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Check'in In with the State of Food and Beverage

In this episode, Peter Ricci and Jeremy Nichols sit down with two senior leaders shaping the future of hospitality to get a clear, grounded take on where Food and Beverage stands today and where it is headed next.

Joining the conversation are Sam Bakhshandehpour, Global CEO of José Andrés Group, and Sarah King, Chief People Officer at Darden. Together, they share real world insight on operating pressure, talent strategy, culture, growth, and what leaders need to be thinking about as we move into 2026.

This is an honest, executive-level conversation about what is working, what is broken, and what smart operators should be doing right now.

You can follow Peter Ricci at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterriccihospitality/

You can follow Jeremy Nichols at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremycnichols/

https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyNichols

Send us a text

Jeremy Nichols and Dr. Peter Ricci hosted a live panel featuring five rising hospitality leaders who offered a direct, unfiltered look at what their generation sees, expects, and wants from this industry. These students are already gaining real experience across hotels, resorts, events, private clubs, and large-scale operations, and they brought a level of honesty operators rarely get to hear.

For anyone leading teams, hiring, or focused on retention, this conversation delivered a clear advantage. The panel dug into culture, growth paths, leadership, work-life balance, and what genuinely attracts Gen Z to hospitality. Their perspective challenged assumptions and helped shed light on how to build workplaces where this generation actually wants to stay.

Our panel:

Sophia McDonnell, FAU
Events, resort, convention center, and private club experience
https://lnkd.in/eyhh22wd

Joaquin Dorazio, Palm Beach State College
Operations, The Boca Raton
https://lnkd.in/eq38Abm8

Nicole Jaimes, FIU
Events, SOBE Food and Wine Festival
https://lnkd.in/epjER3HD

Taylor Sackella, UCF Rosen
Operations and HR at JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton Orlando
https://lnkd.in/eEyRJwJZ

Dailany Echeverria, FSU Dedman School of Hospitality
Operations
https://lnkd.in/eMuKBmvT

This episode was a valuable discussion for anyone looking to recruit more effectively, retain stronger teams, and understand the mindset of the next generation before they shape the industry without your input. The insights from this group made the session one of our most impactful to date.

You can follow Peter Ricci at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterriccihospitality/

You can follow Jeremy Nichols at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremycnichols/

https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyNichols

Send us a text

In this episode of Checkin’ In, we sit down with Glenn Haussman, one of the hospitality industry’s most recognizable voices. Glenn is the host of No Vacancy, named the number one hospitality podcast from 2021 through 2024, and the International Hospitality Institute’s number one Social Media Influencer in Hospitality. He was also selected among the Top 50 Most Inspirational People in Global Hospitality in 2024 and 2025.

We dig into what leaders should really pay attention to right now, how media shapes investment and operations decisions, and why great storytelling still wins. Glenn shares lessons from interviewing public company CEOs and game-changing operators on No Vacancy Live, plus what he is seeing across No Vacancy News Today and Friday Night Audit. We touch on his award-winning work during the Covid crisis, teaching at NYU, and the mindset that keeps him consistently ahead of the curve. And most importantly, the landscape of our industry in 2025-2026.


Find Glenn at Glenn@novacancynews.com and follow him at @TravelingGlenn.

You can follow Peter Ricci at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterriccihospitality/

You can follow Jeremy Nichols at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremycnichols/

https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyNichols

Send us a text

This live episode features David Kong, former President & CEO of BWH Hotel Group and Founder of DEI Advisors. David shares what authentic leadership looks like today, how culture drives performance, and why mentorship and inclusion aren’t just ideals; they’re competitive advantages.

This conversation was streamed live.

Hosted by Dr. Peter Ricci and Jeremy Nichols

You can follow Peter Ricci at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterriccihospitality/

You can follow Jeremy Nichols at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremycnichols/

https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyNichols