This week, more than 200 of us had the privilege of attending the funeral service to honor the passing of the late, great Mick Jary. It was a lovely, moving service that celebrated the life and professional dedication of an exceptional person, who contributed much to this industry.
Mick, the specification director for Meiko and a stalwart member of FCSI boards for the past 20 years, was also a great friend of mine. It was him I called practically every other day to talk about life. When I doubted myself, he encouraged me to keep going.
He gave me – and countless others – strength. He had faith in me, when others did not. He taught me that there are different ways to affect change than to just be belligerent or to have to speak the loudest to gain attention. In his own way, I think Mick was one the quietest trouble causers around because, rather than going head-on at change, he did it in his own way that brought people to the table, rather than forcing them there.
He was also one of the industry’s biggest advocates for operating more sustainably. And he was someone that was able to leverage the respect and standing he had earned over many years, using his voice for the betterment of the industry. Having experienced his own challenges in his career, Mick didn’t just pay it forward himself, he gave others the self-confidence to keep challenging the norms, because he would help provide the right support around you.
He encouraged people to believe in themselves and their skills. Mick never saw people as just an asset to an organization. He saw a human first, with their own thoughts, ideas, and feelings.
He was, to the end, a “good Suffolk boy”. He came from a humble background, and he worked his way up, and that’s a beautiful state of mind to have. It helped him to win hearts and minds, because he made it very clear that he cared about people. He understood the value of conversation and making a human connection. He taught me that there is absolutely nothing wrong with being yourself and that you don’t have to be who people want you to be or to fall into line.
Be more like Mick
Mick also passionately cared about the industry. His compulsion to keep giving back was because he wanted the industry to improve. He was very much invested in that. I think to an extent, he almost felt lucky to be in the position that he was, so he gave back of out of gratitude, but also because he gave a damn. He saw young people like me coming up through the ranks and wanted there to be a future that was open to them too.
Mick did everything with authenticity and care. He never felt the need to step on his competitors or kick them when they were down. He believed the industry was better when everyone was doing well. He didn’t feel the need for humble brags either.
Ultimately, he loved his job because he loved people, and I think he appreciated that what we do in hospitality plays a tiny, but important part, in somebody else’s memories. He knew innately that this is an industry that really connects people. It’s so much deeper than just producing shiny new kitchens.
I know many of you out there will have your own ‘Mick’. Someone that just picks up the phone. Who cares if you’re having a crap week. Who cares how your kids are doing. Who just keeps supporting you. There have been so many days in the past couple of years when Mick got me through the day and left me feeling that this industry doesn’t always have to be so brutal and thankless.
These are the people that really make this industry thrive. I firmly believe that Mick left the industry in a much better place than he found it in. He dedicated a huge amount of energy into FCSI, which meant an awful lot to him. His passing is a massive loss to the society but also the industry. But we can help carry his vision of a better, kinder, more sustainable industry forward.
That’s what we should all want to do. That should be what drives us. And we can do that together. We have an opportunity to pay it forward, like he did. Let’s all try to be a little more like Mick.
Lauren Hunter
