Kristy Franks

Kristy Franks is the other half of the Mills + Franks Directors, and resident expert in Business Development, Client Relationships, Event Management and Customer Experience Design.

How many years have you worked in the hospitality industry?

I have 15 years in the hospitality, events and customer service industry 

What companies have you worked for?

I’ve been lucky to have worked across Sydney, Brisbane and London’s most iconic venues and hospitality and catering establishments including Restaurant Associates, Zafferano Catering and most recently Matt Moran & Solotel’s portfolio of bars pubs and restaurants. 

What are your career highlights?

I had the most incredible experience working for a leading catering company in London, Zafferano. Everything we did was bespoke and curated at every touchpoint from glassware to cutlery to linen choices and theatrics in the kitchen. I was coached and mentored by the Creative Director (who I miss dearly!), who taught me everything I know from designing tailored hospitality themes and concepts, and it was here that I developed my real love and passion for food, hospitality and high quality, tailored experiences. 

What is your most unforgettable hospitality experience to date?

Having executed an intimate dining experience for Prince William, to creating an unforgettable launch of Alexander McQueen’s opening exhibition at the V&A Museum, to then working for my industry idol Matt Moran at the Sydney Opera House and unique offsite locations - I could go on, it’s too hard to pick one! The ultimate dining experience I’ve ever had was a 24-course degustation at Gaggan in Bangkok. The menu was just emojis, you had no idea what you were getting and the whole restaurant experienced it with you at once - a quality, theatrical dining experience I will never forget.

What parts of your job are you most passionate about? 

The connections you make with amazing producers, businesses and like-minded experience providers. I thrive on collaboration, so building my community to in turn give back by creating an experience for people is at the core of my being

Why do you do what you do?

I LOVE what I do - this isn’t a job for me, this is what I do for fun. I have taken my strengths, passions, likes and interests for travel, adventure, food wine and hospitality and become a customer experience designer that amplifies the voice of incredible leading talent in their fields, working in collaboration to create an experience that evokes an emotional response, bringing joy to people's lives, adding to their stories and overall life experiences.