Latest / The Inspired Stories Podcast / Scott Pinocci's Networking Philosophy: Genuine Human Connections Over Transactional Exchanges

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Scott Pinocci's Networking Philosophy: Genuine Human Connections Over Transactional Exchanges · The Inspired Stories Podcast

0:04
Welcome to another edition of the Inspired Stories podcast,
0:08
where leaders share their experiences so we can learn from
0:11
their successes and be inspired by how they overcome adversity.
0:15
My name is Anthony Kotaspodi and today's guest is Scott Panucci,
0:18
Director of Food and Beverage at The Ocean House in Watch Hill,
0:22
RI. The Ocean House is known for its
0:25
luxurious accommodations, spa services, and fine dining
0:29
experiences. It is the only property in Rhode
0:32
Island to hold both the Triple A5 Diamond and Forbes Travel
0:36
Guide 5 Star distinctions, setting a high standard for
0:40
guest satisfaction and hospitality excellence.
0:44
Under his watch, The Coast Restaurant at The Ocean House
0:47
has maintained its status as one of the top waterfront dining
0:51
venues in the region. Prior to joining The Ocean
0:54
House, Scott contributed to other award-winning
0:57
establishments that earned praise from renowned critics and
1:00
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1:48
All right, back to our guest today, Director of Food and
1:50
Beverage at Ocean House, Scott Panucci.
1:52
Thanks for making the time to Share your story today.
1:54
Thank you for having me, Anthony.
1:56
So, Scott, you studied restaurant management at Johnson
1:59
and Wales University from 2004 to 2006 and then started a
2:05
string of management jobs at different establishments along
2:08
the way. What first sparked your interest
2:11
in this industry? It's a great question.
2:13
My my cousin actually was a sous chef at this small bring your
2:18
own bottle Italian restaurant. The culture and the community of
2:23
the Italian is so important to me, so getting to know the food
2:27
and familiarize myself with Northern Italian cuisine was
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interesting. So I started off at a really
2:32
young age of busing tables and then starting to learn how to be
2:37
a server, actually worked into the kitchen as well.
2:40
But it was his passion and the passion of the executive chef at
2:44
the time in the techniques, in the thought process that went
2:48
into each dish. It just sparked my interest.
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And then from there, you know, the hospitality and watching
2:54
guests and people have a great time and come together, it just
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was, it just felt natural. And how did you make the
3:00
decision to go to Johnson and Wales?
3:03
Well, Johnson Wells was founded in, in Providence, RI
3:06
originally. So it's has campuses, has had
3:08
campuses around the world, but it started in Providence.
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So the decision to go to the school was when I began thinking
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about hospitality as my career going forward.
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I, I had experiences, I had learned to bartend, I had
3:23
learned to serve. I've worked in kitchens and
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worked, you know, as a sous chef as well.
3:27
So there was all of this background and I decided having
3:30
a degree was going to open some doors for me.
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So I went into that. I went out on that path and
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Johnson and Wales had a really great curriculum that was based
3:39
on working going to class Monday through Thursday so that you
3:42
were eligible to work in the industry Fridays, Saturdays and
3:45
Sundays, which is an important component to the hospitality
3:49
industry. So those tenants really spoke to
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me. So people outside of the
3:54
hospitality industry are probably like, I've never heard
3:56
of Johnson and Wales. They don't have a football team
3:58
or a basketball team that, you know, I've been able to see on
4:01
TV, but it's very highly regarded in the field.
4:04
What are some things that you picked up there during your
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education that maybe you wouldn't have just going right
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into the restaurant space and kind of working from the ground
4:13
up there? Well, it reinforced actually a
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lot of the things that I had seen and some the understanding
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the importance of standard operating procedures, recipes,
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formalizing things, things that independently owned restaurants
4:28
that I was familiar with hadn't really adopted to.
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And I saw an opportunity where independently owned restaurants
4:35
could learn some key tenants that were taught at Johnson and
4:38
Wales that could get translated to a smaller mom and pop, if you
4:42
will, place to allow for them to have more sustained quality,
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longevity, costing, menu costings, things of that natures
4:51
and menu building classes and and and things of that as well.
4:55
But the most important thing that Johnson whales focused on
4:58
was networking and getting to know the people within the
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industry, getting to know the people next to you and it that
5:05
was a really big part of it. And that that helped me
5:07
throughout my career. So networking mostly with the
5:10
other students. Getting to know the students,
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but then also getting out in the community.
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Providence itself has a very dense population of restaurant
5:19
owners where corporate chains are not as prevalent.
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You know the the Capital Grill, the original Capital Grill was
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started in Rhode Island, but it's a home of a lot of
5:30
independently owned chefs. And so you getting out there and
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networking with people, you never know who your next
5:37
business partner boss is going to be.
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And you know, that was something that Johnson and Wales really
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pushed you to go and do. Go get internships, go get a
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weekend job while studying and diversify and get to know as
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many people as you can because it's such a big network of
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people. But it gets smaller and smaller
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as you go further into the community.
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You know, I want to take just a moment and talk about this
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importance of networking because for my own personal experience,
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but also from the hundreds of guests that I've talked with so
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many times, it's who, you know, that ends up opening up a door
6:11
for you down the road, right? Here's story after story about
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people who apply for dozens or hundreds of jobs and they can't
6:18
get a call back, They can't get an interview even when they're
6:21
very well qualified for that position.
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But when somebody knows who you are, right, you've broken bread
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with them, you've sat down, you've had a laugh, you've
6:29
shared some personal stories. That just changes the dynamic
6:33
completely. Do you think about networking in
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the same way now that you did when you were back in school?
6:41
Somewhat, I mean, I'm a, I'm a personable person.
6:43
I've always, I'll talk to someone in the grocery store
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just about the oranges or the, OR the broccoli, you know,
6:49
because that's just my genuine, that's my personality.
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So I still think it is a really important thing, you know, not
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only our professional relations, but our personal relationships
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as well. Haven't had the opportunity to
7:02
have personal relationships developed into professional
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relationships over time. I think it's only grown, you
7:09
know, my ideas on networking and my view on networking.
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So it's started off there in Johnson and Wales from a
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professional standpoint, and it's only grown since then.
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So for some people to hear the word networking, it just feels
7:24
icky, right? Why do you think that is and and
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how do you approach it in a way that doesn't feel that way?
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Well, I think if you people aren't sincere and if they're
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not completely connected with what they're doing in a
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professional, professional networking, I could understand
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like that icky feeling that people might get.
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And I think that if you're not genuine and if you're not
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completely honest with yourself and who you want to be in your
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communications with our people aren't straightforward and
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honest as well. I think that's where that
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ickiness might come from. If you're being a performative
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in your position or in your career, it might not feel
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natural, But you know, for, for someone in hospitality who's
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been in this industry as long as I have, I, you know, it's, it's
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always just been such a natural thing for me.
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I'll love connecting with the vendors.
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I, Danny Meyer has a, you know, the setting the table from Danny
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Meyer. It talks about getting to know
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everyone, getting to know your vendors, getting to the person
8:19
who delivers the seafood everyday, getting to know the
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guests, getting to know your, your, your team.
