The whole story started when founder, Neil McDonnell, was first seduced by the sights, sounds, soul and tastes of the deep South.

He fell in love with their attitude to food and unbridled hospitality and knew he had to share what he had discovered. A decade later, Hickory's has now clocked up some serious road miles from Memphis to Mississippi and its passion for all things Southern is evident in everything that it does - from the gracious hospitality the moment you step into the restaurant to your last spoonful of S'mores.

This attitude and philosophy are what makes it a unique place to work. Everyone plays a pivotal role, from interacting with guests, cooking thousands of dishes, serving countless drinks and encompassing everything it strives to achieve as a business – true Southern hospitality.

Hickory's looks for "real people with real personalities" and it hand-picks its teams – not because of fancy CV's or impressive qualifications but because they have great personalities and embody the qualities the firm loves.

It says working for Hickory's means "you can be who you are" and it's this personality-first approach that helps it attract the right people. Being part of the Hickory's team is the start of something exciting, it says, the opportunity for career progression, training, coaching, development is available for those that want it.