Lydie Chopin, Morning Market

What is your role at Trader House, what does it involve? 

I am the Supply and Purchasing Manager for Morning Market. This involves product ordering for both stores, sourcing new product across our grocery, hardware & beverage lines, as well as implementing systems for stock management and control, processing invoices, liaising with our finance team and our suppliers, setting and working with budgets. As part of my role, I work on the floor in each store one day a week. This allows me to see first-hand how stock is handled and gives me the opportunity to train the team on procedures in situ. Prior to this role, I was the Store Manager at our Fitzroy store, so I still enjoy the opportunity to interact with our customers and the team. 

What has been your journey in hospitality prior to joining Trader House?

I grew up in France and my family is a hospitality family. My Grandmother and my parents ran hospitality businesses first in Paris, and then in Brittany and I worked in them as soon as I could – it was very traditional and rustic. I studied international trade at university and went to London to work for an import and export company, however, I really didn’t enjoy the office environment. I lived in the UK for five years and had a variety of hospitality jobs, including waitressing, conferencing, banqueting and cooking in a large hotel, setting up the first Borders Books Café in London and later for Itsu (a Japanese restaurant that went on to be a large takeaway franchise owned by the founder of Pret-A-Manger). My travels eventually took me to New Zealand where I worked for New World Metro supermarket on their food offering, eventually running my own food consultancy business. Melbourne was calling though as the food hub of the southern hemisphere. I worked for Mecca Bah when I arrived, then for Peter Rowland running some of their large cafés, and then for the Vue Group in café operations before owning and running my own café/bistro on Smith Street for five years.

What do you like to do when you're not at work?

I really enjoy live music – from local bands in pubs to bigger shows. I share this passion with my partner Justin (we met at a music gig). We often go to see bands together but I’m also happy just to go on my own. We try to get to comedy festival shows every year. I love hiking – I am currently training to walk the Camino trek with my Dad later this year. We used to dine out a lot but it’s more of a treat these days. Instead, we cook and entertain a lot at home. The intimacy of inviting people to your home and sharing this comes naturally to me.

Are there any women in hospitality (or other industries) that have inspired you and/or mentored you?

Simone Veil was the health minister in France in the late nineteen seventies and early nineteen eighties. She fought for abortion rights in France. Through her intelligence and perseverance, she took on the men that originally laughed at her in parliament. They ended up listening to what she had to say. I have always found her conviction and heart incredibly inspiring. Professionally, two female mentors come to mind. Anne Sheekey was my manager at the hotel in London. She was so capable and effortless in everything she did and was always in good spirits. The other is Fatima Guerra who was my manager at Itsu– she was strict, so professional and incredibly knowledgeable.

If you could give one piece of advice for women thinking of embarking on a career in hospitality what would that be?

‘Do it. Whatever it is, do it. It’s important to experience things even if you decide down the track that it’s not for you. That’s also ok. Nothing is definite in life. You can keep reinventing yourself if that’s what you want to do.’

What’s next for you in your career and what are your long-term aspirations?

Short term, Trader House is where I want to be. I like to work with passionate and qualified people – this really appeals to me, it means I can always keep growing and learning. I have recently completed a certificate four in accounting and bookkeeping. I’m thinking about doing my diploma. I am looking to incorporate this more into my current role. Longer term, it’s quite important to me to know that I can stand on my own two feet – you never know what’s around the corner. Knowing that I can further develop my skills and knowledge is my long term focus, together with always being able to spend time with my family. That’s not defined by an actual role or title for me.