Ciarán Hickey

Head of F&B Development & Operations, Zest.Inc.

Drawing on over 30 years of international luxury hospitality experience, Ciarán Hickey partners with hospitality brands through his consultancy, Zest.Inc. His work spans operational audits, F&B concept development and long-term F&B strategy, transforming bold ideas into reality, improving kitchen efficiency and productivity and refocusing teams on what matters most, food quality.

After building his career internationally with brands such as Four Seasons Hotels and W Hotels, he progressed into a corporate role at Harrods, where he spent three years leading the culinary operation of the world-famous department store. His responsibilities spanned retail production, 25 in-house restaurants and ten national and international operations. While culinary leadership was central, the role also involved shaping F&B strategy, developing teams, managing revenue and ensuring memorable food experiences for guests at every touchpoint.

Before joining Harrods, Ciarán served for five years on Hilton’s Corporate Senior Leadership Team as Director of Culinary for EMEA. His responsibilities included concept development, central menu engineering, supplier management and maintaining brand standards across multiple markets. He was also deeply involved in talent development, supporting chefs in remote locations and mentoring future culinary leaders.