On this week's Culinary Confidential, Christina Cates sits down with Sam Bakhshandehpour, President of Merchants at Bilt, and one of the rare executives who has shaped hospitality from every angle: luxury, lifestyle, loyalty, and the evolving business of belonging.

Sam's path cuts across the modern hospitality map, helping steer the Jose Andrés Group's global rise as CEO, and leading SBE Entertainment as President & CEO in a defining era of lifestyle, dining, and nightlife. But well before that, Sam got his start in the engine room of JPMorgan's real estate and lodging investment banking division, working at the intersection of strategy, scale, culture, and community.

This conversation looks forward. How loyalty shifts from transactions to identity, how technology rewrites the guest journey, how brands build communities that feel lived-in as opposed to manufactured, and why the next era of hospitality will reward connection, trust, and emotional intelligence as much as design and service. Sam brings clarity, candor, and a sharp read on where the industry goes from here!

On this week's Culinary Confidential, Christina Cates sits down with Sam Bakhshandehpour, President of Merchants at&nbsp;Bilt, and one of the rare executives who has shaped hospitality from every angle: luxury, lifestyle, loyalty, and the evolving business of belonging.
Sam's path cuts across the modern hospitality map, helping steer the Jose Andr&eacute;s Group's global rise as CEO, and leading SBE Entertainment as President &amp; CEO in a defining era of lifestyle, dining, and nightlife. But well before that, Sam got his start in the engine room of JPMorgan's real estate and lodging investment banking division, working at the intersection of strategy, scale, culture, and community.
This conversation looks forward. How loyalty shifts from transactions to identity, how technology rewrites the guest journey, how brands build communities that feel lived-in as opposed to manufactured, and why the next era of hospitality will reward connection, trust, and emotional intelligence as much as design and service. Sam brings clarity, candor, and a sharp read on where the industry goes from here!

Each week, on CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL, Christina Cates - a seasoned foodie who has worked at some of the New York City's top restaurants, will share her passion for the culinary world. Whether you're a professional chef, a restaurant enthusiast, or a lover of good food, Christina dives into the heart of hospitality - exploring the trends, triumphs, and challenges facing the food service profession...And you won't want to miss her chats with some of the most interesting and influential industry voices. CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL, Sunday nights, at 9PM... exclusively on AM 970 The Answer.

Each week, on CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL, Christina Cates - a seasoned foodie who has worked at some of the New York City's top restaurants, will share her passion for the culinary world.&nbsp;Whether you're a professional chef, a restaurant enthusiast, or a lover of good food, Christina dives into the heart of hospitality - exploring the trends, triumphs, and challenges facing the food service profession...And you won't want to miss her chats with some of the most interesting and influential industry voices.&nbsp;CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL, Sunday nights, at 9PM... exclusively on AM 970 The Answer.

Culinary Confidential with Christina Cates

Sam Bakhshandehpour

Sun-drenched mornings, linen curtains drifting in the breeze, hydrangea-lined lanes that feel like they were pulled from a film reel - that's the world Lucy Swift Lemonides has created at A Room At The Beach, the Bridgehampton hideaway redefining the concept of boutique luxury.

Lemonides has built more than a hotel. She's crafted a unique atmosphere - one that's intimate and quietly indulgent, one where every detail feels intentional, and every moment feels personal. No pretense or overproduction - just serenity, style, and that unmistakable East End ease.

Lucy breaks down why travelers are moving away from mega resorts and towards curated, human scaled escapes, and how the Hamptons have become the blueprint for this new era of elevated travel.

Sunlight, Style, and Serenity. Now that's the Hamptons: redefined.

Sun-drenched mornings, linen curtains drifting in the breeze, hydrangea-lined lanes that feel like they were pulled from a film reel - that's the world Lucy Swift Lemonides has created at <a href="https://www.iwantaroomatthebeach.com/">A Room At The Beach</a>, the Bridgehampton hideaway redefining the concept of boutique luxury.
Lemonides has built more than a hotel. She's crafted a unique atmosphere - one that's intimate and quietly indulgent, one where every detail feels intentional, and every moment feels personal. No pretense or overproduction - just serenity, style, and that unmistakable East End ease.
Lucy breaks down why travelers are moving away from mega resorts and towards curated, human scaled escapes, and how the Hamptons have become the blueprint for this new era of elevated travel.
Sunlight, Style, and Serenity. Now that's the Hamptons: redefined.

