Building a better hospitality industry — one thoughtful experience at a time.
Why we built Mindful
Mindful Hospitality was born from a shared belief: Great hospitality starts with how you treat the people behind it.
After years spent managing teams, opening venues, building events, and navigating an industry that often asks too much of its people, Rachel and James built Mindful as a new kind of consulting practice: one that values culture as much as profitability, and people as much as product.
Mindful is our way of helping hospitality become more sustainable, more inclusive, and more inspiring — one venue, one team, one experience at a time.
Meet the founders
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Co-Founder, Principal Consultant
Rachel Cohen is a hospitality operator turned consultant with more than a decade of experience leading restaurants, scaling teams, and shaping guest experiences. Raised in her family’s restaurant and trained across business, journalism, wine, and hospitality management, she brings a unique combination of operational expertise and creative storytelling to every project.
Her career spans leadership roles in some of Toronto’s busiest, multi-concept restaurant environments, where she oversaw large teams, high-volume service, and full-scale operational strategy. Rachel later expanded her skills in tech and consulting before co-founding Mindful Hospitality.
Known for her strategic clarity, people-first leadership, and eye for detail, Rachel helps venues build systems that support consistency, culture, and long-term profitability, grounding every decision in thoughtful, intentional hospitality.
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Co-Founder, Principal Consultant
James Miller is an accomplished hospitality and events strategist with over a decade of experience managing teams, venues, and large-scale guest experiences. His career spans restaurant operations, technology environments, and event production, giving him a versatile approach to Toronto’s hospitality scene.
While deeply knowledgeable in restaurant operations and financial performance, James’ true passion lies in experiential hospitality. In 2025, he helped launch Mindful Events, the company’s bespoke mobile bar and event division specializing in curated, high-touch experiences for weddings, brands, and private clients.
James brings a people-first, systems-driven approach to every project, combining operational expertise with a creative eye for building experiences that feel intentional, seamless, and memorable.