Hospitality Design: What I've Learned
Episodes
Keith Menin, Menin Hospitality
11 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Cofounder of his namesake development company, Keith Menin has spent his career building an eclectic portfolio in his native Miami with such notable o...
Robin Staten, Tiny Urban Escapes
28 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Staten started her career in higher education but pivoted to hospitality in 2018 when she wanted do something that contributed more significantl...
Marquise Stillwell
13 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It seems there’s nothing Marquise Stillwell and his New York design and research firm can’t do. His projects promote inclusion and equity, rethink...
Larry Traxler, Hilton
30 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Larry Traxler joined Hilton in 2009 as senior vice president of global design, where he's helped double its portfolio to 6,500 hotels and oversee...
Nicole Hollis, NICOLEHOLLIS
16 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we spoke with creative director and principal of her own studio Nicole Hollis. A master of both hospitality and residential interiors, the ...
Jennifer Johanson, EDG Design
02 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
An unabashed free spirit hailing from Texas, president and CEO of EDG Jennifer Johanson walks us through her unplanned entry into the hospitality worl...
Kimberly Dowdell, HOK
17 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Since she was a child growing up in Detroit, Kimberly Dowdell, the former president of NOMA and principal in the Chicago office at HOK, saw how the bu...
Jeffrey Beers
02 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Prolific designer and architect Jeffrey Beers grew up traveling the world with his parents, which instilled in him a love of hospitality and design—...
Alex and Carrie Vik, Vik Retreats
20 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s What I’ve Learned podcast, hoteliers Alex and Carrie Vik of Vik Retreats discuss their properties, primarily found in South America...
Allen Chan, Matt Davis, Anwar Mekhayech, DesignAgency
05 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Long-time friends and partners at Toronto-based studio DesignAgency, Allen Chan, Matt Davis, and Anwar Mekhayech, discuss their beginnings working in ...
Venus Williams, V Starr Interiors
22 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Among her many accomplishments, the tennis superstar has found time to launch her own design firm, V Starr Interiors, as well as start her own fashion...
Tara Bernerd, Tara Bernerd & Partners
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
London born and raised designer Tara Bernerd’s sprawling career spans leaving school at age 16, a stint at Vogue magazine, and invaluable industry e...
Andrew Carmellini
24 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Though born in Ohio, award winning chef and restauranteur Andrew Carmellini’s Italian roots have pervaded much of his storied career, which includes...
Sheldon Scott, Sheldon Scott Studios
10 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sheldon Scott is an artist of many disciplines based in Washington, DC who is bringing attention to the crucial issues of racial inequality and system...
Roger Thomas, The Roger Thomas Collection
27 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Industry legend Roger Thomas, the designer behind such iconic Las Vegas mainstays as the Wynn and the Bellagio, details his entire career from first m...
Danish Kurani
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Inspiring architect Danish Kurani is not only rethinking the design of our educational institutions, but innovating the entire concept as well. A true...
Ian Schrager
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In a previously recorded episode, the iconic Ian Schrager joined editor in chief Stacy Shoemaker Rauen for a fireside chat during HD's Elevate co...
Chef Daniel Boulud
15 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Chef Daniel Boulud is known for his career-defining time at Le Cirque and the award-winning Daniel. The success of the fine dining institution led to ...
Joyce Wang, Joyce Wang Studio
01 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hong Kong-based designer and architect Joyce Wang made a name for herself with the career-defining Ammo and Mott 32 restaurants in Hong Kong. She cont...
Fiona Thompson, Richmond International
18 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Richmond International's Fiona Thompson started her career at the London-based firm in the 1980s and returned once again in 1992 as Richmond was ...
Chef Marcus Samuelsson
03 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Not only a prolific chef and restaurateur, Marcus Samuelsson is the author of a number of cookbooks, including The Rise, which celebrates contemporary...
Alon Baranowitz and Irene Kronenberg, Baranowitz + Kronenberg
21 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Partners in business and life, the Tel Aviv-based Alon Baranowitz and Irene Kronenberg's design philosophy is centered on a deep, contextual, and...
Jim Looney, Looney & Associates
07 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jim Looney's journey to founding one of the most prolific hospitality design firms in the industry started with a chance meeting with Trisha Wils...
