Hospitality On The Rise
Welcome to Hospitality On The Rise, a weekly podcast hosted by Alice Cheng, featuring conversations with the hospitality leaders shaping the industry. Each episode explores the stories, challenges, pivots, lessons learned, and advice that helped these leaders grow & succeed. Whether you’re building your career, leading a team, or just looking for inspiration, Hospitality On The Rise offers honest insights from the people moving hospitality forward. New episodes every Tuesday. Powered by CulinaryAgents.com, hospitality’s go-to hiring platform connecting top talent with employers since 2012.
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EP 66: Megan Sullivan
<p>Megan Sullivan, Vice President of Operations at Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG), reflects on a career defined by intuition and deepening roots within top restaurant groups. She details her bold move from Australia to New York City just months before the pandemic and her rapid ascent from Assistant General Manager at The Modern to overseeing a portfolio of eight iconic USHG brands. Megan shares her secret to finding a unique leadership voice and why true professional sustainability requires acknowledging when your "gas tank" is running low.</p><p><br></p><p>Links</p><p>- Instagram - Megan Sullivan...
EP 65: Bob Bennett
<p>Bob Bennett, Executive Chef of Zingerman's Roadhouse, reflects on his decades-long journey within the Midwest food empire, from working the sandwich line to leading one of its most celebrated kitchens. He shares the challenges of balancing culinary school with the Roadhouse’s opening, the lessons that helped him move beyond the “line cook mentality,” and his evolution into a leader, educator, and advocate for mental health in the hospitality industry.</p><p><br></p><p>Links</p><p>- Instagram - Bob Bennett: https://www.instagram.com/chef.bob.bennett/</p><p>- Instagram - Culinary Agents: https://www.instagram.com...
EP 64: Brittney "Stikxz" Williams
<p>Chef Brittney “Stikxz” Williams, Culinary Director at Miss Lily's 7A and private chef, shares the unexpected turns that shaped her path from sports management student to one of the boldest voices in Jamaican cuisine. Brittney recounts the "plot twist" of leaving culinary school early to immerse herself in the industry, intentionally rotating through front-of-house roles at Red Lobster and Jungsik before moving to the back-of-house at Spice Market. She shares the importance of understanding a restaurant in its totality, her impactful contribution to Eleven Madison Park’s Rethink program, and her current mission as a torchbearer for the Jamaican diaspo...
EP 63: Greg Baxtrom
<p>Greg Baxtrom, Chef and Owner of Baxtrom Hospitality Group, shares a deeply personal look at a career shaped by discipline, ambition, and self-awareness. From becoming an Eagle Scout to training under Chef Grant Achatz at Alinea and working at El Bulli, Per Se, and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, his journey includes some of the world’s most influential kitchens. Now five years sober, Greg reflects on his evolving leadership style, the realities of running Olmsted and Maison Yaki, and his upcoming cookbook, Nothing Matters but Delicious, which chronicles his return to the kitchen after rehab.</p><p><br></p>...
EP 62: Hunter Lewis
<p>Hunter Lewis, Editor-in-Chief of Food & Wine, shares how his journey from the kitchen line to food media shaped his perspective on leadership, storytelling, and hospitality. From his early days at Jersey Mike's Subs to cooking under Chef Jonathan Waxman at Barbuto, Hunter reflects on mentorship, teamwork, and why he chose to champion the hospitality ecosystem through media instead of becoming a restaurant critic.</p><p><br></p><p>He also opens up about the parallels between sports and restaurant culture, mentoring emerging talent through Food & Wine Best New Chefs, judging on Top Chef, and why empathy and outside inspiration...
EP 61: Jenny Goodman
<p>Jenny Goodman, Co-Founder and CEO of TILIT, reflects on her unique hospitality journey, from being a "not great" server in high school to falling in love with restaurants at the legendary Commander's Palace in New Orleans to eventually becoming the helm of a premium hospitality workwear brand. From bootstrapping a premium brand in a commodity market to expanding into the UTILITY trade show, Jenny discusses the power of radical honesty with your network and the importance of staying focused on your core community while you scale.</p><p><br></p><p>Links</p><p>- Instagram - Jenny Goodman...
EP 60: Jamie Bissonnette
<p>On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise, Chef Jamie Bissonnette, Founding Partner of BCB3 Hospitality, shares his journey from a punk-rock-loving teenager to a James Beard Award–winning chef. He opens up about the humbling lessons that shaped his early career and his shift from high-profile global ventures to more personal, passion-driven concepts—Somaek, Temple Records, and Zurito—where he’s reconnecting with creativity through home-style Korean cooking and intimate, record-spinning bars. Jamie’s story highlights the value of slowing down, prioritizing mental health in the kitchen, and leading with intention to create a truly supportive hospitality culture.</p><p><br><...
EP 59: Anthony Mangieri
<p>On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise, Anthony Mangieri—Owner & Chef of Una Pizza Napoletana and Founder & CEO of Genio Della Pizza—shares his incredible 30-year journey in the pizza world. From a childhood obsession with pizza to opening his first pizzeria in 1996, Anthony discusses his journey of staying true to his craft while learning how to evolve with changing times, both in the kitchen and in the front of house.</p><p><br></p><p>Links</p><p>- Instagram - Anthony Mangieri: https://www.instagram.com/anthony_w_mangieri/</p><p>- Instagram - Culinary Agents: https://www...
EP 58: Mashama Bailey
<p>On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise, Alice Cheng is joined by Mashama Bailey, Chef and Co-Owner of Grey Spaces, which includes The Grey in Savannah and L'Arrêt in Paris. Recently named to TIME 100 Most Influential People of 2026, Mashama reflects on being a self-described “late bloomer” and the culture-shaping lessons she learned at Prune.</p><p><br></p><p>From being fired from social work to finding her calling in the kitchen, she shares her unconventional path along with candid insights on culinary excellence, navigating racial dynamics in business partnerships, and why sustaining hospitality means investing in entir...
EP 57: Rick Bayless
<p>On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise, host Alice Cheng is joined by Rick Bayless, renowned chef, restaurateur, and television personality. Rick shares his journey from growing up in a family restaurant to becoming a pioneer of authentic Mexican cuisine in the U.S. He talks about opening Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, the challenges of introducing regional Mexican food to a new audience, and how his commitment to training and supporting his team has played a key role in his success. </p><p>With multiple awards and humanitarian recognition, Rick’s story is a testament to the power of...