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And that really that echoes with me.
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And I think that's networking, right?
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Like looking someone in the eye and having a genuine interaction
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with them and asking questions and waiting for response.
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I think that if if you're genuine in your attentions, you
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you'll get more out of that networking and it will be less
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transactional or or gross as you said.
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I appreciate everything you just said right there.
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A couple of keywords I want to hone in on genuine and sincere
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were words that you repeated there a couple of times.
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And I think that's really the key to it is not to go into it
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thinking that it's transactional.
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Like what does this person have to offer me?
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What can I take from them? It's just be a human being, just
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connect on a personal level and maybe your paths cross again
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somewhere down the road. Maybe they don't.
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Maybe you guys end up developing a really good friendship, maybe
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you don't. But just being a genuine human
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being in the moment. I I think that's really sort of
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the pillar of what makes good networking work.
9:23
I agree and it makes it so much easier to do business or grab a
9:28
coffee with someone or or or have a dinner to break.
9:31
Bright is exactly the way to say it.
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I think like you, if you, if you can connect with someone and
9:36
have that, it makes it so much easier to have a professional
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relationship with people because it's based on your personal
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relationship already. So, Scott, you've received
9:46
recognition for your work at a number of other establishments,
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Jamestown Fish Cook and Brown Public House.
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As you look back on your previous experiences, what's the
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biggest lesson you learned earlier in your career that
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still guides you at Ocean House today?
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I think, you know, I never stop pushing yourself to be great.
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You know, look, don't look at what other people are doing
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around you. Look at what the people you want
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to be like are doing. You know, so look outside of
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your sphere and it's growing up in Rhode Island.
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People will compare themselves to other restaurants within
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Rhode Island and I cook and Brown public House in 2010, we
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opened on a shoestring budget with, you know, chef own concept
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and we we opened the doors and let it go and we just did what
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we thought was right on a daily basis.
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And it we started comparing ourselves to the best
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restaurants in San Francisco at the time.
10:44
We started comparing ourselves to the best bars in New York
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City and we looked into Paris and, you know, we just, we
10:50
weren't comparing ourselves to the person on the street or
10:53
across town. We were trying to find
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inspiration from the best of the best.
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And we kind of took a why not us approach and that that approach
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has has helped me throughout this old career of mine where
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I'm looking at greatness and excellence across the industry
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and trying to say why can't I do that?
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And from a mom and pop 50 seed restaurant on Hope St. in
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Providence, RI, where we were Esquire Magazine top new
11:23
restaurants James Beard semifinalist for best new
11:27
restaurants. And then subsequently the years
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following, you know, outstanding cocktail programs.
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Why James Beard the for two years straight.
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You know, it's why that why not in the approach and that like
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pushing yourself to be excellent.
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You know, it's just you just have to go for it.
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I love that 'cause I, I think that the biggest limiter for
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most people, myself included, is this Gray space.
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But, you know, the six inches between my ears because we, we
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tend to just think too small and we think I could never do that.
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Like that person has some special ability or they, you
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know, were born a certain way into a certain environment that
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gives them a leg up. And the stark reality is, and I
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can say this from my own personal experience as well as
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again, having talked to hundreds of different people on this
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show, the only thing that makes these people special, yourself
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included, Scott, and I want to hear your perspective on this is
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the grit, the resiliency, just the get up every day and try to
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turn the dials a little bit, make it a little bit better.
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No, I mean, and it's consistency as well.
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I mean, I think that that's it. And it's if you can find an
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approach that works for you to accomplish the things that
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you're looking to do at the consistency in the hospitality
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industry is the difference between good and great, between
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good and excellent, between one star and two star Michelin or
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two star and three star. It's like these little processes
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that you create, you know, in a, in a, in a workspace, but that
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also comes back to us as individuals, you know, so like
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having a routine that works for ourselves and understanding what
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we need to fuel ourselves and not not letting go of the
13:09
pursuit. You know, I think you really
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just can focus on people get caught up in the why not, why
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can't I do things? And it's opposed to trying to
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find the ways to why, you know, and take so many people are
13:20
concerned with taking risks because of their concern of the
13:23
adverse effects. But if it's to go back to the
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word genuine, if if you're taking risks in, in your career
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that are genuine and they're founded in the right thoughts
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and the right ideas to achieve something, you get an
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opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them and continue to
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grow and surely made enough mistakes in my career, but I'll
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make 100 more because you just keep growing and developing and
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you people learn a little bit more about you as you, you take
13:53
these risks and you learn about yourself as well.
13:57
So how did the opportunity to join Ocean House come about?
14:01
No working. I was working at Jamestown Fish
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for a number of years. Gentleman who was the wine
14:09
director at the Ocean House at the time was, it was his
14:13
favorite restaurant. You know, Jamestown Fish owned
14:17
by the chef Matthew McCartney, who's a master of wine candidate
14:21
who was Food and Wine magazine's Top Chef Northeast at a time,
14:28
you know, so this chef that was there put together this amazing
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wine list. He has this tremendous Italian
14:34
based food and it was just a a perfect opportunity.
14:38
So in being a Jamestown Fish, I met the wine director of the
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Ocean House. Jamestown Fish decided that they
14:44
were going to be closing up shop after 10 years, which is a good
14:47
run and it was great. But the knock on my door came as
14:51
soon as that restaurant got announced close from the wine
14:53
director saying are you interested in coming to work at
14:56
the Ocean House and said, well, certainly.
14:59
You know, it's a Relay Chateau Forbes 555 star property and
15:04
about 45 minutes from my home in Rhode Island.
15:06
So it was a opportunity as something I had been admiring
15:09
from afar and was known for its excellence in its luxury and I
15:14
took took that opportunity. What is Relay Chateau?
15:19
Relay Chateau is a collection of Inns and restaurants that
15:23
originated in France and is now on every continent in the world.
15:28
It's a collection of restaurants, Inns, as I
15:31
mentioned that all kind of share the same ethos, if you will.
15:35
So it's some examples of relay Chateau restaurants are Danielle
15:41
Per SE, French Laundry, 11 Madison Park, hotels like the
15:47
Inn at Little Washington, Meadow Wood and Napa Valley.
15:50
The Ocean House we could pog in as well are independently owned
15:56
places that you know, are really focused on sustainability, high
16:00
quality guests experience it. You know, it's originated in
16:03
France as a collection of little Inns on this road that all kind
16:08
of had something in common. Like you knew if you stayed at
16:11
this one and this one, they would recommend each other.
16:13
You know, if you're traveling 25 miles a day, you get to the next
16:17
stop and you could you knew because they were really shuttle
16:20
that they we're going to have the same quality they.
16:24
Did things a certain way. Exactly.
16:26
There's a certain expectation that you can have going to that
16:29
place and you know that continues today.
16:32
So tell us more specifically what the customer experience is
16:36
like at Ocean House. So customer experience at The
16:38
Ocean House is freely focused on the discerning luxury traveler.
16:43
You know, when you walk in the front door, you're greeted
16:46
immediately by our Bell team, our front desk team.