Rachel Gutter, International Well Building Institute
23 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Rachel Gutter is a pioneer in the green-building movement. Now, as president of the IWBI, she is implementing standards that embody a holistic wellbei...
Neil Jacobs, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas
09 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jacobs is a pioneer in the wellness movement, making it a hallmark of the brand. He has hired the best and brightest minds—from sleep scientists to ...
Chip Conley, Modern Elder Academy
26 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The visionary hotelier founded Joie de Vivre hotels when he was only 26 years old, transforming an inner-city motel in San Francisco into the second l...
Beth Campbell, Wilson Associates
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When Beth Campbell was 10, she began working at her parents’ restaurants in Pittsburgh and was managing them by the time she was a teenager. That ex...
Will Meyer and Gray Davis, Meyer Davis
28 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Meyer Davis' refined residential style has attracted many hospitality greats, including chef Andrew Carmellini for Locanda Verde, Barry Sternlich...
Kemper Hyers, Auberge Resorts Collection
15 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After cutting his teeth styling for retail catalogues and showrooms and working with Martha Stewart, Kemper Hyers' life changed forever when he j...
Chip Rogers, AHLA
31 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We spoke with Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), to understand the state of the hospitality indust...
David Rockwell, Rockwell Group
17 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When you think of the names that have defined the industry, David Rockwell is on the top of that list. Likely, many of your favorite spaces have that ...
Gary Dollens, Hyatt Hotels
03 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Gary Dollens has been with Hyatt Hotels since 1977, when he took an entry level position with a Hyatt in Oak Brook, Illinois. It sparked his love affa...
Blake Danner, Proper Hospitality
18 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Blake Danner's gregarious personality served him well, leading to jobs with Ian Schrager, Andrew Zobler, and for the past few months, at Proper H...
Aaron Richter, Equinox Brands
04 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Having worked for the likes of Nike, W Hotels, and Ian Schrager, Aaron Richter took a risk when he joined Equinox during a time when the fitness indus...
André Fu, AFSO
21 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Designer and architect André Fu made a name for himself a decade ago with the career-making Upper House in his native Hong Kong. It was his first hot...
Clodagh, Clodagh Design
07 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As a trailblazer in the wellness space, the Irish-born designer first got her start in fashion, but is now known for her zen-like designs for the like...
Bonus Episode: Stacy Shoemaker Rauen, Hospitality Design
24 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The tables are turned on this very special episode of HD's "What I've Learned" podcast. Interviewed by Adam Kubryk of Global Allie...
Kane Sarhan, the Well
10 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Always a person who wanted to build things, born entrepreneur Kane Sarhan had many early careers. He started a college gossip magazine, was an assista...
Michael and Alan Fuerstman, Montage and Pendry Hotels
26 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Father-son duo Alan and Michael Fuerstman of Montage and Pendry Hotels, respectively, both caught the hospitality bug early. Alan cut his teeth at the...
Ian Schrager
12 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The iconic Ian Schrager joined editor in chief Stacy Shoemaker Rauen for a fireside chat during HD's annual Elevate conference held in October in...
Kit Kemp, Firmdale Hotels
29 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Kit Kemp of Firmdale Hotels has been lauded for her eclectic design style that doesn't shy away from color and pattern. But it's her meticul...
Dana Kalczak, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
15 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Born and bred in Toronto, Dana Kalczak has spent the last couple of decades at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts where she's played an integral par...
Josh Wyatt, CEO, NeueHouse
01 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Josh Wyatt's career has had many iterations, with hospitality being his backbone since he founded Generator Hostels in 2007. The gamechanging bra...
Julie Monk, Director of Hospitality, HOK
17 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Julie Monk grew up in the Midwest but her career has taken her all over the world from Denmark to New York and Hong Kong, where she is now based. The ...
Brad Wilson, Ace Hotel Group
03 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This episode originally aired on December 25th, 2018. Brad Wilson started his career working with his mom to open a series of bakeries throughout Ch...
Jay Stein, CEO, Dream Hotel Group
20 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As Dream Hotel Group continues to grow and launch more brands, including Unscripted Hotels and the upcoming 5-Star Chatwal Lodge in the Catskill Mount...
