In our first IRL episode of the 'Bolder and Wiser' podcast, we sat down with award-winning chef and culinary operations leader Philip Wang in his kitchen in San Francisco. With an impressive career spanning Michelin-starred restaurants across the U.S. and high-profile roles at Airbnb and Meta, Philip shares his journey from struggling with academics to excelling in the culinary and business world. 

A few nuggets of wisdom:

1. Not judging yourself by what you hear other people talking about: mindset shift from “utterly terrified” to  “I could do this”
2. The difference between leadership and authority: leadership can come from anywhere in an organization 
3. The importance of trust among peers to building sustainable peak performance 
4. Creating an environment as a leader where team members have the freedom to fail—mistakes are going to happen and how you respond to a mistake is what matters most
5. The journey and the means by which you achieve results, more than the dish served or outcomes themselves, are at the heart of a true leader’s legacy

He discusses his transformative experiences, the importance of relationships, and the lessons he's learned about leadership, mentorship, and the true meaning of success.

Join us for an authentic conversation that delves deep into the life and philosophy of a chef who values the impact he makes on people over the dishes he creates.

🔗 ENGAGE WITH MICHELLE KRAEMER

Interested in Coaching? Reach out to schedule consultation: https://michellekraemercoaching.com/

Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mlkraemer/

🔗 FOLLOW PETER WANG

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

🔗 FOLLOW PHILIP WANG

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-wang-472ba42a/

📚 REFERENCES

Locations:

• The Strongbow Inn (how Philip got his foot into the Culinary door): https://www.nwitimes.com/the-strongbow-inn/article_15a12167-a9a2-5771-b86e-a9e0a2ae79fc.html
• Rubicon in San Francisco (Philip’s first job): https://www.winespectator.com/articles/rubicon-shuttered-4283
• French Blue (first restaurant Philip founded): https://www.napaman.com/napamancom/2012/07/in-st-helena-fb-does-not-mean-facebook-fb-is-the-towns-toniest-new-restaurant-french-blue.html

Institutions:

• Culinary Institute of America: https://www.ciachef.edu/
• Meta: https://www.meta.com/
• Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/

People:

• Traci Des Jardins (American award-winning chef, Philip’s mentor): https://www.tracidesjardins.com/
• Julia Child: https://www.pbs.org/food/chefs/julia-child
• Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet: https://www.amazon.com/Frugal-Gourmet-Jeff-Smith/dp/0517203650
• Joël Robuchon (French chef, famous for his potato puree): https://jrobuchon.com/

Concepts:

• Infinite Mindset: See Simon Sinek’s The Infinite Game—https://simonsinek.com/books/the-infinite-game/

⌚️ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 How I want to be remembered