September 20, 2024…Copenhagen Food Collective (COFOCO) is excited to welcome James Spreadbury as the group’s first CEO of Cofoco’s hotels. James brings 22+ years of hospitality experience to this newly created position. In his role, James will elevate guest experiences while developing and overseeing day-to-day operations as well as manage and motivate the teams at the award-winning Coco Hotel, and the new Hotel Bella Grande.
“The partnership with James is part of the idea of growth within our hotels – in terms of guest experience, the F&B experience and maybe somewhere in the future even opening a new hotel. We want to create vibrant hotels where people meet and have fun encounters; a fixture in town rather than a place where people just travel through. It’s a difficult thing to do, but we try so by combining hotels with lively restaurant spaces that bring people together, locals and hotel guests alike. Part of that is also having a focus on the food and wine experience at the hotels, and with James’ background of working at highest level on the international stage of hospitality, I saw no one better to tackle that role.” says Christian Lytje, CEO and Founder of COFOCO.
Born in Australia, James’s journey in the hospitality industry began in Adelaide at a young age. Growing up in a family that placed immense importance on good food and surrounded by the wine regions of South Australia. Starting in restaurant management, to formally studying hospitality and hotel management, James was driven by a deep desire to learn, perfect his service skills, and expand his world knowledge. Dreaming of Europe’s top restaurants, he ventured to Copenhagen in 2009 where he eventually became Service Director for 12 years at the world renowned Noma restaurant. He assisted Noma on their journeys across three iconic pop ups in Tokyo, Sydney and Mexico, along with helping open their casual restaurant, Popl.
In 2022, James returned to Australia, consulting on various hospitality projects, creating pop-up dining experiences in the surrounds of his brother’s scenic vegetable farm, and even opening a small all-day restaurant and small goods delicatessen in the Adelaide hills. Returning to Copenhagen, he continues his career dedicated to the service and hospitality industry with COFOCO.
“By chance, I met Christian when I was in Kyoto in 2023, and he was on a research trip. When we started talking I had no idea at that point that we would move the family back to Copenhagen, but we missed the city so much, the community that we had there and the broader European hospitality network that I had. Christian then presented me with a really interesting opportunity to join him in a leadership role at Cofoco’s hotels. And since I’ve missed being part of a big team ever since leaving Noma, I’m excited to take on this new role of mentoring and leading the team and people at Coco and Bella Grande.” says James.
