FULL COMP: The Voice of the Restaurant Industry Revolution She Thought She Wasn’t Ready—Then She Won It All: Emily Brubaker on Leading with Heart and Rewriting the Rules
What if imposter syndrome wasn’t a weakness, but a compass?
Emily Brubaker didn’t think she was ready to run a resort kitchen. She didn’t think she’d win a national TV competition. But she did both—by betting on her values, not her ego.
In this episode, we get into the real story behind her journey from Vegas fine dining to Omni La Costa. She opens up about leaving the kitchen to raise kids, coming back through heartbreak and grit, and the radical changes she’s making to leadership culture in resorts.
We talk about redefining balance, leading with empathy, and what it looks like to finally believe in yourself—without losing your edge.
This one’s for every operator who’s ever felt like they didn’t belong. Emily shows us that growth doesn’t always start with confidence. Sometimes it starts with a question: “What if I’m wrong about myself?”
To follow her work, check her Instagram @chefbrubs.
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