Corporate Team Building in Hospitality | 6min snip from The Fort

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#383 - Hunter Pond - Founder @ Vandelay Hospitality Group - The Hottest Restaurateur in America

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CHAPTER

Corporate Team Building in Hospitality

This chapter explores the essential criteria for assembling corporate teams in the hospitality sector, highlighting revenue generation over mere location count. The discussion also covers operational challenges, cloud kitchens, and the contrast between artistic vision and practical realities in restaurant management.

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Hunter Pond is the founder of Vandelay Hospitality Group, one of the most recognizable restaurant portfolios in Texas. From dropping out of law school mid-exam to launching East Hampton Sandwich Co. with no industry experience, Hunter shares how a love for restaurants kickstarted a hospitality empire.

We dive into the creation and evolution of VHG. Hunter breaks down the art and science behind successful concepts, why restaurants fail, and how his team approaches everything from vendor relationships to tip pooling and fraud prevention.

This episode covers:

- The impulsive moment that launched his restaurant career

- How a $20K investment and Craigslist chef shaped East Hampton’s early days

- The balance of creativity and discipline in full-service dining

- Building menus for flavor, efficiency, and profitability

- Lessons learned from private equity and selling his first concept

- Why restaurant success is often more about square footage than food

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