Articles
January 16, 2025
MFHA leader talks about cultural intelligence in foodservice and hospitality
Erika Cospy Carr discusses what’s on deck for industry inclusion work in 2025 and what it means for restaurant growth.
To achieve their cultural intelligence goals, Cospy Carr says operators must invest in leadership development for all members of their teams.
Erika Cospy Carr, leader of the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA), offered insights into the importance of diversity and cultural intelligence within the restaurant industry. Carr, who has worked for more than two decades driving sustainable change programs across the for-profit and nonprofit business sectors, took over MFHA’s reins in August 2024, and says she plans to identify more growth opportunities for corporate clients and people from underrepresented communities. Here’s some of what she said.
What brought you to MFHA and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation?
This opportunity is the culmination of what’s been important to me over the course of my career, where I’ve helped organizations drive sustainable change and engagement. The shifting role of cultural intelligence strategy and initiatives in the workplace is intriguing and motivating, as is the work that’s in front of MFHA and the larger restaurant, foodservice, and hospitality industry.
I first came into the nonprofit space in 2010 and began looking at three specific areas of interest: workforce development, community engagement, and working with volunteers. Fast-forward nearly 15 years, and the things that excite me about this role are the opportunity to continue my investment in workforce development and drive systems change. I also consider myself a bit of a foodie, or “closet chef,” so getting to work within this industry is extra exciting.
What are some important things you’ve learned in your time leading MFHA?
I spent the first 90 days in this role with my ear to the ground, listening through upwards of 20 meetings per month to industry issues around cultural intelligence and building human potential. One of the biggest issues I’ve learned about centers around industry talent; the struggle to find and retain exceptional employees continues.
For the industry and MFHA, the challenge is twofold. First, we must embrace the opportunity to tell the story of advancement and career growth that our industry offers, particularly to younger generations. We've got to move a bit quicker to address those needs and let them know they can create satisfying, successful careers within this industry. Industry employers are also looking for ways to develop and nurture these employees so they feel like they belong and can contribute to their companies’ success. That's what I get really excited about—maximizing human potential. By doing that we can elevate industry performance and the guest experience, which will directly impact the bottom line.
How do you see MFHA helping to build opportunity for people from all cultures and backgrounds in our industry?
I think leadership development is crucial. We know that restaurants offer one of the surest pathways to professional growth, with 8 in 10 managers and 9 in 10 owners starting their career at the entry level. From MFHA’s vantage point, it is paramount that we not only help our industry see the tangible benefits of leadership development, but that we also equip restaurant operators and industry organizations with tools and resources to communicate this potential to frontline team members so they can create growth pathways.
Second, I believe collaboration and conversation are essential to driving greater representation across management and leadership roles in our industry. MFHA has long been the voice of cultural intelligence in the industry, and I think there’s great opportunity for us to lean in even further and drive the conversation toward empowering our industry to maximize the growth of all of the people we serve.
How can operators improve their cultural intelligence?
I see three primary opportunity areas for operators to achieve their cultural intelligence goals. First, they must invest in leadership development for all members of their teams. I expect that MFHA will prioritize operator-specific resources in this area starting in 2025. Second, our industry should prioritize general talent retention starting at the entry level, engaging people as soon as they join teams to understand how far they can climb in our industry. This is a priority for the NRAEF overall as well. Finally, guest experience is key. What we give to our employees will naturally flow to our customers. Our industry should continue its work to build a positive guest experience for anyone who walks through the front door.
Do you think cultural intelligence is significant to success?
Yes! Diversity is at the center of our industry – from flavors to menus to the people and personalities on our teams. Cultural intelligence means cultivating curious organizations that are adaptive and understanding of differences among our employees and our customers. In terms of tangible business impact, we know cultural intelligence drives innovation and ROI, thanks to more satisfied employees and customers. Multiple studies bear this out, including McKinsey, which reports that organizations in the top quartile of ethnic representation on their executive teams are 39% more likely to hit outperformance metrics.
What brought you to MFHA and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation?
This opportunity is the culmination of what’s been important to me over the course of my career, where I’ve helped organizations drive sustainable change and engagement. The shifting role of cultural intelligence strategy and initiatives in the workplace is intriguing and motivating, as is the work that’s in front of MFHA and the larger restaurant, foodservice, and hospitality industry.
I first came into the nonprofit space in 2010 and began looking at three specific areas of interest: workforce development, community engagement, and working with volunteers. Fast-forward nearly 15 years, and the things that excite me about this role are the opportunity to continue my investment in workforce development and drive systems change. I also consider myself a bit of a foodie, or “closet chef,” so getting to work within this industry is extra exciting.
What are some important things you’ve learned in your time leading MFHA?
I spent the first 90 days in this role with my ear to the ground, listening through upwards of 20 meetings per month to industry issues around cultural intelligence and building human potential. One of the biggest issues I’ve learned about centers around industry talent; the struggle to find and retain exceptional employees continues.
For the industry and MFHA, the challenge is twofold. First, we must embrace the opportunity to tell the story of advancement and career growth that our industry offers, particularly to younger generations. We've got to move a bit quicker to address those needs and let them know they can create satisfying, successful careers within this industry. Industry employers are also looking for ways to develop and nurture these employees so they feel like they belong and can contribute to their companies’ success. That's what I get really excited about—maximizing human potential. By doing that we can elevate industry performance and the guest experience, which will directly impact the bottom line.
How do you see MFHA helping to build opportunity for people from all cultures and backgrounds in our industry?
I think leadership development is crucial. We know that restaurants offer one of the surest pathways to professional growth, with 8 in 10 managers and 9 in 10 owners starting their career at the entry level. From MFHA’s vantage point, it is paramount that we not only help our industry see the tangible benefits of leadership development, but that we also equip restaurant operators and industry organizations with tools and resources to communicate this potential to frontline team members so they can create growth pathways.
Second, I believe collaboration and conversation are essential to driving greater representation across management and leadership roles in our industry. MFHA has long been the voice of cultural intelligence in the industry, and I think there’s great opportunity for us to lean in even further and drive the conversation toward empowering our industry to maximize the growth of all of the people we serve.
How can operators improve their cultural intelligence?
I see three primary opportunity areas for operators to achieve their cultural intelligence goals. First, they must invest in leadership development for all members of their teams. I expect that MFHA will prioritize operator-specific resources in this area starting in 2025. Second, our industry should prioritize general talent retention starting at the entry level, engaging people as soon as they join teams to understand how far they can climb in our industry. This is a priority for the NRAEF overall as well. Finally, guest experience is key. What we give to our employees will naturally flow to our customers. Our industry should continue its work to build a positive guest experience for anyone who walks through the front door.
Do you think cultural intelligence is significant to success?
Yes! Diversity is at the center of our industry – from flavors to menus to the people and personalities on our teams. Cultural intelligence means cultivating curious organizations that are adaptive and understanding of differences among our employees and our customers. In terms of tangible business impact, we know cultural intelligence drives innovation and ROI, thanks to more satisfied employees and customers. Multiple studies bear this out, including McKinsey, which reports that organizations in the top quartile of ethnic representation on their executive teams are 39% more likely to hit outperformance metrics.
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