Every line below is quoted as published, with its source. Lines from the two earlier books are the speaker's own words from their first person profile; lines from The Luxury of Attention are as the book records them.
My first job in the industry was serving breakfast at the Golden Tulip Hotel, and I knew right then that I wanted this to be my career.
Aaron Kaupp, then General Manager of Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris (France)
On a breakfast shift in Switzerland at twenty, and what it decided.
I learned early on that starting from the bottom was incredibly important to understanding roles you would otherwise be oblivious to later on.
Krister Svensson, then General Manager of The St. Regis Bangkok (Thailand)
On why the general managers in the book began as stewards and porters.
I knew the only way to achieve big things was to start from the bottom.
Chan Yan Tak, Lung King Heen at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong (Hong Kong SAR, China)
The chef of Lung King Heen on his first years in a Hong Kong kitchen.
Having grown up in a restaurant environment all my life, I developed a passion for cooking at a very young age.
Hans Neuner, Ocean restaurant at Vila Vita Parc (Algarve, Portugal)
On a childhood spent in his family's restaurant.
After school I loved helping my mother in the kitchen any way I could, and every Tuesday afternoon I made sausages with my father.
Joan Roca, El Celler de Can Roca (Girona, Spain)
On the family restaurant in Girona where El Celler de Can Roca began.
My father would take me to very good restaurants all over Peru and other capitals of gastronomy around the world so I developed an appreciation and understanding of fine dining at a very young age.
Virgilio Martínez, chef and owner of Central (Lima, Peru)
The chef of Central in Lima on where the appetite came from.
My parents always taught me the importance of seasonal and healthy food, and my passion for good cuisine comes from them.
Peter Goossens, then chef and owner of Hof van Cleve (Kruishoutem, Belgium); Goossens stepped back at the end of 2023, and Hof van Cleve continues under Floris Van Der Veken
The chef of Hof van Cleve on his parents' table.
Inspiration could also come from the traditional cooking of my mother, which has been ingrained in me since childhood.
Kevin Fehling, The Table (Hamburg, Germany)
On where the ideas at The Table in Hamburg come from.
When I was young I loved to help my mother and grandmother in the kitchen.
Ryuki Kawasaki, Mezzaluna at Lebua (Bangkok, Thailand)
On a childhood kitchen in Japan.
The first time I worked in a fine dining kitchen was as an extern at Edsbacka Krog, one of the only two Michelin-starred kitchens in Sweden at the time.
Emma Bengtsson, Aquavit (New York, United States)
The chef of Aquavit in New York on her first serious kitchen.
He exposed me to the inner-workings of a property, and taught me that leadership is about respecting and appreciating each and every colleague every day.
Krister Svensson, then General Manager of The St. Regis Bangkok (Thailand)
On an early mentor, and what the mentor was actually teaching.
One of the most important qualities I gleaned from his leadership and management style is how he treated people with the utmost respect, fairness, sincerity, and empathy.
Taljinder Singh, then General Manager of The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai (India)
On the general manager who shaped him at the Taj.
They took me under their wings, coaching me through operations management and eventually in becoming general manager.
Damien Bastiat, then General Manager of Ballyfin Demesne (Ireland)
On the owners who made him general manager of Ballyfin.
To this day, I can say that I learned most of what I know on the job and through interactions with general managers, owners, investors, and other colleagues that I keenly observed and listened to.
Luc Delafosse, then Managing Director of Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills (United States)
On an education that happened on the floor.
If you have a good article, read it once, and never look at it again. If you have a bad article, keep it on your desk and read it every day for a long time.
Gilbert Le Coze
Eric Ripert's mentor at Le Bernardin, as Ripert still repeats him.
My superior was quite young himself and he really encouraged me onward.
Sven Elverfeld, Aqua at The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg (Germany) — final service March 2026; Elverfeld continues with S.E.A. by Sven Elverfeld aboard The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
The chef of Aqua on the person who pushed him forward.
Life wasn't exactly easy, as being a junior chef was all about endurance and patience.
Chan Yan Tak, Lung King Heen at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong (Hong Kong SAR, China)
On the apprenticeship years in a traditional Chinese kitchen.
Leadership is intimately tied to team spirit, and I learned this from rugby.
Guy Savoy, Restaurant Guy Savoy (Paris, France)
On the other love that taught him how a kitchen wins.
The only way you will survive in this business is if you truly love your job.
Mariano Silvestri, then General Manager of Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa (Maldives)
On what the work asks, and what it gives back.
Others did not realize I was willing to study and work 20 hours a day to become a good cook first and a good chef second.
Cristina Bowerman, Glass Hostaria (Rome, Italy)
The chef of Glass Hostaria in Rome on arriving late and catching up.