Afleveringen
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"What was authentic was really working with what our company values. If we already have a strong culture around values about giving and respect, being proactive, and having growth, then how did we make sure to elevate DEI that's already kind of built in into those values? Respect looks like being inclusive and showing that action." - Philline Zitin, Executive Director, Workplace Legal, Co-Lead of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
As immigrants to the U.S, Panda Express' founders attribute their success to the communities that support them. Andrew and Peggy Cherng pay it forward by integrating giving into the company's culture and DEI efforts. Panda’s efforts are not simply philanthropic – for them, generosity is contagious.
Panda Express' Co-Lead of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council Philline Zitin takes A Seat at the Table to discuss how generosity can be an authentic part of a company’s community engagement strategy. The Panda CommUnity Fund supports programs that provide direct services to meet local needs, while empowering representation and storytelling across multicultural and marginalized groups. When associates truly connect with their neighbors and contribute to their well-being, they feel greater purpose in what they do. Finally, building in flexibility to respond to stakeholder feedback is critical to the sustainability of their DEI efforts.
Listen to the episode to discover how giving can be incorporated into your corporate culture and into authentic DEI initiatives.
As the Executive Director of Workplace Counsel at Panda Express, Philline Zitin leads the team that drives innovative legal solutions for sustainable and integrated business growth. With over 15 years of creative workforce development in diverse, inclusive, and empowering environments, she has expanded her leadership role to include Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DE&I), serving as the DE&I Council Lead at Panda since 2021. Merging her passion for DE&I and legal expertise, Philline currently oversees the long-term strategy and implementation of integrating compliance strategies with an inclusive culture that reflect Panda’s business objectives and greater mission of inspiring better lives.
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Gerry Fernandez, President & Founder of the Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance (MFHA) moderates a panel of three Asian employees of Sodexo, Husein Kitabwalla, CEO Services Operations, Linda Lan, Director North American Strategic Sales and Elisa Huang, Sales Director, Business Solutions. These successful Asian American industry executives and members of Sodexo’s Asian employee association PANG (Pan Asian Network Group) discuss life as Asian Americans and how PANG has allowed them to flourish as both employees and as individuals. They discuss what it means to bring your whole self to work as an Asian at Sodexo, what does “belonging” looks and feels like as an Asian at Sodexo and whether in the current environment if they feel safe in traveling as well as in their communities.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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“I think that most organizations today know that there's value created when you have that level of diversity because you get better thinking. You get better decision making.” – Tom Bené, President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association
Listening to the people who are closest to the issue at hand is the best way to make change in an organization. Tom Bené, President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association, saw this in action during his time at PepsiCo when he was involved with the Women’s Food Service Forum.
Today on A Seat at the Table, Gerry talks to Tom about how to build an authentic brand in communities of color. For Tom, it all begins with education and amplifying the message that your company is dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Listen to the episode for Tom’s advice on how to get more leadership in the area at the corporate level.
(00:48) - Becoming a lover of the industry(02:37) - Diversity in upbringing(03:26) - Leading the National Restaurant Association(04:38) - Initiatives at PepsiCo and Sysco(07:20) - Proud moments as a leader(09:18) - Opportunities for corporate America(11:48) - Moving in the same direction(15:59) - Restaurant Employee Relief Fund(18:21) - Closing the leadership gap(20:32) - Encouraging participation(21:41) - Pleasant surprises(23:41) - Learning from the front line(25:56) - Influential leadership(28:55) - Now is the time(31:37) - Leading in the space(32:52) - Hope for the futureTom Bené is President & CEO of the National Restaurant Association—the Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing the nation’s restaurant and foodservice industry—and CEO of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.
Prior to assuming this role in June 2020, Tom served as Chairman, President & CEO of Sysco Corp., the world’s largest foodservice distributor, where he had previously served as COO, President of Foodservice Operations, and Chief Commercial Officer.
A Seat at the Table is hosted by Gerald “Gerry” A. Fernandez, the founder and President of the MFHA, an educational non-profit organization that makes the business case for developing cultural intelligence in the workplace. Gerry has been recognized for his decades of work in educating and advocating for the business benefits of cultural diversity and inclusion in the foodservice & hospitality industry. Gerry was honored in the Nation’s Restaurant News 2018 Power List among “the definitive list of industry leaders who are not only setting trends today but also shaping them for tomorrow."
You can find more information about the MFHA on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Learn more about the MFHA, their resources, and available training at https://mfha.net.
