Giorgi Tabukashvili

Don’t pretend, don’t lie, and don’t play a role. Just show up fully, do your best, and take ownership of whatever you do.

I ended up winning every round and felt proud, like I had done everything right. But afterward, my mentor pulled me aside and said, “You won — but no one else feels happy. Not your team, not the others.” That moment shifted something in me. I realized that real leadership isn’t just about results — it’s about how people feel along the way. A true win is when your team feels proud, and even those who didn’t win feel respected and proud to have competed with you.

You can teach skills, but you can’t teach someone to care. And in hospitality, caring is everything.

Every time someone feels seen, cared for, or leaves a little happier — it gives me energy. Sometimes I feel like I’m getting more out of the experience than they do. Those moments are what keep me going.

But I’m lucky, I have high energy, and I try to protect that. When I feel it slipping, I go to nature. A walk outside clears my mind. And on a daily level, reading helps me reset. Just a little time with a book makes a big difference.

Right now, I’m reading Carl Gustav Jung’s "Present and Future," which really makes me reflect on the deeper layers of human behavior and helps me better understand myself. For podcasts, I enjoy "Masters of Scale" and "The Restaurant Guys." They both share great stories and real insights about leadership, growth, and hospitality.

I try to create a space where people feel seen, supported, and proud of what they do. I coach through action — not just talking, but showing. I help them understand not just what we do, but why we do it. When the team feels connected to the purpose, motivation comes naturally.

In hospitality, it starts with being a genuine host but also delivering great service. Since I had to start my career from the beginning in the U.S, I made the decision to learn from the ground up. I worked in every position — support, server, line cook, expo and not just to understand the roles, but to really feel what each one takes. That experience taught me how to lead with empathy, make better decisions, and support the team in a real way. It’s helped me grow into the kind of leader I’d want to work for.

I didn’t speak English at all, so I had to start from scratch. I joined Emma’s Torch as a culinary apprentice, and since I couldn’t talk much, I focused on listening. That changed everything. I realized the art of listening, really listening—is something I had been missing for a long time. Today, it’s one of the most powerful tools I carry with me.