Senior West Coast Operations Director for Apres Cru

Listen to your team! Ask them questions! Play games, have fun and always try to balance the wonder/rigor of our business.

I've learned so many lessons throughout my career! Taking care of people – guests and staff – is a privilege, and it feels really good to remind ourselves of that simple truth. Being radically transparent as a leader is revolutionary. When in doubt, close your eyes and focus all of your attention on doing the right thing, most things can be boiled down to this, and it helps complicated situations feel like there is always a north star guiding every decision.

The person who mentored me most and who got me to see hospitality as my career is Christopher Klapp, (GM of Petrossian, WeHo) and he demonstrated how much he cared by listening to everyone. He listened to the team, the guests, the owners, the stakeholders, the vendors – everyone. Making people feel seen is a powerful act and he did that primarily by listening to them and allowing them to take up space. I try my best to lead with that example in mind, always.

Skills matter less than attitude, but I think a main skill is someone who is an excellent communicator. In hiring managers, I am looking for a person who already possesses the ability to express themselves. This is crucial when asking them to do tough things like give feedback to line staff. I read a crazy statistic that 60% of managers don’t like to give their team feedback, and that is just wild to me! It’s our job as leaders to help people grow, and how can they do that if they don’t know how they’re doing? So a person who is able to communicate and is able to appropriately and effectively express themselves is huge.

I always look for candidates who are interested in learning, who are curious, and are confident that they don’t know everything. The best leaders I have had are those who are STILL learning (even when they’re a Master Somm!) and I think that is infectious and inspiring to be around and it makes me want to do better, learn more and grow in new and exciting ways.

For my job, it's important to be flexible! Roll with the punches! Pivot! All the time!

Obviously I find inspiration in eating out! I am obsessed with the dining experience. I would eat out every single meal every single day if I could! My longtime joke is that after 25 years working in restaurants, the only thing I know how to make is a reservation. I LOVE eating at restaurants. I still love it. I love everything about it. I am a total and complete nerd. I look at the design (was it thoughtful, is it intentional, what works/what doesn’t), the plates and the glassware (who made it, where did it come from, how much did it cost), I ask the servers and bartenders questions, (what do they like about working here, what food/beverage do they love), I check out the bathroom and judge! I love eating out and being treated as a guest, each time I eat out it teaches me something and I gain something applicable.

For self-care, I go out to eat with girlfriends and drink delicious, fabulous wine. (Does that count?!)

I like listening to podcasts about the human psyche and human condition. Things like Modern Love by NYTimes is fascinating as well as things like Ester Perel. I think having empathy is hugely important in our line of work, and understanding what it means to be human and working to be our evolving best selves is always helpful in leadership.

I knew hospitality was for me at 15 years old – working at Chez Allez Cafe in Malaga Cove!

After learning from the best manager I’ve ever had (Chris Klapp), I decided there were too few incredible managers in restaurants and I wanted to work in the best restaurant in the city. I was obsessed with this goal. Becoming the GM of République years later, I looked back and think about how much I focused on getting myself there, even if I didn’t know it at the time.