Trailblazers in Hospitality & Hotels: Career Curves, Comfort Food, and the (Very Real) Cost of Being a Woman in Charge

With a sold-out room and four powerhouse women on stage, the “Trailblazers in Hospitality & Hotels” panel at Passport to 2025 delivered honesty, insight, and a lot of laughs...alongside some sharp truths about what it takes to lead as a woman in today’s travel industry.

Moderated by AllBright CEO Viv Paxinos, the session opened the conference with Lydia Forte, Group Director of F&B at Rocco Forte Hotels; Tessa Gorman, Managing Director of Rosewood London; Tamara Lohan, Founder of Mr & Mrs Smith; and Judy Joo, chef, restaurateur, television host, and founder of the Korean fried chicken concept Seoul Bird—each with very different paths into hospitality and candid takes on what it means to stay in the game.

Career Reinvention in Hospitality: No Straight Lines, Just Bold Pivots

Judy Joo, founder of Seoul Bird and a regular on television, shared her unexpected journey into hospitality. She started out in engineering, pivoted to trading fixed income derivatives at Goldman Sachs, and then quit to attend culinary school...against her parents’ wishes. “I went from a high-paying job to peeling potatoes,” she said. “But I believe in betting on yourself. Backing yourself. Even on the hardest days.”

Similarly driven by instinct over tradition, Tamara Lohan never set out to launch a hospitality empire. After a failed attempt to introduce a new energy drink in Brazil, she returned to the UK and co-founded Mr & Mrs Smith with her husband. What began as a passion project evolved from a website to booking engine and a global brand, which was acquired by Hyatt in 2023. “Mr. & Mrs. Smith started as a rebellion against beige,” she said. “Hotels were boring. We wanted to champion the beautiful, the individual. Something that felt personal.”

By contrast, Lydia Forte had hospitality in her blood. She worked her way up through restaurants before stepping into the role of Group Director of F&B for her family’s luxury hotel group. Today, she oversees concept creation across 13 Rocco Forte Hotels in Europe. “We start with the location,” she explained. “What’s special about the space? What do people actually want to eat there?”

Meanwhile, Tessa Gorman’s career spanned continents and cultures, with stints at Aman, Bulgari, and Cheval Blanc before taking the helm at Rosewood London. Now the property’s first female Managing Director, she spoke openly about the pressures that come with leadership. “The level of expectation, the demands of running a hotel is not really set up for people with other responsibilities,” she said. “I’m a single mother. It’s not easy.”

Personalized Hospitality: Why Human Touch Still Wins Over AI

When it comes to personalization, all four panelists agreed: it’s no longer a luxury, it’s the baseline.

Still, the most effective personalization, they emphasized, comes from real people, not programs. Gorman shared a memorable story from Rosewood London where her head butler noticed a young guest clutching a well-loved Harry Potter book. Without being asked, the team suspended 200 flickering candles from the ceiling and played the film score as the family returned from the show. “They were speechless,” she said. “That’s the magic. And it doesn’t come from tech. It comes from people.”

Caution around AI was clear. “We’re in danger of putting screens between people,” Lohan warned. “AI can support us, but it cannot replace the emotional intelligence of someone making eye contact and saying ‘Welcome.’”

Food & Beverage Trends: Comfort, Simplicity, and Emotional Connection

The conversation turned from technology to taste...and here, too, emotion and connection reigned.

Joo noted a major shift toward casual, comforting food, even in high-end spaces. “People are craving comfort right now,” she said. “They want food that feels familiar. That comforts and connects.” She’s even seen luxury hotel guests order in fast food, seeking something emotionally grounding, not just gastronomically impressive.

Echoing that sentiment, Forte described the rise of simpler, healthier dining across her hotel group. “Luxury today means giving people what they want in that moment,” she said. “Not dictating how they should feel.” That means less alcohol, more vegetable-based dishes, and greater menu flexibility for all dietary preferences.

Together, they agreed: the future of food is not foam or formality. It’s flavor, flexibility, and emotional relevance.

Building Luxury Hospitality Brands with Authentic Partnerships

When it comes to creating standout hospitality concepts, Forte believes authenticity—and chemistry—are key.

Her latest project, Bar Artemisia at the Hotel Savoy in Florence, was inspired by 17th-century painter Artemisia Gentileschi and celebrates women through a menu of all-female-produced spirits and cocktails. “It started with a sense of place and a feminist icon,” she said. “And then it got fun.”

Another recent venture—a tequila bar in partnership with luxury shoe brand Aquazzura—grew out of a holiday conversation over spicy margaritas. “It was about shared values,” Forte explained. “Great service, a bit of fun, and that Italian connection.”

Women in Hospitality Leadership: Systemic Change Starts with Honesty

As the conversation shifted toward gender equity, the energy in the room changed. This wasn’t just about inspiration—it was about naming the structural barriers and calling for cultural change.

Judy Joo, "Don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself. And never quit.”

“Don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself,” said Joo. “And never quit.” She spoke candidly about the risks she’s taken to build her career—from leaving a lucrative career in Wall Street to bootstrapping her restaurant brand, Seoul Bird. “There’s no day off. You have to bet on yourself every single day, especially on the hardest days.”

Joo also highlighted the reality of failure, especially in hospitality and media. “I have more stories of failure than I do success, believe me,” she said. “Particularly in the television world. It’s constant rejection. But you learn from every single one. You fail, you adapt, and you keep moving forward.” Her advice? Embrace rejection. Learn from it. And don’t let it derail your drive.

“Even if you have imposter syndrome,” Forte added, “just keep going. You’ll get better with every try.”

Lohan expressed frustration that outdated narratives—like the recent “masculinity” quote from Mark Zuckerberg—still hold sway in business. “Sometimes we just get so tired as women,” she admitted. “Tired of being the only one in the room, tired of banging the female drum.” But she urged the audience not to give up: “Now is the time to stand up, to bring other women along with you, to call out those who helped you—and to leave the door open and the ladder down for others to follow.”

Importantly, she emphasized the role of male allies: “I wouldn’t be where I am without my husband, who supported me and put me in the CEO seat. We need to find the men who have daughters, wives, sisters—men who want to see women succeed—and keep them close.”

That message hit home for Gorman, who became visibly emotional as she reflected on her own journey. “I wouldn’t be sitting here today if it weren’t for an inspirational man in this industry,” she said. “We have to bring men into the conversation. We have to explain the double burden—how women still carry the majority of the domestic load, even as we’re expected to be constantly on call in leadership roles.”

Lydia Forte with Tamara Lohan and Tessa Gorman

At Rosewood London, Gorman is turning insight into action. Her team has introduced compulsory menopause awareness training for all managers—most of whom are men. “Menopause hits right when women are at their highest earning potential, and yet no one talks about it,” she said. “We’re losing a huge portion of talented women at exactly the moment they should be rising. That has to change.”

She also addressed the confidence gap: “When we’re interviewing men and women, we have to understand the difference. A man might come to the table with 60% of the skills and total confidence. A woman might have 100% of the skills but still hesitate. We have to recognize excellence in women—and understand that it often looks different.”

The Future of Hospitality Is Female—And Fiercely Human

Careers aren’t linear. Progress isn’t guaranteed. But if this panel proved anything, it’s that the women shaping hospitality today aren’t just navigating change...they’re creating it, and making space for others, too.