Justin Yu

Hometown: Fremont, CA

Current Location: St. Petersburg, FL

Why did you choose SHA?
I knew I wanted the dynamic combination of what BU SHA had to offer: an intimate classroom environment within a bustling campus located in a major metropolitan city. It was the perfect combination of personalized education and big-city life.

What are some of your favorite BU memories?
Class projects, serving as President of the BU Chapter of NSMH, cooking class, the former BU SHA House & Bay State Road, traveling abroad to Sydney.

What was your first full-time job? How did you end up in your current position?
After graduating in 2007, I accepted a Food & Beverage MIT position with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts in Santa Barbara, California. After being promoted to Assistant Food & Beverage Manager, I transferred to Four Seasons Seattle in 2009 and then subsequently to Four Seasons Baltimore in 2012 as Assistant General Manager of Chef Michael Mina’s Wit & Wisdom Tavern located in the hotel. I continued with the Michael Mina Group and moved to Los Angeles to open Bourbon Steak Los Angeles in 2014, followed by a promotion and transfer in 2015 to my current role as General Manager of FarmTable Kitchen at Locale Market in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Please describe your current role. How did your SHA education impact your career?
As a Restaurant General Manager, I have to manage people, product and profit on a daily basis. Each day is a new and different challenge. BU SHA gave me a lot of practical experience, and not just textbook material, to learn from in order to face these challenges. Combining internship opportunities, my semester abroad in Sydney and case-study material in the classroom, I feel like BU SHA ensures students know how to put what we learn in the classroom via textbook into actual application. In my role, much like in many hospitality roles, situations are ever-changing and the face-to-face guidance and practical experience required by BU SHA helps prepare students for their post-university career.

Any advice for current and prospective students?
My advice would be to take advantage of all the resources BU SHA offers you – from career counseling, faculty guidance, internships, on-campus recruitment, extra-curricular activities, networking events, study abroad and beyond. All of these real-life, hands-on opportunities will help prepare you to be a well-rounded and effective leader in the hospitality industry.