I’ve spent 27 years in hospitality — nearly 30 if I count the part-time years before college. I’ve opened restaurants from empty shells, managed multi-outlet F&B operations, trained and promoted hundreds of people, and worked closely with owners on pricing, licensing, and operations.
But the biggest lesson has been simple:
Discipline over motivation.
Consistency over shortcuts.
Responsibility over blame.
Motivation shows up when the room is full and the reviews are good.
Discipline shows up on the slow Tuesday.
At one property I managed, we didn’t chase viral moments. We simply focused on delivering the same standards every day.
The result? Average guest spend doubled, while our Google rating moved from 4.2 to 4.7.
Not because of a campaign.
Because consistency compounds.
Today, as Co-Curator and General Manager at Shirazi, I’m building a new Persian restaurant at Dempsey Hill, Singapore, from the ground up — from menu direction and vendor relationships to hiring, training, and operations.
Through Madan Kishor Advisory, I also mentor hospitality professionals stepping into leadership or opening their first outlet.
Most of what I teach isn’t glamorous. It’s the repeatable work: how you prepare, communicate, handle pressure, and uphold standards when nobody is watching.
After nearly three decades in hospitality, I’ve learned:
Your team doesn’t need more motivation. They need enough consistency from you that they never have to wonder who’s showing up today.