Jen Pelka

I think it's cool and very helpful to learn about what's happening in other industries and apply them.

I think the industry is increasingly getting more collaborative and more open. It's cool to see so many people working together. The industry is in a really positive place where everybody wants to support one another.

It's that simple. You've got to have people around you who are supporting you, challenging you, and making you think about things in different ways.

I would say I don't have a place where I'm not pulling inspiration.

The two of us prioritize spending time with one another whether it's on the weekends or at night to maintain a balance with work and life. We are fortunate that we have great teams who we can trust to give us this freedom.

We do a lot of talking, sharing of ideas, education, and traveling. Right now the team is taking a four-month immersive champagne course that covers everything, from grafting vines to bacteria in the soil. Basically everything you would need to know to start making Champagne. We're also always sharing podcasts and leadership books.

I also look for people who complement my skill set and can fill in needs that I have. For example, I'm a very marketing and brand driven person, but I need people on my team who can operate deep in the weeds of the day-to-day.

For me, my career has been a little bit of a circuitous path. I do know that what i am doing right now is precisely what I want to be doing.

In my early 20s, I was working full time at a hedge fund, and I sought out the opportunity to stage at Daniel. I ended up working for free on Saturdays for more than a year and had the opportunity to work in every position on the line, from garde manger to working in the pastry kitchen and decorating wedding cakes with Dominique Ansel. From there I had an opportunity to come on full-time and become Daniel's research assistant, which allowed me to move on to be the Competition Director for Bocuse d'Or Culinary Competition when Daniel and Thomas Keller took it over. I would recommend to anyone starting in their career to look for the best possible restaurant or operator they can think of and volunteer to work and prove yourself. A lot of opportunities can come from that experience.

Something that I always like to think about is “when somebody is walking by your business what is the one thing they say”. Typically it’s just a couple of words. For me when people walk by the Riddler, I want them to say “that is the best champagne bar in the world.” Once you have that super tight concept, you need to convey it to your guests, your team, the press, and throughout all of the other touch points that you have.

There is a documentary about Sirio Maccioni who was the owner of Le Cirque, and in the movie every day he goes to his Rolodex and calls a couple of people on the list, just to talk. I think a lot about that scene and how I can not only build a vast network, but connect with that network as much as possible through collaboration and partnerships.

He is so generous, not only with his guests and team but with his vendors and creative partners. There is a lot that you can gain from being open and generous with the people around you rather than being closed off and super nervous about every single penny. Generosity also tends to pay significant dividends back to your business in the end.