In this episode of Hot Gossip, we sit down with Justin Gurland, founder of The Maze NYC, for a conversation that moves far beyond business strategy into the deeper territory of purpose, redemption, and what it truly means to create space for human connection.

Justin's story begins in the darkness of addiction at 25, when his sister's intervention became the catalyst for a complete life transformation. What followed was years of social work, building community in recovery spaces, and ultimately recognizing a gap that desperately needed filling: where do people who don't drink go to connect, celebrate, and simply be?

The Maze NYC is Justin's answer—an alcohol-free members club in New York City that's redefining what hospitality can look like when profit isn't the only bottom line. With Tom Colicchio's culinary team, a 2,600-person waitlist before opening, and a community-first philosophy informed by years of social work, Justin has created something that transcends the traditional restaurant or bar model.

We explore how his understanding of human connection—learned through guiding others through recovery—shaped every decision in building The Maze. From interviewing all 200 founding members personally to designing programming that prioritizes vulnerability and belonging, Justin's approach proves that the most successful hospitality ventures are those built on genuine care for the humans who walk through the door.

This conversation touches on the isolation epidemic, the role of third spaces in modern life, the courage it takes to build something that has never existed before, and why the best hospitality isn't just about picking up a dropped fork—it's about creating an environment where people feel safe enough to become themselves.

Timestamps:

00:19 Service and Sobriety

02:02 Alcohol Free Community

00:00 Meet Justin Garland

06:36 Origin Story and Rock Bottom

11:42 Family Intervention

13:34 Staying Sober in NYC

16:08 Mentor and Social Work Path

22:42 Connection as Medicine

24:50 Building the Maze Concept

27:11 Waitlist and Momentum

31:19 Founding Member Insights

34:05 Marketing Snowball Effect

36:25 Alignment and Pushback

38:17 Finding the Perfect Space

39:33 Tenant Chemistry Moment

40:07 Landing Tom Colicchio

41:59 Mocktails and Recovery Lines

44:27 Building the Food Concept

46:24 Fatherhood and Legacy

48:30 Hospitality Creates Community

50:12 Work Life Balance Reality

52:35 Events and Member Programming

55:48 Who Joins The Maze

57:38 Why Now and Future Expansion

01:04:17 Naming The Maze

01:06:19 Rapid Fire and Wrap Up

Connect with ROY Hospitality

Website: https://www.thisisroy.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hospitablyroy/

Connect with Justin Gurland

Website:https://www.themazenyc.com/team/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justingurland/ 

Instagram: @themazenyc

In this episode of Hot Gossip, we sit down with Roya Shanks, Maitre D' at The Odeon in Tribeca. The Odeon has been at one of New York City's most iconic restaurants since 2001. But Roya's story is far more than longevity, it's a masterclass in what it looks like to build a genuinely values-driven life inside an industry that rarely gets credit for it.

A Yale graduate who walked away from medicine, Roya came to New York two months after 9/11 with a sublet in Brooklyn, a Village Voice listing, and no restaurant experience. What followed was over two decades of serving, managing, acting, voice recording, motherhood, and becoming one of the most distinctive presences in New York City's dining world, recently recognized by Vogue as a best-dressed style icon.

We explore what true longevity in hospitality really means: how a dining room can become your living room, how the art of the host is quietly disappearing, and why Roya's approach to difficult guests, meet them exactly where they are, love them into comfort, is one of the most radical acts of service we've heard described on this show.

This conversation touches on the quiet courage of choosing creativity over convention, being visibly pregnant in a dining room for nine months, what New York looks like in 2026 for someone who's lived it across four decades, and why color, bold, vintage, joyful color, is not just a fashion choice but a philosophy for living.

