Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Donato Ricci. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Donato, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with education – we’d love to hear your thoughts about how we can better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career

During my early days of my career I traveled and work in Europe, I spent about a year in Germany, while there I meet a young girl that used to come at the restaurant I was working. We became friends and some Of the conversations we had were on what she wanted to do when growing up, and something that impressed me very much considering she was only 15 years old was that she was so clear on the career path she wanted to pursue.

She explained to me that the school program they were following give the kids one vocational day a week to attend trade business and shadow some professionals on their usual work day.

So when it was time for her to try things out she went ahead and spent some time at a dentist office which made her decide that was what she wanted to do.

I think programs like that at early age would help the next generation truly identify what they love and bring up professionals that actually have a passion for the field rather than just trying to bring a check at home.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I got into hospitality field at a young age. My father had a staffing agency, a Catering company and a restaurant so I grew up around this field. When it was time to decide what I would do in college I enrolled to hospitality school where I got my Bachelor in Food and beverage management.

After 28yrs in this field and a career build from the ground up, today I run a hospitality consultation firm called Ricci Hospitality.

Although I managed and still manage some business on behalf of other restaurant groups, I’ve been helping several entrepreneurs on their journey to open their businesses. From food trucks to cafe’s, from
Restaurants to catering businesses.

At Ricci Hospitality we consult and facilitate all the processes necessary to open a food related business, from licensing to hiring contractors to hiring and training the staff. We put together budgets and program POS Systems and provide continued assistance for the many individuals that dream to have their restaurant business from a passion standpoint and they might have not much experience.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Building a team has become one of my stronger suit. I believe particularly in my field that when you had the opportunity to work every position in te restaurant from dish washer to line cook and from Busser to bartender and so on, you can understand better the frustrations of your staff.

If a business owner has walked the shoes of their employees, has more compassion in their approach.

Today we live in a beautiful and inclusive environment that requires a lot of compassion, what I try to do is show by doing, be hands on, support and environment where dialogue and ideas can be shared from any position on the team, instead to apply this now outdated authoritarian alternative.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Nothing is forever…

When I came in the US 19 years ago, like any other immigrant to tent to do what pays the bill, during that time I word as a merchandiser for a huge contractor that had the entire west coast.

Two years into it the lost their contract and let go hundreds of employees, this was 2008 when the house market crashed and America was going thru depression.

Nobody was hiring but the medical field, so I had to go back to school and re-invent my self. I became and EMT and work in emergency services for three years before going back on what was really my passion.

The point is that no one can afford to stay stagnant, and life will change around you and will force you to change as well and only those who can adapt to such changes will thrive.

Nothing is forever…

Contact Info:

• Website: Riccihospitality.com
• Instagram: @riccihospitality
• Linkedin: Donato Ricci

Image Credits
Food picture by Ricci Hospitality