The Anti-Architect

In this episode, Christian sits down with Warren and Jason Leeds, the father-son team behind Dartcor Enterprises and Chelsea Hospitality Group. Together, they have built a hospitality-driven business that spans workplace dining, catering, and restaurant operations, with a focus on creating memorable guest experiences. Warren shares how he grew the company from a single gourmet market into a thriving hospitality enterprise, while Jason discusses his decision to leave a career at Goldman Sachs to help lead the next chapter of the family business. Together, they explore how hospitality extends far beyond food, the value of integrating operators early in the design process, and why thoughtful service and community-building are transforming the modern workplace.

https://www.dartcorhospitality.com/
https://www.chelseahospitality.com/
https://www.theantiarchitect.com/

Episode highlights:
(03:10) Creating spaces where people feel welcomed and valued
(07:04) Working together as father and son
(11:25) What architects often misunderstand about hospitality
(15:41) Why hospitality teams should join projects early
(21:36) Warren’s journey from a small café to workplace dining
(25:13) Surviving COVID and rebuilding company culture
(30:52) Launching Chelsea Hospitality Group
(34:54) Morris Proper and General Coffee Co.
(38:13) Making the office worth the commute
(53:20) Using AI to give hospitality teams more human time
(55:55) Robotics, coffee shops, and the future of service

What is The Anti-Architect?

Welcome to The Anti-Architect Podcast. I’m your host Christian Giordano. As the president and owner of design firm Mancini Duffy, I’m driven by a quest for learning and radically changing the industry through tech-first innovation. With this podcast, I’m hoping to improve the industry that I’m so passionate about by taking a critical look at how architects work with their clients and, in turn, how our clients view us.

It’s my goal to showcase all of these experiences - good and bad. Was it the architect or the client - or somewhere in between? I aim to bring my audience new voices from our industry, interesting people with diverse backgrounds. Through shared experiences, stories, and projects my hope is that we can improve our profession.

www.theantiarchitect.com