Season 11 - Episode 14 - What It Takes to Launch a Restaurant in Today’s Hospitality World | Georgie Woollam Edwards

Send us a text Season 11 continues with conversations that explore the forces shaping hospitality beyond the kitchen. In this episode, Chef JKP sits down with Georgie Woollam Edwards, Founder of Katch International, a London and Dubai based PR and experiential agency that has helped shape some of the region’s most influential restaurant and hotel launches. Georgie’s journey moves from early years in theatre and media to studying culture, storytelling, and communication, before building a career across events, PR, and brand strategy. In 2010, she founded Katch in memory of her late sister, grounding the agency in values of honesty, craft, and emotional connection. Today, Katch operates across the UK, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, working behind the scenes on hospitality brands, global restaurant groups, and landmark openings including Atlantis The Royal. This conversation explores what PR really means in modern hospitality. From storytelling and brand positioning to influencer culture, restaurant launches, reintroductions, and why food, consistency, and people matter more than hype. What You Will Hear in This Episode • Childhood memories and early creative influences • Theatre, media, and learning to work behind the scenes • Studying culture, storytelling, and communication • Founding Katch in memory of her sister • Lessons from events and wedding planning • What PR actually means in hospitality today • Influencers, critics, and brand credibility • Launching and reintroducing restaurants in the Middle East • Building loyal teams and strong company culture • Advice for hospitality brands and creatives Chapters 00:00 Introduction and welcome 05:20 Childhood and creative foundations 12:40 Theatre, media, and storytelling 21:10 Founding Katch and personal purpose 32:00 Events, weddings, and hospitality lessons 45:30 What PR really means today 58:40 Influencers, critics, and credibility 72:20 Reintroducing restaurants to the market 88:10 Team culture and leadership 102:30 Closing reflections and advice Proudly Brought to You by Potatoes USA Potatoes USA represents America’s potato growers and inspires chefs, home cooks, and food lovers everywhere. From nutrition to creativity, they show why the humble potato remains one of the most powerful ingredients in every kitchen. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/potatogoodnessgcc/ Website https://www.potatogoodnessgcc.com Follow Georgie Woollam Edwards Instagram https://www.instagram.com/georgiewoollams/ Follow Katch International Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katch_int/ Website https://katchinternational.com/ Follow Chef JKP Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chefjkppodcast LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knight-paccheco-447b1b17 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@jamesknightpaccheco Support the show Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE