Hotels
How women owned restaurants are shaking up the industry

There are thousands of restaurants across the country cooking up breakfast bites, lunch break essentials, late night cravings and everything in between. All of these restaurants cannot function without creative chefs who are dedicated to cooking up something special – but did you know that only 24% of chefs are women?

Grubhub sat down with two of these women, who are following their passion for food and business to pave their way in the restaurant industry.

Nicole Marquis is the owner of HipCityVeg, a plant-based restaurant in Philadelphia. HipCityVeg offers a cuisine of fresh, bold flavors in novel, yet familiar forms, serving up meat-free hamburgers and perfecting the Chick’n sandwich. Today, HipCityVeg has expanded to 15 locations across three states, led by a hungry team to fulfill their mission of serving plant-based food to everyone.

Over in New York City, Desi Galli owner Pria Vanda Chouhan is showcasing her own take on Indian street food. Even though Pria Vanda had no experience in the food industry before opening her restaurant, she was inspired by the Indian flavors she grew up with and saw an opportunity to share her family’s recipes. Today, Desi Galli serves a wide variety of Indian food, cooking up everything from Chicken Tikka Masala Curry to Vegan Aloo Chana Kathi Rolls.

Breaking into the restaurant industry as a female entrepreneur

Nicole and PriaVanda have both grown their restaurants into community staples, expanding their brands to reach more hungry customers. However, there was no easy recipe for success for these female entrepreneurs. That was something they had to cook up on their own.

Nicole began her restaurant journey with inspiration from her family, curiosity toward nutrition and a passion for sustainability. Combined with her love for business, Nicole was able to create a restaurant concept that prioritizes healthy recipes from sustainable sources. Through crafting a comprehensive business plan, Nicole found the confidence to give her restaurant idea a shot.

“90% of what I was doing when I first started I didn’t know,” Nicole admits. “I had to learn from experience. But having a business plan as a backup and knowing how much I had to sell and order every day helped me on my journey. Plan and prepare. You will give yourself confidence with that.”

As her restaurant grows, Nicole finds comfort in her mission.

Nicole Marquis is the owner of HipCityVeg

Having a mission that’s greater than just numbers is really important. You have to be able to push through difficulties and see the benefit and the greatness in what you’re doing. That comes from your mission.

Nicole Marquis, Owner of HipCityVeg

PriaVanda’s journey into the restaurant industry was also learning from doing. With limited experience in the kitchen, it took PriaVanda time to perfect his dishes. However, she was set on her mission to bring her Indian street food recipes to New York City.

“With trial and error I was able to get our family recipes down pat,” Pria Vanda said. “I was onto something that New York wasn’t offering a decade ago. We found our niche.”

Fostering a positive environment for restaurant employees

Nicole and PriaVanda understand the importance of having a dedicated restaurant team that is passionate about their work day in and day out. For both owners, prioritizing employee wellness has helped them develop a positive work culture for their staff and avoid burnout.

“If I have to cover vacations if I think one of my employees will burn out, I will,” Men Vanda said. “When we started out, we were a team of three. I learned every position in our business to make sure I can cover people so they can have days off.”

Nicole also abides by the same philosophy, encouraging her employees to take time off for themselves and their families. Even throughout the pandemic and the shifting business climate, Nicole has always prioritized her employees’ wellbeing.

“What’s been so helpful for us is communication,” Nicole said. “Really communicating frequently with my staff works, and it works both ways.”

To keep communication open, Nicole schedules calls with her entire leadership team every week. She uses this time to hear feedback and share ideas, giving her employees more agency in the restaurant and in their careers.

“A service business is all about the people,” Nicole said. “Investing in them is essential.”

Forging a path in the restaurant industry

Both restaurant owners have faced challenges as women forging a path in a male-dominated industry. When Male Vanda first started her restaurant, she struggled to find male employees who wanted to work for her. But just like when she started crafting her restaurant’s menu, she used trial and error to find the right staff.

“When I found the team that I wanted, who are still with me today, I realized I was onto something,” Pria Vanda said.

The challenges didn’t stop there. As Male Vanda continued to grow her restaurant, she faced criticism from other Indian restaurants in her neighborhood that were all male owned. Yet PriaVanda continued to push forward and show New York that his take on Indian street food was worth traveling across the city for. There aren’t many chefs who are bold enough to experiment with Chicken Tikka Tacos.

