Food & Beverage Opinion Articles

August 22, 2019

Facilitating Healthy Eating or Dietary Restrictions Requests At Hotels Can Be Much Simpler

Gluten free? Nut allergies? Vegan? Keto? Whole 30? … According to Forbes, a whopping 18% of surveyed consumers say they follow a specialty diet. Food producers, restaurants, and investors have all taken note of the growth in food sensitivities with specialty products and programs. The wellness industry is now worth $4.2T - more than global travel - and the segment growth is especially robust amongst the coveted millennial segment.

By Kenneth Purcell, Founder and CEO, iSeatz

Opinion Article

August 21, 2019

Are Restaurateurs Ready for 2030?

As young restaurateurs pave the way for the future of the restaurant sector, they are keen to adapt to their customers' and markets' needs and are ready to make F&B an innovative and experience-centered industry. How ready are they to take on tomorrow's challenges, such as adapting their business models to new delivery channels, digitalization or engaging in sustainability practices?

By Stéphanie Buri, Clémence Cornuz, and Morgane Voumard

Opinion Article

August 13, 2019

5 Ways your Menu Pricing Strategy is Hurting your Profit

Your menu pricing strategy is directly tied to your bottom line. Which makes me wonder why so many restaurants overlook this important profit center.

By Jim Lopolito, Owner of Lopolito Hospitality Consultants, Corp. (LHC), Cayuga Hospitality Consultants

Opinion Article

July 24, 2019

How Wineries Build Their Reputation

In the world of wine, it is important to differentiate between individual reputation and collective reputation. Disassociating the two is crucial because it helps wine drinkers understand the price differences between two wineries that share the same appellation.

By Gildas L'Hostis, Senior Lecturer Practical Arts delivering courses in oenology (the knowledge of wine, wine service, production, economics, and tasting), EHL

Opinion Article

July 10, 2019

Designing Attractive Food Tourism Experiences

As it's not dependent on the natural attributes of a destination such as sun, sea and sand, food tourism can be an important tool for hospitality and tourism businesses, allowing them to attract tourists during off-peak times.

By Barry O’Mahony, Professor and Chief Academic Officer, EHL

Opinion Article

July 5, 2019

What Influences our Perception of Wine Flavors and Aromas?

Winemakers seek to create 'balanced' and 'harmonious' wines, defined mainly by flavors which, when combined, produce the wine's complexity or 'structure', as well as 'roundness'. When appreciating wine, those flavors interact with each other and modify the way they are perceived. This effect could have an impact on the wine's balance itself.

By Gildas L'Hostis, Senior Lecturer Practical Arts delivering courses in oenology (the knowledge of wine, wine service, production, economics, and tasting), EHL

Opinion Article

June 25, 2019

Five Food and Beverage Personalization Trends to Watch

There is currently a growing demand from customers for customization in various aspects of the food and beverage industry. Not only the product or service offered, but also the customer experience needs to be unique and feel personal.

By William-Alexandre François, F&B Management Expert, EHL

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Opinion Article

June 13, 2019

As Restaurants Evolve, The Core Experience Remains

Up until the hospitality industry started to change over half a century ago, everyone was accustomed to believing that a city's best restaurant would be found at a luxury hotel downtown. Such a property's premier restaurant would often serve as a perennial draw for both out-of-towners as well as locals, with reservations coveted and those seated immediately bestowing status upon their patrons.

By Larry Mogelonsky, Partner, Hotel Mogel Consulting Limited

Opinion Article

May 27, 2019

In Vino Veritas LXXII – Summer Wine Starts Now

While most wines can be enjoyed any time of year and ostensibly anywhere within sight of a corkscrew, the hot summer months present an opportunity to expand your beverage selection with great seasonal offerings, all in the pursuit of greater awareness and revenues.

By Larry Mogelonsky, Partner, Hotel Mogel Consulting Limited

Opinion Article

May 23, 2019

Making Food and Beverage a Focal Point in the Hotel Industry

Ever since Fred Harvey opened his first "eating house-hotel" establishment along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (AT&SF) tracks in Kansas in 1878, food and beverage has become an integral part of the hospitality business in the U.S. Harvey's invention was a more formalized approach to what was served to guests of the grand hotels and smaller inns that dotted the landscape from Europe to Asia throughout eras before.

By David Eisen, Content Director, Media, Questex

Opinion Article

May 3, 2019

Restaurant Concepts: How to Select a Restaurant Theme

Opening a restaurant involves some heavy decision-making, and one thing that must be given a great deal of time and thought is the theme. It will have a major influence on how successful your restaurant becomes. Your chosen theme will attract or drive away customers and even change what foods you can put on your menu.

