meet the team: hayleigh mullen

Have you ever wondered who’s behind the iasg you know and love? Meet Hayleigh Mullen, iasg Restaurant Manager. She may be young, but this proud Glaswegian packs a punch. She’s been named as a ScotHot Rising Star Hospitality Hero 2023 and is an Acorn Award winner for 2023 as well. Congrats Hayleigh!

tell us a little bit about yourself…

I’m born and bred in Glasgow and still live just around the corner from where I grew up! My best friend’s dad used to be the Executive Chef at Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel and he introduced me to a part-time waitressing job when I was 16. I wasn’t very good at the time(!) and was always put on floor walks to collect room service trays or polish cutlery at the back. Nonetheless, I stuck around, and after college two years later, I joined the Food & Beverage Reservations team before I upped sticks and went off travelling around Southeast Asia. After returning home, I did a brief stint in restaurants and bars around Glasgow, I re-joined iasg in my current role. I carry the mammoth responsibility of managing a team of forty while overseeing the day-to-day running of breakfast, lunch and dinner, iasg bar as well as semi-private dining.

I’ve always been the baby of the team as I’m only 25 years old! Growing up I always had friends that were older, but everybody always says that I am wiser beyond my years (ha!). My age used to bother me in my professional life as I believed I had to work harder to be taken seriously. However, that’s changed thanks to the amazing managers who really took the time to develop my skills and guided me when I got stuck. I’ve been working in hospitality for 10 years now and know that age is just a number – hard work and determination are how you succeed. That’s my takeaway and hopefully it’ll inspire others too.

what is the best thing about your role?

My favourite part of my job is being the chief taste tester for all the new creations that Sean, our Head Chef, comes up with. He enjoys experimenting with seasonal local produce and I enjoy tasting it – it’s a win-win! Besides food, I also have the ‘hard’ task of sampling all the new cocktails with the adventurous flavours and ingredients that my talented bar team puts together. Spotting trends and making decisions on what works and what needs a little more time and development is one of the thrills of the role.

how would your team describe you in three words?

I hope they would say: confident, considerate and relaxed.

what’s your all-time favourite item on the menu?

It’s hard to pick one, but I think it would have to be scallops. They are very versatile and work with many different flavours, which I like. They never get boring!

what’s your go-to drink or dish when eating out?

I’m not fussy at all when it comes to food, I’ll try anything! I like to mix it up, so I normally go for tapas or a selection of small plates. I enjoy sipping on a nice Pinot Noir or my favourite cocktail, the Penicillin – I love the balance of spice with the ginger and the sweetness of the honey.

what country is on your food and drink bucket list?

Taking time travelling around Southeast Asia really opened my foodie eyes. I fell in love with the local bold flavours and the next place I’d like to explore would be Japan.

one last question, if you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want to have with you and why?

Hmm, that’s tricky. I would hope that the desert island I’d be stranded on was in the Maldives and had a 5-star resort, so I didn’t have to worry about anything!