High stakes hospitality on Valentine’s Day

Many years ago, my husband and I attempted the classic Valentine’s Day night out. We booked a table months in advance, dressed up, and joined the sea of couples celebrating love. But the experience didn’t feel romantic. The service was rushed, the kitchen was behind, the wine was served too warm, and the restaurant, having crammed extra tables into every available inch, felt chaotic. The energy in the room wasn’t love; it was stress. After that, we never attempted a Valentine’s dinner out again.

Fast forward to today. I now own a restaurant recently named one of the 100 most romantic in the country, and I’ve spent nearly a decade leading teams through one of the most high-pressure weekends in hospitality. The difference between a frazzled, frustrating service and an exceptional one isn’t just in the logistics—it’s in the mindset.

When you coach your team, focus on this shift. It’s easy to get caught up in the challenges: high guest expectations, special menus, tight turn times, and the unpredictable nature of service. But what if, instead of bracing for the storm, we reframed the moment? What if we recognized the unique energy in the room? The way guests light up when they toast their future, the nervous excitement of a first Valentine’s together, the quiet intimacy of a couple celebrating years of love. That energy can inspire a team to rise to the occasion, to see themselves as the creators of that magic rather than the victims of cupid’s chaos.

This is what I help hospitality teams do. I teach leaders how to set the tone, turn high-pressure nights into opportunities for excellence, and build a culture where hospitality feels effortless, even on the busiest days. If you want to strengthen your team’s mindset and execution—whether for one big night or year-round—let’s talk.