The Hamptons' Most Charming Boutique Stay

This week on Culinary Confidential, Christina Cates sits down with Noah Rothbaum, one of the sharpest minds in whiskey and the cultural history behind it. As the author of The Whiskey Bible and Spirits Editor at Men's Journal, Rothbaum has spent years tracing how America's native spirit became a global force.

This conversation goes far beyond the glass. Rothbaum unpacks the people, regions, traditions, and reinventions shaping American whiskey, and why, as the nation approaches its 250th birthday, the story of our spirits is one on identity, craft, and the people that built both.

From bourbon country to the rebirth of classic cocktails, from heritage distillers to the new guard rewriting the rules, this episode explores how whiskey became its own cultural language.

In other words, rich, layered, and unmistakably American.

This week on Culinary Confidential, Christina Cates sits down with Noah Rothbaum, one of the sharpest minds in whiskey and the cultural history behind it. As the author of&nbsp;The Whiskey Bible and Spirits Editor at&nbsp;Men's Journal, Rothbaum has spent years tracing how America's native spirit became a global force.
This conversation goes far beyond the glass. Rothbaum unpacks the people, regions, traditions, and reinventions shaping American whiskey, and why, as the nation approaches its 250th birthday, the story of our spirits is one on identity, craft, and the people that built both.
From bourbon country to the rebirth of classic cocktails, from heritage distillers to the new guard rewriting the rules, this episode explores how whiskey became its own cultural language.
In other words, rich, layered, and unmistakably American.

American Spirits, American Stories with Noah Rothbaum

When a brewery stops acting like a brewery and starts thinking like a culinary institution, the entire industry shifts.

This week, Culinary Confidential is proud to spotlight Moody Tongue Brewing Company - the Chicago original rewriting the rules of flavor, technique, and hospitality. Founded by Jared Rouben, the brewery's "culinary brewmaster," Moody Tongue stands alone as the only Michelin-starred brewery on Earth. This star isn't a novelty. It's the result of Rouben's belief that beer can carry the same precision, depth, and narrative power as a chef's signature dish.

Culinary Confidential dives into how Moody Tongue built a new lane in fine dining - one where brewing becomes a disciplined, expressive culinary craft. From their acclaimed tasting menus to their meticulous approach to ingredients, the brand continues to expand what beer can be and how guests experience it.

Their universe is also still growing! Christina Cates also explores Moody Tongue Sushi and the New York-based pizza concept tied to Pizza Studio Tamaki (PST) - each one being an extension of Rouben's commitment to elevated dining, thoughtful hospitality, and bold imagination.

Moody Tongue: giving "hop forward" a whole new meaning.

When a brewery stops acting like a brewery and starts thinking like a culinary institution, the entire industry shifts.
This week, Culinary Confidential is proud to spotlight <a href="https://www.moodytongue.com">Moody Tongue Brewing Company</a> - the Chicago original rewriting the rules of flavor, technique, and hospitality. Founded by Jared Rouben, the brewery's "culinary brewmaster," Moody Tongue stands alone as the only Michelin-starred brewery on Earth. This star isn't a novelty. It's the result of Rouben's belief that beer can carry the same precision, depth, and narrative power as a chef's signature dish.
Culinary Confidential dives into how Moody Tongue built a new lane in fine dining - one where brewing becomes a disciplined, expressive culinary craft. From their acclaimed tasting menus to their meticulous approach to ingredients, the brand continues to expand what beer can be and how guests experience it.
Their universe is also still growing! Christina Cates also explores Moody Tongue Sushi and the New York-based pizza concept tied to Pizza Studio Tamaki (PST) - each one being an extension of Rouben's commitment to elevated dining, thoughtful hospitality, and bold imagination.
Moody Tongue: giving "hop forward" a whole new meaning.

Sam Bakhshandehpour

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