It was the spring of 2021. The pandemic had been extremely difficult for most, myself included. That being said, I had begun to find some good to come out of it. The time off allowed me to clean the clutter that had accrued in my mind from 10 years in Brooklyn. I biked all over the city from the Bronx to Rockaway Beach. I challenged myself to cook intricate recipes, including ones originating from my Eritrean heritage. I forged deeper bonds with my friends, and more importantly myself. I was able to devote time to my creative interests, and even wrote my first tv pilot. I had all but decided to retire from the career in hospitality I had built since moving out there, when I received a call from my friend and fellow Wisconsin Badger, Patrick.
“…….do you want to bartend at USC?”
USC was referring to Danny Meyer’s Union Square Café, an institution in the New York hospitality scene, and the flagship for his Union Hospitality Group which includes the Gramercy Tavern, and the Modern in the Museum of Modern Art. Prior to the pandemic Patrick managed the bar program at the latter, and before that worked with me in leadership for a student organization while we were on the UW-Madison campus. While I had told myself I was done with hospitality, Patrick and I had a very good history of working together and time was running out for me to find another industry to pivot into, so I took the job. It was the best decision I made in my hospitality career.
Years earlier while tending bar at a small cocktail spot in a retrofitted garage in Crown Heights, I had worked with a bartender from the South Pacific who grew up in Minnesota. He introduced me to the Japanese concept of Omotenashi. Characterized as wholehearted hospitality, it is guided by three core principles: meticulous attention to detail, foreseeing the needs of others, and surpassing expectations to ensure a memorable experience. Union Square Café not only allowed me to embrace this, but nurtured and acknowledged the practice. A sign next to the exit door of the kitchen displayed a term from another part of the world that was reiterated often during pre-shift meetings. From South Africa, the word Ubuntu – “I am because we are” – represents the philosophy that we are only able to be as good as those around us, and encourages support for one another in the workplace.
Fast forward to Spring 2025: After moving back to Madison, Wisconsin where I grew up to spend time closer to family, I found myself exploring new career opportunities. My life previously in the Greater Madison area included many years of experience in musical theater, as well as an undergraduate degree in Marketing from the Wisconsin School of Business. Through a bit of research, I discovered that my alma mater also delivers a master’s degree in business and arts leadership, and I was sold. During my time in New York, I gained a wealth of knowledge and skills, and it was these lessons of genuine hospitality and the importance of every job in creating a big picture that were the most important things I took from my experience. Not only were they applicable in my hospitality career, but they are transferable and will be instrumental to my career in the arts. I have already started to apply these lessons in how I approach my Applied Learning Placement as the Artistic Experiences Assistant with the Overture Center for the Arts, and will continue to hone them in my work there.
Though practicing Omotenashi and Ubuntu requires mindfulness and continuous learning, when effective they improve relationships and performance. I am excited to continue them in practice, and see their impact on my artistic journey.
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