Best BU School of Hospitality Administration Podcasts (2025)

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George Poll on Building Distinctive Dining Experiences from Long Island to Miami 38:50

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7M ago38:50

38:50

George Poll has spent decades building some of Long Island’s most celebrated restaurants. Alongside his brother, he’s crafted iconic dining experiences from Bryant & Cooper Steakhouse to Toku Modern Asian, blending culinary creativity with sharp business acumen. Recently, George took his expertise to Miami, where the journey to open Toku wasn’t exa…

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Unlocking Ultra-Luxury with Managing Director Luigi Romaniello on the Grand Reopening of the Waldorf Astoria New York 37:40

7M ago37:40

37:40

Set to reopen after a seven-year restoration, the Waldorf Astoria New York is poised to redefine ultra-luxury hospitality. In this episode, Managing Director Luigi Romaniello takes us through the journey of bringing the Waldorf Astoria back to life, from restoring storied frescoes and architectural details to creating highly personalized experience…

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Inhospitable? Redefining Service in Luxury Hospitality with Kate Buhler, Founder and President of Profitable to Train 39:55

8M ago39:55

39:55

Kate Buhler, founder and president of Profitable to Train, is a leading expert in hospitality service excellence and profitability. With decades of experience across luxury brands including Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, Baccarat, Peninsula, and Bulgari, Kate is known for her unique approach to training that drives both empl…

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Aldau Development: Modern Hospitality Meets Millennia-Old Treasures 38:29

8M ago38:29

38:29

Aldau Development has earned a reputation for excellence in both Real Estate and Hospitality, with developments in Egypt and the United Kingdom. Their strategic partnerships with marquee brands such as Hyatt International, IHG, and Deutsche Hospitality have further cemented their standing internationally. Boston University School of Hospitality and…

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Tipping & Wages Series: Politics Play Up the Benefits of Eliminating Taxes on Tips 16:25

9M ago16:25

16:25

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump both have proposed eliminating taxes on tips for service workers. While seemingly beneficial, it might just not add up according to renowned economics expert Larry Kotlikoff. Named one of the world’s 25 most influential economists by The Economist Magazine, Kotlikoff has advised the Federal Reserve, the International …

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Leadership Series: Practical Strategies for Bridging Leadership Gaps with Executive Coach Lori Mazan 35:23

10M ago35:23

35:23

What does it take to truly redefine leadership in today's fast-paced world? Lori Mazan, co-founder and Chief Coaching Officer at Sounding Board, shares practical and transformative strategies to address this challenge. In her new book, Leadership Revolution: The Future of Developing Dynamic Leaders, Lori offers a fresh perspective that rethinks out…

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Saru Jayaraman Fights for One Fair Wage 52:10

11M ago52:10

52:10

The battle over raising the minimum wage for tipped workers and permitting tip pooling bounces to the Massachusetts ballot this November. Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage and Director of the Food Labor Research Center at UC Berkeley, argues that the current tipped wage structure perpetuates low pay and high turnover. Although the wage inc…

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Tipping Series: The Psychology of Tipping with Michael Lynn, Ph.D., Professor of Services Marketing, Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration 40:06

12M ago40:06

40:06

Beyond good, bad, and mediocre service, how much we tip and why we tip is rich with psychological implications. Find out what tipping reveals about us as consumers and our need for affirmation and societal status. Shedding light on the complexities behind tipping is nationally recognized expert Michael Lynn, Ph.D. , Professor of Services Marketing …

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Leadership Series: Dondra Ritzenthaler Embarks on a New Leadership Role 34:28

1y ago34:28

34:28

Recognized for her leadership, Dondra Ritzenthaler now sets sail toward a new horizon, taking the helm as Chief Executive Officer of Azamara Cruises, the award-winning, luxury cruise line based in Miami, Florida. Dondra recently spent time at BU School of Hospitality as the Howard Johnson Executive in Residence, inspiring students and faculty with …

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The Matters that Massachusetts Restaurant Association Wages for (and against) with Stephen Clark 42:36

1y ago42:36

42:36

Restaurant work is undeniably tough. Long hours, fierce competition, and thin profit margins characterize this demanding profession. The challenges only intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, testing the resilience of workers and business owners alike. Dining constitutes both an undeniable pleasure and a thriving business sector. It is integral …

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Tipping & Wages Series: Restauranteur's Dilemma of Balancing Equity and Economics with TJ Callahan 43:44

1y ago43:44

43:44

TJ Callahan transformed neighborhood eateries into thriving “go-to” destinations with his acclaimed farm-to-table restaurants in the heart of Chicago. He is the co-founder and owner of Farm Bar and is the farmer at Brown Dog Farm, the Farm Bar farm in Southwestern Wisconsin. With an MBA in finance from the University of Chicago under his belt, he's…

