If you don’t know Dana Searle, you don’t really know the restaurant scene in Boston. A Boston University alum, Dana graduated in 2010 and quickly became the youngest food and beverage manager at the Woodward, the fashionable restaurant situated inside the Ames Hotel. But this 22-year-old superstar doesn’t stop at restaurants: she’s also the it-girl of Boston’s lesbian scene. And it certainly makes sense, sporting a chic Mohawk and an infectious smile, Dana literally turns heads wherever she goes.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Dana at Del Frisco’s to get her take on managing a restaurant, the hotspots of Boston’s dining scene, and how she’s going to rule the world. After saying hello to the entire management team and before digging into our filet mignon and lobster mac & cheese, here’s what we discussed.

How did you get involved in the restaurant industry?

I’ve known since I was 14 that this is what I want to do. I’m a people person – I like talking to people, helping people, serving people. BU’s School of Hospitality Administration was an easy choice because Boston’s just got so much going on in the restaurant industry.

As the youngest manager at the Woodward, how have you proved age doesn’t matter?

When I was presented with the opportunity to manage back in June, I decided I was finally ready to move from server to management. My entire life changed. I really stepped up and began to forge these great relationships with my guests. A girl I house sat for was a girl I once randomly served on Easter. A guy I water-skied with all summer was someone I served ages ago. Some of these people really are my closest friends now. This summer was amazing for me.

You’ve only been managing for four months and you already rule the industry. How?

I really took it upon myself to have this attitude of “you never know what’s going to happen tomorrow.” I work really hard, and I deserve to play hard. At the same time, I truly believe that every night I do go out, I’m promoting my business. I hand out my card, people get to know me, and I’m forging relationships on both a business and personal level.

Sounds exhausting. How do you find time to go out and still wake up to run the breakfast shift?

People were surprised when I took the morning gig, because I’m more of a nightlife type of person. The advantage of working the mornings, as awful as waking up at 5:30 a.m. is every day, is that I get to go out and have my own nightlife every night. I can go out and actually hang out with my guests outside of the restaurant. Plus, people that sleep in ’til 10 or 11 a.m.? They’re missing out on a lot of the day!

So, what do you do on a day-to-day basis?

Haha, what do I do? I manage the staff. From things like, “are you here on time” to “is your beard trimmed and your shirt tucked in?”

So onto the fun stuff…What are the cool dining spots in Boston?

What’s cool? Depends what you’re looking for. I can name a million of my favorite spots, but they’re all for different reasons. I’m in the South End a lot.

What’s your number one in the South End?

Toro. I’m not a Spanish tapas kind of girl, but the food is incredible. It’s always busy, good bar scene, and the food is great. You just eat and eat there. Also, I always like Stella in the South End. Mistral, too. It’s been there for 14 years and although the menu never changes, it’s always busy. I go in there once every two or three weeks—best tuna tartar in the city.

Where’s the best burger in Boston?

I don’t know if it’s biased, but where I work I think makes the best burger I’ve ever had. The burger at Woodward is just amazing. I get it medium rare, and there’s a smoked tomato jam on top, which gives it a smoked but not spicy flavor. Cheese, lettuce, onions and pickles on the side. Skinny fries. Mmmm. Even the bread is amazing. Everything about it is amazing.

Who makes your favorite brunch?

I’m not a huge brunch person. Now that I’ve been managing brunch, though, I should know this. Let me think, I know the answer to this. I can’t even remember the last time I had brunch. There’s a brunch at Trina’s Starlite Lounge in Inman Square that I’ve never tried, but I keep hearing that I need to check out.

What about seafood?

I just recently started eating oysters, and now I’m a big fan. Although it’s a chain, I really like Legal Sea Foods—it’s consistent. Also, I love the scallops at Church.

What’s your favorite late-night scene?

Hmmm. There’s a lot that goes into going out. I’ll give you a play-by-play. Sometimes I’m really in the mood to dance, and I’ve been going to Cure a lot. I always have fun at Royale, too. If it’s a casual night, I go to one of my usual spots: Stella, Mistral, Toro. Eastern Standard is a great cocktail bar. Oh, I forgot about Brighton. Have you ever been to Sunset? They have like a million beers on tap and they brew their own root beer. So good.

OK, completely unrelated but we have to ask… what’s your favorite Boston sports team?

Ray Allen played for UConn and I grew up a UConn fan and attended UConn women’s basketball camp. So I’d say the Celtics.

Any final words?

I just feel really fortunate that I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I mean, look where I am today. I’m just so incredibly happy.

Dana will be hosting her first event as manager on October 16 from 1 p.m.- 5.pm. at Woodward. The brunch will feature a DJ, liquor sponsors and an amazing hash brown menu. Be sure to check it out!