San Francisco Episodes

In this episode of San Francisco Sundays , Josiah sits down with Tony Roumph , Managing Director of Argonaut Hotel , to talk about what community engagement really looks like for hotels operating in a complex, evolving city. Drawing on the Argonaut’s historical roots and Tony’s civic involvement across San Francisco’s tourism and neighborhood organizations, the conversation explores how hotels and hoteliers can act as active participants in their communities. Tony reflects on San Francisco’s shi...

In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie reconnects with Lynn Bruni-Perkins , Chief Marketing Officer of the San Francisco Travel Association , to talk about where San Francisco is right now and where it’s headed. Lynn shares how storytelling and hospitality play a central role in shaping a city’s future, from rebuilding civic pride to driving visitors to powering the economy. The conversation explores SF Travel’s “Believe in San Francisco” messaging platform, the importance of residents as ambassadors...

In this episode of San Francisco Sundays , we explore a fresh perspective on hospitality—one that goes beyond restaurants and hotels to focus on community care. Join us as we sit down with Danielle Stowaway , who leads justice and outreach initiatives at Reality San Francisco , a church committed to showing hospitality to everyone, especially those with limited resources. Through her work, Danielle helps provide warm meals to over 300 families weekly, creates safe spaces for unhoused families, a...

In this episode, renowned chef, restaurateur, and TV personality Tyler Florence shares his deep love for San Francisco and his vision for the city's future through the lens of food and hospitality. Tyler discusses how restaurants can play a crucial role in urban renewal and community building, especially during challenging times. Listeners will learn: Tyler's personal journey of falling in love with San Francisco, from childhood dreams to reality The unique attributes that make San Francisco a w...

In this episode, Anna Marie Presutti , the new President & CEO of San Francisco Travel , shares why she stepped into this pivotal role, what she believes it will take to bring San Francisco back into the spotlight, and the opportunities she sees for the city and its hospitality community. Listeners will learn: What excites Anna Marie most about her new role as CEO of San Francisco Travel (02:22) The progress being made in San Francisco's recovery and what it took to drive action and results (05:...

In this episode, Jose Cervano, a server at the Top of the Mark bar in the InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco , shares his journey in hospitality and the secrets to making guests feel special. Jose's Journey in Hospitality - Learn about Jose's 48-year career at the Top of the Mark bar and how he started in the hospitality industry. The Iconic Top of the Mark Bar - Discover the history and significance of the Top of the Mark bar. Creating Special Moments for Guests - Understand how Jose m...

In this episode we meet Joan Hull and John Phillips, the proprietors of The Parsonage , a charming urban inn located in the heart of San Francisco. This conversation is a treat as Joan and John share their journey of transforming a historic 1883 Victorian house into a beloved landmark. Listen now to learn about: The Essence of Hospitality : Discover how Joan and John embody the spirit of warm, gracious hosts and what it means to provide hospitality not just as a business, but as a way of life. C...

Today we're joined by Manny Yekutiel , the owner of Manny's , a cafe and civic event space in San Francisco's Mission District. In This Episode, You Will Learn: The Concept Behind Manny's: Discover how Manny's serves as a multifunctional space combining a cafe, bookstore, restaurant, and a hub for political and civic engagement. Community Building: Learn about the strategies Manny employs to create a welcoming and inclusive environment that acts as a living room for the neighborhood. Event Progr...

Anna Marie Presutti is Vice President and General Manager of Hotel Nikko San Francisco . She's also the Board Chair and Chair of the Executive Committee at San Francisco Travel . In this episode, you'll hear why she serves in this capacity and how her own experience has been running one of San Francisco's best hotels. Regardless of where you're based, there are lessons for you here on what it takes to be a voice of leadership and change for your city or destination. Music by Clay Bassford of Bes...

Homi Vazifdar and his teams at The Canyon Group have created some of the best ultra-luxury resorts in the world - including Amangiri, the #1 resort in the United States. In this episode of San Francisco Sundays, you'll hear how the Bay Area shaped his life and work, starting out with his first hospitality business: a restaurant just across the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County. Listeners will learn about: Homi's Inspiration : Discover what drew Homi to America and how the cultural revolution of...

On this week's episode of San Francisco Sundays we're learning from Jen Darwin , the founder of The Village Postnatal Retreat Center - a sanctuary for new parents to rest, recover, and bond with their newborns while receiving professional support. In this conversation, you'll discover: The Inspiration Behind the Retreat : Learn about Jen's journey from a labor and delivery nurse to creating a unique space that bridges the gap between hospital discharge and the realities of new parenthood. The Gu...