16:51
You know, you really get the sense of being in coastal New
16:53
England when you're here. From the details of the
16:56
furniture to the smells to the, you know, the unique placements
17:00
in, in and around the rooms. You know where you don't get the
17:03
feeling that you're in Chicago or Los Angeles when you're here,
17:07
you feel like you're in coastal New England from, you know, the
17:11
Wicker chairs that are placed in our fine dining restaurant to,
17:15
you know, classic Rhode Island and New England ingredients that
17:18
are utilized. You know, our sourcing of our
17:20
ingredients is a real important part of what we do where we try
17:23
to be sustainable as possible when we can.
17:27
So you really get us a warm feeling of New England
17:30
hospitality by being here. You know from from the attention
17:34
to details through all of the accoutrement and the things
17:38
around the hotel, but also from the people itself, the genuine
17:41
interest that people show and then making sure you have a
17:44
wonderful experience. So it's a hotel, luxury hotel,
17:48
spa, restaurant. What else am I missing?
17:51
No, it's because you, you nailed it, right?
17:52
So we're one of the, we're one of 14 Forbes Travel guide 15
17:57
star properties in the world. So we have a, the hotel itself
18:00
for its rooms and bar and restaurant.
18:02
Our five star, our spa is five star and they have multiple
18:07
treatments and again, and they utilize all of the coastal
18:09
ingredients, seaweeds and, and and things from nature during
18:13
those processes. And then the restaurant coast is
18:16
a Forbes five star restaurant. So the three together on the
18:19
same property puts us in a pretty unique space here in in
18:24
the world. Yeah, how many beds?
18:27
We have, yeah, we have 49 rooms and 20 suites.
18:31
So Relay Chateau traditionally is, is a smaller place.
18:34
Think about these Inns 100 years ago in France, we're with 49
18:40
rooms and 20 suites. We're we're on the bigger side
18:43
of things from a, from a space side for Relay Chateau, but we
18:47
stick to the core tenants of that.
18:50
Tell us more specifically about the restaurant, because that's
18:52
where your involvement is. Yeah, they so coast is a chef's
18:57
prefix menu, 5 course tasting menu.
19:00
We've got a couple of different levels of wine pairing.
19:03
So our sommeliers and our wine directors work tirelessly with
19:06
the chefs to make sure that the global wine world is represented
19:12
on on the menu each night. We know right now we have wines
19:16
from South Africa, New Zealand, France, Germany, you know, so
19:22
we've, we, we search far and wide for wines to pair with the
19:25
food, which is always a reflection of what's in season
19:29
close by to the hotel as best as possible.
19:32
We will go outside. I mean, we'll serve Japanese
19:34
Wagyu because it's the best. So there's a, a focus, a focus
19:38
on technique, there's a focus on sourcing.
19:41
And while we try to be sustainable and local, we'll
19:43
also go get that caviar from Belgium because it's just so
19:48
great, you know, So we, we're not afraid of truffles from
19:50
Piedmont when it's truffle time. So we, we, we try to balance the
19:54
two, right, the sustainability efforts, but also really try to
19:59
pay homage to the great bounty of the world as well.
20:02
Are there any specific approaches that you've brought
20:04
from your previous experiences at some of the celebrated
20:07
restaurants into Coast and you know, kind of changed up how
20:11
they do things? Absolutely.
20:12
I mean, we've done a lot of different things with the
20:14
beverage program. I'm I'm, I fancy myself a bar
20:18
man. So with Cook and Brown success
20:21
of utilizing different techniques and cocktails, we've
20:25
put that some different infusions and things of that.
20:27
Some tableside cocktails in the restaurant as well.
20:31
We have a cocktail cart that we're rolling out this season as
20:34
well, where we're going to make some tableside cocktails
20:37
utilizing vintage spirits. So there's some some showing us
20:41
the to that as well. It's just it's a collection of
20:45
my career as the things that we bring to the to the hotel every
20:48
day. And you know, the biggest thing
20:50
I can say is that continuing to grow and continuing to learn is
20:54
the most important thing, you know.
20:57
So when you talk about making cocktails tableside for the show
21:00
aspect, the first thing I think about, 'cause I'm an old guy,
21:03
was that 1980s cocktail movie with Tom Cruise.
21:06
Is it that kind of thing, flipping things around your back
21:09
or what? What?
21:10
What's it like? A little bit less than that.
21:12
The idea is that you know, we're we're coming to buy with a
21:15
vintage cognac to make you a cocktail.
21:18
We're coming by with a vintage gin or Chartreuse and it's fancy
21:23
crystal and technique, stirring and shaking if necessary as well
21:27
with the cocktails. So more just a more intimate
21:31
interactive thing with with the guests as opposed to sitting at
21:35
your table and someone in another room makes the cocktail
21:38
and brings it over to you. So it's just a little bit more
21:41
bespoke and a little bit more of a dialogue with the person
21:43
making the cocktail as opposed to, you know, see something on
21:48
the list or pick something from your favorite bar at home and
21:51
wait for someone to bring it to you.
21:53
So a little more interactive. OK.
21:56
So you guys have received AAA 5 Diamond and Forbes five star
22:02
ratings. Those sound really impressive,
22:06
and I know that they are, but especially for folks who are
22:08
outside the industry, they don't really have a sense of like what
22:11
it takes to get those recognitions.
22:14
I wonder if there's a little anecdote, a specific story that
22:18
you might be able to share, that really exemplifies what it takes
22:23
to achieve and maintain these kinds of honors.
22:26
Great, great question. Something that we, we've done in
22:29
Coast, it's always been, we're actually shifting it a little
22:32
bit currently, but it's something that we had done over
22:34
the previous years was our bread service.
22:37
So it was a, a homemade brioche bread at one time.
22:41
And we had butter that came from a single cow made butter
22:46
exclusively for Coast. And it wasn't on any menu.
22:49
It wasn't something that you knew where you were going to
22:51
get. So after one of the second, the
22:55
second course would leave the table.
22:57
It started a chain reaction, right?
22:59
So there's a process that we built into the steps of service
23:02
that once that table that that food was cleared, the expediter
23:07
knew that the bread had to be handed off with the butter to
23:10
the person that cleared the table.
23:12
While that's happening, someone in the dining room is putting
23:15
down a selection of salt and Peppers on the table, setting up
23:19
with the plates and the the butter knives.
23:21
And now it's, again, this is not on any menu anywhere, but the
23:24
guest is seeing this, all of this happen.
23:26
And as the person who cleared the tables coming back, they're
23:29
picking up the bread and the butter and the other person is
23:32
finishing setting the table. And it's like a ballet where the
23:35
person walks away from the table and the the other person is
23:37
arriving with this bread and to explain the salts that have been
23:41
put out on the table as well, and they're underneath the
23:44
flower. So it's like this little dance
23:47
that we have kind of choreographed and it's an
23:50
example of 1 little process throughout an entire experience
23:54
that makes this sippy seamless transitions.
23:57
And it's just, it's that type of coordination from a both the
24:03
culinary side to have the bread in the window at the perfect
24:06
time, to have the butter perfectly tempt the breads just
24:10
warm enough. The servers know exactly what to
24:12
do at a time and it's just a coordinated execution.