Lauren Rottet, Rottet Studio
06 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Growing up, Lauren Rotett always wanted to do something creative and set her sights on architecture school. The Texas native first cut her teeth in co...
Charlie North, Ennismore
23 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ennismore's Charlie North has been leading the hotel developer's interiors practice since 2015, after cutting his teeth with the likes of th...
Bobby Berk, Queer Eye
09 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As one of the Fab Five, Queer Eye's Bobby Berk is a self-made designer whose road to celebrity wasn't easy. He left his small town in Missou...
Marcus Carey and Damon Lawrence, Homage Hospitality
24 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hospitality rising stars Marcus Carey and Damon Lawrence are shaking up the hotel industry with Homage Hospitality, one of the first brands catered to...
Andrew Zobler, founder and CEO, Sydell Group
11 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In May at HD Expo in Las Vegas, editor in chief Stacy Shoemaker Rauen sat down with keynote speaker Andrew Zobler, CEO and founder of the Sydell Group...
Jonathan Tisch, Loews Hotels
28 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan Tisch, CEO and chairman of Loews Hotels, is a lifelong hotelier who jokingly refers to himself as a modern-day Eloise, having lived and worke...
Christine Gachot, Gachot
14 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Christine Gachot credits much of her success with being in the right place at the right time. She worked on memorable projects like Gucci with Bill So...
Steve Wilson, 21c Museum Hotels
30 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A profound love of contemporary art as well as a desire to revitalize his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky led Steve Wilson and his wife Laura Lee Bro...
Will Guidara, Make It Nice
16 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Inspired by his restaurateur father, Will Guidara always knew he wanted to be in the business and open a New York restaurant. That dream soon became a...
Clodagh, founder, Clodagh Design
02 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As a trailblazer in the wellness space, the Irish-born designer first got her start in fashion, but is now known for her zen-like designs for the like...
Avi Brosh, CEO, Paligroup
19 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Paligroup's Avi Brosh started his own residential development company at 30. When a client noted that if he added a restaurant and lobby, he&apos...
Preston Pesek, CEO and Cofounder, Spacious
05 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
When Pesek noticed that restaurants were missing out on lucrative business during the day, he created Spacious, a technology-meets-hospitality company...
Adam D. Tihany, founder, Tihany Design
20 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Working alongside such revered chefs as Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, and Charlie Palmer, Tihany solidified his reputation as the father of restaurant...
Bashar Wali, president, Provenance Hotels
05 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Bashar Wali left Syria 30 years ago, and got bit by the hospitality bug while in school. Now he's president of Provenance Hotels with over 14 fie...
Marcel Wanders
22 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Dutch designer Marcel Wanders doesn't always play by the design rules, opting for concepts that are lighthearted and surprising but always timele...
Venus Williams, founder, V Starr Interiors
08 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Among her many accomplishments, the tennis superstar has found time to launch her own design firm, V Starr Interiors, as well as start her own fashion...
Brad Wilson, president, Ace Hotel Group
25 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brad Wilson started his career working with his mom to open a series of bakeries throughout Chicago. It was a natural step, then, to go into hotels, h...
Alexandra Champalimaud, founder, Champalimaud
11 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Alexandra Champalimaud's owes her storied career to perseverance, gumption, and unwavering self-confidence. She fled Portugal and ended up in Mon...
Brian Smith, partner, Studio Tack
27 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Since the Brooklyn-based Studio Tack came on the scene six years ago, Brian Smith and his team have become a highly sought-after firm known for imbuin...
Margaret McMahon, Wimberly Interiors
13 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Margaret McMahon has had a storied career, though her path was a bit unconventional. After a summer of windsurfing and smoking pot, McMahon's mot...
Anda Andrei, president, Anda Andrei Design
30 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Anda Andrei’s design personality is apparent in each of her properties, including her work for the Asbury Park development in New Jersey. She credit...
Kevin Boehm, cofounder of Boka Restaurant Group
16 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Even before he knew what the word meant, Kevin Boehm knew he wanted to be a restaurateur. Though his journey was unconventional—he dropped out of co...
Raul Leal, CEO of Virgin Hotels
28 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
As CEO of Virgin Hotels, Raul Leal has taken on the immense task of helping bring Virgin's distinct, cheeky vision to life. The first hotel in Ch...