Bennett Van Liew

What struck me most was the increasing convergence between hospitality and luxury. That insight changed my professional vision.

Internships looked a bit different for me as a business student at Fordham University. While many of my peers pursued roles in finance or consulting, I was drawn to the heat and discipline of the kitchen. As the only cook at home, I learned early on that sharing food could bring people together in a way few other things could. That sense of purpose, of creating moments of connection, made hospitality feel essential, not optional. When I found a mentor in my first year, I decided to pursue the craft seriously, training in Michelin-starred kitchens across New York City, including SAGA, a Two-Star restaurant renowned for precision and storytelling through cuisine. Business school taught me structure; the kitchen taught me resilience, humility, and a deep respect for excellence.

After these formative years, I faced an important question: how could I unite my business education with my passion for hospitality? My background felt unorthodox—part chef, part strategist—yet I sensed there must be a bridge between them. Discovering the Luxury Hospitality Management Program co-hosted by HEC Paris and EHL was my answer. My culinary foundation was rooted in French technique, and my admiration for French culture made this opportunity especially meaningful. It promised the blend of academic rigor, creative thinking, and cross-cultural collaboration that I had been searching for.

At HEC Paris, under the guidance of Anne Michaut and Florent Girardin, we explored the philosophies driving luxury’s enduring power–storytelling, brand equity, and consumer perception. We had site visits to some of the best hotels in Paris as well as some of the most historic luxury brand storefronts. What struck me most was the increasing convergence between hospitality and luxury: the idea that the world’s most powerful brands are now defined as much by the experiences they curate as by the products they sell. That insight changed my professional vision. I want to help shape that intersection, crafting hospitality experiences that communicate a brand’s identity, emotion, and history in tangible form.

Our time at EHL grounded these concepts in practice. From discussions with the team at Berceau des Sens, to analyzing consumer psychology with EHL professors, we saw how precision, empathy, and detail combine to create a sense of belonging. Visits to the Lausanne Palace and top Parisian hotels brought those lessons to life, showing how values translate from classroom theory to real-world service.

Working in a culturally diverse project group was both challenging and energizing. Our differences, which spanned continents, languages, and disciplines, became our greatest strength, forcing us to listen deeply and find harmony in our ideas.

I left the program with new friends from across the world, some of whom I will visit in Paris this December. It led me to my current rotational internship at The Four Seasons Napa Valley, and it instilled within me greater confidence in my career choices. I have now a redefined vision of hospitality, as something driven by passion, uniting rigor and heart. Something truly timeless.

Learn more about this joint Summer Program with EHL