24:17
So I've never worked in fine dining, but I love processes and
24:21
when I can kind of spot something that is being very
24:24
well coordinated, I'm like, wow. Especially in a busy environment
24:28
like a restaurant, you guys noticed this very choreographed
24:33
dance because you're the ones having to architect it and
24:36
follow it. I would assume that other people
24:39
who come to dine in your restaurant, who have hospitality
24:41
experience would notice that. Do you think the average
24:45
layperson recognizes the beauty of the dance that's going on
24:52
there? I I hope that they don't realize
24:54
it until it's over. I hope they realize it when they
24:57
reflect back on it and they say, wow, that was really something.
25:01
It was just like a it should be seamless.
25:03
It should be something you're just enjoying.
25:06
It should feel effortless, right?
25:07
And I think that if if they notice it, little micro things
25:11
during the process, that I think that that's wonderful.
25:13
But I almost prefer they reflect upon it and just say that was
25:17
seamless and anticipatory. And you know, for us, we talk
25:22
about luxury a lot. And what does luxury mean?
25:25
And luxury is like having what you want, when you want it
25:28
without having to ask for it. You know, like, wow, they knew
25:32
exactly what I needed, when I needed it, how I needed it.
25:36
And they I didn't have to tell them that that was the process,
25:39
that that was the case. You know, and I think if we can
25:42
put together a string together a series of those moments through
25:45
dinner with exceptional food and wine pairings as well.
25:48
I think that that you really hopefully realize it at the end.
25:53
You know, you can just say, well, that was just.
25:55
I just had a wonderful time and everything was that was just so.
25:57
Wonderful. And I you know, you don't.
25:59
You can't quite put your finger on why you can't.
26:01
You don't really understand what happened, but you just know it
26:04
felt good. It felt effortless.
26:06
You didn't. You weren't ever left wondering
26:09
what's next or what, where, what, what's going on, you know?
26:13
I think it's sort of like good technology.
26:15
When technology works, it's sort of invisible.
26:17
It's in the background. It's just doing its thing.
26:19
When it's not, then you get frustrated and you're like, oh,
26:21
the Internet broke or, you know, Zoom didn't work today, whatever
26:25
it is. And it's something similar,
26:26
right? When it just flows beautifully,
26:29
like, wow, it was just really nice.
26:31
If it doesn't, you're like, man, I had to wait like 15 minutes
26:34
for somebody to bring me a drink or the bread never showed up or
26:37
came out stale. Or yeah, yeah, we we talk about
26:41
you said you left processes and I'm in total agreement.
26:44
We're gonna guess we're a couple of nerds, but something I say to
26:48
all my team is process based approach creates culture, right?
26:52
And if you have enough processes in place, it creates that
26:56
culture of we thought of everything.
26:58
We we wanna detail everything. Because once the processes are
27:02
set, then it allows for people to be themselves.
27:05
There's not, there's no wondering what we're going to do
27:07
for you for your anniversary. We have a process in place for
27:11
how we're going to celebrate your anniversary for this
27:12
season. Therefore, that allows for us to
27:15
be more spontaneous in the moments because we're not trying
27:18
to come up with a way to make your anniversary or your
27:21
birthday celebration acknowledged.
27:24
We are thinking if we already have something in place and now
27:27
we're taking another, an extra step to be able to make it even
27:31
more special, to expand even further upon that.
27:34
So the stark reality though, Scott, is that as well as you
27:37
try to choreograph and plan for everything and have all these
27:40
processes, sometimes you get thrown a curveball, sometimes
27:43
the process breaks and you've got to deal with it in the
27:46
moment. Can you think of a story where
27:49
something like that happened? You got a real challenging
27:51
situation you had to work through.
27:53
Nothing is coming to my mind immediately.
27:55
I mean, it's any process is always going to get challenged
27:59
in some way, shape or form and you think it's going to be I
28:02
think it's going to go perfectly.
28:03
And then all of a sudden it takes that one person with that
28:06
great question or that guess that, you know, just completely
28:09
debunks your all of your time and effort and energy that put
28:11
into something. I, I think if you know, I can't
28:14
think of anyone specific thing, but I will say that, you know,
28:18
it'll have that exactly what you just described will happen when
28:21
you haven't revisited your processes, you haven't gone back
28:24
and taken a second look at or a third or fourth look.
28:27
You've kind of just a resting on the fact that it's been working
28:30
and you're not looking to tweak it or change it.
28:32
So it's definitely happened, but nothing is coming immediately to
28:35
my mind. How big is your team roughly
28:38
that reports to you? Great, great question.
28:40
So I oversee all them the the the managers and directors on
28:44
property. So my team is, is about, I have
28:47
about 20 directors and, and managers, but the food and
28:50
beverage staff because of our seasonality and our location on
28:53
the New England coastline, we go from a staff of about 70 people
28:58
in the winter this this time of year now to 250 people.
29:03
So we do a tremendous amount of onboarding and recruiting at
29:06
this time of year and transitioning people.
29:09
The staff is diverse as any staff in the world.
29:12
I imagine we have just in food and beverage.
29:14
We've had staff from 30 different countries this past
29:18
summer. So you know, from all over the
29:20
map, people that have come back year after year after year to
29:24
people that have never been to America before.
29:26
So, you know, we we juggle that by having processes in place to
29:32
help acclimate people to not only the ocean House and but
29:36
also watch Hill and then being in Rhode Island itself.
29:40
Helping people transition in is a big, a big part of it And and
29:44
everyone's different. So it's.
29:46
And I talked to another hotel in northern Michigan where they
29:49
actually completely shut down for the winter.
29:52
And so it's like having to completely close and reopen for
29:55
the season. But they talked about something
29:57
similar where they've got a lot of international workers that
30:00
come in to help with that sort of, you know, seasonal burst in
30:04
demand. Is there like a special visa
30:07
process that goes on with this? There are a number of different
30:10
visas that exist in the US and abroad as well.
30:14
So you know, there we, we, we take advantage and, and work
30:18
with as many of them as possible.
30:20
The H2B staff, H2B visa is originally originated with
30:26
farmers in the US, where think about like a orange harvest
30:30
season where there's such a large amount of oranges that
30:34
have to be harvested. There just aren't possibly
30:36
enough American farmers to do that.
30:38
So you can get professional farmers from outside of the US
30:42
to come and help with your harvest.
30:45
And they come in and there's a certain level of hospitality, if
30:48
you will, that you have to provide them housing and things
30:51
of that nature to allow for them to come here from outside the
30:55
country. And basically you have to say,
30:57
there's such a high demand for the jobs that I have at a
31:01
certain point of time, there just aren't enough local
31:06
professionals that can do this. So we need to find them from
31:10
other places. So we we go through that process
31:13
each year. We've developed some amazing
31:15
relationships with with individuals that are been
31:18
professionals that go back to their either go back to their
31:21
home country and then come here or they go to a sister property
31:24
or another property during the during the offseason where then
31:28
they can come back to us in the summer during our peak season.