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Revolutionizing the Hostel Experience with Oliver Winter, Founder & CEO of a&o Hostels 34:27

1+ y ago34:27

34:27

Think back to your youthful days of travel, hostels along the way were a hub for forging connections with fellow wanderers and were part of the adventure. If you traveled in pre-Internet days, some 20-30 years ago, you didn’t always know what you were getting. The hostel you found in a guidebook could be off the beaten path and might have been not …

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Leadership Series: Demystifying the C-Suite Search with Ann Fastiggi of Spencer Stuart 40:31

1+ y ago40:31

40:31

So, you want to be a C-suite executive? It will certainly give you a leg up to hear about the steps to filling those corner office suites from a search firm expert, Ann Fastiggi. To shed some light on the path to the C-suite, we continue our Leadership Series with Ann Fastiggi, a member of the Global Consumer Practice at Spencer Stuart, a global ex…

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40,000-foot-view of Customer Care with Allison Ausband, Executive Vice President, and Chief Customer Experience Officer at Delta Air Lines 41:22

1+ y ago41:22

41:22

Imagine the triumph of human ambition as we glide through the skies, a testament to our enduring quest to conquer the very elements — thirty thousand feet aloft, inside a slender cylinder of steel. Within this confined space, humanity gathers, shoulder to shoulder: a microcosm of society. It's under these conditions that our distinguished guest tod…

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Leadership Series: Radical Mentor with Cindy Novotny, Managing Partner of Master Connection Associates 36:34

1+ y ago36:34

36:34

Continuing our Leadership Series, we spotlight Cindy Novotny, who earned the “Radical Mentor” moniker for her no-nonsense approach to delivering results in the areas of leadership, sales, and customer service excellence. Having traveled more than 10 million miles over the course of her career, Cindy helps emerging professionals to CEOs to fly past …

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Big Brand Hotels: Striving to be Guests’ Everything with Julienne Smith, Chief Development Officer, Americas of IHG Hotels & Resorts 33:51

1+ y ago33:51

33:51

The “You Can Be Anything” Barbie slogan could apply just as easily to the ever-expanding brand choices of major hotel groups such as IHG Hotels & Resorts which now has 6,200 hotels in more than 100 countries. In a similar fashion, over the decades, the Barbie portfolio has grown to encompass 250+ careers, countless outfits, and multiple dreamhouses…

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Leadership Series: How to Identify a Positive, Values-Based Organizational Culture 24:13

1+ y ago24:13

24:13

If you have ever worked in a toxic workplace, you have learned the hard way that dysfunctional organizational cultures are harmful and hinder employee performance. Taylor Peyton, Ph.D., senior organizational psychologist for BiasSync, and co-founder of Mojo Moments, defines organizational culture as “a force, both visible and invisible, that massiv…

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The Virtuous Cycle of Purpose Driving Profit with Niren Chaudhary, Chairman of Panera Brands 32:36

1+ y ago32:36

32:36

Being the CEO of globally recognized companies for decades is much like driving a race car at high speed: both thrilling and intensely challenging. Reaching a finish line after being on the fast track represents a tremendous feat. After the fanfare ends, and the adrenaline subsides, what do you set your sights on next, especially when you have trem…

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More Fun and Less Friction with Tim McLaughlin, Cofounder and CEO of GoTab 33:13

1+ y ago33:13

33:13

Waiting to be served drinks and food and settling the tab rank most certainly as the pain points of the dining experience. As the famous song goes, "You got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative." In that spirit, to relieve the friction and induce more seamless service, Tim McLaughlin combined his skills as a technologist with his expe…

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California Raises Minimum Wage for Fast-Food Workers 24:57

1+ y ago24:57

24:57

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a new law that raises the minimum wage from $15.50 to $20 per hour for fast-food workers starting April 1, 2024. Chris Simms, CEO and Founder of Lazy Dog, a casual dining restaurant that started in California and spans 49 locations across the US, joins the podcast for a discussion of how this law may…

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Hospitality by Design with Steven Upchurch, Co-Managing Director of Gensler 33:30

1+ y ago33:30

33:30

Good vibes. That’s probably the ultimate compliment when one enters into a space. An environment viscerally impacts how we feel and interact with one another. Imagine creating those just-right vibes for large-scale spaces and places such as airports, city districts, corporate headquarters of international companies, sports arenas, museums, and hosp…

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Beyond Running Shoes with Keith Craig, Senior Director of Development of NB Development Group 28:06

