Welcome to Caprice Holdings, where heritage and innovation are delivered hand-in-hand.
Encompassing some of London’s most respected, classic establishments the history of the Caprice group dates back to 1917 when The Ivy restaurant first opened its doors to the public. The three other founding venues, Le Caprice, J. Sheekey and Daphne’s have all earned their spot in the history books of London’s restaurant scene, each offering guests a unique and memorable dining experience. Over the years the Caprice Holdings has grown dramatically, currently standing at 18 core venues and 5 further business enterprises. Respecting tradition and heritage has been key to the group’s success over the past decades, but time stands still for no one, and the team behind Caprice Holdings are far from resting on their laurels.
Richard Caring acquired the company in 2005 and invested heavily in growing the number of restaurants and private members clubs that make up the Caprice Holdings we know today. Subsequently, Caprice Holdings is comprised of some of London’s most well-renowned restaurants and private members clubs including, Annabel’s, Scott’s, and Balthazar. Of Caprice Holdings’ venue collection, 50% have undergone a full refurbishment in the last 10 years while another 30% have been designed from the ground up. Both Richard Caring and Mark Birley (founder of the Birley Clubs) are deeply passionate about design and are focused on creating venues that exude luxury. It is therefore not uncommon for Caprice Holdings’ venues to be featured in London’s top art guides. Famous pieces of artwork found in their restaurants and private members clubs include a pair of bronze mermaids by Damian Hurst, a 13-ft Gehry-designed mirrored crocodile, several paintings by Tracey Emin, and Birley’s own private collection of Hockney and Picasso paintings.
The team at Caprice Holdings pride themselves on being curators and innovators, constantly seeking to balance the preservation of the group’s rich heritage with forward-thinking business practice and design. This unique mindset is perfectly demonstrated in the reopening of Annabel’s private members club in 2018. The story goes that when Annabel’s was established in 1963, the founding members were sent a letter requesting 5 guineas as down payment for their annual membership to the club (the equivalent of £5.25 today). 56 years on, these same founding members still pay £5.25 for their annual membership, despite all other members of the new Annabel’s paying £3,500 for their annual fee.
Respect for the group’s heritage is therefore woven into the fabric of a career with Caprice Holdings. Priding themselves on excellent food and drink, seasonality, sourcing, and skill of service, Caprice Holdings seek to attract the best calibre staff who are committed to creating exceptional, memorable experiences for their guests.
Commitment, passion, and the will to learn are all key factors that the HR team at Caprice Holdings take into consideration when hiring new staff. Experts in hospitality, their recruitment team know all too well that excellent customer service comes from the heart. Food and wine knowledge, or the ability to manage a team can be taught, but genuine enthusiasm and a positive mindset must be evident from the get-go. Whether the Caprice Holdings team are looking to hire a Kitchen Porter, Sous Chef, Food Runner or General Manager, diligence, positivity and desire to learn are essential for a successful application.
Joining a new restaurant or venue, regardless of an employee’s experience level can be daunting. Caprice Holding therefore seek to offer as much support as possible to their staff, starting with a half-day company induction. Led by the group’s Learning and Development Manager these inductions are a fantastic way for employees to meet other people who are new to the business and ask any pressing questions such as, ‘What companies make up Caprice Holdings?’, or ‘When do I get paid?’. After their company induction, all employees are given access to skills training available through a mix of online learning, classroom sessions, and fully-funded professionally certified courses (including WSET Level 2 and 3).
Internal growth is readily supported, and the group actively try to hire managerial roles from within. Opportunities for career development are endless, and the Caprice Holdings team are committed to helping individuals achieve their career goals. If you love creating memorable experiences for guests and members, have a passion to learn, and a desire to build your career with one of the UK’s leading hospitality groups, apply to Caprice Holdings today.
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