Women make up more than half of the hospitality workforce, yet hold only a small fraction of leadership roles. Stephanie Jaeger wants to change that. Stephanie currently serves as President of Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI), a global organization dedicated to supporting and elevating women in food, beverage, and hospitality.
In this episode of Forktales, Stephanie shares how she got involved with LDEI, the power of mentorship, the need for representation in culinary leadership and how LDEI is expanding its global impact. She also highlights barriers women still face in today’s hospitality industry.
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Forktales is a podcast and video series that feeds the food, beverage, restaurant, and hospitality industries with insights, innovations, and incredibly entertaining stories. Each episode we interview the industry's leaders from veterans to the up and comers, to get a glimpse of trends, trials, tribulations, and more.
Stephanie Jaeger – President of Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI)
Women make up more than half of the hospitality workforce, yet hold only a small fraction of leadership roles. Stephanie Jaeger wants to change that. Stephanie currently serves as President of Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI), a global organization dedicated to supporting and elevating women in food, beverage, and hospitality.
In this episode of Forktales, Stephanie shares how she got involved with LDEI, the power of mentorship, the need for representation in culinary leadership and how LDEI is expanding its global impact. She also highlights barriers women still face in today’s hospitality industry.
Yanni Hufnagel – Founder of Lemon Perfect
Yanni Hufnagel knows how to build a winning team, whether on the basketball court as a former assistant coach for powerhouse programs like Harvard, Vanderbilt, and Nevada or in the beverage aisle. As the founder of Lemon Perfect, he’s turned a simple idea into one of the fastest-growing brands in the industry, proving that great taste and better-for-you ingredients can go hand in hand.
In this episode of Forktales, Michael and Yanni talk about the parallels between coaching and entrepreneurship, how an unplanned endorsement from Beyonce gave the brand a boost, moving the brand from Los Angeles to Atlanta (just a few miles from Coca-Cola) and a sneak peek at the new Lemon Perfect packaging.
Jeff Broadhurst – CEO of Eat’n Park Hospitality Group
Jeff Broadhurst has built a career centered on creating memorable dining experiences and bringing joy to guests with Eat’n Park’s iconic smiley cookies. As CEO, he’s helped shape Eat’n Park into more than just a restaurant, it’s a place where smiles are always on the menu.
In this episode of Forktales, Michael and Jeff talk about the success of the Eat’n Park and Parkhurst Dining brands, the joys of working in a family business, the importance of taking care of your team and some of the best things on the Eat’n Park menu.
Clara Paye – Founder & CEO of UNiTE Food
In this episode, we sit down with Clara Paye, founder and CEO of UNiTE Food, a company shaking up the protein bar industry with globally inspired flavors like Churro and Mexican Hot Chocolate.
Clara shares her journey from the plumbing industry to entrepreneurship, highlighting her mission to create a more inclusive wellness community by offering diverse and nostalgic tastes that resonate with a wide range of consumers.
Season 7 highlights
Season 7 of Forktales was a feast of stories and insights from food industry trailblazers. We explored how Biscuitville’s secret recipe became a Southern staple, how Rubix Foods stays one step ahead of flavor trends and how RoboBurger reinvented the burger experience.
Highlights also included Ben Jacobs’ mission to elevate Native cuisine, Doug Renfro’s spicy salsa innovations, and Andy Gellert’s global food import expertise. From mastering hospitality in airports to preserving the glitz of Vegas’ Golden Steer, each guest brought something extraordinary to the table.
Stephen Baldi – President of Baldi Management Group
People in airports are travelling for a variety of reasons. The common denominator? They all have to eat. That’s where Stephen Baldi and Baldi Management Group (BMG) comes in. BMG is an airport concessions and management consulting company that manages restaurants like Dunkin’, Smashburger and Jamba Juice in Reagan National Airport, JFK International Airport and Dulles International Airport.
In this episode, Michael and Stephen talk about the importance of hospitality and good customer service (especially in airports), the value of mentorship, how to hire good managers and how a pair of Air Jordans changed Stephen’s life.
