You’ve had the opportunity to work at many luxury destinations around the country. How have you seen the luxury dining experience evolve over the last 10 or 20 years? 


“I think guests have been a little bit more adventurous from a taste profile. Luxury used to be very French and European focused. Now we're moving into Southeast Asian flavors, and African flavors, and things that are a little bit more out there that you probably weren’t seeing a while ago. I think that's the expectation of the current luxury guest, because they have been so widely traveled.

“And it’s both parents and children. My kid and some of her friends are stepping beyond the chicken finger and hot dog route…they’re eating sushi and oysters and caviar now!”

In all of these incredible destinations you've had the opportunity to work, is there any place in particular that really shaped the way you think about hospitality…and what is it about Vermont that makes you want to be here?

“Starting off at the Mandarin Oriental in Boston — being at a newly opened five-star, five-dot property with an Asian service culture — was really instrumental in shaping my entire view on hospitality and hotels and service and culture. So I would definitely put that up there…just the care and the processes that were involved in every step, from hiring to onboarding and training and consistent training, and putting a big focus on education and the guest experience. That's really been a pillar in terms of my world view on that.

“I'm from New England, and moving from coast to coast several times makes you yearn for home. My wife and I had always talked about opening a bed and breakfast in Vermont, in this idyllic place. Then the opportunity here came about through people we had worked with. We wanted to settle somewhere a little less hectic, with a little less traffic.”

If I were to follow you around for a week, what's the part of your job that you think would be the most surprising for somebody to see?

“Just the amount of restaurants and outlets we have, and the number of venues we have to constantly be overseeing. We have 10-plus groups a week, 10-plus menus that we're looking over every single week. Our campus is pretty spread out…there are golf courses and satellite golf courses down in town that all require oversight. Having to travel around to all these different places is, I think, unexpected for some people who first come onto the property.”

Bonus Question: What are you known for among your friends and family that has nothing to do with your job?

“I'm a bit of a travel planning nut. Being in hotels and traveling around the world as much as I have, I have some pretty strong opinions on how people should travel. I try to impart that on my family and friends. If they say, ‘Hey, I'm going to Chicago…what should I do?’…I'm giving them the ‘correct’ recommendations versus what they might see elsewhere and in other media!”