If you try to put a finger on the lingering malaise in casual dining, you may wonder why the sector still employs so many so-called "leaders," yet winds up persistently lagging behind relevant metrics for the industry. No wonder that casual dining is drawing interest from private equity players who are finding financial value and opportunity in this space.
Charlestowne Hotels has formed a strategic partnership designed to augment its restaurant management capabilities. The partnership with The Indigo Road Restaurant Group better enables Charlestowne to meet the needs of hotel clients' food and beverage operations and opens up the potential for new management contracts with hotels and resorts that have a wider variety of restaurants and bars.
Christopher Eagle has been named restaurant chef of The Waldorf Astoria New York. He now oversees the property’s three restaurants including Peacock Alley and its famed Sunday Brunch, Oscar’s Brasserie and the legendary Bull & Bear Steakhouse along with the hotel’s 24-hour room service offering.
This September and October, Kimpton chefs nationwide share their passion for the most important tool of their trade: the knife. As part of "Cut," the latest installment of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants' national Behind the Apron...Dishing with Kimpton Chefs series, Kimpton chefs will tackle the topic of mastering knife skills by offering tips for properly slicing and dicing to selecting and caring for the best blades as well as providing cutting-edge recipes to try at home and instructional demos at local events. Foodies can also learn the hidden secrets of chefs' favorite tool through featured Q&As, informative videos and more on www.kimptonhotels.com/behindtheapron. Highlighted events include:
As a result of softer customer traffic and a dampened outlook among restaurant operators, the National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) fell to its lowest level in nine months. The RPI – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – stood at 100.2 in July, down 1.1 percent from June and the lowest mark since a reading of 100.0 in October. However, July still represented the ninth consecutive month that the RPI stood above 100, which signifies continued expansion in the index of key industry indicators.
Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate will take over The Langham, Boston when the iconic hotel launches its renowned Chocolate Bar in Café Fleuri Saturday, September 8. The 24thyear of the legendary "All-You-Can-Enjoy" dessert paradise will bring more than 120 chocolate combinations to New England. Also re-joining the hotel's culinary weekend line-up is the tantalizing Sunday City Brunch buffet.
Following the successful launch of its wellness gastronomy program in winter 2011, Sofitel Luxury Hotels has announced the expansion of its French-inspired De-Light menus, providing an unparalleled level of convenience and service to Sofitel's guests. A gastronomic adventure in healthy eating, new low-calorie menu items will now be introduced in the restaurants, banquet and event options, as well as room service menus of Sofitel properties in Montreal, New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Miami and Minneapolis.
The DC Factory won the $15,000 first-place prize in the Cornell Hospitality Business Plan Competition, held annually by the Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship (PIHE) at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration. The final round of the competition was held April 14, 2012, during the 87th Hotel Ezra Cornell student-run conference. Created by Anukul Chandhok '12 and Vijay Sundar '12, the DC Factory is a collection of food kiosks based in New Delhi metro stations."The business plan competition gives students an opportunity to develop an innovative concept, build a practical business model, and convince a panel of industry experts that the idea is both feasible and marketable. I was highly impressed with the dedication and enthusiasm that students showed throughout the competition," said Susan Fleming, senior lecturer, who organized the event with Neil Tarallo, senior lecturer and academic director of PIHE.Second place and $5,000 went to Maria Hera '12, Jessica Lin MMH (Master of Management in Hospitality) '12, and Keith Seeber MMH '12 for Batch, a company that consults and creates customized desserts for restaurants. Third place and $2,500 went to Colette Chen MMH '12 and Samuel Thorpe '12 for EcoFishFeed, a company that raises forager fish for feed at salmon aquaculture farms. EcoFishFeed also won the $5,000 Stein Family Prize for Disability and Environmental Sustainability Solutions, which was new to the competition this year.Narrowed down from 31 original teams, the finalists presented their business plans in ten-minute pitches to a panel of hospitality executives, including Michael Cline '81, managing partner, Accretive LLC; Christopher R. Hemmeter '86, managing director, Quest Hospitality Ventures; William F. Minnock III '79, senior vice president, global operations deployment and program management, Marriott International, Inc.; and Jacob Wright, CEO, Action Companies, Inc. Also competing in the final round were LibeTech, a company that offers digital hotel check-in technology using QSR codes, and Honeybee, which connects local farms and restaurants online and through events.PIHE created the Cornell Hospitality Business Plan Competition in 2011 through the generous support of the Sun family, Stanley '00 and his parents Dennis and Betty. Sponsors of the second annual competition were title sponsor Marriott International, HotelPlanner.com, and the Stein family. To learn more about the competition, visit http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/industry/centers/pihe/events/competition/About The Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality EntrepreneurshipAn operating unit of the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, the Pillsbury Institute advances the study and practice of entrepreneurship and innovation in the hospitality industry. Through our network of faculty, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs, we give students the knowledge and skills they need to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors. To learn more about the institute, visit www.pihe.cornell.edu
At Kirkwood Community College, you really can start here and go anywhere. The mantra is well illustrated by Ben Smart. The 2007 graduate of the Kirkwood Culinary program is now the sous chef at one of the Pacific Northwest's trendiest restaurants, The Herbfarm. Smart recently shared his experiences and insights during a demonstration at Kirkwood featuring the cuisine of the Pacific Northwest. The demonstration was part of Kirkwood's guest chef series.
