Houdini Hospitality – The Art of Escape

Alex Mcleod, Performance Supervisor, York Dungeons

September 2025

Reflections on finding purpose, connection, and joy in the unexpected places.

If you’re considering a career in hospitality or wondering whether it’s “just a job”, this reflection offers a fresh lens. Hospitality isn’t only about food, drink, or service. It’s about creating moments of escape: for guests, for teams, and sometimes, for us. Whether you’re starting out or starting over, this sector might just surprise you.

"...hospitality is far more than a plate of food or a pint, it’s an experience, a moment of escape. It can be a warm embrace that helps people step away from the noise of daily life, breathe deeply, and feel human again..."

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “Hospitality”? Food? Drinks? A warm welcome? It’s often the default association, thanks to the prominence of the food and beverage industry. But whilst important, hospitality is far more than a plate of food or a pint, it’s an experience, a moment of escape. It can be a warm embrace that helps people step away from the noise of daily life, breathe deeply, and feel human again.

Hospitality succeeds, or fails, on the strength of its people. The values we share, the energy we bring, and the care we offer shape every guest’s experience. And for those of us working in the sector, it’s not about age, qualifications, or a perfect CV. It’s about decent people working together to deliver something brilliant. It’s about making others feel valued, appreciated, and seen.

I’ve spent much of my life chasing a dream, training as a professional actor, moving to London, taking on all kinds of jobs to keep the dream alive. Hospitality was always my “gap filler.” A way to earn, survive, and move on. But looking back, I realise I may have underestimated it. I’d already decided it was a stepping stone to something “better.”

"...but I found myself in a place full of energy, kindness, and community..."

My first job was at The Three Cups in Stamford Bridge, aged 18. I didn’t know much about hospitality, but I found myself in a place full of energy, kindness, and community. I learned that giving guests a moment of respite, a chance to reset and go again, was a powerful thing. I learned to reflect, to bounce back, and to lead. By 19, I was a Team Leader. By 20, I was off to London.

Over the years, I’ve worked in bars, built stages, taught in schools, unloaded lorries, cleaned hospitals, and more. Some jobs were fine. Some were awful. But in every role, one truth stood out: it’s the people who make the work worthwhile. A good team can turn even the toughest shift into something joyful. They create escape not just for guests, but for each other.

Hospitality isn’t always easy. No job is. But it offers something rare: the chance to connect, to perform, to uplift. Since returning to York, I’ve joined The York Dungeon – an immersive theatre experience that brings 2,000 years of history to life. If we have to put a label on it then technically it’s tourism, not hospitality. But the essence is the same. We deliver escapism. We help people recharge, laugh, and make memories.

"...If anything in this story speaks to you, maybe hospitality isn’t just a job. Maybe it’s the opportunity you’ve been waiting for..."

So if you’re asking yourself, “What do I want to do in life?”, don’t just look. Jump. Try something new. Find a workplace with values that resonate, people who lift you up, and space to grow. If anything in this story speaks to you, maybe hospitality isn’t just a job. Maybe it’s the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.