034: Designing Hospitality from the Inside Out With Tina Marie Koch

What happens when you combine a love of design, years of hands-on food service experience, and a deep understanding of how a restaurant actually operates? In this episode of Interior Design San Diego, Rachel sits down with Tina Marie Koch of Design Perspectives to talk about her unexpected path into hospitality design, the mentors who helped shape her career, and why the most successful hospitality spaces aren't just beautiful—they work. Tina shares her approach to designing from the inside out, the importance of flow and function, and how authenticity, community, and thoughtful operations are shaping the future of hospitality design.About Tina Marie KochWith over 35 years of experience, Tina transitioned from restaurant operations to design, eventually founding the award-winning firm Design Perspectives in 1990.Specializing in hospitality, restaurant and foodservice design, she is an SDSU graduate, NCIDQ certified, a California Certified Interior Design, and a licensed General Contractor. An active ASID member since her student years, Tina served as ASID San Diego Chapter President (2009-2010) and received the 2013 Ethel M. Siegelman Memorial Award. Her academic work includes guest speaking at various universities and serving as an Adjunct Professor at the Design Institute of San Diego.Connect with TinaLinkedInWebsiteStay Connected:Sign Up for Our NewsletterASID San Diego WebsiteLinkedInFollow us on InstagramAsk your question, share a topic of interest or be our guest here.Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss upcoming episodesShare this podcast with a fellow designer in your communityQuestions, sponsorship or feed back: sandiegoasid@gmail.com