Hospitality Design - October 2022 - 133

Andaz Prague, designed by Brime Robbins, includes
Mez bar, inspired by Bohemian mythology
Original moldings from the 1916 neoclassical landmark
were preserved in an Andaz Prague suite living room
The terrace suite balcony in
the Lopez Y Tena-crafted
Thompson Madrid
Floral wallcoverings adorn the
Thompson Madrid's terrace suite
my vision was compelling to me. On top of that,
I oversee Park Hyatt , Alila, Andaz, Thompson,
and Hyatt Centric.
What was it like launching a new
brand?
When I sat in my fi rst meeting [at the end
of 2019] on Caption by Hyatt , it was already
designed. Then the pandemic happened and
around July, aſt er George Floyd's murder
and the social unrest in the country, [we
realized we had] an opportunity for Caption
to mean something. We blew it up and started
from scratch. A time of emotional distress
and uncertainty ended up infl uencing and
encouraging us to take a few more risks
and push the limits of what we thought
we could accomplish with this brand and
make something that felt diff erent but also
substantive. It's a brand people can get behind.
The retro-futuristic Zem
restaurant in the Andaz Prague
Greatest professional challenge?
This has been more frustration than challenge.
For most of my career, I've been 'the only' or
one of a few who look like me in the room and
even more so now as an executive. The lack
of representation and equity in our industry
is signifi cant and has been so for all of my
career. When I walk into a room and see that
it's not refl ective of me, I notice immediately
because I'm usually the outlier. Unfortunately,
when many think of roles and opportunities
within hospitality, it's oſt en limited to service
roles-this is especially true for people of color.
This has lit a fi re under me to educate budding
leaders both in and outside of our industry that
you can aspire to any role in hospitality. Now
that I'm here, I'm passionate about giving that
same energy to others by being visible and
sharing my experience so they know they can
be here, too.
Guilty pleasure?
Driving with the top down on my Mini Cooper
convertible on a cool day (for LA) and having the
heat on full blast. The juxtaposition of that sensation
makes me happy, and it feels like a cheat code.
Favorite place to travel?
Barcelona. The weather is great, the architecture
is great, and people love to hang out, party, and eat.
Every time I go, I discover something new.
How do you defi ne success?
It's always been my intention to work in a space
that doesn't feel like work. I'm blessed that I've
had opportunities within this role to work on
things I'm passionate about. I put a lot of my love
into what I do because I literally love it. That
makes everything we do all the more powerful,
and it allows people to connect with it in a way
that feels real versus forced.
hospitalitydesign.com October 2022
133
Photos by FARMHOUSE and courtesy of HYATT HOTELS
http://www.hospitalitydesign.com
Hospitality Design - October 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hospitality Design - October 2022
