Kim Hanks is Co-Founder and Creative Director for Whim Hospitality, an award-winning multi-service company encompassing hotels, restaurants, a full service spa, and an Event Services company in Texas. Recently, Whim has expanded to the South Cotswolds. Starting in 2011, Whim has grown from four employees to now close to 350. Ten years into their business venture and marriage together, Kim and her husband Whit decided to expand their love for creating jobs and creating great customer experiences into England. Currently, they own The Old Bell Hotel in Malmesbury, the oldest hotel in England, two restaurants associated with the property, and Abbey House Manor and Gardens which they are converting into a hotel and spa with its award-winning garden open to the public. Next up for the couple is breaking the code on how to attract hospitality employees outside of London so they can continue to bring their Southern hospitality to more properties in England and Europe. Currently, Kim serves on a board of directors for the Chamber of Commerce in Austin, and she has served as the Vice President of the Austin Chapter of Les Dames. She is currently the Scholarship Chair. Kim is a dual member with London.
1. If you hadn’t taken the career path you’re on now, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
I’d be an interior designer. I’m passionate about colour, patterns, and antiques. One of my favourite things to do is help design the hotels and restaurants we create– everything from the glasses on the tables to the folk art and oil paintings on the wall. I absolutely adore wallpaper, and I have a designer crush on Lewis and Wood and Melissa White who are both rock stars in design…..also Kit Kemp of Firmdale Hotels…I can’t forget her.
2. What’s been the proudest moment of your career so far? I think winning best CEO two years in a row in Austin, Texas. Austin is known for their high-tech industries with known Fortune 500 companies everywhere. I was pleasantly surprised they singled out a hospitality company leader as one of the best across all industries.
3. What does being part of LDE mean to you, and what would you say to someone thinking about joining?
I love giving money away to new businesses starting up. That’s why I have served as the VP and Scholarship chair for Les Dames over the last 3 1/2 years. Having stories of failure and success is so important to share with other women in the industry. Les Dames is just that vehicle to share and grow our community. I was on the brink of losing my business when I gave 60% of my business away in a partnership. That was tough, but 40% of something was better than 100% of nothing. It all turned out okay in the end because I ended up marrying my partner and we were able to grow my small vision to something bigger than what I could have grown on my own.
4. What five ingredients do you *always* have stocked in your fridge or pantry? Cheese, champagne, EVOO, mushrooms, and tomatoes.
5. What’s your dream foodie destination and why? I’m obsessed with the simplicity of Japanese food and how when the simple ingredients hit your tastebuds the flavour expands into a complex range of emotions. So, I would love to go to the restaurant founded by Jiro Ono, Sukiyabishi Jiro, a 10- seat restaurant in a Tokyo subway station.
6. If you could have one superpower, what would it be? The power to control time. I’d like to go back in time to give myself more grace and give more grace to others. I’d like to give myself more time in the future to experience all the goals and dreams I have for myself and others.
7. What’s your all-time favourite cookbook, and what makes it special *to you*? I began my love for cooking when I was a child living in the deep South of the USA. My mom brought home a Disneyland cookbook with the most amazing illustrations of my favourite characters cooking. I tried so many things I wouldn’t have because Mowgli from the Jungle Book made it or the rabbit from Alice and Wonderland was having so much fun baking.
8. Who would play you in the movie of your life? Well, probably fellow Texan Rene Zellweger because I relate to her in Bridget Jones Diary so much. She had her ups and downs but wasn’t defined by them. She even stuck herself out there and got the job she wanted and Mr. Darcy. She’s also a bit manic and a klutz, I completely relate to that.
9. What’s the worst job you’ve ever had? For my first job I was hired to pierce little babies’ ears. I was terrible at it because the babies would start crying after the first ear. I couldn’t get the baby to hold still to make a good second hole to match the same spacing. If you notice a woman with lopsided earrings, it’s probably my fault.
10. My mum used to make lasagna entirely in the microwave, and it was surprisingly delicious. What’s one strange dish from your childhood that you think no one else would understand? My mom thought she was so clever hiding vegetables in flavoured gelatin [jelly] for my dessert. Shredded carrots in orange gelatin was her favourite, but I think green gelatin with finely chopped broccoli was surprisingly good especially if it was in a fancy mold.
Kim was having so much fun she gave us a bonus question too!
11. If you could open a restaurant anywhere in the world, where would it be, and what would the vibe be like?
I love traveling to destinations known for their friendly people and delicious food. So, when I visited Athens, Greece, last year I completely fell in love. We signed up for a unique dining experience on the website www.eatwith.com and we were hosted by a local family in their apartment. The hosts were brothers—one a chef and the other a traditional Greek Music teacher. Their Acropolis apartment had views of the Parthenon lit up in all of its glory that night. They served Ouzo infused cocktails, and courses made from simple ingredients. So, that’s what I would want. A family run restaurant in Athens, Greece, serving craveable food done well with a healthy pouring of alcohol and a view.
