Why Restaurants Live and Die By Their People with Christine Marvin, Founder of Columbine Hospitality

What does it actually take to build a restaurant that lasts and to scale it without burning out?

In this episode of My Food Job Rocks, Adam Yee sits down with Christin Marvin, CEO of Columbine Hospitality, who started as a 15-year-old line cook flipping enchiladas and went on to open 13 restaurants across concepts from speakeasy barbecue to casual French. Today she coaches multi-location restaurant owners on how to grow the right way.

Christin shares the lessons that carried through her 20-year career: the difference between the creativity of independent restaurants and the discipline of chains (and why the best operators blend both), what real hospitality looks like when you listen closely and never say no, and the hidden costs that blindside first-time builders — from $80,000 sprinkler systems to million-dollar construction overruns.

We also get into the hard stuff: why most owners scale out of ego instead of strategy, how to develop leaders from within so you can work on your business instead of in it, and her "low flame vs. high flame" approach to coaching people through uncomfortable feedback. Plus, an honest look at the toughest moment the industry has faced — rising costs, a post-pandemic talent shortage, grocery-store competition — and where AI genuinely helps versus where it should never touch the guest experience.

Whether you run a restaurant, lead a team, or just love the business of food, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom on leadership, hiring for values, and why investing in people is the highest-ROI move you can make.

In this episode:

• From line cook to five-star hotel to opening 13 restaurants
• Independent creativity vs. chain systems — and blending both
• Real hospitality: listening, saying yes, and creating memorable moments
• The hidden costs of building and scaling restaurants
• Why scaling out of ego leads to burnout
• Developing leaders from within to free up the owner
• Hiring for core values (you can't train those)
• "Low flame vs. high flame" coaching and giving hard feedback
• The toughest environment the industry has ever faced
• Where AI helps behind the scenes — and where it must stay out of the guest experience

Connect with Christin Marvin:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: columbinehospitality.com
• Podcast: The Restaurant Leadership Podcast (bi-weekly)
• LinkedIn: daily leadership content
• Free coaching session: email and mention you heard her on Adam Yee's show

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