EP 67: Erik Battes

EP 67: Erik Battes

Chef Erik Battes, Executive Vice President of Food and Beverage at STARR Restaurants, shares a candid look at a career built without a blueprint. From his years with the Jean-Georges group to leadership roles in venture-backed food startups, he reflects on the lessons learned from scaling businesses, raising millions in capital, and navigating a sudden company shutdown. Now leading food and beverage growth at STARR Restaurants, Erik offers practical advice on career transitions, strategic job searches, and why your identity should never be defined by your title. Links - Instagram - Erik Battes: https://www.instagram.com/ebattes/ [https://www.instagram.com/ebattes/] - Instagram - Culinary Agents⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/culinaryagents/ [https://www.instagram.com/culinaryagents/] - Full Transcript⁠: https://hospitalitycareerpaths.com/resources/ep-67-erik-battes [https://hospitalitycareerpaths.com/resources/ep-67-erik-battes] ************ Remember, success looks different for everyone in hospitality. No two paths are the same. If you have a leader or a topic you want to hear about, email media@culinaryagents.com. Hospitality On The Rise is brought to you by Culinary Agents, connecting top talent with employers since 2012. Whether you’re hiring or looking for your next opportunity, join us at CulinaryAgents.com. For more inspiration, subscribe to Hospitality On The Rise and visit HospitalityCareerPaths.com, a free platform by Culinary Agents. Thanks for tuning in! Remember to like, follow, and subscribe. And if you loved this episode, share it with someone who could use a little inspiration.

EP 66: Megan Sullivan

Megan Sullivan, Vice President of Operations at Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG), reflects on a career defined by intuition and deepening roots within top restaurant groups. She details her bold move from Australia to New York City just months before the pandemic and her rapid ascent from Assistant General Manager at The Modern to overseeing a portfolio of eight iconic USHG brands. Megan shares her secret to finding a unique leadership voice and why true professional sustainability requires acknowledging when your "gas tank" is running low. Links - Instagram - Megan Sullivan: https://www.instagram.com/megan.l.sullivan/ [https://www.instagram.com/megan.l.sullivan/] - Instagram - Culinary Agents⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/culinaryagents/ [https://www.instagram.com/culinaryagents/] - Full Transcript⁠: https://hospitalitycareerpaths.com/resources/ep-66-megan-sullivan [https://hospitalitycareerpaths.com/resources/ep-66-megan-sullivan] ************ Remember, success looks different for everyone in hospitality. No two paths are the same. If you have a leader or a topic you want to hear about, email media@culinaryagents.com. Hospitality On The Rise is brought to you by Culinary Agents, connecting top talent with employers since 2012. Whether you’re hiring or looking for your next opportunity, join us at CulinaryAgents.com. For more inspiration, subscribe to Hospitality On The Rise and visit HospitalityCareerPaths.com, a free platform by Culinary Agents. Thanks for tuning in! Remember to like, follow, and subscribe. And if you loved this episode, share it with someone who could use a little inspiration.

EP 65: Bob Bennett

Bob Bennett, Executive Chef of Zingerman's Roadhouse, reflects on his decades-long journey within the Midwest food empire, from working the sandwich line to leading one of its most celebrated kitchens. He shares the challenges of balancing culinary school with the Roadhouse’s opening, the lessons that helped him move beyond the “line cook mentality,” and his evolution into a leader, educator, and advocate for mental health in the hospitality industry. Links - Instagram - Bob Bennett: https://www.instagram.com/chef.bob.bennett/ [https://www.instagram.com/chef.bob.bennett/] - Instagram - Culinary Agents⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/culinaryagents/ [https://www.instagram.com/culinaryagents/] - Full Transcript⁠: https://hospitalitycareerpaths.com/resources/ep-65-bob-bennett [https://hospitalitycareerpaths.com/resources/ep-65-bob-bennett] ************ Remember, success looks different for everyone in hospitality. No two paths are the same. If you have a leader or a topic you want to hear about, email media@culinaryagents.com. Hospitality On The Rise is brought to you by Culinary Agents, connecting top talent with employers since 2012. Whether you’re hiring or looking for your next opportunity, join us at CulinaryAgents.com. For more inspiration, subscribe to Hospitality On The Rise and visit HospitalityCareerPaths.com, a free platform by Culinary Agents. Thanks for tuning in! Remember to like, follow, and subscribe. And if you loved this episode, share it with someone who could use a little inspiration.

EP 64: Brittney "Stikxz" Williams

Chef Brittney “Stikxz” Williams, Culinary Director at Miss Lily's 7A and private chef, shares the unexpected turns that shaped her path from sports management student to one of the boldest voices in Jamaican cuisine. Brittney recounts the "plot twist" of leaving culinary school early to immerse herself in the industry, intentionally rotating through front-of-house roles at Red Lobster and Jungsik before moving to the back-of-house at Spice Market. She shares the importance of understanding a restaurant in its totality, her impactful contribution to Eleven Madison Park’s Rethink program, and her current mission as a torchbearer for the Jamaican diaspora. Links - Instagram - Brittney "Stikxz" Williams: https://www.instagram.com/stikxz/ [https://www.instagram.com/stikxz/] - Instagram - Culinary Agents⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/culinaryagents/ [https://www.instagram.com/culinaryagents/] - Full Transcript⁠: https://hospitalitycareerpaths.com/resources/ep-64-brittney-stikxz-williams [https://hospitalitycareerpaths.com/resources/ep-64-brittney-stikxz-williams] ************ Remember, success looks different for everyone in hospitality. No two paths are the same. If you have a leader or a topic you want to hear about, email media@culinaryagents.com. Hospitality On The Rise is brought to you by Culinary Agents, connecting top talent with employers since 2012. Whether you’re hiring or looking for your next opportunity, join us at CulinaryAgents.com. For more inspiration, subscribe to Hospitality On The Rise and visit HospitalityCareerPaths.com, a free platform by Culinary Agents. Thanks for tuning in! Remember to like, follow, and subscribe. And if you loved this episode, share it with someone who could use a little inspiration.

EP 63: Greg Baxtrom

Greg Baxtrom, Chef and Owner of Baxtrom Hospitality Group, shares a deeply personal look at a career shaped by discipline, ambition, and self-awareness. From becoming an Eagle Scout to training under Chef Grant Achatz at Alinea and working at El Bulli, Per Se, and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, his journey includes some of the world’s most influential kitchens. Now five years sober, Greg reflects on his evolving leadership style, the realities of running Olmsted and Maison Yaki, and his upcoming cookbook, Nothing Matters but Delicious, which chronicles his return to the kitchen after rehab. Links - Instagram - Greg Baxtrom: https://www.instagram.com/gregbaxtrom/ [https://www.instagram.com/gregbaxtrom/] - Instagram - Culinary Agents⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/culinaryagents/ [https://www.instagram.com/culinaryagents/] - Full Transcript⁠: https://hospitalitycareerpaths.com/resources/ep-63-greg-baxtrom [https://hospitalitycareerpaths.com/resources/ep-63-greg-baxtrom] ************ Remember, success looks different for everyone in hospitality. No two paths are the same. If you have a leader or a topic you want to hear about, email media@culinaryagents.com. Hospitality On The Rise is brought to you by Culinary Agents, connecting top talent with employers since 2012. Whether you’re hiring or looking for your next opportunity, join us at CulinaryAgents.com. For more inspiration, subscribe to Hospitality On The Rise and visit HospitalityCareerPaths.com, a free platform by Culinary Agents. Thanks for tuning in! Remember to like, follow, and subscribe. And if you loved this episode, share it with someone who could use a little inspiration.