If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to A Seat at the Table in Apple Podcasts,
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“It's an ROI. Like in any business, you invest in cultural competency. Not only will it help your bottom-line results, it can increase your employee engagement and increase your customer satisfaction.” - Seema Jain
Some brands know how to build strong relationships with diverse and multicultural guests better than their competition. Marriott is one of those brands that learned to leverage cultural knowledge to drive sales and improve the guest experience. When employees are trained in cultural competence, they have an opportunity to meet guests where they are. Cultural competence leads to cultural confidence.
Seema Jain is the former Director of Multicultural Affairs at Marriott International and currently working as a consultant at her new company, Seva Global. Seema is our guest this week on A Seat at the Table and discussed how operators can improve their financial results and guest experiences by focusing on “the differences that make a difference.”
Listen to the episode to find out what you can do to make your business more culturally competent.
(04:10) - Marriott Culture Day(10:42) - Understanding the why(13:35) - Hotels vs. restaurants(15:20) - Investing in cultural competency(18:00) - Seva Global(21:20) - Starting the conversation(23:22) - Resolving issues in AmericaSeema Jain has years of experience with helping companies become more culturally competent when engaging with people from different backgrounds. Seva Global’s customized services include cultural trainings (virtual or in-person), webinars, presentations, speaking engagements, and consultations.
In her past role as Senior Director, Multicultural Affairs at Marriott International, Seema had responsibility for developing tools and resources for Marriott associates and hotel properties to enhance cultural competencies to better serve the company’s broad diversity of guests and customers.
A Seat at the Table is hosted by Gerald “Gerry” A. Fernandez, the founder and President of the MFHA, an educational non-profit organization that makes the business case for developing cultural intelligence in the workplace. Gerry has been recognized for his decades of work in educating and advocating for the business benefits of cultural diversity and inclusion in the foodservice & hospitality industry. Gerry was honored in the Nation’s Restaurant News 2018 Power List among “the definitive list of industry leaders who are not only setting trends today but also shaping them for tomorrow."
You can find more information about the MFHA on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Learn more about the MFHA, their resources, and available training at https://mfha.net.
If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to A Seat at the Table in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed...
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“I was trying to make sure that none of my identities were distracting from the message and being able to represent my company well.” - Isaac Rocha
Diversity and inclusion does not begin and end with race. Members of the LGBTQ+ community are still in an uphill battle for protections and representation. Isaac Rocha is the Regional Development and Inclusion Officer for The Bama Companies. As a Hispanic gay man, Isaac has spent a lifetime navigating discrimination against the intersection of both of his identities.
Isaac is our guest this week on A Seat at the Table and explains covering behavior, misconceptions against LGBTQ+ people, and the idea of psychological safety in the workplace. He also discusses how movies and TV have helped humanize LGBTQ+ people and have led to greater mainstream acceptance.
Please listen to the episode for suggestions on how to be a better ally to our LGBTQ+ friends and colleagues.
(00:32) - Isaac's lived experience(03:07) - Defining covering and intersectionality(04:24) - Coming out within machismo culture(06:49) - Bama Companies(08:54) - Psychological safety(12:00) - Good allyship(13:12) - Transgender marginalization(14:43) - The impact of COVID-19(16:03) - Misconceptions and microaggressions(19:12) - Building rapport with pronouns(21:07) - Religious congruency(22:25) - Egregious discrimination(25:55) - The Will & Grace effect(27:31) - Preparing for work(29:54) - Announcing who you are(32:07) - Learning resources(34:04) - Humanizing a communityIsaac Rocha is a Regional Development and Inclusion Officer at The Bama Companies. He strategically helped align the company’s philanthropic giving, public and government affairs, foundation fundraising efforts, and community impact. Rocha executes Bama’s Inclusion & Diversity strategy reinforcing Bama’s commitment to multicultural intelligence and creating inclusivity for all team members.
Rocha currently serves on the advisory board of the national Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance. He is also a co-owner and managing partner of Black Rain Glacier, LLC which owns Glacier Confection, a high-end confection chocolatier, with two retail store fronts in Tulsa.
A Seat at the Table is hosted by Gerald “Gerry” A. Fernandez, the founder and President of the MFHA, an educational non-profit organization that makes the business case for developing cultural intelligence in the workplace. Gerry has been recognized for his decades of work in educating and advocating for the business benefits of cultural diversity and inclusion in the foodservice & hospitality industry. Gerry was honored in the Nation’s Restaurant News 2018 Power List among “the definitive list of industry leaders who are not only setting trends today but also shaping them for tomorrow."
You can find more information about the MFHA on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Learn more about the MFHA, their resources, and available training at https://mfha.net.
