Hospitality Folks podcast · Episode S1E13
From Dishes to Culinary Director: Breaking Toxic Kitchen Culture & Leading With Kindness | Adam Mali
What does it actually take to build a career at the highest levels of global hospitality and what does the industry need to fix before it loses its best people?
In this episode of Hospitality Folks, host Alicia Dick Wahlberg sits down with Adam Mali — an internationally experienced culinary leader and operations director who has worked alongside multiple Michelin-starred chefs across Europe and North America, shaped fine dining concepts for luxury hotel groups, and spent decades studying what separates truly great hospitality from the rest.
A fluent French speaker with deep roots in European culinary culture, Adam is as comfortable in a three-Michelin-star kitchen as he is at a tucked-away neighbourhood bistro in the south of France and he’ll tell you the latter often teaches you more.
This episode covers:
The origins of toxic “badass chef” culture and why it still persists in elite kitchens
What working alongside Pierre Gagnaire taught Adam about world-class culinary leadership
The bread starter moment that permanently changed how Adam leads people
Why ghosting in hospitality recruitment is quietly driving the industry’s best talent away
How to build a team that stays because they want to — not because they have to
Adam’s vision: an unassuming, exceptional restaurant somewhere in the hills of Provence
Whether you’re a culinary student, a seasoned F&B director, or a hospitality leader anywhere in the world looking to reshape your team culture, this conversation will challenge how you think about leadership, mentorship, and what it truly means to run a great kitchen.
🔗 Connect with Adam Mali: / adammalichef
🔗 Connect with Alicia Dick Wahlberg: / aliciadickwahlberg
Hospitality Folks is a podcast for the people who feed, host, and lead — exploring the real stories behind the industry.
#HospitalityLeadership #CulinaryDirector #ChefLife #FineDining #KitchenCulture #MichelinStar #HospitalityFolks #ChefMentorship #FoodAndBeverage #EuropeanCuisine #LuxuryHospitality”