00:00 Roya’s Colorful Magic

01:42 Service as Style

02:32 Values and Guest Care

04:35 Podcast Welcome and Bio

07:17 The Art of the Host

08:24 Finding Odeon After 9/11

10:30 Why She Stayed So Long

13:36 Passion and Community

18:00 Motherhood Night Shifts

20:00 How Odeon Changed

25:29 Yale to Acting Pivot

26:46 Impact Beyond Money

32:11 Crafting the Maitre D

33:32 Walk In Chaos Strategy

34:50 Defusing Grumpy Guests

36:00 Hospitality As Community

36:37 Style That Commands

40:30 Vintage Shopping Secrets

42:26 Color Travel Influence

44:47 Pregnancy In Public

48:48 New York Then Now

53:37 Subway Life Perspective

55:55 Wild Dining Room Stories

57:32 Hard Won Life Lessons

59:17 Rapid Fire Wrap Up

01:00:50 Where To Find Roya

01:01:49 Closing Thanks Support

Follow Jacob and Roya:

Connect with ROY Hospitality

Website: https://www.thisisroy.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hospitablyroy/

Connect with Roya: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roya-shanks-110b5951

Website: http://www.royashanks.com/

What does it take to build a restaurant brand that feels both effortlessly casual and meticulously crafted? Charles Bililies, founder and CEO of Souvla, shares the remarkable origin story that began with a whole lamb roast in his San Francisco backyard and evolved into a beloved six-location restaurant group. Charles reveals how his Greek heritage, fine dining background, and commitment to quality shaped Souvla's unique fast-fine dining model. He discusses the challenges of raising capital, the importance of team development and transparency, the decision to grow without institutional funding, and why patience and discipline have been central to Souvla's success. Charles also reflects on toxic restaurant culture, the power of doing one thing exceptionally well, and his vision for the future, including potential roles in real estate development and mentoring the next generation of restaurateurs. This episode offers invaluable insights for anyone interested in hospitality, entrepreneurship, and building a sustainable business with integrity.

Timestamps:

• [00:04:44] Introduction to Charles Bililies and the origin story of Souvla
• [00:05:44] The backyard lamb roast that sparked the concept
• [00:13:05] The leftover sandwich moment: Why this Greek sandwich needed to exist
• [00:27:21] Inspiration from In-N-Out and Hillstone: Doing one thing exceptionally well
• [00:35:50] Defining fast-fine dining: Real plates, table service, and intentional design
• [00:43:47] Leadership philosophy and building culture without toxicity
• [01:00:14] Growth strategy: The delicate balance of team readiness and real estate
• [01:03:18] Why Souvla has never taken institutional capital
• [01:09:21] The 24-hour catering disaster and the moment Charles thought it wouldn't work
• [01:14:46] What has changed Charles most: Celebrating the team's journey
• [01:23:06] The future of hospitality: Resilience and getting back to personal restaurants
• [01:38:33] Charles's third act: Real estate development and mentoring the next generation
  

Follow Hannah and Charles: 

Connect with ROY:

Instagram: @hospitablyroy

Website: https://www.thisisroy.com/

Connect with Hannah:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-collins-tate-b64981103/

Instagram: @hannah.collins.tate

Connect with Charles: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-bililies/

Website: https://www.souvla.com/

In this episode of Hot Gossip, we’re joined by Sara Deseran, longtime food writer, Editor at The San Francisco Standard, and former restaurateur behind the beloved Tacolicious group, for a conversation that sits at the tender intersection of food, storytelling, and staying power.

We explore what it means to devote yourself to an industry that is as beautiful as it is brutal, and the tension between the romanticism of restaurants and the stark realities behind the scenes. Sara shares what she’s learned from decades inside both the media and hospitality worlds, and why, despite everything, she’s still here.

From the power of a well-set dining room to the weight of being a cultural gatekeeper, this episode is about truth-telling in an industry that often resists it. We talk about the stories that don’t get told, the damage of “best of” lists, and the quieter, more lasting kind of influence that happens when a space, or a voice, makes you feel at home.

