This week, Seat Yourself friend Greg Kirrish joins us again - this time to discuss the notion that perhaps the comeback of the foodservice & hospitality industry may already be underway, but just not easily visible to everyone just yet. There’s some specific evidence that there just may be reasons for optimism….but as usual, our conversation doesn’t run from the realities of our current situation.

In the discussion, we also talk about the keys that companies of all types – operator, supply chain, and manufacturer/supplier – all need to focus on for success as we think about coming out of COVID-19 lockdown.

This week, when our scheduled guest had an emergency and could not make it, we had an opportunity to test our agility and quickly pivot to re-write our planned podcast.

Keeping with our original idea of maintaining good mental health and the various support groups available to us during these trying times, we have tried to focus our attention on the needs of our colleagues within the global hospitality and foodservice industry. Practicing self-care and self compassion could never be more important than during the current COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to those two critical elements, we all will need the support of others at some point and sometimes we will need the help of a group of others.

This week’s episode has thoughts on all of that to help ourselves or others that we may know.

This week, in our latest Creative Spectrum episode, we sit with hospitality tabletop veteran Bob Thomson for a different kind of conversation. However, today’s conversation won’t be about tabletop and we think you may find a side of Bob that many are not likely aware of.

As you probably know by now, each of our conversations in our Creative Spectrum series are meant to influence, impact and inspire. As Bob describes his own “2nd Chance” journey with his new venture Bobby T’s Up In Smoke, we think he scores direct hits on all three of those.

And, if you listen closely, you may even be able to “hear” the smile in Bob’s voice as he describes both the how and the why behind SW Florida’s hottest new brand–Bobby T’s Up In Smoke.

In this week’s episode, we switch back to our focus on beverages – specifically, cocktails-to-go, except that this time we add in some great content on mocktails as Copenhagen’s Zander Lauritzen Hansen returns to Seat Yourself. Zander is CEO of Mixology International.

Additionally, Zander gives us his take on how restaurants and bars can take their sustainability efforts to the next level and a few reasons for doing so that you may not have considered.

All this under a new banner we are calling the Beverage Bar.

In this week’s episode of our new series The Creative Spectrum, we could not be more excited to sit with this week’s guest. In what might be our most anticipated interview to date, the very talented – and very creative - Jason Wange from Cal-Mil Products joins us. Jason has recently started a new position as Sr. Director of Sales for the Western Region Sales for Cal-Mil and you may be wondering… “Why? "- in a series called “The Creative Spectrum”, would we would have a foodservice sales manager on our podcast? Let’s just call it Jason’s strong message of creative “compassionate thinking” and “creative product/company cultures”. Listen to our episode and we’re guessing you’ll understand our “why” on this week’s episode.

In this week’s episode of our new series The Creative Spectrum, we are extremely excited to welcome designer-creator Yvette Craddock. Yvette is a designer-creator whose talents extend into many areas of design and creativity – whether they be when she designs spaces or experiences, or the products that Yvette designs. Based in America’s southwest region, Yvette’s projects  - and the positive influence generated by them – can be felt all across America.

We are extremely excited to have Yvette Craddock join us and discuss her views on great design and what that means, along with her thoughts and opinions on how all of us are positively impacted by design each and every day.

In this next episode of our new series The Creative Spectrum, we are very excited to have Sahar Madanat join us. Sahar is Founder of Twelve° - a growing and award-winning multidisciplinary team of designers and engineers based in Amman, Jordan

Sahar has been working with both national and international clients for the past twenty years. And while Sahar is an industrial designer by her training – she is an entrepreneur and design advocate by heart. One of the most award-winning designers in the Middle East, Sahar’s design work ranges from medical devices to new concept furniture.

We are extremely excited to have Sahar Madanat join us and discuss her philosophy towards creating, her design process and the influence and inspiration she hopes to bring to others with the creations that she and her teammates at Twelve° bring forward.

In the launch of our new series The Creative Spectrum we are very excited to have as our first guest London’s Maham Anjum.  A graduate of the Royal College of Art and Central St Martins, Maham’s creative dinnerware designs have been used extensively in the hospitality industry as well as creating ranges for international manufacturers.

Maham Anjum joins us to discuss what inspires and drives her creativity, along giving us a glimpse in the creative life of a true global ceramic artisan.

In this episode of our Seat Yourself podcast, we start with the exciting announcement of our new series The Creative Spectrum. As we look towards the future, we tell you the “why” behind this very exciting new series and the thought process behind its development.

This week’s episode of Seat Yourself also includes a timely commentary on how can use the current coronavirus situation to our advantage and become a stronger – and better – self.

In this episode of our Seat Yourself podcast, Zander Lauritzen Hansen returns for a deeper dive into the growing trend of Cocktails-To-Go. With specific topics such as menu recommendations, why certain spirits work better for cocktails to go and even suggestions on how to partner with vendors, Hansen speaks directly to operators of all types.

And, of course, Copenhagen-based Zander Lauritzen Hansen is the head of the Danish Bartender Association and is CEO of Scandic Bar and Mixology International.