Miraval Arizona takes a mind-body-spirit
approach to refreshment breaks.
Set at the base of the Catalina Mountains on 400
acres of the Sonoran Desert, Miraval Arizona Resort
& Spa in Tucson consistently garners industry recognition
for its unique experiences, spa services,
and “healthy gourmet” F&B program.
“With the resort’s overriding theme of mindfulness
and health, we can customize a number of our
classes and experiences to 15- to 45-minute break
time slots,” says Director of Programs Erica Bennett.
Classes offered include Tai Chi, biofeedback, and
mindfulness meditation.
Executive Chef Chad Luethje’s creative culinary
program synergizes Miraval’s healthful ideals with flavorful
and inviting break menus. Morning breaks such
as the Catalina Continental offer assorted fruit juices
and seasonal fresh fruits, freshly baked breakfast breads and muffins,
fruit preserves, and locally sourced herbal teas and coffee. The Miraval
Sunrise adds seasonal fruit skewers, offered with agave-lime yogurt
dipping sauce and house-made granola and muesli. The Saguaro adds
seasonal sliced fruit and berries as well as house-cured and smoked
wild salmon with cream cheese, lemon, capers, and red onion.
Afternoon breaks include the Miraval Smoothie Bar, with agavespiced
roasted nuts, pretzels, and assorted sodas and waters.
The Coffee House features assorted house-made
cookies and biscotti, with assorted teas and coffee
served with shaved chocolate, cinnamon sticks, and
whipped cream. The Siesta Break features whole
wheat tortilla chips, with fresh salsas such as traditional
tomato-based, mango habañero, salsa verde,
fire-grilled pineapple, and jicama, nopalito cactus,
and orange. This break also includes seasonal garden
vegetable crudités with lemon-garlic hummus
and ranch dressing.
“We are attentive to flavor and texture but also
focus on the healthy aspect of breaks fare,” says Chef
Luethje. “We offer sugar-free juices, often flavored
naturally with agave syrup, for example. We feature
Maya Tea’s custom loose-leaf products such as African
rooibos, white, green, black, and sencha teas. We
avoid using dairy in smoothies, preferring purer interpretations
of fresh fruit, natural sweeteners, and granulated
ice. For breads, we utilize whole wheat, rye,
oat, and chickpea flours. We even grind our own flours
from Bhutan red and black forbidden rice to add a more healthful component,
and we utilize fruit purées as fat replacements in baking.
“Our culinary staff is enthusiastic about these breaks,” Luethje
adds. “They really enjoy stepping out with handcrafted products that
offer a great flavor profile and hidden health benefits. The meeting
planners and attendees give us lots of ‘wows.’ We love hearing that,
but, even better, we know that we have served wholesome food that
will power up our guests for the rest of their meeting day.”
The Belamar Manhattan Beach takes refreshment break
cues from ethnic takeout.
At the Belamar in Manhattan Beach, California, a Larkspur Collection
hotel, a “Stay Hip” credo is carried out with creativity, quality, and
service throughout the hotel, including banquets and catering. The
hotel’s commitment to making meetings effortless, effective, and
productive is reflected in the design of its meeting break menus.
“Portability is key in the presentation of our break offerings,” says
Emir Dedic, director of F&B. “Meeting attendees are often rushed
during breaks, attempting to check e-mail or return phone calls; 15
to 30 minutes elapse in a snap, so we wanted to ensure convenient
service. That’s where the idea for using Chinese to-go boxes for food
items came from—ironically, thinking outside the box led us to serving
inside a box.”
Executive Chef Vania Almeida came up with the container concept,
and the Belamar now serves items such as caramel and cheese
popcorn, house-made potato chips, Twinkies, Ding-Dongs, Goldfish
crackers, and M&Ms in them. The Chocoholic specialty break includes
chocolate chip cookies, assorted candy bars, and brownies served to
go; Eat Smart finds Kellogg’s cereal bars and trail mix conveniently
and portably packaged; and the Sweet & Salty break delivers tortilla
chips, vegetable crudités, and assorted freshly baked cookies.
The popular county fair-themed break delivers vintage candies
and popcorn in the grab ‘n’ go container system. A bakery-themed
specialty break includes Belamar cookies, Meyer lemon bars,
brownies, and blondies, all served in the Chinese takeout boxes.
Clients can also choose protein-based afternoon power breaks, with
items such as Walkabout Chinese chicken salad served as “take-in.”
Accompanying beverages include Larkspur’s signature Seattlebased
Fonté Premium Roast Coffee, Republic of Tea bottled beverages,
fresh-made lemonade, Red Bull, Fiji and Voss bottled waters,
and assorted soft drinks.
“We’ve received positive customer response from meeting planners,
and you should see the happy looks on attendees’ faces,” says
Dedic. “It has positive shock value. After sitting quietly for hours in a
closed environment, meeting guests are looking for something different,
and this fits the bill. Our culinary team loves the atypical take-out
serveware; not only is it creative, but it provides ease of service and
clean-up. It’s a disposable concept, yet a real keeper.”
Nancy Fox covers food and beverage, travel, and lifestyle. A travel industry
veteran based in Orlando, she has held positions with Walt Disney Attractions and AAA.
