Designing Experiences That Build Belonging with Maryam Ahmed

What makes a restaurant, winery, or culinary space truly memorable? It’s not just the food — it’s the experience.In this episode of The Perfect Bite podcast, host Sarah Perkins sits down with Maryam Ahmed, founder of Maryam + Company and partner at PLAYTE Kitchen, to explore how experience design, community, and equity intersect across the food and beverage industry.Maryam shares her journey from hospitality operations and wine education to founding a consulting firm focused on inclusive, impactful experiences. From her work at the Culinary Institute of America’s Copia campus to launching hands-on culinary programming in Napa at PLAYTE Kitchen, Maryam breaks down how thoughtful design can foster connection, belonging, and long-term sustainability in hospitality.This conversation dives into food as a unifying force, the future of experiential hospitality, and what it truly takes to build spaces where everyone feels welcome.In this episode, you’ll learn:How experience design shapes guest connection in food and beverageWhy community and equity must be embedded into hospitality systemsThe role of education in creating meaningful culinary experiencesHow PLAYTE Kitchen is reimagining hands-on cooking classesWhy authentic and diverse leadership matters in food, wine, and hospitalityYou can visit PLAYTE Kitchen in Napa, California and sign up for classes at www.playtekitchen.com. You can follow PLAYTE Kitchen on Instagram at @playtekitchen.You can learn more about Maryam + Company at www.maryamandcompany.com. You can follow Maryam + Company on Instagram @maryamandcompany and Maryam @goodfriendsgoodfood.Subscribe to The Perfect Bite podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! Want to watch the entire episode? Head here to our YouTube!You can follow us on social media @perfectbitepod and sign up for our newsletter on Substack!