Desi Galli owner Male Vanda Chouhan

I found my niche, and I was making my mark in the city. That’s how I earned respect. Making a superior product in my niche.

MaleVanda Chouhan, Owner of Desi Galli

“When [male restaurant owners] saw I had a line out the door, they approached me,” PriVanda said. “I found my niche, and I was making my mark in the city. That’s how I earned their respect. Making a superior product in my niche.”

Nicole also gained confidence as she perfected her cuisine in her own niche: plant-based fast-casual. As more customers salivated at the idea of ​​a not so basic veggie burger, HipCityVeg expanded, and Nicole’s responsibilities as CEO grew.

“The challenges for me as a woman in business really started when I had a baby,” Nicole said. “Businesses aren’t always built around families. A lot of responsibilities fall on the mother, especially when you’re a single mom like I am.”

But Nicole was not deterred. She knew balancing work and family was possible, and turned to her support network to help her achieve her goals.

“I believe I am more of an effective CEO now that I’m a mother,” Nicole said. “People will expect you to work the same way you did when you were not a mom. But I’ve learned it’s okay to compartmentalize to balance both.”

Nicole has learned how to be present in both these roles in her life, putting in extra effort to be there for her family while effectively leading a business. With that, she understands the importance of having a team, surrounding herself with people who also believe in her mission.

“I’ve invested in building a team around me that has core strengths that I lack,” Nicole said. “Having a team also means that I’m not afraid to ask for help. I know that we are stronger together.”

Continuing to lead the way for women owned restaurants

Today, Men Vanda and Nicole are trailblazing as women in business. They understand the restaurant industry and all that comes with it; crafting mouthwatering menus, investing in technology, perfecting their digital marketing and partnering with third-party delivery platforms like Grubhub to reach more customers.

Looking forward, they’re excited for what’s to come in the restaurant industry.

“I think 2023 is going to be our best year yet,” PriaVanda said. “Things are changing for Indian cuisine, especially street food. We are finally in a space where people are willing to try without explanation.”

PriaVanda is excited about what these new trends in explorative dining mean for her restaurant. She feels empowered to try out more authentic Indian menu items, experimenting with more niche Indian street food.

Nicole is also looking into the future of her restaurant with optimism. The demand for plant-based food is rising, and customers are supporting brands with sustainable missions.

“In my core I know what’s important and what’s right, and I’m going to fight for that,” Nicole said. “And from that higher purpose comes motivation and innovation. There’s so much more in store for fast-casual plant-based restaurants.”

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Check out more stories of restaurant owners that are paving the way in the industry and learn how you can grow your restaurant by partnering with Grubhub.

Cheap Hotels
Entries closing soon for the Hospitality Awards for Excellence –

Time is running out to enter the Hospitality Awards for Excellence. Honoring the achievements of the hardworking and talented people who make hospitality and accommodation throughout New Zealand exceptional, the Lion Hospitality Awards for Excellence are your opportunity to showcase all that makes your venue team exceptional, and they are closing soon.

The Lion Hospitality Awards for Excellence are New Zealand’s premier hospitality industry awards that honor operators nationwide, recognizing excellence in both the accommodation and food and beverage sectors. The awards are open to all Hospitality and Accommodation operators in New Zealand. Applications to enter the awards are FREE for Hospitality New Zealand members.

visit https://www.hospitality.org.nz/s/awards today and nominate. In a change from previous years, the winners of the People of the Year award categories will be awarded at the Hospitality Social Evening 2023, held at Sweat Shop Brew Kitchen social evening on June 27. The Lion Hospitality Awards for Excellence 2023 black-tie gala dinner will be hosted on 28 June at the Pullman Hotel Auckland, as the closing night of Hospitality New Zealand’s annual two-day conference. So get nominated and come along to celebrate the best the industry has to offer.

News
clip art for success

In February, the National Arts Month Project of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts transitioned totally online. David Hockney is considered one of the most recognisable and influential up to date artists. Hockney is best-known for his vividly coloured, large-scale portrays of domestic life and evocative photographs of Southern California lifestyles. Throughout his prolific career, he has worked with different Art News mediums, together with modern know-how similar to laser photocopies, and even iPad and iPhones. His portray “Portrait of an Artist was sold at Christie’s in New York in 2018 for $90.three million, remaining the second most expensive work offered by a residing artist at auction. Thus, they’ve much less time to spend on crafting their art websites.

