Offsite Influences Where F&B pros find inspiration outside of their properties. By Michael Costa
Vail Cascade Resort & Spa Vail, Colorado
Adam Votaw, Executive Chef
“I find inspiration throughout the day without even trying.
I’m very fortunate to live in Colorado, where a beautiful
mountain setting brings on an active life, promoting meals
as a time to stop, reflect, and refuel. I get excited about fresh
and dried fruit with steel-cut oats for breakfast, hearty salads
for lunch paired with crisp wines, and homestyle entrées like
mushroom-crusted white
meatloaf for dinner. My
ideas come from a lifetime
of talking to people about
where they’re from, what
they like to eat, and what
their favorite dishes are at
home. Also, recipes from
the past are inspiring. To
see Mom’s handwriting
makes me taste her holiday
meals and influences
me to bring them to life
again, carrying on the
history of great food and
quality time with friends
and family.”
The Citizen Hotel Sacramento, California
Michael Tuohy, Executive Chef
“I look to our local farmers’ markets for inspiration.
Every Wednesday from May through
October, we have a market in Chavez Park directly
across the street from our property, and every
Sunday morning is our downtown farmers’ market
beneath X Street. These are where I get a sense of
what is local, fresh, and in season and how I decide
what we will feature on our daily menus. This also
carries over to our bar and beverage program for
culinary-driven cocktails. For other inspiration, I
read the food and dining sections of the New York
Times and San Francisco Chronicle weekly, along
with my favorite food magazines from Spain and
Australia. It also doesn’t hurt that we are just over
an hour from San Francisco and Sonoma and even
closer to Napa!”
Omni La Mansion Del Rio, Watermark Hotel & Spa San Antonio, Texas
John Brand, Executive Chef
“I find inspiration in the world outside the kitchen, the
world where my guests live. The flavors around us help
make our operation attractive to the customer. There’s
a certain predictability to dining and a hotel stay, but
it’s more than four walls and unfamiliar food served
in an ambient setting. The menu has to be attractive,
the flavors fresh, and prices affordable. Reading local
magazines as well as national publications helps me
take the pulse of our current guest preferences. Also,
the grocery store, Internet, and research at the market
contribute to my F&B ideas. We have to live it, and it
has to be executed with confidence and conviction.
The guest is always changing, so we have to create
fresh and inviting concepts for them.”
MGM Grand Resort and Casino Las Vegas
Alexandre Gaudelet, VP of F&B
“When designing a concept, in addition to the F&B offerings,
we must consider style of service, interior, ambiance,
communication, and factors outside the hospitality field.
Phone service, initial greetings, amenities, marketing, music,
lighting, interior design, technology, and so much more
can be inspired by other industries. Our business partners,
who include Tom Colicchio, Michael Mina, Steve Hanson,
and Joël Robuchon, are
instrumental in bringing
their own expertise
and innovations to our
property. With 2,500
MGM Grand F&B professionals,
we are constantly
exposed to new ideas. We
experience all Las Vegas
has to offer, and because
of the diversity of our
F&B program and workforce,
we travel all over
the world. We encourage
our team to share their
experiences via our F&B
email account.”
Michael Costa is industry relations editor for HOTEL F&B. He worked for several years in the kitchen and in F&B purchasing at a large convention hotel in Chicago, as well as having attended culinary school.
