In this episode of Defining Hospitality, Dan Ryan sits down with Thomas Oh, Co-Founder & General Manager of Perilla Korean American Steakhouse, and Daphne Shin, Founder & Principal Designer of the Ruimte, two passionate creators working at the intersection of culture, cuisine, and design. Sponsored by BERMANFALK, the episode delves into the unique approach Thomas and Daphne take to blend Korean cultural elements into their business ventures in Chicago.

About the Guests:

Thomas Oh is the co-founder and director of operations at Perilla Korean American Steakhouse. With a mission to introduce Korean culture through dining experiences, Thomas highlights the seamless integration of Korean and American culinary elements at Perilla.

Daphne Shin is the founder and principal designer of the Ruimte, an interior design firm. Through her design work at L7 Hotel, Daphne strives to create environments where every guest, regardless of background, feels at home.

Chapters:

02:26 Defining Hospitality

04:38 Building L7 Chicago

06:33 Designing Perilla Steakhouse

15:26 Korean DNA in the Hotel

19:40 Reception in Chicago

24:49 The K Wave Momentum

27:28 Entrepreneur Lessons

30:08 Teamwork Solves Problems

30:43 Exhaust System Collaboration

32:13 Sponsor Sustainability Note

32:48 Immigrant Path to Hospitality

34:56 Little Victories in Service

38:17 Design vs Operations Reality

42:15 Dream Projects and Timelessness

46:35 Hotel and Restaurant Synergy

49:43 How Lotte Found Them

51:09 Luck Meets Hard Work

53:27 Closing Thanks and Farewell

Quote of the Show:

"It's exciting for me and for the team here, for them to come into our space… We're not screaming this is Korean to them, but they're loving the design of this restaurant and the hotel." - Thomas Oh

Building a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.

Links:

• Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1
• Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/
• BERMANFALK: https://www.bermanfalk.com/
• Thomas Oh LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-oh-b6164570/
• Daphne Shin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphne-shin-1a223b44/
• Daphne Shin Email: daphne@theruimte.com
• Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/

Tags:

#hospitality #Koreancuisine #design #Kwave #defininghospitality #podcasting #ChicagoDining

In this episode of Defining Hospitality, Dan Ryan sits down with Michaelangelo L’Acqua, a global entertainment director and music/lifestyle branding expert, to discuss hospitality as “infrastructure” built through sound, motifs, and emotional arcs across dayparts. Sponsored by BERMANFALK, this conversation dives into shifting luxury expectations, analog-era craft, and mentoring creatives within business-driven environments.

Michelangelo shares how sound serves as the unseen architect in the world of hospitality, crafting emotional journeys for guests.

About the Guest:

Michaelangelo L'Acqua is a Global Entertainment Director and Founder of his creative strategy agency, L'Acqua Agenzia. With a legacy of working with iconic brands like Virgin Voyages and W Hotels, he brings decades of experience in music branding and luxury lifestyle curation. Known for pioneering concepts like the Sonic Identity Brand Bible, L'Acqua remains a leading voice in integrating sound as a critical component of the hospitality experience, continuously shaping the future of how spaces sound and resonate with their audience.

Chapters:

01:17 Whale Shark Memories

02:51 What Hospitality Means

03:52 Sonic Architect Idea

05:09 Motifs and Brand Magic

07:04 Building a Sonic Bible

10:18 Sound Drives Revenue

12:32 Mentors and Early Grind

14:29 Tom Ford Breakthrough

17:37 From Fashion to Hotels

20:30 Analog Era Work Ethic

23:04 Staying Relevant in Luxury

27:27 Timeless Formulas and Flow

30:57 Building Sonic Brand DNA

33:04 Virgin Voyages Layer Cake

36:59 W Hotel Reinvents Hospitality

39:45 Finding Local Tastemakers

41:29 Mentorship Over Ego

44:44 Sound Beats Brick

48:07 Next Decade Soundtrack

50:49 Timeless Meets New

53:30 Hall of Fame Tangent

55:46 Wrap Up And Connect

Quote of the Show:

"I truly believe that there are moments I can really tap into unconscious feelings within somebody. And if I can do that… you're gonna walk away from that experience and say that was a great night. I don't know why, but it was just special." - Michelangelo L’Acqua

Building a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.

Links:

• Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1
• Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/
• BERMANFALK: https://www.bermanfalk.com/
• Michelangelo L’Acqua LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelangelo-lacqua/
• Starwood Hotels: https://www.starwoodhotels.com/
• Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/

Tags:

#DefiningHospitality #HospitalityDesign #HotelDesign #GuestExperience #SonicArchitect #HotelInnovation

In this episode of Defining Hospitality, Dan Ryan sits down with Saxton Sharad to explore how hospitality and hotel design are evolving for today’s guest experience. Sponsored by BERMANFALK, this conversation dives into micro vacations, invisible hospitality, and how modern leadership is reshaping the way hotels connect with travelers.

Saxton shares how Hideaway Inns is redefining hospitality by blending local authenticity, frictionless experiences, and thoughtful design to meet the expectations of millennials and Gen Z guests.

About the Guest:

Saxton Sharad is the Founder and CEO of Revival Hotels and Hideaway Inns, where he’s building a portfolio of design-forward boutique properties in destinations like Mount Sunapee, Mount Snow, and Lenox. He previously helped scale Graduate Hotels and has worked across major brands, but is now pioneering a high-margin “invisible hospitality” model that’s delivering additional operating profit across his properties.

Chapters:

01:15 Office Vibes And Intentionality

03:03 Defining Hospitality

05:58 Origins Of The Philosophy

07:51 Unplugging And Micro Breaks

09:18 Hideaway Inns Vision

11:00 Millennial Travel Shift

14:15 Building From Guest Research

17:02 Authenticity And Giving Back

25:59 Invisible Hospitality Platform

30:30 Innkeeper Model Explained

36:11 Owner Economics And Margins

39:58 Lease Deal Sweeteners

40:36 Scale And Tech Advantage

44:35 Innkeeper Career Model

46:53 Fixing Hospitality Turnover

48:15 Design Led Growth Plan

50:00 Fandom And Regional Focus

56:21 Revival Management Focus

58:41 Invisible Or Full Service

01:01:35 Authenticity Through Local Art

01:03:27 Berkshires Travel Pitch

01:07:59 Wrap Up And Thanks

Quote of the Show:

“ I don't care how talented you are or how much money you have in your pocket, you cannot be good at everything. Step into what you're good at, find that strength, and live that strength.” - Saxton Sharad

Building a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.

Links:

• Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1
• Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/
• BERMANFALK: https://www.bermanfalk.com/
• Saxton Sharad LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saxton-sharad-cha-6642a49/
• Hideaway Inns: https://www.hideawayinns.com/
• Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/

Tags:

#DefiningHospitality #HospitalityDesign #HotelDesign #GuestExperience #MillennialTravel #BoutiqueHotels #HotelInnovation