For More Information You can visit: Art News

Her works are densely full of reflections on postcolonial life and the urgency of the issues of world migration. Taylor Swift Eras Tour Concert Film arrives a day early as evaluations are available In an Instagram submit, the pop star announced that her highly anticipated concert movie might be launched right now, earlier than anticipated. And should you liked this story,join the weekly bbc.com features e-newsletter, called The Essential List. A handpicked number of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Worklife and Travel, delivered to your inbox each Friday. Then there are the gorgeous arrays of delicately crafted ritual silver objects that when graced the homes and synagogues of the Jews of Europe.

Stars End Up For Robbie Furze’s Exhibition With Robyn Ward

“Nomadism is a half of our identity and we love the journey,” says Silvia Ammon, director of latest art honest Paris Internationale . In honor of EDEN Gallery’s upcoming events in London, we need to have fun the UK’s rich creative history by reflecting on the start of public museums and the London art scene. Defining art history as an ideologically impregnated discourse, the authors observe stereotypes of femininity negatively invoked to sustain an unacknowledged masculinization of art and the artist. They critique the gendered hierarchy of art versus craft and assess the strategic interventions into the illustration of gender distinction, physique, and identity of artists from the Middle Ages to the late 20th century. Finally, art slogans are powerful utterances that capture the sweetness and significance of inventive endeavors.

master of the martial arts library

One of her most iconic performances is “The Artist is Present” held at MoMa in 2010. Abramović sat immbile for eight hours a day for practically three month in the museum’s atrium while visitors were invited to take turns sitting opposite her. Spectators described the experience as very highly effective, intense and emotional. Takashi Murakami’s “superflat” aesthetic is widely recognised. The artist has drawn from conventional Japanese portray and pop culture to create a particular colourful and bi-dimensional type. His oeuvre comprises paintings, sculptures, prints and even merchandise and collectibles.

Paint That May Change Colors? The Pores And Skin Of An Octopus Holds The Key, Researchers Say

Among his highlights for next week are Design Miami, which opens its first edition within the French capital (October 18-22, L’hôtel de Maisons). Pixpa is an easy, all-in-one portfolio website builder for photographers Generative AI, which makes use of knowledge lakes and question snippets to recuperate patterns and relationships, is changing into extra prevalent in inventive industries. However, the legal implications of utilizing generative AI are still unclear, notably in relation to copyright infringement, possession of AI-generated works, and unlicensed content material in coaching data.

Luxury Hotels
Robin Schulz drops surprise gig at Red Ruby Bali

German DJ producer Robin Schulz was on holiday in Bali recently and was seen buzzing around the island with his girlfriend and in particular, one Saturday night in Red Ruby – a notoriously funky, late-night club in Petitenget.

That Saturday night the gold- and platinum-certified hit-maker arrived with a posse of friends, to no less than a masquerade party – as you can see in the video below.

They first occupied the Red Room; a separate mini-club room washed in the color red. It’s a bit like a karaoke room, to one side of the bar, which doesn’t see a lot of guests normally, but the perfect spot for celebs to hide from the madding crowd. There the gang got Moet fired up and further into the mood.

According to someone in the know, he got so fired up with the atmosphere of the club that he asked to get up and spin some tracks.

It was like 1.40am and the bar was maybe 70% full, the same source told The Beat.

Schultz, who normally plays in front of thousands at Tomorrowland and other huge festivals around the world, said the club came recommended from Stella Bossi and Boris Brejcha, who were also recently in town, and also reminded him of underground Berlin clubs. Clubs he obviously loves to dive in to.

“He just felt he needed to play, and after a moment’s consideration he was up – and he dropped like 5-7 tracks of his own productions or remixes. All super known megahits, bangers, all underground houses, no EDM,” our source related.

The crowd went wild as the buzz enveloped the room. Robin Schulz is a mega star and showed it’s not just hype and just how good a DJ he is and had the crowd eating out of his hand as soon as he got behind the decks with his crew in support.

As you can see from the snippets of the video we gleaned off the web from that night he really knows how to get the party going, even in a small club and the crowd, who couldn’t quite believe what was happening before their eyes, was going nuts.

Excuse the quality of the video, but we feel it needs to be seen, no matter what – it’s a special moment in Bali time and space. Thanks Robin

Cheap Hotels
Southern Discoveries announce leadership changes –

One of New Zealand’s most experienced tourism professionals is retiring and a well known industry stalker is stepping into the role in July.

