From Family Dinners to Hospitality Leadership: What I’ve Learned on My Career Journey – Christopher Hunsberger, Appellation

In this episode, Christopher Hunsberger, co-founder and chief operating officer of Appellation, shares how his family’s love of food and hospitality shaped his early passion for the industry, the key lessons he learned from legendary mentors, and why embracing every opportunity can make all the difference in your career.

Listeners will learn:

• How Christopher’s mother influenced his love for food and hospitality (01:29)
• The role his uncle played in his decision to pursue a career in hospitality (03:15)
• Christopher’s experience working in the hospitality industry before college (04:59)
• The importance of learning through experiences and interacting with people (05:39)
• Christopher’s work-study program at the Boca Raton Hotel and Club (06:31)
• The impact of mentors like Tom Wicke on Christopher’s career (07:46)
• Advice on selecting roles that maximize learning opportunities (09:48)

Mentions:

• The Mayflower in Washington, D.C. (03:46)
• The Plaza Hotel in New York (03:56)
• Cornell University (04:18)
• Boca Raton Hotel and Club (06:52)
• John Morrison (07:14)
• Tom Wicke (07:46)
• Boca Raton Hotel Beach Club (08:38)

A few more resources:

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands