Missy Robbins is the James Beard Award–winning chef behind Lilia and Misi, two of Brooklyn’s most admired restaurants, as well as the co-founder of Misi Pasta and Grovehouse Hospitality. Over her three-decade career, she has cooked in landmark kitchens, reimagined her relationship with Italian cuisine, rebuilt her life after burnout, and developed some of New York’s most intentional teams. In this episode, Robbins joins Matt Jennings and Carolyn Grillo to talk about leadership, mentorship, identity, personal evolution, and the discipline of trusting your instincts.

Takeaways

• Promote from within to strengthen culture and maintain continuity
• Trust your instincts when making major decisions
• Build spaces around authenticity rather than external validation
• Travel broadly to expand perspective and creativity
• Give responsibility early so teams have room to grow
• Hire for attitude and curiosity over résumé prestige
• Create businesses that reflect your values, not industry expectations
• Be honest about burnout and give yourself space to reset
• Let people evolve into leaders
• Invest in coaching to develop communication, empathy, and partnership
• Maintain high standards while learning when to let go
• Lead by example, especially for women looking for representation

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