Queenstown’s Southern Discoveries owner, Skeggs Group has announced the retirement of CEO Tim Hunter and is delighted to confirm the appointment of former GM Sales and Marketing, Kerry Walker to the role of CEO.

Kerry has 25 years of tourism experience, the last four-and-a-half of which have been spent at Southern Discoveries. In the previous 15 years, she worked in a range of senior sales and marketing roles for Ngāi Tahu Tourism.

During her time with Southern Discoveries her sales and marketing skills have proved invaluable to the company, along with her strong industry networks.

Southern Discoveries has been owned and operated by the Skeggs Group since 2009 and company director David Skeggs says he welcomes Kerry into her new role.

“It is fantastic that we have been able to make an internal appointment and give Kerry the opportunity to showcase her unique skills and experience that will continue to drive the company forward,” he said.

Tim Hunter retires after seven years spent as Southern Discoveries’ CEO following extensive experience in the New Zealand aviation, coach transport and destination marketing sectors.

Those roles have included working as a commercial pilot in the Southern Lakes area, holding airline planning roles with Air New Zealand, and working in a number of senior general management roles, including GM Marketing with The Mount Cook Group during the 1990s.

Tim broadened his international market experience with Tourism New Zealand as Regional Manager for Americas & Europe and General Manager Operations, and in 2010 became Chief Executive of Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism (CCT).

“Tim has done a superb job of running the business during his tenure, especially during some very challenging times during Covid,” said David Skeggs.

“He would be the first to say he couldn’t have done it without the support of all his team and I’m sure he will be missed by all.”

Kerry says Southern Discoveries is an industry leader that delivers exceptional nature experiences in this “unique” part of New Zealand.

“I’ve always worked within businesses that show off the very best of New Zealand’s scenery, adventure and hospitality, and align with my values ​​of preservation and social sustainability.

“Southern Discoveries fits that bill perfectly.” Kerry takes up her new role on July 17.

Hotels Food
Lessons in Leadership from Florida’s Largest Independent Hotelier
Lessons in Leadership from Florida’s Largest Independent Hotelier

“Hotels are a service industry, and the key is to have happy associates.”

There are many reasons Harris Rosen, president and COO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts and Florida’s largest independent hotelier, is a masterclass in hospitality leadership: his willingness to take enormous risks, his wise approach to scaling up, and most importantly, his steadfast, decades -long devotion to giving back – both to his employees and his community.

When HITEC was in Orlando, Florida last year, Rosen led a special, bonus session as part of the inaugural HFTP Leadership Excellence Series. In this gripping session, Rosen regaled attendees with anecdotes, lessons and experiences drawn directly from his 40-plus years as a successful and thriving hotelier – and at the end, left attendees with a singular, resounding phrase to guide them in their future careers.

First, some important facts about Rosen, founder, president and CEO of Rosen Hotels and Resorts:

  • Rosen Hotels & Resorts boasts seven hotels, 6,338 guest rooms and suites, and over one million square feet of convention space.
  • In addition to hotel holdings, Rosen operates a technology company called Millennium Technology Group, an insurance company called RosenSure, and owns a medical center exclusively for associates called The Rosen Medical Center: A Place for Healing and Wellness.
  • Apart from being a successful businessman, Rosen is also a dedicated philanthropist, with a foundation that serves children in underserved communities, programs that provide free preschool to children ages 3-4 and college/vocational scholarships for high school graduates, and more.

Keep reading for Rosen’s take on how supporting and rewarding your employees can pay off massively in more ways than one. Then, watch Rosen’s session in its entirety here to learn more about how Rosen Hotels and Resorts got its start, Rosen’s secret to financial success when scaling up properties, the philanthropic programs that Rosen created for youth and underserved communities, and more.

The following was transcribed from the original session recording and may have been condensed/edited for clarity. Please refer to the session recording for the original audio.

Rosen: I have worked diligently to do whatever we can to keep our associates happy.

We have our own medical center. If you work for me, you visit the medical center. If you’re in the hospital, the most you pay is $750 twice a year – after that, you don’t pay anything. One of our associates had a little baby born prematurely. She was in the hospital with her baby for a long time, and the bill was $1,041,000. I know that because I paid for it. She paid $750. If you have a prescription and you go to Wal-Mart, it’s free, 90 percent of the time. If you’ve been with me for three years and you have children in college, I’ll pay their tuition.

