Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Cote.
Hi Amber, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Sure! Like many in this industry, I fell into F&B at a young age and never left. For that, I’m truly grateful. Growing up in Kennebunkport, Maine, my family was of modest means, living in a community of great wealth. Out of financial necessity, and with limited options at my young age, I took on various hospitality jobs, with the first being a “chambermaid” at a local inn. There, I learned invaluable lessons about hard work, service, attention to detail, and treating guests like family. Later, at the Nonantum Resort, a family-run property with a “whatever it takes” mindset, I was given the chance to work across all departments with the best mentors I could ever ask for. This is where I discovered my passion for customer service and event sales/production, particularly luxury weddings and high-profile events. After moving around, working in different states, and landing back in Maine, I realized hospitality wasn’t just a way to get by – it was, in fact, my true calling. My now-husband – a chef – and I eventually decided to move to Charleston after what felt like the longest and hardest New England winter in history. Shortly after arriving in Charleston, I saw a job post for Patrick Properties Hospitality Group. Its blend of historic preservation, fine dining, and family-owned values felt like the perfect fit. I started as an assistant, moved into sales, and after nine years, stepped into my current role as Executive Director. Today, I partner with our executive team to oversee all aspects of our five venues and more than 450 events annually.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Ooof, yes and no! I don’t think anyone’s road, personally or professionally, is ever truly smooth. After all, without the bumps, how would we even recognize the smooth moments? For me, finishing college was especially rocky. I didn’t have the traditional dorm life or the luxury of focusing solely on school. Instead, I juggled multiple jobs in F&B, coached dance, and nannied to cover tuition and rent – all while taking a full course load. At the time, it felt isolating and made stability feel out of reach. But in hindsight, that struggle gave me twice the experience and maturity of many peers. Fast-forward to early life in Charleston, and I found that same struggle had also left me with the dreaded imposter syndrome: here I was, working for incredibly successful hospitality group owners and networking with Charleston’s elite, and sometimes I still wondered to myself: “Who do I think I am?” I don’t have an Ivy League degree or come from a pedigree family. Now in my 40s, I’ve truly found my stride—content with the simplicity of my personal life and no longer concerned with chasing the flashier standards others might live by, even as I navigate the more glamorous side of my career. But the business struggles along the way have been just as real: the shifting of a leadership structure, the pressure of knowing your performance impacts your team’s livelihood, steering through a pandemic when your business revolves around people gathering to celebrate. Add to that, reworking business plans and reimagining our properties to stay relevant and successful brought about its own challenges. Simultaneously during those COVID years, my husband and I were in the process of adopting a foster daughter, landing me in the role of becoming a full-time teacher to two kids learning from home, while also caring for an ill parent. Between home life and my career, it’s stressful, it’s crazy, and at the same time, it’s intoxicatingly awesome. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Patrick Properties Hospitality Group?
Patrick Properties Hospitality Group is a family-owned company that has been restoring and preserving historic Charleston properties since 1997. We’re proud to own and operate five venues on the peninsula: the William Aiken House, the American Theater, Parcel 32, the River House at Lowndes Grove, and Lowndes Grove. Over the years, we’ve become known as one of the southeast’s premier destinations for luxury weddings, milestone celebrations, and top-tier corporate events. What we do best is combine extraordinary settings with exceptional food and beverage service, all delivered with a keen eye for detail and a genuine commitment to hospitality. Our philosophy is all about making luxury feel inviting and within reach – what I like to describe as “approachable luxury.” Yes, we aim for five-star service and quality, but we deliver it in a way that feels warm, personal, and authentic. We want our clients and their guests to feel like they’re at a best friend’s exquisite home; comfortable, cared for, and celebrated – without the stuffiness that can sometimes come with high-end experiences. Every event is customized to reflect our clients’ personalities, their stories, and their love lists, so no two events ever look or feel the same. What truly sets us apart, though, is the family behind the company, as well as our team. Many of our managers have been with us for a decade or more, which is almost unheard of in this industry. We’re fortunate to have people who are not only talented in hospitality but also genuinely kindhearted. This isn’t a place where people just clock in and out. We’re inspired daily by the Patrick family’s generosity and commitment to our community, the beauty of the properties we have the privilege of representing, and the joy of bringing someone’s dream celebration to life.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Hmmm, this one’s tough! But I think I’ll go with the memory that really drove home just how beautifully different my family was. My mom is a Jewish Brooklynite, my dad a Protestant who came over from Scotland, and my six siblings are a blend of biological and adopted from Haiti and India. Needless to say, we didn’t exactly fit like the “nuclear family” mold of that time, but we were, and still are, a family in every sense of the word. When I was about 10, we took our annual road trip to Canada to visit relatives in our slightly ridiculous 14-passenger van. I adored that van. It had black and white kitchen floor tile and bench seats that looked like they’d been swiped from a high school gymnasium. When we pulled up to the Canadian border, we, of course, get stopped. The confusion became apparent immediately: “Are you sure you’re not a church group? Are you sure these are all your children?” In reality, we were just a loud, mismatched family making our way to our vacation (a fact they finally relented to a few hours and some paperwork later). But up until that point, I hadn’t really realized how unique we were as a family. Today, my siblings are still my guiding lights and best friends, and my mom remains my personal hero. And yes, I still kind of miss that van.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pphgcharleston.com
