Kaye Winwood
Kaye Winwood launched GULP in 2021 – the first UK space dedicated to showcasing innovation within food and sensory design through a programme of dining experiences and activities.
Kaye fuses sensory design with visual arts and gastronomy to create new and meaningful eating experiences to engage and excite.
- Tell us a little bit about your business…
I use food as a creative and artistic tool to produce new sensory experiences; workshops; supper clubs and bespoke dining events for clients. I explore the fertile ground of cross-modality to create unforgettable experiences that can be developed for company events, private bookings and artistic experiences.
In 2021 I launched a private dining room called GULP, in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, to showcase innovation and creativity in gastronomy. On site, I have a studio and kitchen where I do most of my R&D and ideation for larger and offsite and commissioned projects. My business has slowly transitioned from a creative practice within the art sector to incorporate hospitality with a wider public.
Some examples of my work include:
*Producing MAC’s 60th anniversary dinner (2022) – drawing on flavours of the six decades and the city’s heritage and fusing them with key moments of MAC’s 60 year history to create a spectacular experience of food and performance.
*Creating a bespoke menu to celebrate a 40th birthday (at GULP). The menu retold the birthday celebrant’s journey from Tehran to Birmingham in food. It began with Persian Herb Frittata served on an ‘edible magic carpet’ of spices and ended with an Eastern Mess – an Eton Mess but with a fusion of flavour inspirations including Cardamom infused Birds custard. We also stopped off at some favourite locations along the way including The Shire for a ‘Shirecuterie Board’ and to Mos Eisley Cantina for a ‘Black tea iced sorbet with a rose perfume spray’.
*I worked with the Royal Museum of Worcester and a group of learning disabled and autistic adults called The Monday Night Club over 9 months to create a sensory visitor experience to smell, touch and hear; creating access and space for audiences with disabilities and additional needs the tour includes objects, aromas, and sounds.
Whether I am creating intimate or larger scale events I always maintain a level of detail that is important for an experience. I consider tablewares, lighting, sound, smells, service as well as taste – to make sure all the senses are engaged and stimulated.
GULP can be hired by clients as a meeting or events space. It’s a beautiful 10 seater dining room in a Grade II listed building and perfect for exclusive meetings/away days/entertaining clients/intimate parties – it always surpasses peoples expectations, and brings a unique offer to Birmingham.
- How did you get into the industry?
I have worked in the arts sector for over 25 years as a Producer, Curator and Artist. Across these roles, I have always gravitated to work that requires active audience participation, as opposed to more passive spectatorship. Food seemed a natural material for me as it requires the audience/diner to eat and sh*t it out – the ultimate act of consuming.
I have been working with food since 2010 and in 2021 I moved my practice into larger space with the ambition to develop a unique business with kitchen/studio/dining room working together. With this working model my business shifted from solely artistic to step into the hospitality sector. Now I have a foot planted in each which can be a balancing act!
- What are the biggest opportunities and challenges in your industry?
Straddling arts and hospitality is a two-edged sword, both an opportunity and a challenge for my business. Both sectors are struggling with funding cuts and cost of living, which has been incredibly challenging over the last few years. My overheads have increased and there have been a number of occasions when I’ve thought about giving up, but my passion for what I do motivates me.
My creative approach to gastronomy sets me apart from other businesses. I offer an artist led dining room which is something no-one else in UK does. It really is a great thing for Birmingham to shout about and a perfect story to be celebrated.
As a middle-aged woman, I think there are added challenges of working in either industry – such as inhospitable hours, sexism at the work place, being a working mother/carer, pay gaps – that add significantly to the pressures of working that make it impossible for many. Independents like Chloe at Verbena setting up Women in Hospitality (WIH) is a great initiative to support other women. I also hold a monthly networking event – C.U.Next Tuesday – every last Tuesday of the month for women to meet and eat, as well as affordable co-working on Tuesdays for women. It is very important to me that women feel safe and valued.
Finding time to visit other spaces and network can be a challenge – there so many amazing venues and people to meet but working in hospitality makes to a challenge (part of the thinking behind C.U.Next Tuesday was to surround myself with amazing people).
- How would you describe your leadership style?
Communicative, transparent, genuine, and democratic.
I prioritise people’s well-being and encourage open dialogue and opinion. I think it’s important to share knowledge and demonstrate trust in people’s skills whilst making sure outputs and aims align to core values. I guess I motivate people with a positive attitude and an infectious passion for what I do.
- How do you get the most out of the people who work for you?
I tend to work alone, and pull together people/teams for specific projects as needed. I try to surround myself with likeminded individuals, often women, who have similar values and interests. I struggle to hide my enthusiasm and I think it rubs off on other people.
I try to be concise and provide clear briefs and manageable workloads but my brain doesn’t always work in a linear way so it can be a challenge for me. I maintain an open door policy and always treat people with respect, making sure they are heard and appreciated. I never ask staff to make tea for me, or clean the loo – I want them to love their experience of working with me.
As mush as possible, I make sure the individuals are happy with what they are working on and that the outcomes relate to their own professional journey. Mutual satisfaction is key and keeps people motivated and on track.
I make A LOT of coffee/tea and have a good supply biscuits at all times.
- What are the most crucial elements to your business running smoothly and being successful?
Planning and strategy is key to keep ahead of where I want to be. Making sure I haven’t taken on too much/little is a challenge when working alone, as during super busy times things can fall at the wayside whilst striving for that imminent goal. So planning, planning, planning… and working ahead and in advance of the realisation of an event to lower stress and last minute panic. (I need to heed my own advice here)
Reaching out to people or organisations I want to work or network with – I have worked with some incredible people and really try to nurture the work relationships I have with collaborators and clients.
Business doesn’t come easy to me – coming from an arts background, there is a desire to do what I think works creatively rather than financially…so focus and honesty when reviewing successes and failures is critical.
Time to think creatively is equally important – creating ideas for a brief can take days, even weeks. I think this is often underestimated by clients.
- How has the past 12 months been for you?
The worst! I lost my mom. It impacted on me professionally and personally. I took quite a bit of time away, and as a sole trader it has been hard to recover from this both personally and financially. No more words on this for now.
- What will the next 12 months look like for your business?
Thriving – fingers crossed. 2024 has got off to a great start with a fabulous blend of commissions and private events.
Over the next 12 months I’ll be reviewing my offer over – taking a deep dive into finance and tariffs, and refining my offer accordingly.
I want to increase the scope of what I do and register as a Limited Company, and I’ll be seeking to make new partners and collaborators.
I have some beautiful projects at the moment – which I will be posting about at some point (oh I need to add social media and marketing to my challenges. Like, who has time!)
- What are the highlights of your career so far?
I was commissioned by the University of Birmingham for their Arts & Science Festival. I collaborated with artist Nuala Clooney and master glass blower Steve Williams to create a series of glasswares. One of the glasses – FINGERS – has been showcased as part of experimental dinners in Amsterdam, used by Michelin * restaurants, presented at Palais de Tokyo in Paris, and at the Venice Design Biennale.
Each glass was hand blown and therefore individual, it has finger holes and is worn like a glove – it is a beautiful thing. We have a stock of them here in Birmingham that we occasionally use, or hire to special event.
- What’s the biggest business mistake that you’ve learnt from?
Undercharging for my time and venue. I look back on the loss I have made as a result and feel ashamed!
I have increasingly started to appreciate that value and wealth are intrinsically linked to self worth and I’m on a mission to value myself and my talents.
- What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?
“Hold your line” (thanks Lara Waldman).
