Ben Liebmann (Understory): "In 2024, you don't have to (and nor should you) pick one lane."

Parallels between hospitality and the music industry, selling out, and building resilience.

In the first of a multi-part interview, I’m chatting to Ben Liebmann. A name that wouldn’t necessarily be known to even dialed in hospitality watchers, but a look at Ben’s career over the last few decades tells you that he’s someone of quiet influence from music and TV (where he spearheaded MasterChef’s global advance and most recently acted as executive producer on Omnivore) to the rarefied world of fine dining (where he acted as COO of Noma in Copenhagen).

Nowadays, Ben is Sydney based but has a global reach. Through his advisory firm, Understory he works at the “intersection of creativity, culture, and commerce.” In this first part we’re discussing parallels between hospitality and the music industry, selling out,  and that in 2024 and beyond you don't have to (and nor should you) pick just one lane.

I’m slightly biased but I think that this interview will be of interest to anyone who wonders how we can build greater resilience in hospitalty and our wider creative industries. As I said there’s a second, and possibly even a third part to come.