Hospitality Daily Podcast

How Robert De Niro in "Casino" Influenced My Career in Hospitality - Ernest Lee, citizenM

Josiah Mackenzie

In this episode, Ernest Lee, Chief Commercial Officer of citizenM, shares how he got started in hospitality and the valuable lessons he learned along the way.

  • Background and Early Influences (00:00) - Learn about Ernest's upbringing and how his early jobs in food and hospitality businesses influenced his career path.
  • First Job Experiences (01:06) - Discover Ernest's favorite part-time job and what he loved about the dynamic and energy of the hospitality environment.
  • Education and Career Path (01:48) - Understand why Ernest chose to attend NYU Hotel School and his initial aspirations to become a General Manager or work in operations.
  • Importance of Attention to Detail (02:20) - Hear a story about a scene from the movie "Casino" and how it relates to Ernest's experience as a junior housekeeping manager, emphasizing the importance of details in hospitality.
  • Misconceptions About Hospitality (04:15) - Learn about the "Anthony Bourdain effect" and the reality of working in hospitality, including both the glamorous and unglamorous aspects of the industry.

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Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

People on this episode