Going small with a show kitchen can leave a big impression on guests, especially at a boutique property where theater-style size might seem out of place.
At the 63-room Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa in Shell Beach, California, 150 square feet of kitchen space is all it takes to entertain groups with chef’s demos, special dinners, and cooking classes in the Penthouse Suite.
“It’s classy but comfortable, and here on the central coast, that’s huge to our guests,” says Kari Roose, events coordinator at Dolphin Bay. “They really like the fact that it feels like home, and it’s the exact opposite of stepping into a kitchen in the back of a restaurant somewhere.”
The kitchen is housed in a 2,000-square-foot room on the hotel’s fourth floor, with a fireplace and views of the Pacific Ocean, creating what Roose describes as a “cozy, intimate feel.” She adds that much of the “at home” vibe comes from the kitchen itself, which is stocked with brand-name domestic appliances many guests recognize, including:
- Wolf gas-burning range and warming drawer
- KitchenAid microwave/convection oven and dishwasher
- Sub-Zero side-by-side refrigerator/ freezer
“There’s definitely a residential kitchen feel,” says Evan Treadwell, executive chef at Dolphin Bay. “We can pull up bar stools around the counter, and people sit while you talk to them. It’s intimate, just like being in the kitchen with your family.”
While the appliances may appear residential, some were modified to handle heavier use, including increased BTUs for the Wolf range, which also has a commercial-sized hood above it. “If we just designed it as a home kitchen and installed a regular home-style hood up there, we would fill the whole place with smoke when we cook in volume,” Treadwell explains.
CONVERTING EXISTING SPACE
Modifying equipment is only one aspect of the Penthouse Suite’s transformation from guestroom to event space. Dolphin Bay opened in 2006 with six penthouses designed for individual customer use, but Roose says there was a need for a space to entertain groups that would showcase the property’s unique oceanfront location.
“We wanted to offer something different for the guest outside of our other meeting space, located next to our Lido Restaurant & Bar. So we selected one of the penthouses and removed all of the original furniture, including the beds,” Roose says.
MATCHING EVENTS
Because of the domestic atmosphere in the Penthouse Suite, events are correspondingly laid back. There are no dazzling displays of fire and lights or pyrotechnics that guests might see in an amphitheater-style show kitchen. The room can seat up to 40 for a multi-course chef’s dinner and between 12 and 30 for a hands-on cooking class, such as pizza making. Clients are never obligated to “watch the show” in the kitchen and can explore the room anytime.
“It’s as interactive as they want it to be. There’s plenty of space to stand around the chef, or they can turn their attention to something else,” says Roose, who adds that the average length of a Penthouse Suite event is about three hours.
Despite the small size of the kitchen and its distance of nearly a quarter-mile from the hotel’s main kitchen, Treadwell says there aren’t logistical problems with inventory and supplies. “It’s a complete kitchen. We have a full refrigerator, and we keep a pantry up there stocked with all the essentials. If we need anything else, we just put the items on a speed rack and roll them right up the elevator.”
FLEXIBLE NICHE
Roose says guest feedback has been excellent since Dolphin Bay began hosting events in the Penthouse Suite. She adds that 90 percent of their group business has been chef’s dinners, but there is a strong focus on promoting more cooking classes in 2009.
Treadwell says the kitchen’s size lends itself to a variety of intimate culinary experiences. One idea in the works is to take guests to the nearby San Luis Obispo Farmer’s Market, where they would gather fresh ingredients and take them back to the Penthouse Suite to cook a meal.
“This is the wave of the future for residential-style resort properties,” says Treadwell. “You’ll start seeing it everywhere, because people want to connect with the chef and they want to connect with the food. The more we bring it to a level they understand and where they can participate, the more opportunities we have to sell these kinds of special events and to brand our resort.”
Michael Costa is industry relations editor for HOTEL F&B. He has several years of experience in hotel kitchens and F&B purchasing at a large convention hotel, in addition to attending culinary school in Chicago.