31:31
So it's it's tremendous. And then there are student visas
31:34
as well. With the J1, there's like a work
31:38
and travel where students from universities and throughout,
31:42
throughout the world can come here, work for 90 days or 100
31:47
days, and then they get a two weeks to travel at the end.
31:50
So they get like a cultural experience of working in the US,
31:53
but also getting to travel. So, you know, we, we, we work a
31:57
lot with that, that as well. And you know, a number of
32:00
others, I won't bore you with them, but it's a, it's a, it's a
32:02
really interesting thing. And it's been one of the, the
32:05
core pillars for us as a company to allow for us to do what we
32:09
do, but also for us to offer a unique experience for our staff
32:13
and for our guests. That's really cool.
32:15
So with this big seasonal surge that you need for professional
32:20
help, where do these folks live? So fortunately the Ocean House
32:25
ownership has homes that that purchased here within the
32:30
community. So, so we are able to offer
32:32
housing to them. So there's a, it's a really
32:36
unique situation that we've created for ourselves with
32:39
ownership is so focused on delivering the highest quality
32:43
luxury experience at the hotel, but also a real really have
32:47
strived to be the best and one of the best employers as well.
32:50
So you've purchased apartment buildings, homes, multi family
32:55
homes throughout the community that allow for us to provide
32:59
housing to our international staff and our year round staff
33:03
within the community. And that, that includes going to
33:08
having a shuttle to come to their home and pick them up at
33:10
the hotel provides to picking them up at employee housing and
33:14
dropping them off at work 10 minutes before their shift is
33:17
supposed to start. So, you know, during our
33:19
recruiting process, we explained you're coming here, but we're
33:22
going to provide you housing, we're going to pick you up at
33:24
housing, we're going to drop you off at work so you're on time.
33:26
You know, when you get here, they're going to have their
33:28
uniform ready for them. We, we dry clean and have to
33:31
prepare for them so they can look their best.
33:33
We have a cafeteria that is complimentary so that they can
33:36
come here and also dine and not have to worry about that.
33:39
So, so many of the things that in the outside of, of what we
33:43
provide are challenges, right? How do I, where am I going to
33:46
live? How am I going to get to work?
33:49
How am I going to find time to clean my uniform to make sure I
33:52
look the best? So we, we really focus as an
33:54
employer on trying to provide all of the tools that we see as
33:59
potential tripping blocks for, for our team so that they can
34:02
just come in with their, their positive attitude, you know, be
34:06
flexible and really just can deliver the highest quality
34:08
experience possible. It's similar to how you're
34:11
orchestrating the customer dining experience, trying to
34:13
foresee all of these things. How can we make this as smooth
34:16
and seamless for our workers as possible?
34:19
Exactly and as as much of that as we can do for them and we try
34:22
to improve upon it every year. You know, we utilize Gallup for
34:25
our surveys to, to, to get feedback on how we can improve.
34:29
And just like the processes we were just discussing, I mean, we
34:33
always constantly looking at ourselves in the mirror and
34:35
saying we could have done this better, We could have done that
34:37
better. And we utilize our time between
34:40
seasons to try to have as much impact on improving not only the
34:43
guest experience, but also for our staff as well.
34:46
What's a recent improvement that you made for the staff
34:49
experience that you're particularly proud of?
34:54
Great question, great question. So this here's one that we did
34:57
this year. We we've always had an employee
34:59
of the year, leader of the year awards.
35:01
We do like a quarterly thing where people can be nominated
35:04
for employee of the year, leader of the year.
35:07
And up until this year we had only done it for our year round
35:11
staff could be eligible for the win.
35:13
So this year we shifted company wide so that seasonal, the staff
35:18
that is here for our seasons as well can also be recognized.
35:22
So we had three people who are here on different types of
35:26
visas, but had such a significant impact that they
35:29
were employee of the year. You know, we have from different
35:32
areas of the hotel these individuals either their first
35:36
year, year or coming back year after year.
35:37
So that was a really big thing because it it it makes the goal
35:41
was to hopefully make allow for everyone to feel as though they
35:45
are a part of the team in the family.
35:47
It's not just this person who is here 12 months of the year that
35:50
could be eligible for. That sound like a two class
35:52
system you're. Trying to exactly it's that was
35:55
a real big goal was to try to make everyone feel like they are
35:58
just as important, whether they're here for six months or
36:01
for, for, you know, every day. So that was a really big thing.
36:05
And it, it, the employee party was great.
36:07
Like everyone was, it was just a positive attitude and the people
36:10
that won that deserved to win as well were recognized by their
36:15
peers at the end of a very busy season.
36:17
So it was, it was AI think that was one of the biggest things
36:19
I'm proud of is that we extended our appreciation to people that
36:23
deserve to hear about. It looking ahead, are there any
36:27
exciting culinary trends or maybe guest focused initiatives
36:31
that you're exploring that you could talk about?
36:34
We are just always constantly adjusting and and improving
36:38
things. I'm sitting in a room right now
36:40
that is about to transition into the ceiling's gonna have clouds
36:45
hanging from it and it's gonna be a Christmas tree in the air
36:47
as we're we're opening up a, a hot chocolate cider pop up.
36:54
Essentially. There's some retail that's going
36:55
to be available as well. But you know, I just we always
36:58
looking at ways to find things for the guests to do to enhance
37:01
the guest experience. And so there's nothing trendy or
37:05
anything about it. It's it's hot chocolate, It's
37:07
it's cider. You know, there's going to be
37:10
some eggnog. We've got some great sponsors
37:12
that we work with. So they're going to, you know,
37:15
you have some, some Roma there or some, some vodka or tequila
37:18
with some of the drinks as well. And you know, so I'm just just
37:22
excited that that every day we're a place in the ocean house
37:26
where we're looking at the world as a whole.
37:28
Like I said back in Cook and Brown, we're looking at what
37:30
other great resorts around the world are doing and we're
37:34
looking at things that we're excited about and trying to
37:36
determine what that is. It's, it's a tricky time of year
37:39
right now where we're, we're out of the the summertime, but we're
37:42
into this this this busy holiday season.
37:45
So a lot of the creativity starts after the new year where
37:48
we start to really dive in and what we want to do.
37:50
January, February and March are highly creative times of year
37:53
for us. So we'll spend time traveling,
37:55
we'll spend time dining and going other places to see things
38:00
that we liked and experience different things.
38:02
And we'll work with our relationship to our partners to
38:05
visit some other properties and just to brainstorm, you know, to
38:08
collaborate, to network, to really give us an opportunity to
38:12
see what other people are thinking and doing.
38:15
And so your busy season starts again.
38:17
And what like April, May. It, it's, it's funny you say
38:20
that the from a, from a guest visiting the hotel standpoint,
38:23
it's really, it's April, May right around that, that Easter
38:26
time, the first week of April this year is Easter.
38:29
But I think, you know, that kind of starts like the kickoff for
38:33
it. And then Mother's Day really,
38:35
things start to get going busy and we stay busy, you know, with
38:38
for various reasons. But the weather in New England
38:42
can be, can be fickle. So sometimes it's 75° in May and
38:46
sometimes it's 50° in May. But you know, the, the weather
38:49
dictates a lot of how often and how much people come.
