Discovering Hospitality

Today you will meet Brad Bartko; we met through hospitality but in a different way than you may think. Brad came to us as he owns Disability: Accessible by Design, a company whose mission is to create a more accessible world for people with disabilities.

The experiences Brad has had in his life will change the way you see the world. When he was born, he came out fighting. He was born premature and was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at age 2, setting him and his family on the path of figuring out life with a disability. 

There are people whom you come across that change the way you see the world, and Tyler is one of them. When I met him, it was a bit of a lucky circumstance, and I know now that we were meant to meet each other. Tyler has an interesting story; he went to school to become a teacher and, once there, realized it wasn’t for him. 

He has been in and out of this industry, and you will hear from this conversation that he is a true expert in hospitality. He is so driven to bring unf...

I was looking forward to this conversation with Sylvia as she is a remarkable woman.  Her background is in marketing and advertising, but she has always been a hospitality gal. She has long been interested in hospitality, and it has come naturally to her. Deep down, she knew this was the long game for her and after having her daughter, she and her husband sat down and started thinking about what they wanted to bring to this industry.  At that time, their rustic French Canadian restaurant was born - Chartier. 

This restaurant is amazing. If you have not...

Today you will meet Ellen Elton. 

Ellen and I have worked together and have been friends for a long time. This woman has been in Hospitality since she was 19 and truly knows how to create an experience for a guest in a room.  From her early start at the Brooks Hotel to Whitecourt Alberta and now the Manager of Barbacoa in Spruce Grove, she has had many diverse experiences in restaurants.  During her time in Whitecourt, she was able to move a struggling location to a thriving, vibrant store, with a strong team culture. 

Ellen has...

Meet Liza De Viliers! Born in Johannesburg, she lived most of her life in Cape Town, South Africa and is now living in Edmonton, Alberta. This was such a fun conversation hearing about her early years growing up in South Africa, and what food was like in her family. I loved that food was celebrated in her youth, with African-style BBQs called "Brie". 

Liza worked for G Adventures in South Africa and now works for them here in YEG! I can't even imagine the wealth of knowledge she has to share with Canadian travellers booking with G A...

This week on Discovering Hospitality meet Mariana Sanchez! I've known Mariana for a long time, she has recently come to work with our group here in Alberta.  She started with St Albert Original Joe's, moved over to British Columbia,  and is now back in Spruce Grove running the State and Main out there with her husband Alex. 

Her story of coming from Mexico to Canada is pretty neat. She was able to come with her husband and get to build a life here with him.  She has also been able to work with her partner both in Mexi...

Meet Shawn Campbell! 

This was such an interesting conversation, I love speaking with people who have been in the industry for a long time, they always have so much insight and share stories that are so impactful, this convo with Shawn does that for sure. Shawn has done quite a few things (besides hospitality) such as being a poker player, which blew my mind! His roots have always been in hospitality though, and throughout that journey, he has found himself in a leadership role more often than not. He is now the head chef at Barbacoa, a n...

You might remember Jordy from Episode #18 back in  August of 2020. He was one of the people in the early days who put his trust in me and this podcast and has supported it to no end. I wanted to bring him back on for two reasons; one - because I love this guy he's amazing as you'll soon hear and two- because he has been on an incredible journey since his last cast. 

He opened the Beaumont Original Joe's in the midst of the pandemic. The day after the soft open in that location, all restaurants were sh...

This week on Discovering Hospitality, you will meet Edie Couture. 

Edie is currently working at the Original Joe’s in Whitecourt, Alberta. I wanted to have her on this podcast as I knew she had a cool story. She grew up in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and was adopted as a young child. She has four siblings, all of whom were adopted. That part of her story alone is heartwarming, and her parents clearly are very special people. 

In this conversation, we discuss what creates success in the hospitality industry, how health and fitness have impa...

This week on Discovering Hospitality, you will meet Morgan Ringland. For the past eight months, she has been a part of a leadership development program that I have been facilitating called Lead & Inspire, and in that time, I have come to know her quite well, and let me tell you, she is an amazing woman.

Morgan is the General Manager of the Lloydminster Original Joe’s in Alberta. She is a lover of nature, plants, ferrets, and life. In this podcast, we talk about how her connections in the industry have opened her eyes to what is po...

What is the most valuable currency in the world? 