We talk a lot about art and culture on this show, so I wanted to bring on one of my neighbors today, Andrew Wasilewski who is cofounder of The Faight Collective - a space that’s become a quickly growing platform for art and music in San Francisco. I hope that by listening to Andrew you can be inspired to use your space as a catalyst for culture - wherever you are in the world. Join in the conversation on this episode on the Hospitality Daily LinkedIn page here . Subscribe to the Hospitality Dail...

Over the past few weeks, we've been running a series called San Francisco Sundays - and the series wouldn't be complete without diving into what's going on with hotel investments in California these days. To help us understand this, Craig Sullivan , Founder and President of the California Lodging Investment Conference is joining us to walk us through what he's seeing. Follow Craig on LinkedIn Learn more about the California Lodging Investment Conference Join the conversation on today's episode o...

Ali Wunderman is an award-winning freelance travel journalist with work in the Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Forbes, Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, the Guardian, SF Gate, and many more. Ali is also a 4th-generation San Franciscan, and in this episode, she explains what's going on in this city - and what we can all learn from it. Visit Ali's website Follow Ali on LinkedIn Follow Ali on Twitter Follow Ali on Instagram Follow Ali on Tiktok Join the conversation on today's episode on the Ho...

Today we're learning from Alex Bastian , the CEO of the Hotel Council of San Francisco . Follow Alex on LinkedIn Learn more about the Hotel Council of San Francisco View the 29th Annual Golf Tournament and other events by the Hotel Council Listen to our other episodes in our San Francisco Sundays series . Join the conversation on today's episode on the Hospitality Daily LinkedIn page . Hospitality Daily isn't just a podcast ! Every morning - Tuesday through Friday - I summarize the stories you n...

Tom Wolfe is the Chief Concierge at the Fairmont San Francisco and was the first concierge in America. In this episode, you'll hear why he loves San Francisco - and how we can welcome others to our city. Listen to our other episode with Tom: How The First Concierge in the US is a Futurist Follow Tom on LinkedIn He's America's First Concierge (YouTube) Learn more about the Fairmont San Francisco Listen to our other episodes about San Francisco : What's Going On In San Francisco - Cassandra Costel...

Hospitality has its roots in place - the neighborhood, city, and region it is provided from. Today, we're going to do something a little different - kicking off a little series I'm calling "San Francisco Sundays" - because through interviews with leaders in my hometown, I want you to see how we can work with others in our community to welcome more people and provide hospitality. If you're based in the San Francisco area, I want you to get to know the people driving our community forward. If you'...

Cassandra Costello is Executive Vice President and Chief Policy and External Affairs Officer at the San Francisco Travel Association. In this episode, we cover what's going on in San Francisco, if traveling here is safe, what's going on in the neighborhoods of this city, why tourism matters, and how hospitality providers can work together and get involved with local government to affect change. Follow Cassandra on LinkedIn Learn more about the San Francisco Travel Association Join the conversati...

Ernie Tovar was one of the first 50 employees at WeWork and today is a community, hospitality, and operations lead in San Francisco. In this episode, Ernie shares what he learned about hospitality from his own career journey, and how he leads community. Regardless of what type of business you're in, there's something you can learn from this conversation. Join the conversation on today's episode on the Hospitality Daily LinkedIn page . Hospitality Daily isn't just a podcast ! Every morning - Tues...

In this episode, Jeanne Hizon, Director of Sales at Kimpton's Hotel Enso in San Francisco, explains why focusing on your neighborhood not only unlocks opportunities for providing hospitality - but can help you grow. Follow Jeanne on LinkedIn Learn more about Hotel Enso Join the conversation on today's episode on the Hospitality Daily LinkedIn page . Hospitality Daily isn't just a podcast ! Every morning - Tuesday through Friday - I summarize the stories you need to know as a hospitality professi...

Marlon Smith is the general manager of the new Hotel Enso from Kimpton Hotels in San Francisco. In this episode, he talks about the opportunity we have to represent our cities and neighborhoods, what exceptional hospitality looks like, and how to hire people to provide great hospitality. Follow Marlon on LinkedIn Learn more about Hotel Enso Join the conversation on today's episode on the Hospitality Daily LinkedIn page . Hospitality Daily isn't just a podcast ! Every morning - Tuesday through Fr...