Game Changers by CS

Most chefs who achieve three Michelin stars change. They become guarded. Protective of their legacy. Comfortable with what they've built.Richard Ekkebus did the opposite.The night his restaurant achieved three stars, he couldn't sleep. He made a mental list of 40 things that still needed improvement. Forty ways to get better at something he'd already achieved perfection in.His journey began in his grandparents' restaurant in Holland, foraging wild berries as a child. His father was an engineer and didn't want him to become a chef. He saw the sacrifice. The missed family moments. The lifestyle cost.But at 16, Richard felt something in those kitchens. An energy. A discipline. A calling.He started as a kitchen porter. Worked under two mentors who defined his entire philosophy. Robert Carnivore taught him excellence. But Guy Savoy taught him something more important: that kitchens don't need to be abusive. That teamwork beats fear. That culture is built through connection, not control.At Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Richard leads multiple concepts. Not to multiply revenue. To create different ways for guests to experience something meaningful. A Michelin restaurant. A casual bistro. A champagne bar. Each one a reflection of the same principle.His core philosophy comes from Jean-Pierre Chome: "We cannot be more royal than the king." We are servants to our guests. That's where our dignity comes from.Most chefs protect three stars. Richard uses them as evidence that the work continues. That curiosity matters more than comfort. That excellence is a direction, not a destination.Are you protecting your success or are you continuing to evolve?Follow WORLD OF CS if you want to master hospitality and leadership

What does it take to stay at the top for more than four decades?Daniel Boulud grew up on a farm near Lyon. His parents had honesty, passion, and pride in what they did. And those values transpired through everything he has done.The table was always ready. The door was always open. The family would sit together, cook together, share together. His father worked the farmer's market every Saturday with 30 to 40 feet of stall—vegetables, cheese, eggs, rabbits, duck, squab, baby goats. Everything from the farm.And every week, the customers were the same. The loyalty was built on trust. On relationship. On earning confidence week after week.That foundation never left him. Whether it's building restaurants in New York, Washington, Hong Kong, or anywhere in the world—it's the same principle. Trust. Relationship. Earning loyalty.But there's something else that sustains a career this long that people don't talk about.The sacrifice. The difficulty of disconnecting from the work to have a life. Chefs choose a profession rewarded by talent and creativity. But it's hard to turn it off. To be present for things that matter outside the kitchen.That's the real cost of staying at the top for 40 years. Not the Michelin stars. Not the restaurants. But the constant choice to give everything to the work, knowing what that costs you.The ones who last are the ones willing to pay that price.What are you willing to sacrifice for mastery?Follow WORLD OF CS if you want to master hospitality and leadership

She didn’t set out to shape Asian food culture.She simply followed work, curiosity, and timing.From pastry kitchens to becoming one of the most influential food editors and voices in Asia, Susan Jung’s journey sits at the intersection of luck, discipline, and instinct.This conversation goes beyond food.It’s about how taste is documented, how chefs become legends, and how cities like Hong Kong helped define modern Asian dining.We explore:* The accidental path from pastry chef to editor* How hospitality shaped her judgment* The rise of Asian culinary identity* Why humility matters more than opinion in food criticism* And what truly defines “great hospitality” todayNot a story about fame.A story about presence, timing, and paying attention long enough to matter.Subscribe to WORLD OF CS for more conversations with the people shaping luxury, hospitality, culture, and world-class experiences.

Museums are at a crossroads. Most operate as repositories of the past. But some are reimagining what they can become.Yannick Lintz leads one of Europe's most important institutions dedicated to Asian arts. But his vision extends far beyond traditional curation.He's building bridges. Between East and West. Between history and future. Between the past that museums preserve and the conversations they can create.This isn't about displaying more artifacts or attracting bigger crowds. It's about transforming the museum's role entirely. Opening research centers that connect scholars across continents. Creating spaces like Guimet House that blend cultural traditions in unexpected ways. Understanding that culture isn't static—it's alive, evolving, demanding dialogue.The museums that matter in the next generation won't be the ones with the biggest collections. They'll be the ones brave enough to become platforms. To facilitate exchange. To create bridges where walls used to stand.As a cultural leader, Yannick understands this. His work at Musée Guimet isn't about perfecting the past. It's about building the future by connecting the cultures that shape it.This is what leadership looks like in a world that's more connected but more divided than ever. It's about using institutions to bring people together. To create understanding. To prove that the deepest connections happen when we stop seeing cultures as separate and start seeing them as part of one larger story.What will your institution become when it stops preserving and starts connecting?Follow WORLD OF CS if you want to master hospitality and leadership

Most people think Burgundy is about wine.After spending time with Arnaud Orsel, Managing Director of Le Château du Clos de Vougeot, I discovered it is about something much deeper.Stewardship.The belief that we do not own heritage. We protect it, enrich it, and pass it on.For more than 900 years, Le Château du Clos de Vougeot has preserved tradition, hospitality, craftsmanship and culture while remaining relevant to each new generation.In this conversation, Arnaud shares insights on Burgundy, the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, exceptional hospitality, and the responsibility of being a custodian of something greater than yourself.One idea stayed with me:We are not owners of heritage. We are custodians of it.

When Stefan Stiller got three Michelin stars, he didn't believe it."We are not three-star players," he said. "We're not the typical three-star Michelin place."No white tablecloths. No dim lighting. No silent environment. No piano player. No candlelight.Ultraviolet is exactly the opposite.Sometimes guests from overseas arrive expecting traditional fine dining. They get nervous. This isn't what they expected.But then they walk out blown away.That's the best achievement.Stefan breaks down what it takes to run a 3-Michelin-star restaurant that refuses to fit the mold. 52 seasonal menus in 10 years. A team that grew from 6 to 20 people. The shift from creativity before perfection to perfection without losing creativity. And why chefs try too hard with too many garnishes when the answer is always simple: taste first.This isn't about being traditional. It's about being true.Are you building what people expect or what you believe in?Follow for more restaurant and hospitality stories on the World of CS

Luxury has become overused.Anyone can say “luxury.”Very few deliver it.Because real hospitality isn’t marble.It isn’t gold finishes.It isn’t a fancy lobby.It’s precision.The way someone greets you.The way they remember you.The way they make you feel seen.That’s what guests remember.And today?Loyalty is disappearing.The ultra-wealthy constantly chase what’s new.New hotels.New restaurants.New experiences.So standing out is harder than ever.That’s why the best hotels obsess over detail.Training.Culture.Consistency.Not trends.Because true hospitality is still human.AI can automate tasks.But it can’t care.It can’t anticipate emotion.It can’t create presence.That’s the difference between service…and unforgettable hospitality.Subscribe to WORLD OF CS for more conversations with the people shaping luxury, hospitality, culture, and world-class experiences.

True luxury is not a lookIt is a point of viewYou can copy materialsYou can replicate aestheticsYou can recreate what already existsBut you cannot copy identityAlan Chan built over 1,000 brands with a different philosophyNot by following trendsBut by defining meaningBecause the brands that last are not the most beautifulThey are the most distinctIn hospitality, this is where everything is decidedMany places look luxuriousVery few feel unforgettableWhyBecause they are designed to impressNot to expressTrue luxury is not decorationIt is intentionIt is cultureIt is emotionIt is consistency in every detailAnd guests feel that instantlyThat is what creates loyaltyThat is what creates memoryThat is what creates legacySo before askingDoes it look luxuriousAsk yourselfDoes it feel like something only we could have createdFor more hospitality through leadership insights and learningFollow WORLD OF CS

Everyone talks about creativity in restaurants.Paul Pairet thinks it’s overrated.In this episode of Game Changers, the mastermind behindMr. & Mrs. Bund, Polux, and the 3 Michelin star Ultra violetr eveals a truth most chefs don’t want to hear:Creativity means nothing… without execution.This is not a typical chef interview.This is a deep dive into obsession, discipline, failure, and what it really takes to build something extraordinary.Paul shares:* why 90% of his ideas are destroyed* how simplicity takes more work than innovation* the hidden system behind consistency* why most restaurants fail after a great idea* how he built one of the most radical dining experiences in the worldIf you care about hospitality, leadership, or building something unforgettable…this conversation will change how you think.Subscribe to World of CS for more Game Changers shaping the future of hospitality.

Excellence is easy to admire. But incredibly difficult to keep up with.Today I'm with Alain Ducasse. A man who built one of the most influential culinary empires in the world.A chef who was not content to cook. Alain Ducasse imposed a requirement. A discipline. A constancy at the highest level.Since I was very little I've been curious about what I didn't know. And it's always going on. I always have to, at least once a week, discover something or a taste or a person that I didn't know before.That's the key to my curiosity. I'm never satisfied with what I know. What interests me is what I don't know yet.Everyone sees you as the great chef. But I see you as a creator. An artistic director.Success is rigor. Discipline. Demand. Work harder. Work faster. Work better.95% work. 5% talent. Not every day.But you have to taste the work. To the point of labor. Beyond labor you still have to taste it.And then after a few days we have talent. Creativity. A vision beyond what we have seen.Excellence is not a moment. It is a decision that we make every day.Are you admiring excellence or building it?Follow WORLD OF CS if you want to master hospitality and leadership