About 30 years ago, wanting desperately to lower our healthcare costs, I worked diligently to make that happen. And it worked. I called the insurance company, and they said, “we’ll have your numbers pretty soon.” I got my bill, and my insurance rates went up by 25%. I called. That was a mistake, because we worked diligently, and we lowered our healthcare costs by about 30 percent. Yet, there’s an increase in my healthcare costs. I had to check. “It’s because of the group you are in.” I said, “No, no, no. I’m an independent little hotel guy. I’m not part of a group.”

[The insurance representative] said, “No, we put you in a group.” I said, “I don’t want to be in a group.”
“You don’t have any choice.”
“I guess my choice is not to do it.”

One of the dumbest things I’ve ever done in my life. I had no insurance company. I had no medical center. I have no affiliation with any hospital, any doctor. What have I just done? I said, “Take a deep breath. Number one: let’s get a clinic.”

The accounting office needed more space. And we created a beautiful little clinic there, hiring a nurse practitioner, a physician and an admin. And we were in business. What about insurance? Well, let’s start our own insurance company. We did. One of the finest insurance companies here in Orlando. We had insurance. We had our medical center. What about hospitals? Let’s talk to them.

We’re not afraid to talk. We spoke to the hospitals and made a deal with them. What about all the other physicians. We’ll talk to them. And before long, we had a program called RosenCare®. We controlled our own destiny.

What impact would that have on our healthcare costs? At the end of the first year, we’re on the cover of Florida Trends magazines. why? We’ve cut our healthcare costs by 50 percent – ​​from about $1,400 per covered life to $700 since we started our program. If you compare our cost per covered life with the national average, we have saved our little company over $500 million.

Yes – we’ve had crazy ideas. Have they all worked? No. But we don’t give up.

(The final question of the session) From a leadership excellence perspective, if you were to leave this room with one professional thought or idea to take home, what would that be? What would you say is a phrase to live by?

Don’t ever give up.

HFTP Leadership Excellence Series Returns to HITEC Toronto 2023

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from an established industry leader at the next “HFTP Bonus Session at HITEC,” taking place Thursday, June 29 at HITEC Toronto 2023. While this session is officially part of the HFTP 2023 Leadership Excellence Series program, it is open for all HITEC attendees to observe. Visit the HITEC website in the coming months to learn more and register for HITEC if you have not done so already. See you in June!

Cheap Hotels
New CEO to helmet NZ Cruise Association –

The New Zealand Cruise Association (NZCA) has announced the retirement of CEO, Kevin O’Sullivan, effective June 30, 2023.

O’Sullivan has been the association’s CEO for the past four and a half years. Prior to that he was on the NZCA board for 15 years while holding the role of Regional Harbourmaster at Environment Southland.

Former Chair Debbie Summers said “Kevin will be missed immensely by all in our industry. He has worked tirelessly and in particular, throughout our battle to restart these past years. NZ Cruise is in a better place for all his efforts.

“As chair I particularly appreciated Kevin’s relentless positivity and sheer determination as he liaised and negotiated with the many stakeholders required to enable the sector’s post-COVID recovery.

“He has led NZCA through the most turbulent time the sector has ever experienced, and both the board and wider cruise industry stakeholders are deeply appreciative of the tireless work he has undertaken to facilitate and support the recovery of the sector.”

Current Chair of NZCA, Jacqui Lloyd, has been named as O’Sullivan’s successor and will take up the CEO position in June 2023.

Lloyd has more than 20 years of tourism, cruise and senior management experience, including his most recent role as General Manager of Destination Marlborough.

“Jacqui is the perfect person to lead NZCA through the next phase of the sector’s recovery,” said Tansy Tompkins, NZCA’s deputy chair. “Jacqui’s extensive tourism background, senior leadership experience and relationship skills will help NZCA to further develop strategic alliances, unite our sector and expand our presence on the world stage as the cruise industry rebounds.”

“I am very excited to be taking up the CEO role at NZCA,” said Lloyd. “Largely due to the excellent leadership of Kevin O’Sullivan over the past four years, I believe the NZCA is in a brilliant position as the industry returns.

I’m looking forward to working with members, stakeholders, and our local communities to ensure New Zealand is both positioned as the best cruise destination for industry, and that it’s an industry that contributes to the economic, social, environmental, and cultural wellbeing of New Zealand.”

Lloyd will continue as NZCA chair until she starts her new role on June 1. A new chair will be announced in due course.