By Kacey Bradley, Lifestyle Blogger, The Drifter Collective

Opinion Article

April 23, 2019

Your Wine List Needs Branding Too

What does your wine list stand for? What's its elevator pitch? Is it meaningful for customers? Does it fit with the theme and business plan for the parent restaurant?

By Larry Mogelonsky, Partner, Hotel Mogel Consulting Limited

Opinion Article

April 5, 2019

AETHOS Takes a Deep Look at Leadership in The (US and UK) Restaurant Sectors

The tech era has highlighted the importance of data mining and has made this process critical when it comes to decision-making and even tactical execution. It is easy to assume that evidenced-based insights and models would only apply to business metrics and issues, but the burgeoning science of Human Resources shows that "big" data can help in "big" ways as it pertains to hiring the right talent for the right positions for optimally effective organizations. And in the restaurant sector, a high-performing operations leader is necessary for the success of the business and operation.

By Thomas Mielke and Andrew Hazelton

Opinion Article

March 26, 2019

Food Scene – How Melbourne Managed to Become Australia's Gourmet Capital

For many people who like to travel, experiencing the food of other cultures plays a big part when it comes to deciding what place they'd like to travel to next. Melbourne is a place that offers many options to its visitors - whether they'd like to enjoy fine dining, casual coffee drinking in one of its coffee shops or simply brunching in a cozy laneway restaurant, every food aficionado is sure to be pleasantly surprised by the diversity this city is known for. Let's take a look at the factors that shaped Melbourne into the culinary capital of Australia.

By Marie Nieves, Lifestyle Blogger, Marie Nieves

Melbourne, Australia

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Opinion Article

March 21, 2019

5 Unique Experiences Hotels Can Use To Attract Guests

We've all been there. You finally wake up from the dreaming phase of the travel planning journey and pick on a destination to visit. Now the planning begins. We all have our go-to travel booking websites and apps, and they each present a lot of information, packages, and special offers convincing you to make a booking. Beyond just rate, hotel shoppers consider plenty of other factors, such as amenities, activities, and nearby restaurants.

Opinion Article

March 20, 2019

Food Halls Are the New Food Courts (With an Authentic Twist)

Food halls are everywhere nowadays, from Florence's Mercato Centrale to Lisbon's Time Out Mercado da Ribeira, there is a good chance you stumbled upon one of these gigantic cafeteria-style public markets, where - under the same roof - you can taste different types of foods, see different chefs at work and even buy groceries. Food halls are doing more than just serving meals to hungry locals and tourists: they are designed as a curated experience, where guests can not only enjoy top-notch street-style foods, but fully grasp an authentic flair of the city they are in.

By Chiara Eckenschwiller, Final Year Student, EHL

Opinion Article

March 13, 2019

In Vino Veritas LXXI: Your Wine List Sucks

Quite the statement to kick off the In Vino Veritas series for 2019, but, sadly, it is too often true. To put it more politely, think of this in terms of a series of questions. What does your wine list stand for? Is it meaningful for customers? Does it fit with the theme and business plan for the parent restaurant?

By Larry Mogelonsky, Partner, Hotel Mogel Consulting Limited

Opinion Article

February 15, 2019

The Hidden Benefits of Tasting Events

Finding myself away at a mountain resort for a food and wine festival last year, it was the perfect opportunity to not only participate in a wine tasting conducted by a vintner from a prominent Oregon winery as well as reflect upon the staying power of these types of events.

By Larry Mogelonsky, Partner, Hotel Mogel Consulting Limited

Opinion Article

February 4, 2019

The Broken Record Discussion – Boardroom Diversity Within The Restaurant Industry

Participating in countless client board meetings, I can say with confidence that gender diversity within the boardroom leads to first-rate ideation and collaboration. In addition, credible studies conducted by the likes of Boston Consulting Group and McKinsey & Company prove out a strong correlation between a board comprised of a larger female presence and superior results in the boardroom.

By David Mansbach, Managing Director, AETHOS Consulting Group

Opinion Article

January 25, 2019

Requirements And Equipment To Start A Catering Business

If we go back in time, it would feel incredible to say that catering as an alternative to host a feast dates back from China a few thousands of years in the past. At first, it was not meant to be a business, but through time the need for reliable means to regain energy in the Silk Road gave rise to increasing the popularity of catering as an economic enterprise. Roman, greeks, and even medieval monks had their own influence in how catering was perceived throughout history, and it is recorded how Alexis Benoit Soyer, a cook, writer, and inventor of cooking equipment, used a type of boiler as a heater to maintain food warm for a longer time.

By Ismael González Serrano, Journalist, Into the Marketing (itmK)