola , our Restaurant Manager here. He has been here a long time too and he is really supportive and helpful. He’s like a mentor to me, someone I can rely on who will always have my back. I’m very grateful to work with such a talented man.

What do you do in your spare time?

I love to cook and bake – and I’m told by family and friends that I’m pretty good at it too.  I cook or prepare just about anything – from sushi, to breads, cakes, and other dishes. I genuinely love it, and I do it for my pleasure. According to my colleagues here, my baked cheesecake is legendary – I’ve spent years perfecting it.