While we may have different perspectives on this answer, for Chris Stone, it has been time. This week Chris and I share an enlightening conversation about what we both feel is one of the most valuable non-renewable currencies that we all have. We never know how much of it we have left and once it’s spent, we can’t get it back. So, choosing to spend our minutes in meaningful ways is a powerful way to show up in our careers and lives. 

We hope you en...

Meet Julia Dachyshyn 

From her job serving to the Northern Alberta head office team, she has had quite the journey within Hospitality and with our Restaurant group. In this podcast, Julia and I discuss so many things from the amazing friends we make in this industry to the different kinds of experiences that we have both had in Hospitality. We connected over human psychology and how becoming curious about the way the human mind works helps us move through the traumas we have experienced in our lives and in turn makes us better with the pe...

Today you will meet Maricel. She is one of the most beautiful people I have ever met. Her heart and soul shine through in this podcast in such an incredible way. Maricel's story is incredible, she has been on quite the journey in her life. From her life beginning  in the Philippines, on to Dubai and over here to Canada. We all make sacrifices in our lives and we all have our own stories, Maricel's is one of a mother's love and what a mother will do to provide for her child. If you are a parent, this conversation w...

This was a fun conversation. I always find it so cool to hear stories about how people get into this industry. Today you will meet Richard Fyk, Co-Founder of SYC Brewing in Edmonton, Alberta.  

Richard did not start out in Hospitality, and I think that's what makes this such a cool story because he loves it, he gets it, and SYC is doing some really amazing things and creating some awesome beers. A part of this conversation that I loved so much was when we spoke about a regular guest of SYC whose daughter was diagnosed with c...

Today you will meet Tania Vazquez. 

She is such a beautiful person and while she has found other paths in her life she lives and breathes hospitality to me, she was the perfect fit for a conversation on the podcast. She came to Canada 13 years ago from Mexico City, worked with us at Original Joe’s for close to a decade. You can now find her teaching amazing classes at Prana Yoga Studio in YEG as well as serving at Dutchess Bake Shop on 124 St. 

When she left Joe's she decided to take a break from...

Part two of Allison Lang! This is Discovering Hospitality’s first two-part conversation and for good reason. Allison is an advocate for persons with disabilities. She is an amputee herself; she was born without the lower half of her leg and shares her journey of that in her life. She is now a Speaker, Model, World Traveller, a Team Canada Athlete, and of course a Hospitality Gal. Join us as we round out the second half of our conversation. Her story will take you on a beautiful ride. In Allie’s young life she has already had a lifetime of e...

Meet Allison Lang! 

This is Discovering Hospitality’s first two-part conversation and for good reason. Allison is an advocate for persons with disabilities. She is an amputee herself; she was born without the lower half of her leg and shares her journey of that in her life. She is now a Speaker, Model, World Traveller, Team Canada Athlete, and of course a Hospitality Gal. Her story will take you on a beautiful ride. In her young life, she has had a lifetime of experiences and she shares them in this cast. There are moments in our conversation you...

I love chefs I find them so inspiring. I love how they hone their craft in ways that are unique to them. It speaks to their style and their roots. 

Liv Krushell is an AMAZING chef. I had the privilege of attending a private dinner of hers with three other wonderful women and I'll tell you I was blown away. Liv created the most stunning, 5-course meal, from start to finish the meal was made with love, from scratch, and with a depth of flavor that was wonderful!

In this podcast, Liv and I talk a...

I am so excited to share with you Courtney Campbell's story today! 

He is a true pro. Starting in his early days at the Old Spaghetti Factory and on to many other prominent concepts, he has been very successful in his career as a Hospitality Leader. Courtney brings a unique energy to his work. If you know him, have been led by him, or worked with him on any level you are not likely to forget your experience. He touches lives and cares about people in the ways that truly matter. 

In our conversation, Courtney sha...

Well, this was so much fun! I love Steph, I had the pleasure of working with her at the Terwillegar Original Joe's way back in the day! 

Today you'll meet Steph Bradshaw and hear the story of her journey through hospitality. She's a lot of fun as you'll see, I love her happy personality. Steph knows how to take care of people in our industry, she's one of those people, that when you are taken care of by her you know, you will remember the experience with her always. Even though she has taken some time away f...

