Basu Ratnam

During the conversation, he asked me, “Who’s going to be the GM of your second store?” I made up an answer—something about hiring an opening GM who would eventually become our Director of Ops. He cut me off and said, “If you don’t understand what I’m asking, you’ll never succeed.” I didn’t get it then, but I do now. He was talking about building a culture where people are truly invested—where team members see the company’s success as their own. That kind of culture is what gives a business staying power, and means the winning can continue and survive.

I move my body, jot a few things down, and try not to immediately panic about whatever’s on fire. Most days, it works.

Hospitality is either in your blood or it’s not. And sometimes, your finance lead ends up being your best marketer. True story.

On the flip side, my worst hires were when we created roles to fit a person, rather than a real need. When someone’s skill set or interest doesn’t match the demands of the business, it rarely works out—for either side.

We had a line out the door, the team was overwhelmed, we were running out of food, and guests were getting impatient. It felt like everything was on fire—until one guest turned to me and said, “Don’t worry, it’s a good problem to have.” That moment stuck with me. I realized there are only two types of problems in the restaurant world: good ones and bad ones. The key is learning to embrace both, enjoy the process of solving them, and build a team and a system that ensures you’re facing way more of the good than the bad.