38:53
So June, July, August and September are, are peak times
38:57
for us. You know, we, we really stay
38:59
busy from, from, from May till October for sure.
39:03
But the holidays we pick up quite a bit.
39:06
We enjoy some downtime creative time in January, February.
39:09
Yeah, it's good to have that. So you, Scott, you kind of
39:13
worked your way through lots of different positions, different
39:16
stops along the way. I'm curious how you think about
39:20
the whole journey versus destination kind of thought
39:24
process. Yeah.
39:26
And then that's and that's great.
39:27
I mean, I, I think about all the jobs.
39:29
I remember my first job I ever got was a dishwasher and I
39:33
worked a 40 hour work week. And I should have seen the
39:36
writing on the wall then that, you know, you're going to be in
39:39
this industry for some time. But it's, it's all the things
39:43
that I've learned that have actually allowed for me to be
39:46
the leader I am today because of my time.
39:49
I mentioned working in kitchens. I was a sous chef for a couple
39:51
of years and that was born out of curiosity for I, I knew how
39:56
to explain food, but I didn't, didn't, hadn't, couldn't
40:00
tangibly do it. Couldn't, didn't understand it
40:02
completely. So spending time working in a
40:05
kitchen prepared me to be a better server.
40:08
Learning how to bartend and learn wine helped me to become a
40:12
more complete professional. And each step along the way has
40:16
really guided me towards the next step.
40:17
And it's now allows for me to talk to chefs and professionals
40:23
that work within the department for me that I can, I understand
40:26
what their challenges are. I can look them in the eye.
40:29
I know when they explain a difficult part of their job that
40:34
they're having, I I can relate to that.
40:36
And I think the relatability is a big part of being a successful
40:40
leader, like being able to be patient enough to hear someone
40:43
out, understand what their challenges are.
40:47
It allows for you to connect and be a more effective leader.
40:50
And had I not taken every baby step along the way through the
40:54
process and now I have the experience to be able to apply
40:58
that. And you know, I think that
41:00
that's a big part of being an effective leader in industry is
41:03
it's not just numbers, it's not just smiling and shaking hands
41:08
or anything like that. It's it's if you understand the
41:10
processes for each position, you can effectively lead because of
41:13
your your your experience. What kind of advice would you
41:17
offer to people sort of based on your own experience of, you
41:21
know, thinking about the value of all these steps that you've
41:24
made along the way and how that really has shaped and informed
41:29
and made you better at the current role that you have?
41:32
What advice would you give for other folks who are kind of
41:35
coming up in their own hospitality career?
41:38
I would encourage people to not not take any challenge that
41:42
comes your way for granted. Think about it, remember it, and
41:46
communicate it with other people.
41:48
Understand, Try to understand if it's a challenge for you.
41:51
Is it a challenge for other people?
41:53
Because if it's just a challenge for you, you can seek, you can
41:57
seek a way to get a solution to that through your peers, through
42:01
your Co workers or through someone else in the industry.
42:04
If it's a challenge that everyone is having, then you can
42:06
combine forces and come up with a solution together.
42:09
And I think collaboration is a big part of that.
42:12
So don't try to figure it out on your own if you're if you're
42:17
trying to overcome something and you can't seem to quite get
42:20
there. I think it's important to let
42:22
people know that. Because although people may be
42:25
concerned of a sign of weakness and they're trying to grow and
42:28
trying to develop and they're not trying to show any weakness.
42:30
It's actually being a bit vulnerable and speaking up at a
42:34
time when you're trying to figure something out.
42:37
That's what's going to allow for you to have not only a better
42:39
understanding of how other people's approaches work, but
42:42
also it's going to make you a reliable person for to speak
42:46
with those people as well. So.
42:48
You know, I agree 100% and I actually, I'm going to ask you
42:51
to be a little bit vulnerable now.
42:52
Scott would love to hear about a big challenge that you've
42:56
overcome in your life, how you got through it, and then what
42:59
you learned and how you grew from it.
43:01
Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's a great question.
43:04
Am I, while working here at the Ocean House, my daughter, I have
43:08
a teenage daughter now. She came down with a illness and
43:12
we didn't quite know what it was.
43:13
The doctors didn't know what it was.
43:15
And you know, the work that I do at the Ocean House has me here a
43:19
number of hours a day and a number of hours a week.
43:21
But all of a sudden, my wife and I were confronted with our
43:23
daughter being sick and we didn't know what it was.
43:25
So I had to try to balance being this professional who was
43:30
aspiring and trying to come up with ways to be an effective
43:33
leader while also this all this uncertainty in my life.
43:36
And during that time, I was trying to burn the candle on
43:41
both ends. I was trying to carry the burden
43:44
of the job while emotionally I was compromised.
43:49
And it took me some time while I was going through the process to
43:53
open up at work about what was going on for me.
43:55
But I talked to my boss at the time and she empathized with me
44:01
and guided me through it and helped me understand that it's
44:04
not weakness for me to step aside and take care of the
44:08
things that I needed to do. And, and that moment it, it
44:13
reminded me that it's OK to be vulnerable.
44:16
It's OK to step aside and let other people help you.
44:22
And, and, and, and that was a difficult thing for me to
44:25
understand because I was, had a great deal of responsibility at
44:28
work. I was aspiring and trying to
44:31
grow in my career. So I didn't want to be seen as
44:34
vulnerable. But once I did that, once I was
44:36
able to open up to the people around me to get their support,
44:42
it allowed for me to go be with my family and not feel like my
44:46
job was going to be compromised or my ability to come back to
44:49
the workplace was going to be compromised.
44:52
So not that everyone is going to be as fortunate as I was to have
44:56
a situation like that. But you know, I, I mentioned,
44:59
you know, on our last question about opening up and talking to
45:02
the people around you. And I think having some faith in
45:05
the people that I was working with to explain the situation
45:08
and the conflict that I was feeling.
45:09
I was really genuinely conflicted.
45:11
I like I remembered bringing there was a night where we had
45:14
been to the hospital for a week and my daughter was home and she
45:19
had to go back to the hospital. So I brought her and my wife to
45:21
the hospital and I had to leave them there to go back to the
45:26
hotel to take care of something that was like my breaking point.
45:29
I had to, I had to leave them in the hospital because I had,
45:32
there was a thing that I had to do and only I could do at the
45:35
hotel. And, and then the whole time I'm
45:38
away from them, I'm like, I just left my wife and my daughter at
45:40
the hospital. And that was the moment for me
45:42
that I was like, I, I have to, I have to find a balance here
45:45
somewhere. So.
45:46
And so was that the moment where you really started to open up to
45:49
your coworkers? Correct.
45:50
Yes, that was the moment when I was like, I left that day like I
45:53
this is not OK and I need help. And they completely understood
45:58
and then they they guided me through it.
46:00
And I'm fortunate to have have had a a direct boss at that
46:04
point and also a hotel and ownership that understood that I
46:08
needed the time. That's really cool.
46:11
You know, there's something in our human psyche.
