Mimi Gilmour

Hospitality runs in Mimi Gilmour’s blood. The daughter of Emerald Gilmour, Mimi was raised on the restaurant scene, but after years managing some of Auckland’s top eateries she took the plunge by opening her first co-owned restaurant, Mexico.

Mimi knows her area of expertise, and says the best advice anyone has given her is that she’s the “start-up girl” – so after five successful years expanding the Mexico brand and offering, she sold it to open Burger Burger just five weeks later. A few years on, and a few restaurants later, Mimi opened Fish Fish in Ponsonby Central as well.

Growing up, Mimi suffered from mild dyslexia which meant school wasn’t the best time – but her business mind was always ticking away with ideas. Not only is she now one of Auckland’s most well-known restaurateurs, she has a focus on boosting the wider hospitality industry and introducing technology to improve the overall dining experience.

Anyone that meets Mimi knows from the get-go that she’s the trailblazer that will bring a new mindset to the wider hospitality industry. Mimi wants Kiwi kids to ditch their one-way ticket to London and realise what the hospo industry has to offer as a long-term career opportunity.

Mimi speaks compellingly about her experiences building her businesses, and inspiring and motivating her staff to achieve their goals (she also brings in counsellors and financial experts as part of her offering to her teams).

She also speaks about her experiences in the areas of children’s health, as mother to two beautiful girls, one of whom faces health challenges. Mimi’s story is both uplifting and motivating, and will leave audiences buzzing with their own business ideas!