1+ y ago28:06

28:06

New Balance has made an indelible footprint not only in fashion and sports but also in the real estate sector. Keith Craig, Senior Director of Development of NB Development Group, takes us through the milestones of how NB Development Group transformed the once-industrial area of Allston-Brighton into a vibrant destination for music, dining, enterta…

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Daily Table Offers a Hand, Not a Hand-Out with Doug Rauch, Founder and President of Daily Table 29:21

2y ago29:21

29:21

For the many Trader Joe’s dedicated shoppers, Doug Rauch is a name you might not know as well as “Joe.” As President, he helped grow the business from a small chain in Southern California to a nationally acclaimed retail success story. After 31 years with the company, Doug hung up this trademark Trader Joe’s Hawaiin shirt to start a non-profit, com…

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Old-world Charm Meets Automation: New England Inns & Resorts with Deborah Burns, Executive Director of New England Inns & Resorts Association 18:51

2y ago18:51

18:51

New England’s old-world charm is best captured by the idyllic, charming inns and resorts down backcountry roads, in the midst of beachside towns, and on the perches of snowy mountains. New England Inns & Resorts (NEIRA), established in 1907, makes it easy to explore over 300 resorts, inns, bed and breakfasts, hotels, and motor inns. Deborah Burns, …

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Columbus Hospitality Group’s Approach(ability) to Fine Dining with Mark D’Alessandro, Director of Operations 30:01

2y ago30:01

30:01

While some fine dining experiences come with a side of pretension, Mark D’Alessandro, Director of Operations of the renowned Columbus Hospitality Group (CHG), sets a table that is exquisite and exceptional while remaining approachable. Mistral can be credited for being one of the preeminent restaurants that ushered in Boston’s burgeoning dining sce…

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Sharing Sonesta’s Secret with Vera Manoukian, Chief Operating Officer of Sonesta International Hotels 43:20

2y ago43:20

43:20

Vera Manoukian became COO of Sonesta at the height of Covid in 2020. Defying the odds in these recent turbulent years, the company has expanded globally from its start in a tiny Massachusetts seaside town in 1937 to become one of the largest and fastest-growing hospitality companies. What is the secret to this wild success? Honored as one of the 20…

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The Way to Bartaco with Anthony Valletta, President of Bartaco 33:58

2y ago33:58

33:58

How do you bartaco? “Bartaco” encapsulates both a “thing you do” and the name of this growing restaurant company with over 20 locations in 12 states. Anthony Valletta, an alumnus of Boston University School of Hospitality Administration, and President of bartaco, delves into how the company has innovated the traditional restaurant business model. T…

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Rebuilding Hospitality with Quendrida Whitmore, Executive Coach 44:13

2y ago44:13

44:13

Employees are demanding change, evidenced by widespread staff turnovers and union organization. Quendrida Whitmore, also known as “Coach Quen,” helps build better bosses and positive workplace cultures by being intentional about “how” work gets done. Quendrida Whitmore writes on leadership in Boston Hospitality Review. Coach Quen® Quendrida Whitmor…

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Mandarin Oriental’s Legendary Luxury with James Riley, Group Chief Executive 27:31

2y ago27:31

27:31

James Riley shares how the concept of luxury stays in touch with the 21st world by creating an inclusive corporate culture and cultivating fans, many of whom are widely famous, through its world-class guest experience. James Riley, Group Chief Executive of Mandarin Oriental Email us at [email protected] The “Distinguished” podcast is produced by Bosto…

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Meet Boston: Widening the View with Hilina Ajakaiye, Executive Vice President of Meet Boston, and Colette Phillips, CEO and President/Chief Strategist/Visionary of Colette Phillips Communications, Inc ... 41:36

2y ago41:36

41:36

Meet Boston (formerly Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau) introduces a new way to experience Boston. The “All Inclusive Boston” and “Boston never gets old” campaigns widen the lens to present the city’s diverse and inclusive angles while keeping the city’s rich history as part of the picture. Hilina Ajakaiye, Executive Vice President of Me…

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Xenia and the Art of Luxury Retail with Ian Carter Chairman of Watches of Switzerland Group 23:45

2y ago23:45

23:45

The much-coveted Birkin bag or a Ferrari is unattainable for most people. Although these luxury goods may be out of sight price-wise for the majority of consumers, retailers who don’t allow aspirational browsing, are the ones who are out of touch. Subscribing to the idea that Xenia (genuine hospitality) is good for business — for both the browser a…

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Distinguished (Official Trailer) 1:22

2y ago1:22

1:22

Distinguished with Dean Arun Upneja Welcome to the Distinguished podcast. Here, we skip the small talk and get right into the top-of-mind topics in the world of Hospitality, including and certainly not limited to: recruiting and retaining talent, the need to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion, wellness and well-being of our team and our gues…

BU School Of Hospitality Administration Podcasts