What if a single bite could send you home again? Chef Ollie Walleck joins us to explore how memory, empathy, and rigor can reinvent what a kitchen feels like—and what guests taste on the plate. From his start as a teenage cook chasing the service rush to leading teams at The Midway in San Francisco, Ollie breaks down the craft behind food that scales to thousands without losing nuance, warmth, or soul.

We get granular about culture change: why the scream-and-throw era doesn’t build loyalty, how radical candor and respect keep teams together, and why calm is the strongest position when the weeds close in. Ollie credits mentors who embodied presence and precision, then shows how he translated those lessons into systems that make large events run smoothly. He argues the most expensive ingredient isn’t caviar—it’s time. Time to think through a dish, teach it, and respect the guest’s time with food that’s clever, consistent, and genuinely satisfying.

We also talk candidly about identity and visibility. As an out trans man, Ollie shares why leadership that’s openly queer matters to hospitality’s future, and why cities like San Francisco feel built from queer joy, not just tolerant of it. The throughline is simple and powerful: judge a chef by what they plate and how they care for people. If you’re a rising cook, a culinary leader, or just a guest who loves thoughtful food—from nightclub snacks to festival service—you’ll find lessons on scalable creativity, systems that hold under pressure, and the kind of kitchen culture that lasts.

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What does it really take to walk away from a marquee role and build a brand that feels personal, principled, and wildly creative? We sit down with David Bowd, co-founder and CEO of Salt Hotels, to unpack the decision to leave the world of iconic properties and start small with a 20-room inn in Provincetown, Massachusetts —and how that leap reset his definition of success. From St. Martin’s Lane and Gramercy Park to a boutique collection rooted in design and community, David shares the choices, mistakes, and moments that shaped Salt’s identity.

We get candid about the “no assholes” rule and why culture fit is a strategy, not a slogan. David tells the story of firing misaligned clients, the immediate lift across the team, and how ditching the numbers race brought better work and happier guests. We go deep on leadership—fairness over fear, debate over yes-people, and the habit of listening to the people closest to the work. When a housekeeping team suggests a smarter process, he says yes, and the operation gets sharper overnight. That respect-based approach shows up in Salt School, an eight-weekend, community-rooted talent program that turns skeptics into believers and dramatically lowers employee turnover.

There’s hard truth here too: COVID was brutal. Yet when doors reopened, demand roared back, proving the human urge to travel beats the headlines. David offers clear advice to rising hoteliers on accessing capital—network beyond your comfort zone, especially with finance partners—and opens up about building a company with his spouse, the designer Kevin O’Shea, by staying in lanes and keeping work at the office. We finish with the rituals that sustain him: early walks, SoulCycle, and non-negotiable boundaries that protect focus and kindness in a 24/7 business.

If you care about hospitality with heart—talent development, design that serves community, and leadership that scales without losing its soul—press play. Subscribe, share this episode with a hotel geek or entrepreneur you love, and leave a review to help more people find the show.

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The best restaurants don’t just serve plates; they build worlds. Chef David Myers joins us to unpack how a driveway farm stand, a passport full of stamps, and a Michelin star shaped his approach to food, leadership, and life. From Los Angeles to Tokyo, Dubai, and Miami, David shares how he balances French technique with California freshness and global flavors while keeping one rule sacred: keep it simple and make it craveable.

We talk about pressure—and why he treats it as a privilege. David opens up about the routines that keep him sharp: daily transcendental meditation, non-negotiable training sessions, and the mindset that turned a pandemic into a platform for transformation. He explains why today’s chef must be fluent in finance, HR, construction, and brand, and how AI can become a practical ally for menu modeling, staffing, and scenario planning without replacing the heart of hospitality.

If you’ve ever wondered how to localize a concept across cultures, this conversation is a masterclass. David rejects copy-and-paste expansion, showing how to adapt menus and leadership styles for Japan, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia while protecting brand soul. We also dive into his Miami project, Adrift Mare with AKA, and his next frontier: wellness-driven hospitality that blends performance cuisine, recovery, and design. Along the way, you’ll hear candid advice for chef-founders on mentorship, networking beyond your lane, and committing to a point of view you’d take to Mars.

Come for the travel stories and kitchen craft; stay for the blueprint on building teams, chasing authenticity, and creating experiences that linger long after the check is paid. If this episode sparks an idea or shifts your mindset, share it with a friend, hit follow, and leave a quick review so more curious listeners can find us.

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