50 Shades of Hospitality
A global podcast dedicated to learning from industry players around the world. These podcasts are a series of interviews with international hospitality and tourism industry professionals. I prompt our guests to share their personal experiences, as well as analyse the current trends, technology and innovations. The podcast’s goal is to inspire people in the field and to encourage young people to join this exciting industry. I am committed to evaluating the current educational and training opportunities for industry professionals in the hopes of finding solutions to the challenges the industry is now facing.
How To Make Access to Hospitality Luxury Easier and In Tune with Our Times
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 essential service and leadership skills that have helped him throughout his career and triggered his passion for travel and hospitality.
His move to Thomson Reuters, the multinational information corporation, as the...
Human Innovation in Hospitality: Meaning, Psychological Safety and the Courage to Lead
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 alone, but as the design of places, cultures and leadership systems where people can think clearly, speak honestly, serve well and remain human under pressure.
Drawing on more than 30 years in the hospitality industry, as well...
Reaching for Excellence – Running an Amalfi Coast Luxury Boutique Hotel
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 Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel attracts. We also discuss the selection and hiring process for a luxury hotel GM, gender equality in the Hospitality Industry and...
Cooking Her Way Around the World
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 talks about the competitions she has participated in and how, during her journey, she continues to grow beyond her limits, consciously steps out of her comfort zone, learns new languages, and gains valuable self-knowledge.
Celine has been working pa...
Creating a Dynamic Career Path in Hospitality Management
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.
We ask Andrra to describe her hospitality education and how it has helped her to succeed in the hospitality sector and she gives our listeners some insights on how to creatively and dynamically approach a successful m...
Discovering One of Turkey’s Lifestyle Destinations – Scorpios Bodrum
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 square metres and Can explains to our listeners why their aim is to recreate a Greek agora – a place where thought is cultivated and the s...
Myth or Reality? The Allure of Becoming a Hotel General Manager
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.-Moritz Switzerland and the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois in Basel allowed him realise the importance of transformational leadership. In this episode, Philippe delves into what transformational leadership looks like and h...
Managing the Luxury Emeralda Golf Club in Indonesia
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 deservedly been recognized as Best Luxury Golf Course in Indonesia by Luxury Lifestyle Awards, marking the club’s third consecutive LLA win.
We ask Yenny about her childhood in Indone...
Being the first Ambassador of Hospitality in France (MOF)
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 more about what it takes to be a MOF and how this competition is run. The title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France is a unique and prestigious award in Fra...
Twistic Digital - Revolutionising the Hospitality Industry
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 solutions as a way of improving and sustaining current hospitality endeavors.
As a former hospitality Executive, Salvador Elena Bosca describes his global career path and how his experience led him to join Twistic Digital...
Next Generation Hotel Equipment by Brandon Burnett, Hospitality Futurist
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 trends and staffing challenges.
Brandon in the founder of Abellcart LLC, a hospitality tech startup. Abellcart’s first product in the self-driving luggage cart that is trying to profoundly impact productivity in lodging properties worldw...
Souji – The Circular Revolution for Hospitality
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 operational efficiency. The products are effective, environmentally friendly, and allow businesses to reduce cleaning supply costs, lower their carbon footprint, and ensure full and transparent waste traceability.
SOUJI’s on-site solution is designed for establishments that pri...
Hospitality HR Recruitment in South East Asia
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. LHC is an international hospitality and operating real estate executive search firm with a core team of professionals focusing on recruitment of senior management roles.
He also shares his insight into key...
The Impact of Synergies & Interactions Between Media and Hospitality
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 hospitality brands with the world’s most respected and trusted publications. In addition to supplying some of the finest hotels in the world, the company now also supplies airlines, private jets, superyachts, private medical, Corporate HQ’s...
Thinking Outside The Box: Why The Hospitality Field is a Good Fit for Neuro-Divergent Learners
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 Organization (ADO) and she travels around the world to educate and raise awareness on the importance of creating inclusive education.
In this podcast, Rosalin describes why dyslexic people are too often overlooked, stigmatised and not given the support t...
The Golden Keys That Open Doors to the World of Hospitality
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 the kinds of duties performed by a Chief Concierge and relates some anecdotes with the diplomacy and discretion that is expected of someone with his experience and position. He also tel...
The Future of Retail in the Hospitality Industry
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 have successfully continued to grow their company with exclusive clothing lines for the luxury hotel and resort sector around the world.
Filippo explains why quality lounge, athletic and leisure “slow...
What It Takes to Manage One of India’s Top Hotel & Resort Chains
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 Hospitality degree shaped his approach to management.
We ask Aryavir about Indian tourism and travel and how this has changed and evolved over the past twenty years. Althoug...
Female Hotel General Managers - Drivers of Success for a Global Hospitality Career
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 and now to Sao Paulo, Brazil. In this podcast, Marie-Berengère tells our listeners about her move up the hospitality management ladder and how she has embraced the role of a General Manager in a lu...
