Belonging in hospitality isn’t a policy—it’s a daily practice.

In this episode, hospitality leader Michelle Herndon shares how culture, inclusion, and leadership show up long before the food ever hits the table.

With more than 30 years across restaurants, hotels, events, and people operations, Michelle reflects on her journey from waiting tables to working with world-class chefs, Hollywood power lunches, and Michael Jordan’s restaurants—and how those experiences shaped her belief that real hospitality starts with people.

This conversation is for hospitality leaders, operators, and anyone responsible for building teams who want to move beyond surface-level inclusion toward real belonging that lasts.

Time Stamps

00:00 – The hospitality muscle of “I’ll figure it out”

01:35 – Welcome to All in Good Taste with Michelle Herndon

02:03 – What belonging feels like when you enter a restaurant

02:41 – Inclusion vs. belonging: what’s the difference?

03:37 – Why leadership is the starting point for culture

05:00 – Hospitality as a daily practice, not a perfect formula

06:20 – Michelle’s early life, Europe, and family roots

09:11 – Red Lobster, early lessons, and instant gratification

11:33 – Jumping from casual dining to fine dining hotels

15:22 – Education, wine, and falling in love with hospitality

17:14 – Los Angeles, power lunches, and celebrity guests

23:14 – Returning to Chicago and redefining purpose

29:44 – Michael Jordan, events, and career acceleration

34:51 – Recognizing burnout and shifting toward people-first work

36:19 – COVID, coaching, and the belonging gap in hospitality

42:08 – Leading with listening and modeling hospitality internally

48:26 – Mentorship, representation, and creating space to belong

49:28 – The tasting menu: lessons, leadership, and good taste

54:24 – Final lesson: authenticity and micro-steps forward