Tell us about yourself and about K10
K10 is a well-established Japanese restaurant which started all the way back in 2000. The group had grown to 2 large restaurants and 5 takeaway stores by 2020, but all were sadly lost during the COVID lockdown period.
I was already working for K10 as Operations director pre-COVID, but when all the restaurants had closed, I lost my job. Post-COVID, I took a chance and rebuilt the business as the founder. We started with just 3 team members including myself and slowly built back the brand now we have 50 team members and 5 takeaway back open.
K10 team
What does it mean to you to be an LGBTQ+ inclusive employer?
Being an LGBTQ+ employer involves creating an inclusive, supportive environment that benefits both employees and the business, which includes implementing anti-discrimination policies. The aspect that's more challenging is ensuring that all team members understand this and believe it. Communication in all directions is key, as well as having as many 1 to 1 chats as possible. For me it is a personal responsibility to make sure that we are an inclusive and happy workplace for every single one of our team.
A lot has already been done to make workplaces more inclusive, but there’s still a long way to go. Are there any specific changes you would like to see?
I feel that as business owners we need to own the responsibility to make sure that every part of our business is inclusive and free from any discrimination. It's not enough to simply have 'nice' policies on paper, we need to check, test and implement the small, unseen actions that make a real difference.
Tell us more about your partnership with Stonewall charity.
This year, we are delighted to be able to donate £5 to Stonewall for each of the ‘Pride’ sushi platters we sell in the month of June. The Rainbow Sushi platter contains 9x Roasted Red Pepper Nigiri, 8x Salmon Dragon Rolls, 9x Roasted Yellow Pepper Nigiri, 9x Avocado Nigiri, 8x Pawn Katsu Rolls with Blue Cornflowers and 8x Spicy Tuna and Avocado with Japanese Red Shiso.
Are there any other organisations, charities or groups that you would recommend getting involved in?
I am a bit biased here - working in the hospitality industry I would suggest either SpringBoard UK or Hospitality in Action. Both doing great stuff in lots of areas!