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What’s Cooking EP #12

Easy on people, tough on standards: A COO's leadership philosophy

In this episode of What’s Cooking?, host Conor Sheridan talks with Amy Hom, Chief Operating Officer at Barcelona Wine Bar, about scaling leadership in hospitality. From humble beginnings to the C-suite, Amy shares powerful insights on developing frontline teams, creating real culture, and making operations more human. A must-listen for operators navigating complexity at scale.
By Conor Sherdian with
December 11, 2025 - 41 mins
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Description
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Discover how to develop frontline teams, create real culture, and make operations more human
What You'll Learn in This Episode
  • Why frontline development is a non-negotiable for restaurant success
  • How to balance empathy with high standards in leadership
  • Practical advice on implementing new tech in multi-site operations
  • The importance of stay interviews and succession planning
  • Why culture is built through action, not slogans

Meet our guest

Amy Hom is a veteran operator and board leader with over 20 years in hospitality. From sweetgreen to REEF and now Barcelona Wine Bar, Amy has held top roles and now channels her experience into mentoring future leaders through initiatives like LEAD and GLEAM Network.

Connect with Amy

About the host

Conor Sheridan is the founder and CEO of Nory, an AI-powered restaurant management system alongside being the co-founder of Mad Egg. Conor blends hands-on restaurant experience with a passion for tech-driven efficiency and profitability in hospitality.

Connect with Conor Sheridan
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