Meet Katrina Ferraro

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Katrina Ferraro. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Katrina , thank you for joining us today and sharing your experiences and acquired wisdom with us. Burnout is a huge topic these days and so we’d love to kick things off by discussing your thoughts on overcoming or avoiding burnout

Burnout is something that is so real in every profession, but I think in hospitality it’s particularly important to pay attention and try to make sure that you are actively finding ways to take care of yourself.

I try to make sure that I spend some time each week prioritizing activities that make me feel refreshed, creative, and rested even during busy times. This includes cooking, reading industry magazines, and spending time with friends, but also making sure to take some time to “unplug” from my phone and email, even if it’s just an hour here and there.

I also like to make sure that I always have something on the calendar to look forward to- a vacation is my favorite but even a day trip or fun day out with my friends or family.

It’s our job to make sure that our guests have fun so it’s important that we take time for ourselves so that we always have that energy to give!

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

It’s been an exciting couple of years for me in my career! I have been in hospitality for all of my adult life, but mostly focused on catering and chef work, so when my husband and I opened up The Long Goodbye last May it felt like a whole new challenge for me.
The Long Goodbye has been a very special project for us- We have lived in Cherrywood for many years and we are so thrilled to have had the opportunity to open a business here in our own backyard. Meeting so many new friends and neighbors has been a real high point for me this last year!
We both own other businesses, but this is the first time we have collaborated to create a space that reflects us and our passion for service. We envisioned The Long Goodbye as a neighborhood cocktail lounge and patio with a strong focus on community, where friends and neighbors can enjoy great cocktails, coffee, tacos, and vintage shopping. It’s been so rewarding to watch it come to life!

I also own a small pop up and catering company called Las Brasas, which specializes in live-fire cooking on a custom build paella and santa maria grill trailer, which I operate with a good friend and incredibly talented chef.

In my spare time, I enjoy dedicating myself to volunteer work. Currently I serve as a year-round committee member with Southern Smoke Foundation and as the Co-President of the Austin Chapter of Les Dames D’Escoffier.

Southern Smoke is a Houston-based organization providing nationwide funding to F+ B workers in crisis as well as no-cost mental health service. It’s a fantastic resource for our industry, and I am so grateful to be able to be a small part of such an important organization!
My work with the Austin Dames is also super fulfilling for me- I really enjoy working together with so many amazing women who make up the fabric of our city’s hospitality community! We participate in several programs throughout the year, most notably our weekly food recovery runs, our annual holiday meal for the unhoused, and annual scholarship awards to up and coming women in the hospitality space.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I think the by far the most impactful quality that I learned very early was the importance of having a strong work ethic and respect for the people around me. Throughout my career I have also learned that innovation and adaptability are so important in any career, as is continuing education.

With our Les Dames scholarship awards, my hope for these women in pursuit of furthering their careers in hospitality is always that not only are they able to put the funding to good use, but that they recognize the value of the support system we provide along with it. I think it can be such a valuable resource, especially early on in your career, to recognize how important building that support structure is. And then, of course, paying that forward to other up and comers behind you.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I am always looking to connect with folks… I feel that’s part of what makes our city so vibrant and special! As I mentioned, I really think of The Long Goodbye as a place for community and that certainly includes collaboration.

I love to get creative with other chefs and bartenders, wellness coaches, visual artists, and DJ’s. I can always be reached through our website or business instagram!

thelonggoodbyeatx.com
@thelonggoodbyeatx

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thelonggoodbyeatx.com
• Instagram: @thelonggoodbyeatx

Image Credits

Richard Casteel