Annually, The Hotel hosts an invitation-only Wedding Menu Tasting event. Brides-to-be, their grooms and family guests gather as a group to experience The Hotel's ambience and peruse an extensive list of exotic flavors and fresh ingredients, sampling hors d'oeuvres, entrees, salads and, most importantly, designer desserts and cakes.
"You can be innovative and cheesy or innovative and productive, and the most important part of service innovation is to be productive and efficient," said Keane. "Keeping current is important, but at the end of the day, you have to have the basics right. A lot of what we do is make sure the butter is spreadable and the bread is warm; if you don't have the basics down first, innovating the process will not make a difference."
The bar climbs higher Thirty-five hotels totaling 9,600 rooms in New York City feature a rooftop bar, representing 12 percent of New York City's total hotel room supply. Lifestyle boutique hotels are still the most prevalent properties offering rooftop bars; however, international hotel chains have entered the rooftop bar arena, representing nearly a third of the total number of rooms.
Morgans Hotel Group Co. (NASDAQ: MHGC) ("Morgans" or the "Company"), today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase a 90% controlling interest in The Light Group ("TLG"), a leading lifestyle food and beverage company currently operating numerous venues for MGM Resorts International ("MGM"). This acquisition, while being immediately accretive to the Company's earnings, also provides Morgans with a first class food and beverage platform, a creative and experienced management team, and renowned brand names.
"The Hotel F&B Zone was created to accommodate the sourcing needs of food and beverage executives from across the country who attend the IHMRS annually, offering them a defined, exclusive area in which to shop for products," said Lynn White, show manager. "This includes executives from casinos, hotels, military lodging, and resorts."
The article briefly outlines the challenges that food and beverage outlets in hotel have faced in the past, as well as recent and current trends that are occurring to address these challenges. the common hotel restaurant has undergone significant changes in the past decade as a result of shifting consumer tastes, economic trends, and perceived revenue-generating ability. What was once a basic amenity to satisfy the needs of travellers has begun to shift into a dynamic conceptually based restaurant that adds to the overall guest experience and increases local awareness and brand image...
Several weeks ago, we were invited to Marriott's Bethesda, Maryland headquarters to meet with hotel executives and experience the "belly of the beast," so to speak - the Marriott Test Kitchen, where dishes for the chains' more than 1,000 restaurants are created, tested and perfected. For this experience, we, along with several other food and travel bloggers, offered our opinions on dishes for the chain's new "Eat. Drink. Connect." Bistro concept, which was first unveiled 2007 and is expected to be implemented across all U.S. Courtyard hotels by 2012. At present, more than 338 hotels have the Bistro concept in place.
The transaction will convert CGM's long-term management arrangements to short-term cancellable management agreements for each property. CGM will continue to manage the operations for a transitional period while Morgans reassesses its food and beverage strategy. As part of the agreement, MHG's ownership interest in the Asia de Cuba brand, and all intellectual property connected therewith, will be transferred to CGM. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2011 and is subject to satisfaction of certain closing conditions.
Forget those late-night cheeseburgers ordered from room service. Hotels increasingly are filling menus with low-calorie, low-fat options so you can eat healthy on the road. Among nods to the health-conscious: Hilton will feature low-calorie, low-fat breakfast options at all its hotels by the end of April.
Caesars Palace Las Vegas and Nobu Hospitality announced that they have signed a non-binding letter of intent to develop the world's first Nobu Hotel, an innovative concept that will integrate an exclusive hotel tower with the first Nobu restaurant and lounge on the Las Vegas Strip. The planned development would further the tradition of world-class accommodations and service that is synonymous with the resort's luxury brand. In announcing this tactical relationship, Nobu Hospitality has reinforced its focused growth strategy, expanding through the complete hospitality spectrum.
Don't make the Black Angus steak, unless you plan to rock the Black Angus steak. It's not an ordinary steak, and the Class Act Restaurant would never treat it like one. Only the freshest quality ingredients are allowed in the kitchen of the Corridor's newest and tastiest restaurant.