46:13
So many of us, I'm guilty of this all the time where we think
46:17
we've got to carry it our ourselves, right.
46:20
Got to be strong. Can't let other people see that
46:23
we're dealing with something. But it's, it's so interesting to
46:29
me because the, the inverse, it is actually more of a truth.
46:34
Like we're social beings. We're, we're designed to
46:39
interact with each other, to rely on each other to help each
46:42
other. But there's something, there's
46:44
something in our neurons here, which, you know, say, hey, we've
46:46
got to be strong. We got to carry this on our own.
46:49
But I, I think one of the best medicines for whatever we're
46:51
going through is safe human connection.
46:54
And you know, for you, being able to talk with your Co
46:57
workers, that was a big part of it.
46:58
Hey, here's what's going on. But the even bigger thing was
47:02
them recognizing that, hey, there's a gap now that needs to
47:05
be filled in. We've got to step in and help
47:06
Scott out. And that gave you, you know, the
47:09
time, the headspace to be with your family more at a time of
47:12
need it. Was absolutely.
47:14
And that was, it was tremendous for me to, to live through that
47:17
experience and to be able to realize work life balance is
47:23
such a prevalent thing. Now.
47:24
This is going back six years. So it's, it's always been
47:27
important, but it's, it's at the forefront now just to like
47:30
mental health, you know, work life balance.
47:33
I think the, the, the 2 are at least at the forefront of a lot
47:35
of conversation now. And then, you know, that was a,
47:38
that was a critical moment for me, you know, and this is, this
47:41
is the timeline was like right after COVID.
47:46
So it was like really like a tricky time, you know, where,
47:49
where things were already. So we actually, this is right,
47:52
this, this like maybe just preceded COVID, like I'm a
47:56
little mixed up on it right now. But, but being in the COVID
47:58
workplace and all of those things, it's just really shifted
48:01
everything and it's it's very interesting to have lived
48:04
through it. Well, I won't pry, but I
48:07
certainly hope that your daughter is doing well today.
48:09
I appreciate it. She is.
48:10
Thank you. How would you characterize your
48:14
superpower, Scott? Well, I think my superpower
48:18
actually is just, I wouldn't, I'm not sure how I would
48:21
characterize it. I could describe it, I think.
48:23
And I, we've already kind of touched on it a bit.
48:25
And I think that it has a lot to do for me with being able to
48:29
connect with people, to understand people and to listen,
48:33
you know, remaining open to new ideas, remaining open to the
48:38
fact that you might have had a strong opinion on something, but
48:43
you have to be open to change. You have to be not trying to win
48:46
the conversation, not thinking that because you thought
48:49
something was one way is the way it's going to be no matter what.
48:53
So for me, I remain flexible. I remain malleable to the fact
48:58
that I don't necessarily know what's right or wrong and that
49:00
other people are going to bring ideas to me.
49:02
And it's benefited me tremendously being open and
49:08
communicating with different people.
49:09
So I would say that flexibility has been really one of my
49:13
biggest things is to open and flexible, open minded and
49:17
flexible. So powerful.
49:20
That's a good combination. You get a book or a podcast that
49:25
you'd like to recommend to listen or something that maybe
49:27
has been helpful for you The. Unreasonable hospitality from
49:32
Will Gedara has been tremendous. I mentioned setting the table
49:35
from Danny Meyer. These are just pillars for me,
49:38
you know, in this industry. And I was fortunate enough to
49:41
meet Will Godara. He came and spoke at the Ocean
49:43
House about a couple of years ago during a Relay Chateau
49:47
conference. I met Danny Meyer this summer as
49:49
well. So, you know, getting to meet
49:51
some of these people face to face, let them know what the
49:54
impact was for me. But you know, from Danny Meyer,
49:57
we talked so much about the hospitality of taking care of
50:01
each other, taking care of people.
50:02
And if we take care of our staff, they're going to take
50:05
care of the guests. If we take care of the people
50:07
that deliver our goods, you know, on a hot day, offer the
50:11
vendor who's delivering the fish a bottle of water, that's
50:14
hospitality and then that comes back to you.
50:17
And similarly like taking care of your staff.
50:20
If they feel warm, welcome and cared for and you're genuine
50:24
with them, then you're going to be able to get, they're going to
50:27
be able to be more effective and in the roles that they're in.
50:30
So that those are some really core things for Schulte from
50:35
Ritz Carlton has a great book called lessons and excellence.
50:38
That's a tremendous book. He, you know, is 1 like the the
50:41
godfather of of the Ritz Carlton, tremendous, tremendous
50:45
man with, you know, a lot of lessons that he taught.
50:48
Again, someone who worked through the, the ranks of, of
50:51
the industry from an early age up to the point where he was the
50:55
CEO of Ritz Carlton. And you know, he talks
50:59
tremendously about unwavering commitment to guest experience
51:02
and also taking care of your staff and, and listening to
51:05
people and constantly assessing and proving yourself.
51:08
Those are those would be 3 things I would recommend for
51:11
anyone. You know, some people say don't
51:14
meet your heroes because you often end up disappointed.
51:16
What was it like meeting Danny Meyer?
51:19
I was tremendous. He's a gentleman.
51:20
We shared a lot of stories and you know, it was, it was great
51:24
because when, when we were introduced, he said, oh, you
51:28
said, oh, you, you're the, you're the director of, of, of
51:30
restaurants at the time. And he's like, oh, you have a,
51:34
you know, a lot going on. You have a, you're a busy guy.
51:35
You know, it's like, here is one of my here, here's this person
51:39
who's had such an incredible influence on me and my career
51:43
face to face with me telling me like, wow, he really, he showed
51:45
respect for my position. And to hear that it was, it was,
51:48
it was wonderful, you know, and getting to meet Bo Gadara,
51:52
similar, not as much as Danny Meyer, but I still have a
51:54
tremendous amount of respect for what he's been able to do.
51:57
And his perspective is, is amazing.
51:59
And similarly, like, you know, just it was, it's meeting your
52:02
meeting your these people that you admire from afar and you
52:06
realize you're not that far off from them when you like they're,
52:09
they're just, they're just people that have done or are
52:12
doing the same thing that you're trying to do.
52:15
And I think that that's, we started off by talking about
52:18
that like, why not me mentality? Why can't I be the next Will
52:21
Gadara or Danny Meyer? I encourage everyone to, to make
52:24
sure that they, they, they take that, that perspective.
52:27
It's they're just, those are just people that were focused.
52:30
They made the best of their opportunities.
52:32
Sure, they they're, they networked, they met people that
52:34
gave them opportunities, But it's they're just people that
52:38
were working in this industry that that made the most of their
52:41
chance. I love that.
52:43
Scott, as you look to the future, are there any exciting
52:46
changes that you see coming to the industry?
52:50
I think you know the in, in, in luxury travel.
52:54
Anyways, I think continuing to expand upon unique experiences,
52:59
giving people an experience that they can't find anywhere else,
53:03
really folding into the Wellness sector as much as possible.
