Meet Gianina Roman | Food and Beverage Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gianina Roman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gianina, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Well, after working for several companies such as Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Westin, Marriott, Wyndham, and many restaurants around the globe and here in Miami, I thought it was time to give myself the opportunity I always envisioned and had yet to fulfill. Feeling comfortable in a place of work, makes your goals fade away. I think the final push toward making my dream a reality was done by my mother. I was driving her back from shopping and all of a sudden she started telling me it was time for me to begin my own business, that with all the knowledge I had collected during all these years, I could do great things. She advised me to get out of my comfort zone and be who I was really meant to be. She made me promise I would think about it and told me that she was proud of me no matter what. I could not stop thinking about this for weeks, until I realized I needed to fly with my own wings. After 10 years in a stable job as CEO of a hospitality company, I decided to give my notice and start on my own. It is a blessing be from the generation that still listens to their parents.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I studied tourism and hospitality in the University of San Martín de Porres in Lima Peru, and very early in my career I got to believe that people who work in the service industry are born with a gift. The gift of perseverance, patience, organization, compassion, leadership and most importantly, passion. I feel blessed to be born with this gift. It’s been super challenging to be where I am right now. I’m not going to victimize myself. My professional path has made me grow mentally as well as emotionally, and this is what I’m most proud of. I remember once while working on a cruise ship, we passed through a storm and the buffet got completely flooded by water. The following day in the main dining room the line for breakfast was enormous. We finished breakfast and prepared for lunch and right after for dinner. That day I worked 20 hours from the moment I woke up until I returned to my cabin. I cried myself to sleep. But as the song says “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” That’s exactly what has happened to me. All the things I have experienced throughout my profesional life have made me stronger and resilient, if I may say so. I learned that a mentor doesn’t sugarcoat your mistakes, that you need to make decisions with your head, not with your heart, that you shouldn’t be emotionally attached to the business, that whoever doesn’t make a plus in your life is not worth keeping, that tears are not a sign of weakness but a way to express yourself, that fear is good, and not confronting it is wrong. With Culinary Vision, I wanted to be able to help entrepreneurs in the F&B area achieve their goals, to see their business as a whole, to plan and act. The most powerful weapon is their team, to don’t be afraid to ask for help, to be humble, you can learn from everyone as much as everyone can learn from you, that a very well structured budget is the GPS of your company. I was once told that being pretentious was the key to success and recognition. I disagree with this statement completely. The biggest lesson I learned in all of my years in this industry and the one I want to share throughout Culinary Vision is, “No matter how big you have become, don’t forget how little you once were.”

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend came to the magic city, I would want to show them around all the wonderful adventures Miami has to offer. I would take them to Wynwood to show them local art and eateries, such as Bakan where you can enjoy cocktails and Mexican cuisine. We could head to Midtown and the Design District for shopping and Korean barbecue at Cote, make sure to go with an empty stomach because you will want everything one the menu or Mediterranean dining at Mandolin. I would also want to show them around South Beach for sunbathing and nightlife. For a more laidback plan, I would take them to Vizcaya head to Coconut Grove for outdoor dining, for instance at Los Felix where I would have the cheek carnitas with La Veridica IPA beer with the taste of mango that will drive anyone insane for more. For a museum lover, I would recommend Perez Museum of Miami and Frost Science Museum and dinner of exquisite Peruvian cuisine at La Mar to have the best ceviche in town and pisco sour with a wonderful view of the water or Il Gabbiano. Calle Ocho would be a definite stop to learn about the Cuban culture and head to Cafe La Trova. To finish off the tour a night of cabaret at Tucán in Brickell.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My son Ethan has been the inspiration for everything I had done. He is always supporting and encouraging me. We have persevered through many difficult moments together, and his love is the energy I need in my life to keep moving. And even in the most difficult setbacks, he has the right words to pull me back into reality and never let me give up. I thank God for giving me my son. It may sound cliché but I wouldn’t know what to do without him.

Website: www.culinaryvisionintl.com00

Instagram: Culinaryvisionintl

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/culinary-vision