With over 17 years of experience across every corner of the industry, Felicity Mellor’s journey through hospitality is anything but ordinary. From running bars at Glastonbury to rebuilding businesses post-Covid and now overseeing over 120 events a month at KERB, she’s seen it all and kept her cool through every curveball. We sat down with Flic to talk about her path into events, life at KERB, and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
You’ve had an incredible 17-year journey in hospitality – can you tell us a bit about your journey in hospo and what led you to KERB?
I started my journey in events thinking it would be one long party — young, naive, and just trying to make ends meet by working in bars, clubs, and restaurants while studying Events Management at university. But in my third year, everything changed. I landed a placement with one of the UK’s largest events companies, and it was there I truly discovered my passion. From managing 1,000-seat Christmas parties to learning the intricacies of high-end hospitality at Silverstone and overseeing bar operations at Glastonbury, I fell in love with the adrenaline, the variety, and the sense of achievement.
The 9-to-5 office life never appealed to me — I craved more. So I spent the next few years travelling the world, soaking up as much experience as possible, even dabbling in event sales. But what really lit me up was problem-solving and the thrill of building something from scratch.
My love for food was born out of this same desire to create memorable experiences. I came to realise that great food could transform an event — it wasn’t just about what people saw or heard, but what they tasted. That insight led me to a Head of Events role at a boutique, high-end catering company known for crafting some of the best canapés I’ve ever had.
When Covid hit, like many in the industry, I faced sudden change. But I didn’t stop. I pivoted into freelance roles, catering for film sets, launching dining experiences in domes and even restaurants suspended 100ft in the air. I was all in, no matter the setting.
Post-Covid, rebuilding was tough. We hot-desked until we had an office. We waited tables when staff didn’t show up, drove vans when there were no drivers, and slowly re-built a business from the ground up. Once stable, I moved on to KERB.
Today, I’m thriving in the world of street food, overseeing the delivery of up to 120 events a month. It’s fast-paced, creative, unpredictable — and exactly where I want to be.
Tell us about your role at KERB, what does a typical day look like (if there is such a thing!)?
08:00 – Coffee + Comms Check I start my day reviewing emails, WhatsApp groups, Slack channels, and event dashboards. With up to 120 events a month, there’s always a lot moving — last-minute changes, supplier updates, logistics issues, client requests. Prioritising quickly is key.
08:30 – Team Check in I’ll usually check in with the events team — account managers, operations coordinators, or on-site leads — to run through the day’s events, flag any challenges, and make sure everyone’s aligned. No day is the same, so clarity and calm communication are everything.
09:00 – Logistics + Supplier Coordination From coordinating street food traders, staffing agencies, tech suppliers, to furniture deliveries — I’ll work through event logistics and make sure all suppliers are booked, briefed, and good to go. I might also jump in to help fix gaps: finding staff, rerouting vans, or solving operational bottlenecks.
11:00 – Site Visits or On-Site Setup Some days I’ll be out on the ground, checking event setups, troubleshooting on site, or meeting clients. This could mean anything from walking a festival site to taste-testing with traders or directing vehicle movement in a tight loading bay.
13:00 – Food! (Sort of) Lunch might be a grab-and-go moment between calls or a chance to catch up with one of our food traders at an event. Perks of the job: never far from an excellent bite!
14:00 – Planning Sessions In the afternoon, I’ll walk through briefs, or debrief post-event. I might also be working on future event planning — from forecasting and budgeting to curating food lineups or experience concepts.
16:00 – Admin + Firefighting Back to the desk (or the van!) to manage POs, event sheets, supplier payments, insurance docs, or staffing rotas. At the same time, I’ll usually be dealing with a curveball — bad weather, missing kit, a broken-down van — whatever it is, the show must go on.
18:00 – Check-In & Wind Down
Before signing off, I check in with the ops or events team to make sure all live events are running smoothly. Sometimes this means a late-night call or popping down to an evening activation to support the team.
What advice would you give to someone just starting their career in this industry?
1. Say yes – then figure it out.
Early in your career, be open to every opportunity. You’ll learn more from jumping in and doing than you ever will from a textbook. Whether it’s lugging kit across a field at 6am or staying late to see how an event wraps up — it all builds experience.
2. Be the person who solves problems, not creates them. This industry runs on trust. If you’re the one who keeps calm under pressure, finds quick solutions, and doesn’t panic when things go wrong (because they will), people will want you on their team.
3. Learn every part of the business. Work in bars. Plate up food. Load vans. Run front-of-house. Shadow account managers. Understanding the full 360° of what makes an event tick makes you more effective, empathetic, and employable.
4. Build real relationships. Events are built on people — clients, suppliers, staff. Be kind, be professional, and always follow up. The industry is smaller than it looks, and your reputation travels fast.
Looking back on everything you’ve achieved so far (you’ve achieved so much!), is there any events or particular moment that is stand out for you?
There are many moments that stand out for me, but being part of the MLB activation in Trafalgar square has to be a KERB highlight for me.
If KERB had a theme tune, what would it be?
ACDC, Thunderstruck
Quick Fire
- Favourite Pub – The Fox, close to the office and great for team drinks.
- Favourite Restaurant – Santo Palato, Rome
- Favourite Drink – Frozen Margarita in the sun at the National Theatre on the Southbank
- Favourite Area – South West London, I have moved away many times but I always find my way back home
- Favourite Market – I am biased here…. Seven Dials market.
- Best Kept Secret – If work is a passion you never work a day in your life.