Timestamps

00:00 – Why we make this show: on devotion, generosity, and obsession

03:15 – Café Jacqueline: a single soufflé, a whole philosophy

08:10 – How media has evolved, and what it’s costing us

14:25 – Storytelling in the age of iPhones, algorithms, and burnout1

9:05 – Sara’s journey: from magazine mastheads to taco counters

25:50 – The Bon Appétit “mea culpa” and what writing from the inside looks like

32:30 – What we lose when we forget that restaurants are human endeavors

38:05 – Food writing vs. food reality: nuance, empathy, and the missing middle

46:00 – Can love and livelihood co-exist in hospitality?

51:30 – The danger of ranking joy: a critique of “Top 100” lists

59:45 – Substack, saturation, and writing when no one’s watching

1:06:30 – What a restaurant that feels like home actually gives us

1:09:00 – Why hospitality might be the last place left for real human connection

Links & Mentions

Connect with Sara Deseran

Website:  https://www.saradeseran.com/Editor: sfstandard.com 

Mea culpa, Bon Appétit: Dear Restaurant Owners

Connect with ROY Hospitality

Website: https://www.thisisroy.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hospitablyroy/

Connect with Hannah Collins Tate

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-collins-tate-b64981103/Hannah’s Substack: hannahcollinstate.substack.com

Connect with Jacob Cross

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-cross-61028012/

Justin Cogley (two-Michelin-starred chef of Aubergine at L'Auberge Carmel) reveals how an unconventional journey from competitive figure skating to Disney on Ice to the highest echelons of fine dining shaped his revolutionary approach to leadership and hospitality.

Justin opens up about his early obsession with food despite growing up on fast food, his formative years traveling Asia with Disney on Ice (where he'd skip buying designer clothes to dine at Michelin-starred restaurants), and his intense apprenticeship at Charlie Trotter's in Chicago. But what makes this conversation remarkable is Justin's candid reflection on rejecting the toxic "screaming kitchen" culture he experienced and instead building a kitchen rooted in kindness, curiosity, and genuine care for his team.

We explore Justin's philosophy of "all-in mastery" whether it's ultra-marathon running, champagne expertise, or cooking, and how his relationship with pain and endurance informs everything he creates. He shares the pivotal moments that shaped his competitive drive, from teachers who told him he'd never be a doctor to running 100-mile races fueled by the thought of breakfast buffets.

Justin also discusses the practical realities of running a two-Michelin-star restaurant in a small coastal town, his commitment to taking his entire team on annual international trips, his nuanced views on local versus sustainable sourcing, and why he believes Michelin stars should be a reflection of mastery rather than a source of ego or kitchen tyranny.

The conversation closes with a look toward Justin's new casual concept: a champagne and oyster-focused restaurant that will bring the same level of product quality and intentionality to a more accessible format, proving that "casual" doesn't mean compromising on excellence.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

00:40 Justin Cogley's Unique Leadership Style

01:49 The Evolution of Fine Dining

03:16 Justin's Personal Journey and Philosophy

05:11 From Ice Skating to Culinary Arts

10:51 The Culinary School and Early Career

18:45 Travel and Culinary Inspiration

26:14 The Drive for Excellence

31:18 Endurance and Ultra Marathon Running

37:20 Traveling and Power Save Mode

37:55 Passion for Champagne

42:18 Leadership and Restaurant Culture

46:09 Challenges in the Restaurant Industry

53:15 Sourcing and Sustainability

01:01:08 Michelin Stars and Future Goals

01:05:16 Casual Dining Project

01:10:05 Rapid Fire Questions

Follow Hannah & Jacob and Justin:

Connect with Hannah & Jacob: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hospitablyroy/

Website: https://www.thisisroy.com/

Connect with Justin: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-cogley-32a926123/

Website: https://www.chefjustincogley.com/

Jen Pelka has built her career around one principle: always work with the best. From staging at Danielle restaurant with a single Crate & Barrel knife to founding The Riddler champagne bars and creating Une Femme wines, her trajectory reflects audacious vision paired with operational discipline.

