Hospitality On The Rise

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise, host Alice Cheng features Noah Glass, Founder and CEO of Olo, Board Director of Portillo’s, Board Director at Share Our Strength, and Board Trustee of the Culinary Institute of America. Noah reflects on his unconventional path from delivering pizzas in high school to founding one of the leading digital ordering and delivery solutions for restaurants. He...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , host Alice Cheng welcomes Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel, Co-Owner and Chef of Birdie’s, the acclaimed Austin restaurant recognized by Food & Wine and Bon Appétit. Recently listed as one of the 2025 TIME100 Next Rising Stars, Tracy shares her unique journey from sports and music to the kitchen, highlighting the pivotal moments and mentors that shaped her ca...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise, host Alice Cheng speaks with Sean Feeney, Co-Founder of Grovehouse Hospitality, which includes celebrated restaurants like Lilia, Misi, MISIPASTA, and Fini Pizza. Before entering the restaurant industry, Sean built a successful career in finance. In this conversation, he reflects on how his journey led him to hospitality, the importance of understanding...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise, host Alice Cheng chats with Victoria James—Partner and Executive Director of Beverage at Gracious Hospitality Management (COTE, COQODAQ), author of Wine Girl and Drink Pink, and Co-Founder of Wine Empowered. From a greasy spoon diner in New Jersey to the youngest sommelier in the U.S. and now a leader shaping world-class wine programs, Victoria’s story i...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , Chef Jonathan Benno—Culinary Director at Four Twenty Five (Restaurants by Jean-Georges) and the first American-born and trained chef to earn three Michelin stars during his time at Per Se—shares his remarkable career journey with host Alice Cheng. From his start washing dishes in Connecticut, to formative years at The French Laundry, Gramercy Tavern, an...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise, Master Sommelier Dustin Wilson—Co-Founder of Verve Wine (NYC, San Francisco, Chicago), Co-Founder of Apres Cru, and featured star of the acclaimed documentary SOMM—connects with host Alice Cheng to share his remarkable path through hospitality and wine. From his early days waiting tables to his rise at Eleven Madison Park, to taking the leap into entrepr...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , Chef Missy Robbins—restaurateur, author, James Beard Award winner, and Co-Founder of Grovehouse Hospitality Group (Lilia, Misi, MISIPASTA)—joins host Alice Cheng to share her remarkable journey. From her first nights on the line in Washington, D.C., to pivotal years at Spiaggia in Chicago, to building her own celebrated restaurants in New York, Missy re...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , Chef Erling Wu-Bower shares his journey from growing up in a food-obsessed family to becoming a three-time James Beard Award finalist and co-founder of Maxwells Trading. He opens up about knowing when the time is right for new ventures, the lessons learned in shifting from the kitchen to the dining room, and why identifying talent and mastering manageme...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , host Alice Cheng welcomes Arjav Ezekiel, 2025 James Beard Foundation Award Winner and Co-Owner and Beverage Director of Birdie’s in Austin—a restaurant redefining what fine dining can look like. Arjav shares his journey from growing up in a food-loving Indian household to honing his craft in acclaimed kitchens in D.C. and New York, before launching Bird...

On this episode of  Hospitality On The Rise , host Alice Cheng sits down with the renowned Chef Michael Anthony, Executive Chef and Partner at Gramercy Tavern, for a rich and reflective conversation that spans continents, cultures, and decades. Known for his deep commitment to seasonal cooking and thoughtful leadership, Chef Mike opens up about his unconventional path—from writing a cold letter to...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , host Alice Cheng is joined by hospitality powerhouse Jeff Benjamin—a key architect of Philadelphia’s rise as a culinary destination, and the guiding force behind beloved brands like Vetri and Federal Donuts. From bussing tables as a teenager to scaling restaurant empires and writing from the heart, Jeff shares the pivotal moments, surprising turns, and...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , host Alice Cheng is joined by Dominique Ansel—James Beard Award-winning pastry chef, inventor of the Cronut®️, and founder of celebrated bakeries around the world—whose path from a modest upbringing in France to international acclaim is a testament to vision, determination, and reinvention. From learning to cook at sixteen out of necessity to crafting c...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , host Alice Cheng is joined by Pascaline Lepeltier—Master Sommelier, author, winemaker, educator, and advocate—whose unconventional path has challenged tradition and redefined what it means to lead in hospitality. From studying philosophy to earning one of the most prestigious titles in wine, Pascaline shares how a love of learning, a commitment to care,...