Hospitality Tech Recruiter: Connecting Top Talent with Hospitality Innovators
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 Hotel launches, HR management and his first forays into entrepreneurship. In 2023, Edouard founded Wandery, a tech-driven micro-hostel concept in Germany and in 2024, he decided to take his HR skills and go...
Saving our Blue Planet
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 and implement sustainable practices.
Khulan describes what tools are being used to engage and inspire the hospitality and tourism sectors and what areas are particularly challenging. She also explains why it is impo...
Sensory leadership & Luxury Hospitality Expertise
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 of Sensory Academy Management, a holistic approach to hospitality management through coaching, care and leadership. In this podcast Sara describes her in-depth knowledge of the hospitality i...
How Discretionary Effort Fuels Revenue in Hospitality
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 and revenue increases.
Geoffrey also gives some very clear advice on how managers can improve organizational excellence and he shares some personal stories on how...
The Art of Hospitality and "l’Art de la Table", French Version...
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 including Lycée Hôtelier de Strasbourg, the Glion Institute of Higher Education, the Ecole Ducasse. In addition to teaching, Chantal also teaches Master Classes around the world and has participated as a judge in dozens...
Concierges: Holding the Keys to a Hotel’s Success
Originally from Ankara, Turkey, A. Burak Ipekci was fortunate enough to realise that the hospitality industry was his calling in his late teens. Already doing seasonal work in the industry, Burak went ahead to study Hospitality Management at Bilkent University, the country’s first private university. A career that spans three countries and over 30 years, Burak has worked at Soho Grand Hotel, Hilton New York and Le Parker Meridien in New York before relocating to London.
After serving many years on the Board of Directors of the New York City Association of Hotel Concierges, at the time of h...
A Closer Look at Hospitality in India
In this podcast, Puneet Baijal talks to us about the current tourism and hospitality trends in India and more specifically in the Gujrat region where he is currently the General Manager of the five-star Hyatt Regency Hotel in Ahmedabad. He shares his passion for hospitality and describes how Indian culture plays a big role in the way Indians welcome guests and tourists to their country. We ask him to explain why India has always been a popular tourist destination and continues to capture so many travelers’ hearts.
Puneet also explains how India is preparing young people for the...
Developing Expertise in Hospitality Management and Leadership
Julia Krebs is a Senior Lecturer at Les Roches Marbella Global Hospitality and Hospitality Consultant, based in Marbella, Spain. In this podcast we ask Julia about her international career and how it has shaped her approach to working in diverse environments. Julia is passionate about helping to shape the next generation of hospitality professionals and leaders – she speaks about the importance of adapting pedagogy to the quickly changing hospitality sectors
We also ask Julia how she sees the relationship between the current industry needs and expectations and what hospitality management schools are offering and she explains how acad...
Women’s Empowerment & Entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia
Amna Alyamani has turned her childhood passion into a successful career and she is a woman fueled by her passion for baking, which she discovered at the tender age of 7. She has since pursued her dream, scaling heights and enjoying success in the culinary industry. In this podcast, Amna retraces her passion for baking and answers our questions about entrepreneurship, the current situation in Saudi Arabia for young female entrepreneurs and how she manages the everyday stress of running a business.
Growing up, Amna always knew that she wanted to open a bakery, and by the time...
The Art of Negotiation
In this podcast, Tatjana Kniazeva describes her amazing, inspirational and challenging story of having to create a life for herself in London and how she went on to become a successful hospitality negotiator. With over two decades of experience in the global hospitality industry, Tatjana currently leads a high-performing team of hotel negotiators at Miki Travel one of the world’s leading B2B wholesalers.
We discuss the importance of communication skills and cultural intelligence and how she teaches the art of negotiation by focusing on these valuable skills. Tatjana tells our listeners what it takes...
Lebanese Hospitality and Managing an Iconic Hotel in Beirut, Lebanon
In this podcast Manrique Rodriguez talks about Lebanese hospitality and compares Lebanon to other countries in the Levant and Middle East and shares his extensive, global insights into the hospitality field. He touches on the topic of hospitality changes and challenges and the importance of moving towards more sustainable practices and eco-tourism.
Manrique Rodriguez recently became the General Manager of the JW Marriott Guanacaste in Costa Rica and he was the General Manager of the iconic Intercontinental Phoenicia in Beirut, Lebanon. He has a strong background in hotel operations with ove...
The Evolving Role of the Revenue Manager
In this podcast Linus Fredberg answers our questions about Revenue Management and Optimization and walks us through his educational and global career paths. Linus also talks about what a typical day looks like in his current position as the Regional Director of Northern Europe for Revenue Management for Accor’s MGallery, Sofitel, Sofitel Legend and Emblems collections.
