Shift Happens: Prioritising wellbeing during the festive season
We are now officially in the full swing of the festive season. The Christmas parties have begun, bubbles are flowing quicker than usual, and guests are perhaps a little more demanding. It can all feel a bit much.
Amidst all the madness it can be hard to find time for yourself. That鈥檚 why we reached out to Natalia Ribbe, CODE Hospitality鈥檚 Woman of the Year 2025, founder of LOR (Ladies of Restaurants) and the acclaimed Margate restaurant S猫te, to shed some wisdom on prioritising wellness while in the thick of silly season.
Natalia began her career in New York, working her way up some of the city鈥檚 most popular restaurants including Le Cirque and Blue Water Grill, before moving across the pond to take on the London hospitality scene.
LOR was founded out of the need to create a community that would foster female solidarity within the hospitality industry. The community has grown to host dinners, seminars, online events, and even festivals, all in the name of building community, sharing knowledge and empowering women to move up in the positions of leadership within the industry.
All the while, Natalia found the time to open a popular restaurant in Margate, S猫te, in 2022. The bustling bistro has received recognition from the National Restaurant Awards 2024, a glowing Grace Dent review, and was included in the Good Food Guide 2024 & 2025.
Join us as we get to know Natalia and learn from her years in hospitality.
How did you get started in hospitality?
My dad was a chef and hotel manager for Marriott when I was growing up, so I was always around it. But I鈥檇 say I really got my start in New York at 19, working as a hostess and ma卯tre d鈥� at Danube in Tribeca. It was my job while studying theatre at Pace University, and honestly, it just felt like hosting a daily dinner party, something I already loved doing in my own time.
What do you love most about the hospitality industry?
I love the people - the connections I鈥檝e made in this industry have shaped my life in ways I can鈥檛 even describe. Whether professionally or personally, hospitality has connected me with an incredible community that continues to inspire me every day.
What do you think is the industry鈥檚 biggest strength?
At my recent LOR launch in Dublin, someone described the Irish dining scene with one word: resilience. And I think that perfectly sums up our industry as a whole. We鈥檝e weathered so many storms, and our ability to pivot, adapt, and evolve is remarkable. We鈥檙e constantly absorbing feedback - from guests, from our teams, and from the world around us, and yet, we keep going. I do hope we get some respite one day, but that resilience is undoubtedly our greatest strength.
What鈥檚 the most common concern you hear from hospitality workers around Christmas?
It鈥檚 definitely the intensity of the season. Whether you鈥檙e in a big city or a seaside town like me, there鈥檚 this pressure that comes with the holidays both personally and professionally. Higher expectations, more emotional labour, people often lose their sense of work/life balance. But if you look at it as 鈥渏ust four weeks,鈥� knowing the pace will ease after New Year鈥檚, it helps. It鈥檚 a rollercoaster, but one that needs to be managed carefully to keep everyone鈥檚 sanity intact.
How can staff maintain boundaries with guests while still offering a special experience?
Boundaries are essential in this industry. You鈥檙e at work - not in someone鈥檚 living room, and guests should respect that. The key is to set the tone from the moment they arrive. You鈥檙e the host, it鈥檚 your dinner party, and you set the house rules. Personally, I like to use a bit of cheeky humour to establish that dynamic early on, it keeps things light, but clear about who鈥檚 running the show.
Any tips for balancing social life and work during the festive season (and avoiding FOMO)?
I鈥檓 probably the worst person to ask, I鈥檓 the queen of overpacking my schedule! But I鈥檝e learned that if you prioritise work first and make sure you鈥檝e got one truly joyful thing planned to look forward to, it helps keep you grounded. Otherwise, that festive FOMO can turn into resentment real fast. Also, remember: too much of a good thing is still too much. Choose quality over quantity, and maybe skip a few after-work drinks - nothing kills your festive spirit faster than a hangover and a low mood!
What do you do in your downtime to relax and unwind?
I run to clear my mind, cook to process the day鈥檚 dramas, and walk on the beach with my dog. I FaceTime my mom, and I鈥檓 a big fan of the therapeutic voice note rant to my best friends, they make everything better. I鈥檝e also started reading again recently to replace the endless scroll of TikTok.
What makes a truly successful Christmas for a hospitality business?
There are two sides to it: financial success, of course, but also team success. If you鈥檝e made it through New Year鈥檚 Eve with your team intact, happy guests, and no resignations - that鈥檚 a win! The holidays can be an incredibly testing time. If you come out stronger as a team, that鈥檚 the real achievement. That said, sometimes people do leave after Christmas, and that can be for the best. Intense periods have a way of revealing who鈥檚 truly aligned with your values.
What鈥檚 the best part of working in hospitality at Christmas?
The energy! The guests, the atmosphere, the decorations, I absolutely love it. There鈥檚 something so special about a buzzing dining room, full of laughter and festive cheer. It鈥檚 exhausting, yes, but it fills me with pure joy.
What鈥檚 your go-to wine to finish a shift with?
I鈥檓 a sparkling girl through and through. Usually a Cr茅mant or a Blanc de Blancs - something crisp and celebratory to toast the end of the night.