50 Shades of Hospitality

In this podcast, we speak to Mouna Ennour, the Managing Director of YALTEN, a consulting firm specializing in brand equity, intangible capital, and experience governance across hospitality, tourism, and real estate.  Mouna describes her Hospitality Management studies in Switzerland and answers my questions about hospitality education today.  Mouna goes on to describe what motivated her to create h...

In this podcast, Robert Recupero shares his extraordinary career path with our listeners and explains how this path led to the creation of Moomenti, a high-end marketplace for booking luxury hotel experiences.  This entrepreneurial adventure was Robert’s answer to making hospitality luxury easier to navigate and enjoy.  Early in his career, Robert worked at Swissport, which enabled him to learn es...

In this episode of 50 Shades of Hospitality , Crystal Cavin speaks with Jay Humphries , a hospitality advisor, educator, communicator and co-founder of HoCoSo, whose career has moved across hotel operations, corporate leadership, development, asset management, academia, concept creation and media. Together, they explore the idea of human innovation in hospitality : not innovation as technology alo...

In this podcast, we interview Estelle Vassallo, who is the General Manager of the Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel in Italy.  Estelle answers our questions about crisis management in the hospitality field and about what it takes to become a GM.   We ask Estelle to describe what it is like to manage a hotel in an iconic location like the Amalfi Coast and she explains what kind of clients the...

Celine Maier, the EuroSkills Gold Medalist for Culinary Arts, decided after winning Gold to embark on a global, culinary journey.  Since 2024, she has been a culinary globetrotter, traveling through Europe, America, and Asia to explore the diversity of international cuisines, learn new techniques, deepen and expand her network, and experience cultural influences firsthand.  In this podcast, Celine...

In this episode, Andrra Berisha describes how she has dynamically created an envious hospitality management path for herself after her hospitality studies in Switzerland. As the Business Development Manager at Lighthouse , the leading commercial platform for the travel & hospitality industry, Andrra uses her hospitality acumen to drive revenue growth and foster long-term client partnerships.  ...

As a young hotelier, Can Erikan explains how his global career and Swiss hospitality education has led him back to his native country of Turkey where he is currently the General Manager of Scorpios Bodrum , part of the Soho House Group.    Bodrum was once known as the ancient city of Halicarnassus and it is home to one of the seven ancient wonders of the world.  Scorpios Bodrum is set on a 70,000...

In this podcast, Philippe Clarinval, the current General Manager of Le Prince de Galles Hotel in Paris, France, discusses the role of the Hotel GM and what makes this role appealing and challenging.  He also shares his passion for life-long learning and why continuing educational pursuits are important in our ever-changing world.  Philippe’s role as General Manager of the Carlton Hotel in St.-Mori...

For this podcast, we invited and interviewed Yenny Tanudjaja, the General Manager of Emeralda Golf Club in Indonesia.  This famous 27-hole golf club near Jakarta is a signature design of two Golf Legends : Arnold Palmer and Jack Niklaus and has played host to several Indonesian Opens, the Johnnie Walker Super Tour, the Dunhill Asian Masters and the Volvo Masters Asia.  Emeralda Golf Club has deser...

Claire Dupleix is a Hospitality and Hotel Reception Ambassador in France and a MOF (Mellieur Ouvrier de France / Best Craftsman of France).   She was the first to receive this prestigious honour for Hotel Receptionist in 2015.  In this podcast, Claire describes her passion and enthusiasm for the hospitality industry and elaborates on her educational and career paths.   In this podcast, we learn mo...

In this podcast, Salvador Elena Bosca, the Director of Twistic Digital (twisticdigital.com), gives our audience reasons why the hospitality and tourism industries should be using technology solutions as a way of taking their customers’ experiences to the next level. From using Information Totems, to Digital Signage and reducing buffet waste, Twistic Digital offers elevated and revitalized digital...

In this podcast, entrepreneur Brandon Burnett describes how his next generation of hotel equipment is poised to improve and transform the hotel industry.  He also describes his career path from completing a hospitality management degree in Switzerland to working for some of the major hotel chains in different capacities.  Brandon shares his views and opinions about the hospitality industry, tech t...