If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to A Seat at the Table in
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“I think that the one thing that is constant in our lives is food. We all eat. The way that we bring culture to us is by sharing a meal. I absolutely believe that franchising and owning restaurants are a great way to go.” – Aicha Bascaro
Business ownership is one of the ideals of the American Dream. Franchising offers a great entry into business because you are buying into a tried and true brand. However, even if a brand is popular, there is no guarantee that you will be successful. Aicha Bascaro is the founder and CEO of American Franchise Academy. After working her way up from a pizza delivery driver at Dominos, Aicha has decades of experience working with franchises.
She joined Gerry on A Seat at the Table for a candid discussion on what it takes to make it as a franchise owner. She discussed how minorities and people of color can find programs to assist in getting capital and business education so that they too can experience this American Dream.
Listen to the episode for an explanation on how franchising works, what it takes to succeed, and why you should take the leap.
(00:58) - Failing first(04:33) - How franchising is different(06:41) - Misconceptions about franchising(09:38) - Learning at the American Franchise Academy(15:37) - The impact of COVID-19(19:08) - Protecting the American dream(20:48) - Multi-Unit Franchise Masterclass(23:16) - Overcoming obstacles(26:23) - Access to capital(29:47) - Mentor support(32:03) - Successful behaviorAicha Bascaro is a 30+ year veteran in the franchise industry and the founder and CEO of the American Franchise Academy. She is the bestselling author of the books “The Franchise Fix” and “Multi-Unit Franchise Mastery.”
Aicha’s journey started at the restaurant level and through the years she was promoted through the ranks in brands like Domino’s Pizza, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, and Olive Garden. She has worked in Operations and Management in the Corporate and Franchise side, Domestic and International. She has been assisting franchisees and independent business owners improve their operations, reduce costs, increase their profits, and grow their organization.
A Seat at the Table is hosted by Gerald “Gerry” A. Fernandez, the founder and President of the MFHA, an educational non-profit organization that makes the business case for developing cultural intelligence in the workplace. Gerry has been recognized for his decades of work in educating and advocating for the business benefits of cultural diversity and inclusion in the foodservice & hospitality industry. Gerry was honored in the Nation’s Restaurant News 2018 Power List among “the definitive list of industry leaders who are not only setting trends today but also shaping them for tomorrow."
You can find more information about the MFHA on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Learn more about the MFHA, their resources, and available training at https://mfha.net.
If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to A Seat at the Table in
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“Racism unfairly disadvantages individuals and communities and undermines realization of the full potential of the whole society through a waste of human resources.” – Dr. Kerry Mitchell Brown
Many assume that racism ended with slavery, but the sad truth is that racism is embedded in the very DNA of our country. So how do we confront and dismantle racism? Our guest this week on A Seat at the Table is Dr. Kerry Mitchell Brown, a racial equity consultant who specializes in organizational transformations. Dr. Brown defined both racism and anti-racism as a starting point for this work.
Listen as Gerry and Dr. Brown discuss the different types of racism, how failure to be an anti-racist organization affects the bottom line, and why the idea of colorblindness is harmful. This episode is for any organization looking to take on anti-racism as a practice to strengthen their company.
(00:40) - Pay attention to race in the beginning(04:06) - Race Prejudice + Power(09:15) - Defining anti-racism(10:05) - Serious implications(13:31) - Clear case to take on race(17:12) - Training and education(18:15) - Facing challenges(19:40) - Anti-black racism(23:05) - First steps(26:26) - Do your own workMFHA thanks Kellogg’s Away From Home in supporting this "A Seat at the Table" podcast episode. Kellogg’s Away From Home is here to help you create cravings that keep customers coming back. Learn more at kelloggsawayfromhome.com.
Dr. Kerry Mitchell Brown leads the organizational development consulting firm, Kerry Mitchell Brown Consulting, which helps leaders and organizations solve complex organizational and people challenges that interfere with strong, sustainable results and long-term organizational health. Dr. Brown has extensive experience in racial equity, organizational transformations, and leadership development, and has supported numerous organizations center and prioritize ending racism, specifically anti-Black racism in analysis and courses of action.
A Seat at the Table is hosted by Gerald “Gerry” A. Fernandez, the founder and President of the MFHA, an educational non-profit organization that makes the business case for developing cultural intelligence in the workplace. Gerry has been recognized for his decades of work in educating and advocating for the business benefits of cultural diversity and inclusion in the foodservice & hospitality industry. Gerry was honored in the Nation’s Restaurant News 2018 Power List among “the definitive list of industry leaders who are not only setting trends today but also shaping them for tomorrow."
