March 26, 2023

Brendhan Kelly: Hospitality Communication Manager

Brendhan Kelly: Hospitality Communication Manager

This episode I speak with Brendhan Kelly, the Hospitality Communication Manager for the Tysons Group of restaurants. Tysons is most well known for Ivy Place, Cicada, Smokehouse, and the iconic TY Harbor Brewery in Tennozu Isle. If you have dinned at any of these restaurants you were most likely impressed with the unique level of personalized hospitality. This is a direct result of Brendhan's input and influence. We discuss Tysons brand of "Global Hospitality" and how he trains and imparts this with staff and mentors and empowers them to become "experience creators".  You will also hear about how after years of consulting work, he suddenly switched careers in his mid-40's, walked into a Tysons restaurant and said "I want to work here". Other highlights from our conversation:

  • The difference between "Service" and "Hospitality"
  • A story about entertaining 350 South Africans during the rugby World Cup 
  • How he empowers staff to give personalized service
  • Pet peeve about restaurants in Japan
  • The big break which catapulted him to his current position
  • Mentoring techniques to teach better hospitality
  • The best compliment he could ever receive
  • The story behind the IPA name
  • How his father's business and childhood influenced his interest in hospitality
  • The one establishment which has better hospitality than his chain
  • How hospitality affects the bottom line in the restaurant business

gugu Sleep Company https://gugu.jp
Dream Drive: https://www.dreamdrive.life
Brendhan Kelly: https://www.tysons.jp/en/recruit/interview-brendan
Tysons & Company: https://www.tysons.jp/en/about