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.  _________________________________________________________ Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars