9 episodes

A Seat at the Table is a podcast from the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance. It offers a unique view of Cultural Intelligence and its importance to the workplace. With a goal of understanding the cultural differences and the uniqueness within multicultural communities, each episode takes the listener through first-hand experiences with topics such as:

- Anti-Racism Behavior for Business
- An Industry Call to Action for Diversity & Inclusion
- Black Leadership Perspectives

Each episode ends with practical, actionable advice on how you can communicate effectively with people from multicultural backgrounds.

A Seat at the Table is hosted by Gerald “Gerry” A. Fernandez, the founder and President of the MFHA, an educational non-profit organization that makes the business case for developing cultural intelligence in the workplace. Gerry has been recognized for his decades of work in educating and advocating for the business benefits of cultural diversity and inclusion in the foodservice & hospitality industry. Gerry was honored in the Nation’s Restaurant News 2018 Power List among “the definitive list of industry leaders who are not only setting trends today but also shaping them for tomorrow."

Learn more about the MFHA, their resources, and available training at https://mfha.net

A Seat at the Table Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance

    • Business
    • 5.0 • 5 Ratings

A Seat at the Table is a podcast from the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance. It offers a unique view of Cultural Intelligence and its importance to the workplace. With a goal of understanding the cultural differences and the uniqueness within multicultural communities, each episode takes the listener through first-hand experiences with topics such as:

- Anti-Racism Behavior for Business
- An Industry Call to Action for Diversity & Inclusion
- Black Leadership Perspectives

Each episode ends with practical, actionable advice on how you can communicate effectively with people from multicultural backgrounds.

A Seat at the Table is hosted by Gerald “Gerry” A. Fernandez, the founder and President of the MFHA, an educational non-profit organization that makes the business case for developing cultural intelligence in the workplace. Gerry has been recognized for his decades of work in educating and advocating for the business benefits of cultural diversity and inclusion in the foodservice & hospitality industry. Gerry was honored in the Nation’s Restaurant News 2018 Power List among “the definitive list of industry leaders who are not only setting trends today but also shaping them for tomorrow."

Learn more about the MFHA, their resources, and available training at https://mfha.net

    Panda Restaurant Group Shares About "A Culture of Giving"

    Panda Restaurant Group Shares About "A Culture of Giving"

    While DEI efforts are usually known for cultivating opportunities and engagement within the workforce, extending a company’s values into the communities they serve can greatly impact relationships with guests and employees. Today's guest, Philline Zitin, explores the DEI pillars as Panda Express work together to foster belonging and unity in our greater society.

    • 27 min
    What Your Asian Colleagues Want You To Know

    What Your Asian Colleagues Want You To Know

    Gerry Fernandez, President & Founder of the Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance (MFHA) moderates a panel of three Asian employees of Sodexo, Husein Kitabwalla, CEO Services Operations, Linda Lan, Director North American Strategic Sales and Elisa Huang, Sales Director, Business Solutions. These successful Asian American industry executives and members of Sodexo’s Asian employee association PANG (Pan Asian Network Group) discuss life as Asian Americans and how PANG has allowed them to flourish as both employees and as individuals. They discuss what it means to bring your whole self to work as an Asian at Sodexo, what does “belonging” looks and feels like as an Asian at Sodexo and whether in the current environment if they feel safe in traveling as well as in their communities.

    • 52 min
    Addressing Issues of Diversity and Racial Equity in the Restaurant Industry with Tom Bené

    Addressing Issues of Diversity and Racial Equity in the Restaurant Industry with Tom Bené

    How do you encourage more people of color to join your company in a leadership capacity? According to Tom Bené of the National Restaurant Association, it all starts with education and amplifying the message that your company values diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This week on A Seat at the Table, Tom discusses diversity at the corporate level and why DEI is important to long-term business success.

    • 35 min
    How Cultural Competency Helps Your Bottom Line with Seema Jain

    How Cultural Competency Helps Your Bottom Line with Seema Jain

    When Seema Jain worked for Marriott, she started an innovative program called Culture Day. The premise was to train employees on the customs and needs of customers from various cultures. Culture Day was a huge hit and helped Seema and Marriott realize that cultural competence leads to cultural confidence. Today, Seema joined Gerry for a discussion on how cultural knowledge can drive sales and improve the guest experience. Tune in for more.

    • 28 min
    How to Be a Good Ally to LGBTQ+ Colleagues with Isaac Rocha

    How to Be a Good Ally to LGBTQ+ Colleagues with Isaac Rocha

    LGBTQ+ people are the least protected class in terms of civil rights and employment. To be LGBTQ+ is an exercise in constantly second guessing how you present yourself to the world and whether that image is detrimental to your work or relationships. Isaac Rocha identifies as a Hispanic gay man. He is our guest this week on A Seat at the Table and discusses what it’s like navigating business as a gay man as well as how others can be good allies.

    • 36 min
    Dispelling the Myths of Franchise Ownership with Aicha Bascaro

    Dispelling the Myths of Franchise Ownership with Aicha Bascaro

    Ever wonder how brands like McDonald’s and Dominos have so many locations? It’s all thanks to franchising. Franchising is a great way to enter the food service industry, but many people don’t understand how it works. Aicha Bascaro is the founder and CEO of American Franchise Academy and stopped by A Seat at the Table to discuss how franchising works, how you can run a successful franchise, and how minorities and people of color can become franchise owners.

    • 39 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
5 Ratings

5 Ratings

get it together 100 ,

Looking forward to being an avid listener

Great listen and insight into the business world, in particular the hospitality industry.

Gcaprio1234 ,

Masterclass in cultural intelligence

This is a great show giving actionable advice for managing a multicultural org. Highly recommended.

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