Frances Bodet
Frances Bodet is a hospitality operations leader with more than 20 years of experience in restaurant management, training, and operational development. Her career began while she was in college, working in restaurants and coffee shops, where she quickly discovered a passion for the fast-paced, people-centered nature of hospitality. Although she originally planned to study engineering, Frances found herself drawn instead to psychology, sociology, and eventually hospitality leadership—fields that helped shape her people-first approach to management and operations.
Over the course of her career, Frances has built extensive expertise in restaurant systems, training, and scaling operations. She spent more than a decade with Ruby Slipper Restaurant Group, where she advanced through multiple leadership roles, oversaw several restaurant openings, trained and mentored dozens of managers, and led operational growth across the Carolinas. Today, she serves as a POS Implementation Engineer with ClearBridge Technology Group while also growing her own business, Bodet Hospitality Consulting, LLC. Through her consulting work, she helps small hospitality groups improve training, streamline systems, implement POS and inventory solutions, and build structure without losing the personality and feel of an independent business.
Based in Charleston after spending much of her life in New Orleans, Frances continues to focus on helping hospitality businesses grow through operational excellence, consistency, and strong team culture. She believes hospitality has the power to change someone’s day and leads with a philosophy rooted in inclusivity, empathy, and creating memorable guest experiences. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time near Folly Beach and embracing the coastal lifestyle she never expected to love.
• Certified Manager of Quality
• Serve Safe Certified
• University of New Orleans- Bachelor's
• Louisiana Restaurant Association NextGen 30 and Under Hospitality Award (2017)
What do you attribute your success to?
I think probably just my drive, and the fact that it's what I've always wanted to do without knowing that, if that makes sense. I originally thought when I went to college I'd start in engineering and pretty much instantly hated it. The idea of working at a desk every single day was not going to work for me. So I started exploring avenues in psychology and sociology, thinking that might be a good path, and I think I can still take things that I've learned in that piece of my college career and utilize that in the current career path that I have. It's really about following what I'm passionate about, even when I didn't have the words for it at first.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
You definitely have to find your group of supporters - everybody needs a cheerleader, and that's important on the hard days. But just follow your passion. You know, if you're not passionate about it, then it's not something you should do forever. Food and beverage, especially, is such an industry, especially after COVID, things have changed wildly and gotten out of control, but I think if you don't have the passion for it, you'll figure it out pretty quickly in this career path. If you don't have the passion for it, it's not worth it. It's not an easy job, or easy role or career, but if you're passionate about it, it shows. And I think you're really making that impact - it can be such a fun industry to work in, but you have to be able to find that passion, that joy in it. If you don't, it's not going to work.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in the food and beverage industry is that operations have changed dramatically since COVID, requiring businesses to rethink staffing, systems, and day-to-day processes. At the same time, there is a major opportunity to create high-impact training and operational systems for smaller, independent operators who want greater efficiency without losing the feel of a non-corporate business.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think the ability, both within our teams and with the customers or the clients that we work with, just the ability to change somebody's day in a moment. And I think that's such a special thing about the hospitality industry - that unique impact that you have on someone's day. I've seen time and time again where you can just absolutely change the trajectory of somebody's day with a kind word, good food, a great drink, a little conversation. I think growing up in New Orleans, there is just such a hospitality in that city by nature, it's kind of in your blood when you're born there. So I think being able to take that feeling and that energy of just inclusivity, and being able to kind of broadcast that more widely. Same thing with the teams that you work with, with the employees on your staff - caring, just asking that one question, you can absolutely change their day. And for me, really seeing it click for somebody, seeing them get it and them being able to be super successful in what they do - I have tons of people who I've worked with who still call me and look to me as a mentor. Just to hear even the rumors about me after I've left a place, it just makes you feel really good. You're really making that impact.