From The Ritz to the pub: What it’s really like to work on Christmas Day

For most of us, the rituals of Christmas Day follow a similar pattern. There’s an anticipation of hugs, merriment, gifts and a more than cavalier attitude towards alcohol consumption. Champagne at breakfast? Anything goes – it’s Christmas!

But while the vast majority of us are cosseted away in pyjamas, politely thanking absent relatives for the £20 cheque in their card and hugging Mum for almost buying the right size of jacket, a great number of people have already risen, commuted to work and are toiling away in a brightly lit basement kitchen prepping 200 portions of brussels sprouts.

Hospitality folk who work Christmas Day are as heroic as they come. Yes, there might be promises of overtime, double time, or even triple time, but nevertheless, these are people who sacrifice the one gold-plated “family” day of the year, so that you (dear reader) can have a lovely meal out.

With the threat of staff burnout an ever-present cloud over the industry and with hospitality workers typically clocking in over 25 hours of overtime during the festive period (that’s 70-90-hour weeks each), the pressures of Christmas can understandably mount.

Staff wellbeing and morale are rightly placed front and centre, only thanks to the season are given less intimidating names like “Christmas cheer” and “festive merriment”. Those in charge of such teams and occasions are responsible for stoking this cheer and despite the headwinds, working Christmas Day presents an opportunity to create some magic.

“Pubs on Christmas Day can be a truly wonderful thing,” says Oisin Rogers, who led three decades of Christmas Day services at the St Margarets Tavern in Twickenham and The Guinea Grill in Mayfair and who now owns and operates The Devonshire in Soho.

“I remember running St Margarets in Twickenham and it was so special. There was this tradition in England for locals to go for a pint between 12 and 2. [We had a] wonderfully eclectic set of residents: a lot of actors, musicians and creative folk, it was such a wonderful atmosphere and over the years, it’s just been one of my favourite days to work.”

Looking after the team is one of the most important considerations on such a big day, Rogers says. “If you’re working Christmas Day in the pub, we’d be sure to pay for the taxi in and out for everyone.” Knowing that public transport is out of the question on the day, it becomes imperative that the best operators go this extra mile to ensure a stress-free day for their teams.

At the other end of the spectrum, John Williams MBE, executive chef at The Ritz, also prioritises creating a stressless environment for his team.

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“Whilst I go round and wish everyone a merry Christmas in the morning, you have to remember they’re still very busy. For service to work, we need a very organised set-up. The game terrine, for example, is done two weeks in advance. Not only does it improve the flavour, but it also makes the big day a little more relaxed. We also have a big gala dinner on Christmas night and that’s the thing with the organisation: we prepare and get everything ready because it’s such a long day and we want to give our staff a lovely, relaxed time.”

Despite the formal setting of the palatial Ritz, Williams has encouraged a few fun traditions. “I always come in dressed in my special Christmas outfit, nothing too silly, just my red cords and a jacket, and at 12pm I bring everyone together for a toast of champagne. It’s a great feeling and I’m also quite cheeky, encouraging a little top-up.

“Generally, everyone is happy. We know it can be difficult for some of the youngsters doing it for the first time. We’ve got to look after them, but overall it’s such a joyful time.”

Sally Abe, executive chef at the newly revamped Pem restaurant in Westminster, recalls her first Christmas Day working in a kitchen. “The first Christmas I ever worked was at Claridge’s. It was such a strange experience having always previously spent it with my family. They had a slightly weird tradition whereby [the kitchen staff] were encouraged to go into the dining room to be clapped by the guests. It was nice, but it isn’t always what you want after a 12-hour shift.”

Despite the planning and efforts to look after the team, Christmas Day services aren’t without their hiccups. One Christmas, in her previous role heading the Michelin-starred Harwood Arms in Fulham, Abe says the staff arrived at 9am to prepare for a dinner service, only to realise that the reservation system had been left on for lunch. In just three hours they’d need to do a full service. Then at 10:30am, the power cut.

“Only the basement had any power so we ran a load of extension cables up from there, cooking the whole service on just a few portable electric hobs. Everybody was running around, we had an electrician up a ladder with holes in the ceiling while about 20 chefs were prepping and serving lunch for 50 guests underneath.”

After one Christmas lunch service, Roger recalls finding a rather peculiar item of lost property left behind by one of the diners. “I remember after one Christmas, it was about 2:30pm and I was tidying when I found the second most memorable piece of lost property I’ve ever come across: a raw turkey with Brussels sprouts, veggies, potatoes, a pack of pigs in blankets and the trimmings were left under a table.” Possibly not the best time to fess up to the wife that you’ve been in the pub all afternoon.

It’s not just pubs: even The Ritz has its fair share of wacky stories. “One Christmas Eve someone decided to streak around the main Christmas tree in our lobby. They got themselves ready (read: undressed) and started running around the tree until security eventually nabbed them. The next morning, a quite prominent regular guest of ours – quite the VIP – heard the story of the naked streaker and said to me, ‘John, I hear you’ve changed the dress code in the restaurant!’”

Between them, Abe, Rogers and Williams have worked over 80 Christmas Days, which no doubt takes its toll on their nearest and dearest.

Despite the demands of the day, there are ways to make it work with family time. Rogers remembers how things would work at The Guinea: “When the kids were small we’d do presents early in the morning then the big lunch at 4pm. I’d get into the Grill for about 10am, and after the busy lunch, have all the customers out by 3pm. I’d be home by for our dinner an hour later, and so would the team.”

Williams, too, has a good family set up for the day: “I come in at about 8:30am and leave at about 3pm. I pop into church on Christmas Eve for midnight mass, then I go home and do all the mise en place, all the veg and potatoes, the turkey and stuffing. I lay everything out and my daughter comes round on Christmas morning to everything in the oven. It’s all military timing. I give her a call at 2pm just to confirm everything, she pops the bird in the oven and gets the potatoes on the go. That means by the time I’m home everything is well underway.”

While the demands of guests in a hotel are 24/7, Abe closes The Pem on 26 and 27 December so her team can have dedicated time with their families.

This balance is crucial. In an industry fighting for every new hire and challenges around attracting home-grown talent, the most memorable, festive kitchens are putting joy at the heart of a demanding day. In short, putting the “merry” into “Merry Christmas”.