Meet Jordyn Scharle! I love this gal! Every time I get to speak with Jordyn or spend time with her I'm always inspired by everything she's involved in. She has had some interesting experiences in the hospitality industry starting at the State and Main on Jasper Ave in a high revenue high profile location, then moving on to the Hollick Kenyon Original Joe's and becoming part of the leadership team there. 

She's super passionate about hospitality and the industry and really loves taking care of people. She was the first runner-up in the Original Joe's Sokil Scholarship a...

This is a very inspiring episode, if you have ever struggled with an eating disorder this will be the listen for you. 

Teihannah is so genuine and honest in her story and her journey in recovery from Anorexia.

She was the winner of our Sokil Scholarship, an internal program within Original Joe's and State and Main, that provides finical support to students that work with us. The challenge this semester was to share a People Make The World Beautiful story. So of course, I was very excited about this as it's the heart of this p...

Meet Angie Zamora. This woman is full of love! She's one of those women who brings joy and happiness to everything she does, I mean who wouldn't love that?! Angie had quite the adventure before coming to Canada to work.  From Aspen, Colorado to, Paris, France, and cooking for patients in need of healing food, Angie has a heart of gold and has had a lot of different experiences when it comes to hospitality. 

She is now the Assistant Kitchen Manager of Stony Plain Original Joe's. In this podcast we discuss her passion for food and her te...

From an early start in competitive Taekwondo Cara Manning learned to face the challenges of this world head-on. She was blessed to have a teacher who taught her some of the most valuable lessons in life that she has carried with her, and as you'll hear, have carried her through her more recent challenges in life. 

Cara worked with us at Hollick Kenyon Original Joe's and in the time she was there the way I saw her connect with team and guests was astounding. Cara has an uncanny ability to make everyone around her feel welcome and c...

I've known Sandra for many years. In fact, when Sandra came to Canada from Mexico City, I was the one who picked her up at the airport! We have been through a lot together from the early days of Terwillegar Original Joe's to working together on the Oj's HEART Cart we have done it all. At this point in time, Sandra is not in hospitality but I felt it fitting to bring her on to share her story with all of us. She is a wonderful, amazing woman who has taken her life and made it what she wanted...

Nathan Brass is the General Manager of Blowers and Grafton on Whyte Ave here in Edmonton. The concept is a cool pub-style atmosphere with a twist - Halifax street food. This was the first conversation I had with Nathan about hospitality in which we talked about his journey in the industry, what inspires him, and his perspective of leading through COVID. Nathan is also a musician which I loved talking about. Music can really change a lot about how we see the world.  I  truly believe that hobbies and things we find to keep our hearts happy are life-changing.

Meet Chelsea Glubish! 

Starting in hospitality at 14 years old, Chelsea immediately saw the value to her growth in our industry. She started out in the back of the house, moving on to the front, and now has transitioned to an online health and wellness coach for women and is killing it! Join us as we discuss her journey from hospitality to her new career and all of the emotion involved in that change for her. Chelsea opens her heart to me in this conversation and shares in a really vulnerable way what all of this change has b...

This is Adria Dube and she's amazing. I love this gal. She is a part of the Original Joe's crew currently working as the Assistant General Manager at Original Joe's in Terwillegar.  She has had a longer tenure with the company coming from Hollick on the northside previously so has been a part of the growth of the company over the last few years. This was such a great conversation as Adria is one of those leaders who is really connected with her heart (and you know I love that!). In this episode, we dive into vulnerability, mental health, C...

You may remember Clint Schmidt from the early days of Discovering Hospitality. He was my 4th interview and was kind enough to join me on this journey when I really did not know where it was going and what I was doing. He trusted me and for that, I am so grateful.  

Clint is one of those people who is living  his life to the fullest, and not leaving anything on the table. In his first podcast, we spoke a lot about mental toughness and 75 hard and what it takes to achieve your goals. Since then he ha...

Meet Meagan Keelaghan! I was so excited to have her on Discovering Hospitality. I love this woman, we have had great times together and she has done some amazing things so I knew this was going to be a great chat. She is currently the Area Manager DunnEnzies Pizza Co in Kelowna, British Columbia, and loves it. This is a cool local concept that not only servers great food, but also takes care of their community in truly meaningful ways. 

Meagan is one of those leaders who people are naturally drawn to, if you know her, you k...