Souji ( www.souji.es ) is a Spanish company that has developed a unique and patented technology capable of transforming used cooking oil into effective and environmentally sustainable cleaning products in just a few minutes. In this podcast, we speak to Sergio Fernandez, the CEO of SOUJI.  Souji offers a flexible solution that combines sustainability, practical circular economy practices, and oper...

In this podcast, Victor Mogilev speaks to our audience about Hospitality HR recruitment in South East Asia and explains how this region has its unique challenges and opportunities.  Victor traces his educational and career path to explain how his Swiss hospitality management background allowed him to pursue a global career and landed him today in Bangkok working as a partner for LHC International....

In this podcast, Chris Horn who is currently the General Manager at Gold Key Media, discusses his career path and answers our questions about the synergies between the Media and Hospitality.  Gold Key Media has a hard earned and formidable reputation for quality and credibility in the industry for providing a reliable, competitive service and consequently represent all of the world’s leading hospi...

In this remarkable interview, Rosalin Abigail Kyere-Nartey, who was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 30 after years of struggling through school, decided to transform her trials and tribulations into a mission: to transform how people, teachers, and employees understand and support learners with dyslexia and related learning differences.  Rosalin is the proud Founder of the Africa Dyslexia Organizat...

Michael Romei has been dubbed "The Ambassador of Hospitality" and he practices his brand of statecraft on both a local and global level. In this podcast, Michael invites our listeners to retrace his brilliant career as a Les Clefs d’Or concierge, and in particular, his time as the former Chef Concierge of the Waldorf Towers/Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. Michael walks us through...

Filippo Perricone is the co-founder and Managing Director of Back label, a line of Italian lounge, athletic and leisure wear sold exclusively in luxury hotels and resorts.  In this podcast, we ask Filippo about his educational and career path from a History and Philosophy student to working in the textile industry in Hong Kong.  In 2010, Filippo co-founded Back Label with his wife Amy and they hav...

Aryavir Kumar is the current Managing Director of one of India’s top hotel chains, The Clarks Hotels & Resorts.  In this podcast, he answers our questions about his family’s history with The Brij Hotels and The Clarks Hotels and how his family continues to expand their offerings in India and abroad.  Aryavir also takes us on his educational and professional path to explain how his Swiss Hospit...

In this podcast, Marie-Berengère Chapoton, who was the General Manager of the award-winning Raffles Al Areen Palace in Bahrain when this podcast was recorded, describes her global career path and how she met not only challenges but opportunities that came her way.  Marie-Berengère’s career path has led her toNew York, Montreal, Paris, Milan, Rome, Uruguay, The Bermudas, Rio de Janeiro, to Bahrain...

Edouard Clark is a Hospitality Tech recruiter and, in this podcast, he gives our listeners reasons to explore this career path and why the hospitality industry is still lagging behind in this fast-paced field.  Edouard has an international background, grew up in several countries, speaks three languages and used to play professional rugby.  In this podcast, we ask Edouard about his early career in...

Khulan Berger is currently the Director of Development at CLIMATE BRIDGES and the Founder and President of OUR IMPACT MONGOLIA.  When we recorded this podcast, Khulan was the Head of Communication & Community for MY BLUE PLANET. In this podcast, Khulan explains why sustainable tourism has become such an important endeavor and how MY BLUE PLANET is working closely with companies to transition a...

In this podcast, Sara Abdel Masih describes her unique career path from climbing the career ladder in the luxury hospitality industry to teaching in hotel management schools and writing a book on mobbing and harassment in the workplace based on her personal experiences. Sara has worn many hats and has studied not only hospitality management but criminology and forensic science. She is the Founder...

In this episode, we speak to Geoffrey Toffetti, who is the CEO of Frontline Performance Group and a veteran in the hospitality field. We talk to Geoffrey about Discretionary Effort and why it is so important for hospitality businesses to encourage, motivate and engage their teams.  Geoffrey explains what discretionary effort is and how it can be the link between excellent service, motivated staff...

Chantal Wittman is an educator, a hospitality expert, a competition judge and received the MOF (Meilleur Ouvrier de France) Maître d’Hôtel award.  In this podcast, Chantal gives our listeners some background information about the French MOF competitions and what this means for the people who have been given this title.  Chantal has taught in some of the most prestigious hospitality institutions in...