Dale MacPhee

GM, Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh, The Caledonian

• What was your favourite subject at school?

Mathematics, believe it or not.

• What was your first job?

Grocery store clerk in small community store aged 13 and I did 31 hours a week

• Which is your favourite restaurant /hotel?

Besides the one I run (WA Edinburgh the Caledonian), I have many around the world I like the personal service and attention to details

• How do you inspire your team

I lead from the front, I am visual and I know something about all of them. I walk the floor and I practice what I preach

• Which person in hospitality have you most admired / inspired you?

My first GM was a female named Marilyn Soper and she was a rarity amongst hotels in the early 90s

• How do you manage your stress levels?

I take my Dog for long walks and I talk to my husband and my senior team (if I am stressed I will talk to the team about it)

• Instagram, Twitter or Facebook – and why?

Facebook (my son says I am old) and Instagram. Got rid of Twitter years ago

• If you had not gone into hospitality, where do you
  think you would be now?

I had planned to become a lawyer, a diplomat or a politician

• What did you do on your last days off?

We had friends in from London so a lovely dinner on Saturday evening and a drive to Glencoe

• What do you do to relax, to support your wellbeing?

WALK AND TALK and listen to music