Chef & Co-Founder of Grovehouse Hospitality

From my upbringing, I was inspired by dining as a whole, not just being a chef. I went in through the route of being a chef, but I was always interested in the whole picture: design, glassware, china, atmosphere, uniforms. It all fascinated me.

I think it's really important to evaluate what you want out of the industry. It's also really important to be able to talk to someone about it. Find a mentor that you can rely on, and don't be afraid of that.

There's lots of different kinds of leadership, but I think what matters most now is to lead with more kindness, more openness and more listening.

Have patience. Slow down. Don’t hold yourself to goals that may be unattainable. Instead, focus on enjoying the process, not just just finishing the goal.

Tony Mantuano (of Spiaggia) was the calmest, kindest chef-mentor I've ever had — and he is a friend. He had such a depth of knowledge and I really relied on him, especially given the huge learning curve I had. I hadn't worked in Italian food, except for the several months I worked in Italy so I had to really dive in. Tony was patient, really giving of his time and knowledge.

I fell in love with the industry on night one. I showed up to my first restaurant job not knowing how to hold a knife or anything about stations — I knew nothing. But they threw me right in. We did over 300 covers that night, and I never once looked at the clock. That energy lit something in me, and I realized it was exactly what I needed.