53:08
You know, making giving people whether it's improved sleep, you
53:11
know, I've talked about having like specific pillows for
53:15
people, having them at the right temperature for people to, you
53:19
know, the the tonics and things that we drink to help us sleep
53:21
or help us re energize. I think that that's a really big
53:25
and a lot of places are already working on this and doing this,
53:28
but I think if we can start to customize Wellness things for
53:31
ourselves when we're getting away, which is such a valuable
53:34
time, you know, to get away for three days or four days to reset
53:38
yourself. Like are we are we resetting?
53:40
I think the focus of trying to give people the sense of
53:43
refreshment after their vacation is it's it's funny to say that,
53:47
right? But we've all taken the vacation
53:49
for seven days and you come back just as tired as you were before
53:52
that because you, you either ate too much or didn't sleep enough
53:56
or drank too much or whatever the case may be, you know, So I
53:58
think if we can, something we've been talking a lot about is
54:02
trying to give people that actual refreshment in that sense
54:05
of, you know, while I did replenish myself and my, my
54:08
heart, my soul, my mind while I was there giving them that
54:13
feeling. So I think that that's that's a
54:15
big part of it. That's really interesting.
54:17
So does this mean like having melatonin bedside for them and
54:20
maybe some B vitamins in the morning after, you know, a
54:23
couple of cocktails? I think it can mean all of that.
54:25
I think it can be, it can be absolutely all that.
54:27
I think in, you know, anticipating what people's needs
54:31
are. I think that they're through
54:32
communication, through the use of technology, you're able to
54:36
kind of anticipate what people are looking for.
54:38
You know, there's so many algorithms out there, right?
54:40
There's so many ways. And if we can leverage some of
54:43
that type of technology to understand what a person is
54:45
looking for out of an experience, it can then guide
54:49
the creative people to a place where we're anticipating what
54:52
people's needs are. Like, if you were here and we
54:55
knew that you were flying to New Zealand tomorrow, you know, I
54:59
wouldn't just treat it as nothing.
55:00
I would want to make sure that you got a wake up call.
55:03
I would want to make sure that you had the things that you
55:05
needed to be sure that you traveled right.
55:08
So a similarly, like if I knew you were taking a long flight
55:10
like that, there might be some supplement type things that I
55:13
could help you with because you're not going to be up and
55:15
about moving around as much. There's just so many things that
55:18
can be done to help people better off.
55:23
Like if you're flying the next day after you leave here,
55:26
there's so much you can do to help with your circulation.
55:28
There's things that you can do to, you know, if and if we take
55:31
our, if we take what we know about hospitality and the
55:35
genuine care that we have for people and we can somehow
55:38
leverage technology to allow for us to, to, to anticipate what
55:43
that could look like. I think that we're could really
55:45
take it to the next level. It's like you've got the heart
55:48
of a caring grandmother and you're layering in tech to be
55:52
able to, I don't know, sort of marry the best of all these
55:54
worlds. That's true.
55:56
I mean, that's, that's exactly what the hospitality industry
55:59
is, is, is confronted with right now.
56:00
I mean, so many people in the world are concerned about what
56:04
technology means for their future and their careers.
56:07
And here we are in hospitality, like someone's got to make the
56:10
bed, Someone has to, you know, explain that the, the dish to
56:14
you and so forth and so on. So there's so much that that we
56:17
can do in hospitality that can be expanded upon with the use of
56:21
technology. And I think the genuine care
56:25
and, and, and feeling that we want to give to people can be
56:27
helped by that. So I'm looking forward to seeing
56:31
how we can continue to focus on Wellness for people, but also
56:35
find ways for technology to help us get there as well.
56:38
Scott, what's your favorite thing to do outside of work?
56:42
I love live music, I love dining out and it's just been travel.
56:47
Traveling is is the best, best medicine for me.
56:50
I love to see different cultures.
56:53
I love to see what other chefs and restaurants are doing, from
56:57
the mom and pop down the street to the Ritz Carlton to the
57:01
Waldorf Astoria, you know, that all of these places.
57:03
I just love to see, to be inspired by other people's
57:06
creativity. Humans are amazing.
57:09
And the things that people come up with are, is, is, it's, it's
57:12
inspiring. And I, I find inspiration in a
57:15
lot of different ways, whether it's I notice a little thing or,
57:19
you know, admire the way someone did something.
57:21
You know, there's, there's a, there's a, an experience I had
57:24
as a restaurant. I was dining in, in the, in
57:28
Manhattan 15 years ago. And I remember watching this
57:31
server assistant setting a table and he like finished it.
57:36
And then he took a step back and looked at it.
57:38
And then he went in and like made a little adjustment to this
57:41
like crease. And it was just like a, he
57:44
didn't even realize he was doing what he was doing.
57:46
But for me, sitting and watching it from afar, I was like, that
57:49
was so inspiring that this person who has this, you know,
57:54
he's a server assistant role. He's there to make sure things
57:56
are right. But he took the time and he
57:57
inspired me to, to, to do that. And I for me, the fact that 15
58:01
years later I still have this impression from them that day
58:05
is, is why I like to travel and get out, because I find
58:07
inspiration in, in other people in other places.
58:10
That's cool. Scott, I've just got one more
58:12
question for you today. But before I ask it, I'm going
58:15
to do 3 quick things. First of all, if you want to get
58:17
in touch with Scott, you can find him on Instagram.
58:20
His handle is at Scott Panucci. That's SCOTTPINOCCI.
58:27
We'll have that in the show notes.
58:28
You can also search his name and Ocean House on LinkedIn to
58:31
connect with them. And as a reminder, if you want
58:34
to get more hotel and restaurant employees access to benefits
58:37
that won't hurt them financially and carries a financial website
58:40
for your company, reach out to us at Add Back benefits.com.
58:44
Finally, if you'll take just a moment to leave us a comment or
58:47
review on your favorite podcast app, hold a special place in my
58:50
heart forever. Thank you.
58:51
So last question for you, Scott, a year from now, you and I
58:54
reconnect and you're celebrating a big thing.
58:56
What's that big thing you hope to be celebrating one year from
58:59
today? A.
59:00
Year from today, I hope to be celebrating another 555 star for
59:04
the Ocean House and our sister property that we can plug in is
59:08
also five stars. So we're as a collection, we're
59:10
20 star collection for Forbes, not that awards or anything like
59:15
that is the most important thing, but we hope to be
59:19
celebrating that because it means so much to so many people.
59:22
There's all the time and work and energy and effort and
59:25
dedication from my engineering team to my team in the laundry,
59:30
to the logistics people, to the marketing people.
59:33
It's, it's a massive amount of individuals that pour their hard
59:38
work and their heart and their soul into this.
59:41
And if, if we if we're able to achieve our ultimate goal by
59:44
doing those things, I'll be happy to to raise the toast with
59:49
you. I look forward to that.
59:51
Scott Panucci from Ocean House, I want to be the first to thank
59:55
you for sharing both your time and your story with us today.
59:58
I really appreciate it. I appreciate you as well.
1:00:00
Thank you so much, Anthony. Folks, that's a wrap on another
1:00:02
episode of the Inspired Stories podcast.
1:00:04
Thanks for learning with us today.