You can find more information about the MFHA on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Learn more about the MFHA, their resources, and available training at https://mfha.net.
If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to A Seat at the Table in Apple Podcasts,
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“We know that not only does cultural intelligence predict your ability to work effectively across cultures, but that it predicts the ability to build trust and cooperation and even negotiation effectiveness when working with others from other cultures. We know it predicts creativity and innovation. We know that it predicts workplace performance and leadership effectiveness. And we also know that it impacts the bottom line.” – Dr. Sandra Upton
Cultural Intelligence, or CQ, put simply is the capability to function effectively in multicultural situations. Dr. Sandra Upton is the Vice President of Educational Initiatives at the Cultural Intelligence Center, a leading research and training organization dedicated to helping individuals and businesses increase their CQ skills.
Dr. Upton joined Gerry to discuss why CQ is an essential life skill no matter your race, why businesses and organizations need to evaluate their policies and practices through a CQ lens, and why CQ training is essential in the food and hospitality industry.
Listen to learn tools and best practices for implementing CQ training at your business.
(01:57) - What is cultural intelligence?(02:57) - The 4 key capabilities of CQ(06:12) - How Sandra was introduced to CQ(08:12) - Opportunities for U.S. businesses(09:37) - Schools in the CQ space(11:06) - Opportunities for the hospitality industry(13:55) - How can CQ training benefit society(15:17) - The intersection of CQ and unconscious bias(18:35) - Follow-up training to build CQ skills(21:33) - How should a company get started(26:31) - Do people of color have better CQ?(28:06) - Bias in play(32:16) - Resources for practical progress(36:40) - The future of CQMFHA appreciates the generous sponsorship of Cintas READY FOR THE WORKDAY in supporting this "A Seat at the Table" podcast episode.
Dr. Sandra Upton is Vice President of Educational Initiatives with the Cultural Intelligence Center (CQC) and is responsible for leading the center's educational efforts. In addition, she works alongside the President and plays a significant role in helping to determine the center's strategy for overall organizational growth.
Dr. Upton has more than 25 years of experience training and consulting with universities, K-12 schools, businesses, and non-profit organizations. She leads the Cultural Intelligence Center's response to the growing demand from institutions like Harvard Business School, London School of Economics, University of Michigan, Fudan University, Stanford University, and hundreds of other public and private schools that are committed to assessing and improving the cultural intelligence of their faculty, staff and students.
A Seat at the Table is hosted by Gerald “Gerry” A. Fernandez, the founder and President of the MFHA, an educational non-profit organization that makes the business case for developing cultural intelligence in the workplace. Gerry has been recognized for his decades of work in educating and advocating for the business benefits of cultural diversity and inclusion in the foodservice & hospitality industry. Gerry was honored in the Nation’s Restaurant News 2018 Power List among “the definitive list of industry leaders who are not only setting trends today but also shaping them for tomorrow."
You can find more information about the MFHA on
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Diversity and inclusion are no longer just about awareness, it’s about action. Business success will depend on how well leaders manage and engage today’s diverse workforce and customer base. The foodservice and hospitality industry is incredibly diverse, but we have yet to see that broader community reflected in leadership and in the boardroom.
This is why we invite you to take A Seat at the Table.
The Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance is the leading advocate of representation, advancement, and development of multicultural employees and businesses in our industry.
On our new podcast, we’ll help you understand how building cultural intelligence will give you the tools and language to effectively communicate with, and invest in, both customers and employees from different cultural backgrounds.
In this series, you can expect deep conversations with experts and leaders on how to build an authentic brand in communities of color, anti-racism best practices for businesses, and navigating the minefield of language.
By developing culturally intelligent leadership practices you can raise your topline, improve relationships with employees and customers while making deeper connections within your community. An inclusive business is a profitable business. So take your seat at the table.
A Seat at the Table is hosted by Gerald “Gerry” A. Fernandez, the founder and President of the MFHA, an educational non-profit organization that makes the business case for developing cultural intelligence in the workplace. Gerry has been recognized for his decades of work in educating and advocating for the business benefits of cultural diversity and inclusion in the foodservice & hospitality industry. Gerry was honored in the Nation’s Restaurant News 2018 Power List among “the definitive list of industry leaders who are not only setting trends today but also shaping them for tomorrow."
You can find more information about the MFHA on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Learn more about the MFHA, their resources, and available training at https://mfha.net.
If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to A Seat at the Table in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.
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