Name: Dupree B.
Position: Director of Restaurant Operations
Hotel: Marriott Bethesda Downtown at Marriott HQ
Dream destination: I have a few and they are either centered around food or sand and water. One is New Orleans (Food), Seattle (Food), Napa Valley (Food), Paris (Food), Spain (Food), Italy (Food), Virgin Islands (Sand & water) Aruba (Sand & water), Hawaii (Food and Sand and Water), Maldives (Water).
Drink or treat of choice: My drink of choice is a Dr. Pepper and for those that know me well, which would be all my past hotel coworkers, I LOVE Reese’s.

When you’ve spent your entire career growing up in Marriott kitchens, trading your chef whites for a suit and tie is more than a wardrobe change—it’s a transformation. Just ask Dupree, who recently stepped into the role of Director of Restaurant Operations at the Marriott Bethesda Downtown at Marriott HQ. After nearly two decades in the kitchen, including opening the hotel as Executive Chef, Dupree is now leading the entire food and beverage operation—from the rooftop bar to room service—with the same passion and precision that defined his culinary career. 

“I spent the last 20-plus years gaining experience, and moving out of that space is forcing me to get out of my comfort zone and learn how to be productive in a very different way,” he says. “I’m learning how to teach and lead differently.” 

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While the responsibilities of his new role are fresh, the environment is anything but unfamiliar. Marriott has been a part of Dupree’s life since childhood. “My mom and dad have worked for Marriott for over 30 years each, and every time they brought my brother and me to work with them, it always felt like everyone there was an extension of my family,” he says. “A lot of the people I have worked with over the years have known me since I was five years old.”

For Dupree, this new chapter is about growth, leadership, and preparing for what’s next. “As of today, my current career aspiration is to become a General Manager,” he says. “This position is providing me with the opportunity, exposure, and training I need to continue to move in that direction.” 

Keep reading to learn how Dupree is building on his culinary roots to lead one of Marriott’s most dynamic restaurant operations. 

How did your previous roles prepare you for this one?

At one of my previous hotels where I served as Executive Chef, I also oversaw the front-of-house operations, which forced me to be more guest-facing and learn how to balance two different worlds.

How has Marriott supported your growth and helped you become who you are today?

In many ways! From classroom-style training to mentorship. I have had the opportunity to work with many great leaders who taught me hands-on and gave me room to fail and learn so that I can be better and pay it forward. 

What are you most proud of becoming so far in your career here?

My current role and the ones that came before. It’s not often that you can say you were the opening Executive Chef of the 8,000 Marriott hotel, Marriott’s flagship hotel. I’m also proud that I can continue growing here and follow in the footsteps of outstanding leaders.  

Which of Marriott’s core values resonate with you the most?

With my mom working in HR and my dad in the kitchen, I was able to see them live and breathe the culture of taking care of your employees and they will take care of you. It became second nature in our household.

When have you felt like part of a community at Marriott?

When I was much younger, we used to go to all of the company picnics and holiday parties with my parents and there would be food and gifts everywhere to the point where I thought that was what work looked like for them daily, so I wanted to partake in that too as I got older — LOL!

What has surprised you most about working for Marriott?

How “small” the company feels. We know that Marriott is the largest hotel lodging company in the world, but you don’t feel it. Everyone is connected somehow and people that you don’t know in this company know someone you worked with which helps build your connection to them.

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