What does a tray of expertly shucked clams in a busy seafood kitchen have to do with a career that would span Emmy-winning television, global advocacy, and redefining how we tell stories through food? For Andrew Zimmern, it was the moment everything clicked. On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , host Alice Cheng sits down with the chef, writer, and TV personality behind Bizarre Foods, The Z...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , host Alice Cheng welcomes Ellen Yin, the visionary behind Philadelphia’s acclaimed High Street Hospitality Group and the 2023 James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurateur. From her early days bussing tables to building one of the country’s most respected restaurant groups, Ellen shares how a deep sense of purpose and belonging has shaped her journey....

What does a bottle of Heinz ketchup at a mountaintop hotel in Indonesia have to do with a career in hospitality? For Sabato Sagaria, it was the spark that ignited a lifelong passion. On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , Sabato traces his journey from that moment of unexpected comfort to leading operations at Union Square Hospitality Group, scaling Bartaco across the U.S., and now, as Co-Fo...

From Manhattan futons to Maui brunch lines, Chef Lee Anne Wong’s culinary journey is anything but conventional. On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , host Alice Cheng connects with the Top Chef alum, restaurateur, TV producer, and Hawaii-based community builder to talk about the long road from front-of-house server to global brand builder. With humor, honesty, and hard-earned wisdom, Lee An...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , host Alice Cheng chats with Bobby Stuckey — Master Sommelier, restaurateur, endurance athlete, and champion of what he calls hospitalian culture . From his early struggles with dyslexia to becoming one of the most respected figures in hospitality, Bobby shares a refreshingly grounded and candid look into how service, leadership, and a life lived with pu...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , host Alice Cheng has a candid conversation with culinary force Maneet Chauhan — President and Founding Partner of Morph Hospitality Group and the only two-time Tournament of Champions winner. Celebrated for her warmth, wit, and unstoppable drive, Maneet shares her remarkable journey from a small town in India to the national spotlight in the U.S., balan...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , industry powerhouse Kevin Boehm, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of BOKA Restaurant Group chats with host Alice Cheng. From dropping out of college, lying on his resume and opening a six-table restaurant in Florida to co-leading one of the most respected hospitality groups in the country, Kevin shares the raw, unfiltered story behind his rise. He opens up about e...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , host Alice Cheng chat with Michael Shemtov, a seasoned hospitality entrepreneur and founder of Honest to Goodness Hospitality, which has made its mark across Charleston, Atlanta, and Nashville. Michael takes us through his inspiring journey from a teenager working his first restaurant job at 13 to founding his own restaurants by 22 — despite the hardshi...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , host Alice Cheng connects with Kimberly Galban, Chief Operating Officer of Hogsalt, to explore the remarkable journey of a hospitality leader who has truly climbed the ranks from the ground up. Kimberly shares how her early experiences — from serving at iconic Chicago spots like Como Inn and Blackbird to stepping into hotel management at the Park Hyatt...

On this episode of Hospitality On The Rise , Chef Philip Tessier shares his culinary journey with host Alice Cheng. From his early days experimenting with recipes at home to working alongside culinary legends like Thomas Keller (Per Se, The French Laundry) and Eric Ripert (Le Bernardin), Chef Tessier reflects on the key moments that shaped his career. He also opens up about his experience competin...

On the latest episode of Hospitality On The Rise , host Alice Cheng connects virtually with Camari Mick, the acclaimed Executive Pastry Chef behind The Musket Room, Raf’s, and Cafe Zaffri in New York City — and a partner at Raf’s. Recently named to Forbes 30 Under 30 and recognized as one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs, Camari opens up about her journey from childhood baking experiments to le...

On this inspiring episode of Hospitality On The Rise , host Alice Cheng welcomes Aaron Ginsberg, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Industry Development at American Express/Resy. From helping launch Verizon Fios to shaping hospitality at Eleven Madison Park — and now supporting restaurants on a global scale — Aaron’s journey has been anything but conventional. He shares the pivotal momen...