James has been with The Quail for almost two years now, becoming Managing Director in September 2024 after an extremely interesting trajectory going back all the way to graduating from... The Culinary Institute of America! Before The Quail, he worked in Hong Kong at the corporate office of The Quail’s parent company, The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels as SVP of Food & Beverage, where his scope included The Peninsula Hotels worldwide.  He first joined The Peninsula Hotels in 2008 as Executive Chef of The Peninsula Beverly Hills, where remained for 9 years holding several executive positions. During our chat, he couldn’t stop emphasizing how focused and appreciative he is of his team, calling it a privilege to work with such brilliant people. That experience is what leads to my favorite part of our conversation: food is a catalyst for human connection. Food unites people, brings them together—think Thanksgiving—and on the alcoholic beverage side; it’s commonly known as a social lubricant. Food & beverage --> human connection. Truly the most eye-opening realization I had. 

What gets James out of bed isn’t just putting food on the table, like it is for a lot of people. It’s “the potential of tomorrow.” The shared passion he has with his team keeps him going too, and although it may not be perfectly easy to draw a line between culinary and where he is today, when you go back to the idea that food & beverage brings people together, it’s crystal clear. He’s really looking forward to Eve on the Green during Car Week, an exclusive gathering celebrating the 100th anniversary of Route 66. He was mum about long-term goals for The Quail —stay tuned is all he could say. 

James really values the Chamber because it lets all of us actively support the people in the community, similar to the Chamber’s “Shop Local” idea. When I asked if he’d recommend membership to other business owners, before I even clicked my pen, he said, “Absolutely.” He is a firm believer that any and all businesses should be members, but participation is everything. Showing up to mixers, collaborating, and being present is what makes the membership actually work for you. His advice for new business owners is to invest in your reputation and your relationships (like through the Chamber!) and find a passion you can commercialize. As both he and my dad have said, “you can have a brilliant idea or passion, but what really matters is what you do with it.”