Lydia Forte Joins the Selection Committee – A Conversation on Family, Hospitality, and Timeless Design

Lydia Forte, Group Director of Food & Beverage at Rocco Forte Hotels, brings a wealth of experience and creativity to the hospitality industry. Overseeing the group’s restaurants and bars across Europe, Lydia works closely with Michelin-starred chefs to develop innovative concepts that blend luxury with a welcoming atmosphere. As a member of the LAPADA Fair Selection Committee, she now lends her discerning eye to the world of art and antiques. Here, we caught up with her about the family business, hospitality, and timeless design.

The Family Business: Can you tell us a bit about growing up in a family business and what inspired you to join the hospitality industry?

There was never any pressure to join the family business, but hospitality was very much part of my education and my culture. It was something we grew up talking and hearing about. Good food, eating together as a family, hosting well, and beautiful spaces were always treated seriously in my family. I loved restaurants as a result – my first work experience that I actually enjoyed was as an assistant maître d’ at The Wolseley. I loved the energy, the adrenaline, the teamwork. The very real-time reactions—good or bad—of your customers was exciting and rewarding. I became a waitress after leaving Oxford, and my career grew from there.

Rocco Forte: What sets Rocco Forte Hotels apart from other luxury hotel groups? What is the ethos or philosophy behind the brand?

When my father and aunt started the business, they wanted to create a brand which had a sense of place, that was truly authentic to the location and situation, and that wasn’t stuffy or pretentious. Relaxed, simple luxury—which at the time was hard to find. This has always remained true to our core—warm and excellent service, interiors that are elegant because they are in tune with the (mostly historic) buildings we have and to the locations they are in, but also to the contemporary mood. Authenticity is very important to us. Everyone has started to say they do it, but because it is at the core of our philosophy and everything we do, and we are still small enough, we can truly deliver it. The family is engaged at every touchpoint to ensure it.

LAPADA Fair: What are you looking forward to about joining the LAPADA Fair Awards Selection Committee?

I’m looking forward to getting to know the galleries better and to having an opportunity to engage with some of these important pieces. It’s always important for me to regularly touch base with the world of collecting and interiors, to see where the current mood is. It informs everything I do for work.

Personal Taste: How would you describe your personal taste? Are there any particular styles or periods that you’re particularly drawn to?

I would say that my personal taste is eclectic. I always liked to mix different styles—antiques with contemporary with art and craftsmanship. Interiors for me have to suit the situation, the location, and the architecture, of course, and that is always the starting point. So, the end point for me can be incredibly diverse, and that is part of the fun of creating new spaces. In the hotels, we always like to use some antiques or other key pieces to tie a room together, but of course, that is harder to do at scale. I am currently doing my new home with a mixture of late Georgian, modern, and contemporary furniture and artwork—mainly neutrals with light washes of color, clean linens, and velvets that seem to me to suit the Thomas Cubitt architecture and the garden view.

Personal Collection: Do you have a personal collection of art, antiques, or jewelry? If so, what are some of your favorite pieces and why are they special to you?

I am in the process of building my first personal collection of art and antiques—on a small scale! I have always loved jewelry—I think we are a dying breed—and have always collected small pieces here and there from auctions, which sit with antique items my mother, husband, or family friends have given me. I much prefer antique jewelry to contemporary jewelry for its story, the way it brings you to another era or place or person, and I think a final look is always more interesting when you have gone through the challenge of putting different styles and periods of things together.

Integrating Art into Hospitality: How does Rocco Hotels incorporate art and/or antiques into the guest experience? Do you believe that art can enhance the overall atmosphere and ambiance of a hotel?

Throughout every touchpoint—rotating exhibitions by artists, permanent photographic collections, sculptures, antiques, and paintings throughout our hotels, menus as works of art, interior design as experiential and functional art, and so on.

What do you see as the future of the hospitality industry? Are there any particular trends or innovations that you’re excited about?

I am excited that the luxury consumer as a market is continuously growing, and the luxury consumer is ever more discerning, so you can put your personal touch and direction on luxury and it can find its follower if you market it correctly. I believe that one does not have to be too generic. I also think that there is a significant consumer base who really cares about authenticity and the philosophy and conscientious thought that goes behind a hospitality product. That’s exciting.

Interests: What are your hobbies or interests outside of work? Do you have any hidden talents or passions?

Painting watercolor portraits and life drawing, cooking.