In this conversation, Jen discusses the period when COVID forced her to close The Riddler, her house burned down in wildfires, and she lost her father, and how she transformed that compounding loss into strategic fuel for building what she believes will be the best canned wine company in America. She shares her "first, best, or only" positioning framework, the mechanics of setting SMART goals that enable bold asks, and why she's determined to prove that a woman-led wine brand can achieve a banner-level exit.

This episode offers tactical insights on leadership, the operational value of strategic clarity, and why resilience functions as a decision rather than a disposition.

Episode Timestamps:

00:00 - 02:30 - Introduction and episode preview

02:30 - 08:45 - Background: Philosophy major to hospitality entrepreneur

08:45 - 19:45 - The Danielle kitchen story

19:45 - 25:15 - Philosophy of working with the best

25:15 - 38:45 - The dark period: COVID, fire, and loss

38:45 - 42:00 - Entrepreneurship as resilience

42:00 - 47:30 - Wine industry challenges and scaling

47:30 - 53:30 - "First, best, or only" philosophy

53:30 - 58:30 - Leadership and team building

58:30 - 01:07:00 - Difficult leadership decisions

01:07:00 - 01:14:00 - Evolution of women-focused branding

01:14:00 - 01:16:30 - Future visions

01:16:30 - 01:19:00 - Co-founding with family

01:19:00 - 01:19:55 - Rapid fire questions

01:19:55 - 01:20:00 - Contact information and wrap-up

Follow Hannah, Jacob & Jen:

Connect with Hannah & Jacob: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hospitablyroy/

Website: https://www.thisisroy.com/

Connect with Jen: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferpelka/

Website: https://unefemmewines.com/

Josh Harris has maintained Trick Dog's position among the world's top bars for over a decade through a simple principle: never compromise what makes it essential. When COVID threatened to force every hospitality concept into survival mode, Josh made a different choice entirely.

This conversation examines the intentionality behind Trick Dog's biannual reinvention, the spatial and operational missteps that led to Bon Voyage's closure, and how Josh approaches leadership through outcome rather than process. We discuss his philosophy that hospitality exists at the intersection of form and concept, and how this thinking shapes his approach to Quik Dog at Mission Rock.

Josh's perspective on building authentic concepts while maintaining commercial viability offers insight into the discipline required to create lasting hospitality experiences. His work demonstrates how personal values can become business strategy when applied with consistency and care.

[00:00:00] - Opening: Multi-hyphenate hospitality leader

[00:11:00] - Trick Dog's menu evolution as business strategy

[00:14:00] - The intersection of form and concept in design

[00:18:00] - From law school to hospitality leadership

[00:24:00] - Building confidence behind the bar

[00:41:00] - Scaling success: what makes Trick Dog endure

[00:57:00] - Bon Voyage: lessons in space, location, and leadership

[01:13:00] - Management philosophy: trial by fire and ownership mindset

[01:20:00] - Community impact: raising $900K through hospitality

[01:27:00] - COVID decision: protecting brand integrity over revenue

[01:33:00] - Quik Dog concept development and design thinking

[01:40:00] - Mission Rock partnership and neighborhood building

[01:51:00] - Rapid fire: hospitality wisdom

Follow Josh:

Instagram: @josh_the_bonvivants@trickdogbar@quik_dog

Connect with ROY:

Instagram: @hospitablyroy

Website: https://www.thisisroy.com/

Connect with Hannah:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-collins-tate-b64981103/

Instagram: @hannah.collins.tate

Connect with Jacob:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-cross-61028012/

Hot Gossip. is a storytelling-driven podcast exploring the intersection of hospitality, design, and human connection. Hosted by Hannah Collins Tate, founder of ROY Hospitality Design Group, and Jacob Cross, creative strategist and media storyteller, this show uncovers the intentionality behind the world’s most compelling hospitality spaces.

Through raw, emotional, and inspiring conversations with innovators, designers, restaurateurs, and thought leaders, Hot Gossip. dives deep into the stories behind the spaces that shape our lives. From the psychology of design to the future of branding and guest experience, we uncover the magic that makes people feel at home—wherever they are.