This was a fun impromptu episode we were inspired to record at the iconic Rundle Bar in the Banff Springs Hotel in the heart of the beautiful rocky mountains in Alberta.  Chris and I discuss our own personal hotel experiences from bare-bones, entry-level hotels to ultimate luxury resorts. We have been blessed to be able to travel so much of the world together and have had the most incredible experiences together. I hope you enjoy this conversation as we recall some of our favorite and not so favorite memories of hospitality. 

Meet Mel Mascorro, this was such a fun conversation as you'll hear in her laughter and the heartfelt way in which she joins me in this cast, and this truly is Mel, shes a beautiful person in every way. 

Over the summer she joined Arturo Ramirez on the El Santo food truck journey, she shares her experience with that adventure and what it was like for her working in a mobile restaurant all summer.  

Her culinary career began in Mexico City, bringing her to the USA and then eventually over here to Canada, where she ha...

Meet Mark Speranza he is a true hospitality pro, starting his early career in restaurants and moving over to the hotel industry as he progressed and is currently working at the Dylan Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. He has built a career in the heart of New York City, and it has been a crazy ride for him, with over 30 years going through New York's blackouts, 911, and a country at war. 

Over the years Mark has grown a deep love of the hotel industry, for its fast-paced, ever-changing atmosphere from celebrity guests (yes that is Emeril Lagasse in h...

Calli Smith is a beautiful soul, one of those people that you will meet in your life that you will never forget. Her heart is hospitality, loves people, and loves taking care of others. In this episode, we discuss the obstacles we are currently facing in  our industry and how culture, values, and belief in our people are what will guide us through this challenging time. Empathy by far is one of the biggest contributors to leading this way for Calli as you will hear in the heartwarming stories she shares.

Thank you Calli for being my g...

Mike Saunders somewhat stumbled upon hospitality as a career for himself as you'll hear in this podcast. He attained a bachelor's in Physical Education and pursued a career in that area for a few years, but as life would have it (as for many of us), Mike found himself drawn back to the amazing industry of hospitality. The experience of leaving and coming back to the industry really solidifies the magic that is created when we are a part of an amazing team and how impactful that can be in our lives.  You'll hear this in Mikes's experiences and s...

Edmonton’s food community is incredible these days and there’s a new contender on the scene…

El Santo Taqueria Food Truck is now on the streets of YEG and filling our bellies with amazing food! Arturo Ramirez who you may remember from episode 16 is the mastermind behind this incredible venture. It has long been his dream to have his own food truck and it fills my heart so full to see him bring his dream to life. El Santo serves authentic Mexican tacos made fresh daily, all made from scratch and food made with love and care. ...

Meet Jeffrey Sacchet! 

This was a great and enlightening conversation. Jeffrey recently wrote a book called Barbarians and Beautiful Souls,  which he so kindly shared with me so I could read and it was amazing! The book is chock-full of real-life stories of people taking care of people, what can transpire when we are a part of a great team, also what can transpire when we are part of a weak team, and how leaders have the ability to affect it all.  Jeffrey shares his stories from all vantage points and in the end, leaves your heart fee...

Meet Challa. This woman is a boss! 

In our conversation, she shares the beautiful story of her life and her son as well as her journey to take her life into her own hands. I found myself thinking a lot about our chat, and there were two things Challa said to me that really stayed with me:

1. "Be kind." We never know what someone else is going through. I love this so much, it makes my heart feel full and hopeful for humanity

2. "Today is the first day of the rest of my l...

Joan is an incredible human being, momma of Jessie, who had Cystic Fibrosis, and now a CF trailblazer who tirelessly fundraises for the cause. Through all of this, she has changed the way our community sees this devastating disease .

I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to have a child with CF and the journey that Joan and her family have been on. Somehow, she has found the strength to be a bright light for parents who are navigating the challenges of caring for a child who is chronically ill. 

Run...

Meet Patrick Ellis! This was a great conversation. Patrick founded Bluenote Sake 25 years ago and has been the main pioneer who brought premium sake to Canada. He has always had a passion for Japan and its culture even going so far as to study over in Tokyo. 

We talk about Sake and food of course, but we also dive much deeper into Japanese culture and his love of the country. A few years ago Patrick was awarded the esteemed distinction of Sake Samurai by the Japanese Brewers Association. Only a handful of non-Japanese have ever been considered f...