S4 - Episode 9 - Alexandra Tierno Payard Morris
From Maître d’ Diaries by Erica Cantley
May 28, 2026 · 35 min · Season 4 · Episode 10
About this episode
Alexandra Tierno Payard Morris shares her journey from advertising to founding a luxury catering company, highlighting the importance of mentorship and relationships in the hospitality industry.
People get into the hospitality business from all different angles, and it's not uncommon for someone to start as a host or a bus boy to make a little extra cash and end up on a totally different career path than they expected. Our guest Alexandra Tierno Payard Morris started with a B.S. in marketing and advertising from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), and fairly early on moved from advertising into restaurant work, events, and ownership. Alexandra is the founder and owner of Tastings, a luxury catering company that started in New York City has ,across the country, and now even to our beloved Paris. Alexandra is a model of excellence in everything she does, and her career path reflects the nimbleness that working front of the house can foster in a person. Join us to hear about: ~ Alexandra’s shift from advertising to restaurants ~ What it was like to work at the original Restaurant Daniel ~ The importance of having (female) mentors ~ Growing a business organically ~ Bringing a breathwork ritual to her team ~ The Golden Rule ~ Patisserie Payard’s Instagram moment before the era of cell phones ~ Alexandra's early memories of Lutece and La Grenouille ~ The importance of…
People in this episode
Host: Erica Cantley
Guest: Alexandra Tierno Payard Morris
Topics covered
- hospitality industry
- career transitions
- female mentorship
- business growth
- catering
- restaurant experiences
Keywords
- hospitality
- catering
- mentorship
- restaurant
- business growth
- career path
- events
- luxury
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Tastings, Fashion Institute of Technology, Restaurant Daniel, Patisserie Payard
Places: New York City, Paris, Lutece, La Grenouille
More episodes of Maître d’ Diaries
- S4 - Episode 11 - Arnold Rossman · June 6, 2026 · 1h 12m
- S4 - Episode 10 - Mardee Bennett · May 30, 2026 · 1h 0m
- S4 - Episode 8 - Emanuel Moosbrugger · April 18, 2026 · 46 min
- S4 - Episode 7 - Alison Arth & Kimberly Belle · April 11, 2026 · 50 min
- S4 - Episode 6 - We're Booked with Paul Freedman · April 4, 2026 · 44 min
- S4 - Episode 5 - Jenna Norfleet · March 28, 2026 · 45 min
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