What does it really take to become a world class chef and develop Michelin level talentIn this episode we sit down with Master Chef Josef Budde to break down the mindset discipline and philosophy behind building elite chefs and world class kitchens. He opened and ran iconic hotels as Executive Chef including Grand Hyatt Hong Kong and Grand Hyatt Tokyo.From mentoring young chefs to developing excellence over years of hard work this conversation dives into what separates good from truly exceptional in the culinary worldIf you are serious about hospitality leadership or becoming the best in your craft this is a must watchSubscribe to THE WORLD OF CS for more insights from the top minds in hospitality and business

Most chefs spend their lives chasing one perfect restaurant.Christopher Mark built more than 100 across continents. From Canada to Japan at 18. From chef to businessman. From craft to scale.So here's the question nobody asks: At what point does growth destroy craft?Most chefs think scaling means losing what made them great. They protect their craft so tightly they can't expand. They stay small because they're terrified of what happens when they grow.But Chris proved something different. You can build 100 restaurants and still care about every detail. You can scale without losing soul. You can grow without sacrificing hospitality.The chefs who fail? They don't fail because they scaled. They fail because they were too afraid to try.Growth doesn't kill chefs. Fear of growth does.The real question isn't whether you can scale. It's whether you're willing to build systems that preserve what matters while you grow.Are you protecting your craft or building it to scale?Follow WORLD OF CS if you want to master hospitality and leadership

Lu Yang isn't just China's first Master Sommelier.He's building something bigger.The largest wine school in China. Wine programs for 60 of the country's top restaurants. 20 Michelin stars. 30 Black Pearl diamonds. And a mission to spread wine as a social language.But here's what's different: 85% of his students aren't sommeliers or industry pros. They're doctors, lawyers, engineers, finance workers. People discovering wine as a hobby. As part of life. As something playful and accessible, not technical and dogmatic.Yang Lu is proving that wine isn't about credentials or complexity. It's about memories. Emotion. Connection.He's not teaching wine. He's teaching people how to fall in love with it.This is how you build a wine culture from the ground up.Subscribe for more conversations with the people shaping hospitality and wine

There comes a point in every career when talent is no longer the issue. Courage is.In this Game Changers episode, I speak with Grégoire Michaud, founder of Bakehouse in Hong Kong, about craft, discipline, and the mindset behind building a brand people queue for daily.From Swiss apprenticeship to Executive Pastry Chef at Four Seasons Hong Kong, and then stepping out to build his own bakery, Grégoire shares why recognition is a byproduct of mastery, why excellence is everything around the product, and how teaching real skills is the true meaning of sustainability.We discuss clarity in leadership, the shift from chef to entrepreneur, and why money is fuel, not the goal.A conversation about courage, execution, and building something that lasts.

In this episode of Game Changers by CS, I sit down with Lorenzo Antinori, founder of Bar Leone, officially ranked World’s No.1 at The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025.But this conversation is not about awards. It is about the anatomy of mastery.Lorenzo did not enter bartending with a grand vision. He was a law student in Rome working shifts to pay bills. A random job became a calling. A YouTube video became inspiration. A humble neighborhood café became the emotional blueprint for a bar that would later captivate the world.From knocking on hotel doors in London with paper CVs…To barbacking at American Bar at The Savoy for 18 months before touching a cocktail…To leading bar programs at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul and creating ARGO at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong…To taking the entrepreneurial leap during Covid to build Bar Leone…This is a masterclass in patience, resilience, culture building, and the discipline behind world-class hospitality.We talk about:• Why he does not believe in luck, only “triggering luck” through standards and repetition• Why queues outside a bar feel like responsibility, not pride• Why simplicity executed with extreme quality beats constant reinvention• How to build a bar people emotionally belong to, not just visit• The difference between chasing hype and building return business• Leadership through values, clarity, trust, and opportunity for teams• Why awards are not an arrival, but a starting point with higher expectationsLorenzo’s philosophy is radically simple:You do not need to reinvent everything.You need to make people want to come back.This episode is not for bartenders only. It is for anyone in hospitality, leadership, retail, design, or brand building who wants to understand how enduring destinations are really built.Game Changers by CS explores the childhood, struggle, turning points, craft obsession, leadership lessons, and life philosophy of the people shaping modern hospitality around the world.If you care about craft, culture, and emotional excellence, this conversation is essential listening.

In this first Game Changers episode, I speak with Sean Dix, founder of dix design + architecture, about how meaningful spaces are created through clarity, not decoration.Sean calls himself a “stealth designer.” You walk into his projects and feel that everything is right, even if you cannot explain why. The design does not seek attention. It creates the container where food, service, light, sound, and movement come together into one coherent experience.We discuss why story must come before style, why the early phase of a project should be protected from references, why archetypes are stronger than trends, and how originality comes from changing your inputs.This conversation is a masterclass for anyone shaping hospitality, retail, or cultural spaces who wants to build places that feel inevitable rather than designed.