We also ask Linus why he chose to follow a hospitality path and in particular, revenue management. Linus also explains to our listeners how working in the US, The United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Europe helped shape his ideas...
When Hospitality meets Technology…
Andrey Parshukov is currently the Head of Business Growth at JetRockets, a forward-thinking company specializing in custom web and mobile application development across various industries. In this podcast, Andrey talks about his career path from studying hospitality in Switzerland and working in the hospitality field to teaching in Vietnam and developing his passion for technology and AI.
Andrey gives our listeners some insight into how AI is revolutionizing the hospitality field and what to expect in the coming years. Andrey assures our listeners that AI will never replace the “human touch”...
Hospitality Training in Cameroon – Preparing for Future Hotels and Tourism
In this podcast, Laurence Toudjui gives our listeners a glimpse of Cameroonian hospitality by describing the current projects that are underway in her native country. Cameroon is currently catching up with other African countries that attract tourists. With its 400 km of Atlantic coast, Cameroon has fabulous sites for beach loving visitors and the country has many natural attractions that are not found anywhere else in the world, making it possible to have various categories of tourism. Cameroon is one of the oldest countries of Africa and therefore has a lot of sites that can claim to be labelled a...
Know Yourself: Lessons Learned from a Sports and Events Career Path
Margaux Michel is currently the Alumni Relations Manager at Glion Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland. In this podcast we ask Margaux Michel to describe her varied experiences working in the Sport and Event Management field. An athlete herself, Margaux explains how her multi-cultural background helped shape her career and why she was eager to welcome different experiences with UEFA, the International Committee for the Red Cross and UBS. Margaux shares her reasons for pursuing positions with these famous organizations and why she decided to leave the corporate world to pursue other paths.
We also discuss what it...
Turning Great Locations Into Iconic Properties: Hospitality in Portugal
In this podcast, Alexandre Maia de Carvalho tells our listeners about his hospitality career in Portugal and why it continues to be one of the top-ten destinations for European tourists and is gaining popularity for travellers coming from the US, China and Canada.
Alexandre’s specialty is luxury hotels and resorts, and in this podcast he describes this growing field and how it has evolved over the past 10 years and what the future holds for this niche. He also discusses the current challenges that the hospitality field is facing and how it can adapt to a...
Turning Creative Hospitality Storytelling into ROI
Scott Eddy has made hospitality and tourism storytelling his field of expertise and he helps hospitality brands and destinations thrive in a fast-evolving digital world. With over 20 years of digital marketing and entrepreneurship under his belt, he has honed his brand strategy skills, Scott now travels year-round professionally as a video globetrotter, and he is an avid cruise aficionado.
Scott begins this podcast by telling us how he eventually ended up in digital marketing, hospitality and tourism and he recounts an emotional story of why, after wanting to become a police officer, h...
Hospitality Education in Luxembourg
In this podcast, Claudine Thoma talks about her professional path from hospitality to education and why she decided to pursue her passion for the hospitality field as a young woman. She also discusses hospitality and hospitality education in Luxembourg, her native country and how she successfully stepped outside of her hospitality business passion into her new passion for hospitality education.
In addition, Claudine shares her insights into how the hospitality field is evolving and why hospitality education needs to keep up with these changes. Claudine also explains how young people can...
Future of Hospitality: Where Innovation Meets Education
In this podcast, Krisztina Soreg, PhD talks about her educational path as an Economist and her career choice to become a professor at Les Roches Hospitality Management School in Marbella, Spain. She answers our questions about the role of education in shaping the current hospitality field and the importance of disruptions and challenges to the status quo. Krisztina describes why innovative approaches to education are vital and putting students in the centre of pedagogy is a no-brainer.
We also discuss entrepreneurship and start-ups, something that young graduates are often passionate and...
Norwegian Hospitality and a Scandinavian Approach to Hospitality Leadership
In this podcast, Andrès Reyes Gjerme talks about his career choices and what he considers to be the main challenges in hospitality leadership today. He describes the importance of finding balance and adapting to an ever-changing, diverse working environment. He describes the hospitality and tourism industry in Norway and answers our questions about why Norway has become such a popular tourist destination. Finally, he shares his views on how hospitality businesses can recruit and retain talent in an industry that is undergoing significant changes.
Andrès Reyes Gjerme is curren...
Creating Cocktail Magic at The Chapel Bar in Vienna
Robin Salem, who works at a The Chapel Bar, a speakeasy in Vienna, Austria, is the first bartender that 50 Shades of Hospitality has interviewed for our podcast. Robin explains to our audience how he went from working as a chef to becoming a barman.
The Chapel Bar offers over 30 signature cocktails and mocktails presented in a beautiful book offered to their guests. Robin explains to us how he and his team come up with the concepts and recipes. We ask Robin about how this remarkable bar started, the kind of guest...
