Gatekeeping? No, Agency & Alignment.
Feb 12, 2026
I am rereading Setting the Table by Danny Meyer, which, if you are in hospitality and have not read yet, is worth your time.
In chapter two, he describes opening Union Square Cafe at a moment when reservations were suddenly difficult to secure. Demand was building quickly, and with that came frustration from guests who could not get the exact time they wanted. He writes about having to shift his mindset. Instead of acting as a gatekeeper, protecting access, he chose to see himself differently.
“I am your agent, not the gatekeeper.”
In his case, that meant keeping the dialogue open even when the answer was no. It meant letting callers know he was on their side, even when he could not give them what they asked for.
That distinction stayed with me.
Agency in events feels more complicated.
Traditionally, client-side planners are agents for the host. The host pays them, so their responsibility is clear. They advocate for the client’s budget, their priorities, and their expectations.
Coming from a restaurant background, I have also seen what happens when that advocacy exists without a deep understanding of venue economics, staffing realities, and operational limits. It can create tension quickly, often before anyone realizes it.
Curated By formed because of that tension.
Many of the companies I worked with did not need another planner on their payroll. Often, someone internally already owned events. They did not need another person putting their hand in the pot, fighting solely for their side. What they needed was someone who understood both sides and could help translate between them.
That is where I have found myself operating. Not as a gatekeeper to venues. Not solely as an advocate for the host. But as someone responsible for keeping expectations, budgets, and operational realities aligned before they drift too far apart.
On paper, it may look like dual agency. In practice, it feels more like alignment.
I sometimes wonder whether this middle ground is more common than I realize, or whether there is still a gap in how events originate.
I would be curious to hear how others think about agency in hospitality. Is there a better way to approach it?