Her Story
About Jessica
Jessica Gonzalez serves as Assistant General Manager at Flower Child in Fort Worth, Texas. She began her career in the restaurant and hospitality industry in 2005, starting as a hostess and advancing to server before attending Le Cordon Bleu in Dallas around 2009 for culinary training. After high school, she worked in the back of the house as a prep cook and line cook, then moved into her first leadership role as kitchen manager. Seeking a broader experience, Gonzalez transitioned to the front of the house nearly ten years ago, working across diverse concepts including food trucks, small wine cafes, and five-star restaurants. She has been in leadership positions since about 2018 and credits her success to hard work and the kindness of others. Gonzalez values empathy and kindness, stressing the importance of staying authentic and genuine while creating meaningful guest experiences. She advises aspiring professionals, especially young women, to find their own voice and not let doubt overshadow their capabilities.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jessica
01What do you attribute your success to?
Hard work and kindness of others.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Do it in your own way. There is a way to be successful without being a clone or emulating someone else's style. You have to find your own footing, and you have to find your own voice, and once you do, everything else follows.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't let the other voices be louder than yours. And don't let them make you lose your confidence. You are that girl. You have the skills, you have the capability. There will be days where you doubt yourself. Just let your voice win. You are so strong.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is that there are so many incredibly talented people with beautiful work ethic. I think you have to stay authentic and stay genuine because there's nobody that is going to do it like you do it. Everybody can read a book of procedures. But the way that you create that experience is on you. Staying authentic in a world where there's a lot of expectations is probably one of the biggest challenges.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Empathy and kindness. Even in a world of success and power and getting to the next rung of the ladder, making sure that you're doing it with humanity, and giving back and contributing as much as you can.
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