Caroline Strauss

Miami, Florida, USA
All Day Foundation, SBE Collection, The Citadel

Instagram: @caroline_strauss @alldayfoundation @sbecollectiion @thecitadelmia

*Changemakers is a Cross Cultures series spotlighting inspiring women who are creating and doing in the F&B ecosystem; eading the way and helping better the world.

Based in Miami, Florida, Caroline Strauss is the Corporate Director of Training and Standards for SBE, the Director of Hospitality Development for The Citadel, and the Founder of All Day Foundation and All Day Hospitality.

While attending university in Miami in 2011, Caroline joined the food and beverage community as a cocktail server and bartender to pay for her studies. Upon graduating in 2015– at only 22 years old– she joined Macchialina, helmed by James Beard-nominated chef Mike Pirolo, as general manager. Her career path then took her to Bar Lab (where she worked as manager at The Anderson and 27 Restaurant at The Freehand Hotel), and Starr Restaurants’ Makoto in Bal Harbour.

She founded All Day Foundation in 2017 while working with the Bar Lab team, focused on hosting events on wellness programs, substance abuse panels, financial management to support the hospitality community. In the light of Covid-19, they launched Save Miami Hospitality to raise money for out of work team members.

In July 2020, Caroline flew to Seoul, South Korea as part of the opening team of The Mondrian Hotel in Itaewon, SBE’s first foray into Asia. She will return to Miami early September.

Tell us about you. Where were you born, raised, and what you are making or doing at present?

I am originally from DC and grew up in Jupiter, Florida. I came to Miami in 2011 to attend Barry University and graduated with a degree in Public Relations. I currently am the Director of Training and Standards for corporate SBE, the Director of Hospitality Development for The Citadel, and the Founder of All Day Foundation and All Day Hospitality.

How did you end up working at your present career? How long have you been doing this/ When did you start?

I joined the Miami food and beverage community right when I moved here in 2011, I paid for school as a cocktail server and (pretty terrible) bartender. I started in a small lounge, Cafeina in Wynwood and then moved onto Oak Tavern in the Design District. I got my first manager position there and when I graduated, I knew this was the industry I was going to stay in.

Moving on from Oak Tavern after they closed, I joined the James Beard-nominated Macchialina team as the General Manager. I was 22 years old at the time and very proud to be a part of such a culinary and hospitality success.

Bar Lab was next on the list for career path dreams for me. I joined the team as a manager of The Anderson and then on to 27 Restaurant at The Freehand Hotel.

I then worked with award-winning chef Makoto Okuwa at Makoto in Bal Harbour.

I was happy to join the SBE team in 2019 as the Corporate Director of Training and Standards.

What was the biggest challenge you have faced?

Being a strong woman silenced by a male dominated industry.

How/ what did you do to get over it?

I speak up, I give myself a seat at the table. I became confident in my value and push through to prove that to others on a daily basis.

What is the best advice you can give to anyone wanting to get into or excel in your field?

Put the work in and make genuine connections, learn to separate business and personal. If you’re really passionate about it, push through the obstacles and fight for it. Persistence is key.

What is your favorite thing about your culture or living in your city?

Miami is home; our F&B community culture is unlike any other. We are truly a family. Along with creamsicle sunsets and brand new skylines, I am proud to be a part of my Miami community and for the immense support of so many here.

How did you spend your days during this COVID-19 quarantine period? If your city is recently opening up/ has opened up, please feel free to share a little bit about how things are these days.

In these times of uncertainty, I tried to make the best of Covid-19 and saw an abundance of opportunities for creation and community support. I spent my days hosting fundraisers for out of work F&B employees, putting together hospitality food drives, and I founded a Hospitality consulting company, All Day Hospitality.

I founded All Day Hospitality as a business during Covid-19 while I was furloughed from SBE. I kept the branding in line with All Day Foundation but All Day Hospitality is a hospitality consulting company that is open for business! I focus on operations, new openings, curation, hiring, and training .

What is it like opening the Mondrian Seoul Itaewon in the middle of this pandemic? What are your days like over there?

Seoul is INCREDIBLE! I am extremely happy to be here and honored to be part of the SBE expansion into Asia. An opening is never an easy task and doing so in a pandemic I have seen some of my toughest days. Navigating through different government guidelines, in a foreign country, with a tough language barrier, it has been an experience to say the least. I had five F&B outlet openings all in the first week of me being onsite–ranging from chef driven restaurants to bars to lounges to nightlife. My days start around 7AM in the venues and go until about 1AM, I then venture into the city for a late-night culinary adventure.

Please tell us about All Day Foundation as well as the IG Live sessions (Save Miami Hospitality) and Meal Distributions you have been putting together during this COVID-19 period. Please feel free to share any COVID-19 initiatives you may have as well with SBE/ Mondrian.

I founded All Day Foundation in 2017 when I was with the Bar Lab team, their support in my passion for giving back has excelled me to where All Day is today. Pre-Covid, All Day Foundation focused on hosting monthly events dedicated to supporting the hospitality community. Events on financial management, wellness programs, substance abuse panels, and community engagement.

During Covid-19 I launched Save Miami Hospitality in partnership with Macallan and the Miami Restaurant Employee Relief Fund. We hosted nightly virtual happy hours showcasing local bartenders, chef’s, and industry professionals to raise money for out of work team members. Our focus was to share with the community their missed establishments and keep the spirits high for everyone struggling though this time.

We also spent a lot of time focusing on getting hot meals to our F&B community through numerous food drive throughout the city. We partnered with vendors like The Sylvester, Alter, and The Vagabond as sites to invite any out of work friends to come by and get a good meal. I am grateful to have been in a position to give back during this time and am forever thankful to the chef’s and business owners who dropped everything to support the cause.