Looking back on their earlier days, we asked some of today’s hospitality leaders to share insights from the start of their careers, offering a glimpse into the experiences and challenges that helped shape their paths to success—and solidified in their minds that this was the profession for them.
1
"My journey in the industry began in a high-volume bakery, where I worked both morning and overnight shifts. Most of my days followed a similar routine. However, I decided to take a leap and stage at Emmer & Rye in Austin, Texas. Entering a full-service kitchen was an entirely new experience for me. That night was pivotal for my career. Although stepping into such a kitchen felt daunting and unfamiliar, it was also something I would describe as an adrenaline rush. I fell in love with the rush of service."
– Jessica Salazar, Corporate Pastry Chef at Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group and Pullman Market
2
"I took a trip in college to Italy with some friends and had a life changing experience where a restaurant owner made our experience so incredible that it changed the way I looked at restaurant work. So often I heard restaurant folks talk about someday working in a "real job." This experience changed my perspective and I understood this industry to be incredibly powerful to have an impact in people's lives that could last a lifetime. I was hooked."
– John Aldape, Director of Concept Development & Director of Operations at The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group
3
"I worked as a busboy during the day and cleaned the floors in office buildings at night to supplement my income. I was fortunate to have two steady-paying jobs, but then everything changed. My roommates decided to move to California but I didn’t want to go – my only family member living in the states was in Houston and I wanted to be close. Then, with an unexpected turn of bad luck, I lost my jobs. I was homeless and jobless. It was the worst time of my life."
– Hugo Ortega, Executive Chef / Co-Owner of H Town Restaurant Group
4
"I knew this profession was for me the night before my first class in college. I couldn’t sleep because I was so excited. I haven’t felt that way about anything before."
– Camari Mick, Pastry Chef / Partner at Raf's and Pastry Chef at The Musket Room
5
"I grew up learning from my parents who own and operate landmark establishments in Saratoga Springs, NY. Hospitality has always been about going the extra mile, creating memories, and providing an experience for all who walk in the door. I knew that I loved people and so hospitality and service have come naturally to me."
– Morgan Sullivan, Director of Recruiting at Persone NYC
6
"My first Michelin starred kitchen was Chez TJ in Mountain View and I had staged a few places before that but really being responsible for the day-to-day changed my whole view of kitchens. We were a very small team of three that had two menus ( one 4-course and one 8-course) and a garden with the menu changing quite frequently, just very demanding work at a very high quality. Spaces like that really create an “unspoken push” which is overwhelming yes, but ultimately make you better and that happened to me."
– Nico Russell, Chef / Owner of Redwood Hospitality
7
"I grew up in this industry. My parents opened a restaurant a few years before I was born. That small Chinese restaurant would be where I spent my afternoons doing homework, the weekends working, where we had family dinners and celebrations, and honestly the only time I would get to see my parents. It paved a way for my family and the hard work my parents put into it is deeply ingrained in me. It felt like a natural progression for me to continue in this industry because I know nothing else. Any other career would seem like work to me. My family enjoys food. Our time spent together is focused around eating, talking about what we ate and what we will eat."
– Ariana Quant, Executive Pastry Chef at Hai Hospitality
