Working through the details is the biggest challenge,” says Mark Shuda, when discussing Wyndham’s new signature breakfast program. As senior director of food and beverage for Wyndham Hotels and Resorts (a division of Wyndham Worldwide), he was given a tremendous opportunity to exercise his vision when the hospitality company was formed as a result of the 2006 Cendant Corporation spin-off of its lodging, vacation exchange and rental, and timeshare resorts businesses.

Like his favorite granola, Shuda did it all “from scratch.” And his commitment, plus patience, to incorporate very particular details into the program give it distinction—and differentiation. As one of several food and beverage initiatives being developed, Wyndham’s breakfast program, “Fields & Sun,” grasps what the traveling population across all demographics, to a growing extent, demands. And it exemplifies Shuda’s mantra: “do fewer things well.”

VISUAL IDENTITY
To create a strong visual identity, world-renowned architect Michael Graves (widely known for his collaboration with Target) was hired. Still in the process of designing furniture and assorted accessories—including china and glassware—for Wyndham guestrooms and food and beverage venues, Graves created the identifying Fields & Sun logo very early on.

The logo says it: “soulful and honest,” “freshness,” “abundance,” “memory food.” And these are labels Shuda applies to the breakfast program’s food and beverage offerings. It may sound homey and comforting, which it is, but every detail was examined carefully, with many changes incorporated—some subtle—but the kind that make a big difference.

Shuda reiterates the five key reasons guests choose a hotel: check-in, check-out, bed comfort, cleanliness, and breakfast quality. And, with breakfast, he intends to make Wyndham shine. ‘We want to own breakfast [in the industry] ... we want a standalone breakfast venue,” Shuda says.

IS IT OR ISN’T IT A BUFFET?
It is a “buffet,” but not entirely, not what guests usually associate with the typical hotel breakfast buffet. It is “breakfast made to order,” says Shuda. For one thing, there are no scrambled eggs on the buffet.

For “starters,” every guest—literally seconds after being seated—is presented with a shot glass, an amuse so to speak, filled with one and one-half ounces of the smoothie of the day. Flavors such as strawberry banana, pineapple ginger, and watermelon are the most popular. After this taste, they are much more likely to order a full serving and may, for an extra charge, add protein powder. Everything about this special touch works, including the surprise element. It’s something they will remember and may order the next time, if not now.

Also, when guests are seated, a server offers and brings coffee, tea, and fresh juice.

There is a heavy emphasis on fresh fruit and grains. At least eight kinds of fruit are always offered, such as kiwi, blueberries, apples, strawberries, bananas, pineapple, melon, and mango. “People eat that way today,” says Michael McCarthy, food and beverage director of the Wyndham Cleveland Playhouse Square, one of eight properties already in full compliance of the new breakfast program.

And “a very special” handcrafted granola comes in several flavors and styles. Shuda looked long and hard for the perfect granola and found it with the Bear Naked brand. After making the decision, he was surprised and pleased to discover that the young founders of this successful company are from Darien, Connecticut, his home town. One of the challenges and requirements when choosing granola was distribution. The standard: Can you deliver it to 80 hotels ... even if you are in New Mexico, and not just 30 miles from Atlanta? And consistency of product is a must.

In every Wyndham property, one breakfast food item must be local, such as creamed chipped beef or scrapple in Pennsylvania, red flannel hash in New England, biscuits and gravy in the South, and spicy items in the West.

“We embrace local vendors,” says Shuda. “We may get smoked meats from a local butcher ... Cleveland, for example, has a great farmer’s market where we get kielbalsa.”

may get smoked meats from a local butcher ... Cleveland, for example, has a great farmer’s market where we get kielbalsa.”

“Every day we rotate our hot items,” says McCarthy. “Guests who are here for several days never see the same thing.” We may have French toast stuffed with bananas and macadamia nuts; what we call spicy ‘fajita,’ a tortilla stuffed with sausage and eggs and cheese; biscuits and gravy; or pancakes, with blueberry, apple cinnamon, Georgia walnut, or chocolate chips. Apple smoked bacon and fresh-made waffles are also available.

“On the buffet, we offer yogurt and two types of cereal options: three styles of granola and hot oatmeal. We have assorted breads, Danish, and hot muffins. Muffins, served right out of the ‘tin,’ come in a variety of flavors like blueberry; cranberry; and orange, carrot, and honey.

AND THE SCRAMBLED EGGS?
The Fields & Sun program does offer scrambled and other styles of eggs, but only cooked to order. “The omelet chef is the most important chef in the hotel,” says Shuda. “If he calls in sick, it creates a real problem ... many guests count on breakfast to carry them through the day.” And Shuda emphasizes that not everyone knows how to cook omelets. “I found that all of our omelet chefs, maybe because of a fear of salmonella, were overcooking eggs. It’s a training issue. A great technique uses fewer eggs, the right ladle, no milk or water, and produces a fluffy omelet that is golden yellow, not at all brown,” Shuda says. Filling choices for these fluffy French-style omelets include at least eight kinds of cheese, such as goat and feta, and other items like sautéed spinach, rock fish, and shrimp.

To further distance themselves from the selfserve mentality of most buffets and to increase the sales component, eggs are brought to the table by the server—as is freshly made toast of several varieties served in a specially designed basket. “Toast never works on a buffet,” says Shuda. “Toasters don’t work, are too hot. The timing is difficult.”

Shuda emphasizes that the sales aspect of the Fields & Sun concept entails a six-part approach: the smoothie, coffee (with refills), juice, toast, water, and check.

GETTING STARTED
Wyndham makes it easier to incorporate the program through a very inclusive manual. It provides instructions on service, food (how to buy fruit, for example, covers 10 pages), chef training, and graphics. The Fields & Sun logo, however, is the only required décor element, now appearing on menus and napkins. European white china is used. And a logoed mug, also by Michael Graves, is nearly ready.

A unique [required] detail is the napkin. Shuda chose a napkin that is like a dish towel— with the Fields & Sun logo applied. “To get the right feel, it took a dozen tries. A consideration [beyond the look and feel] was, again, finding the right distributor, one that can service many hotels,” says Shuda. “It’s always a challenge with custom items.”

LOOKING AT IT A NEW WAY
“Changing a mindset doesn’t happen overnight,” says Shuda. And some hotels are resistant because initially it costs a little more to incorporate the Fields & Sun concept. But those properties that are already fully compliant have experienced a 10 to 30 percent increase in breakfast sales.

McCarthy says before the program was instituted (August 2006) in the Cleveland Wyndham Playhouse Square, the buffet, in general, was viewed as a negative. Now, with $14 a person for the full buffet (the average is $14 to $20 depending on location), “we’re up about a dollar in every check, and covers are up nearly ten percent.

“Initially, some of the chefs gave me a hard time about the money, but it sells,” says McCarthy. An we’re not throwing food away. The quality is exciting.”

“A few [details] are still being worked out,” Shuda emphasizes. “Some are harder to pull off than others.” This is where patience comes in. But it’s clear he intends to achieve the entire concept, piece by piece, even if it takes longer than first anticipated.

SPOTLIGHT: COFFEE

S&D LAUNCHES NEW SUSTAINABLE COFFEE
S&D Coffee, Inc., has launched Rainforest Select, a 30 percent blend of Rainforest Alliance Certified™ beans from Central America blended with strictly high-grown 100 percent Arabica beans. Offered as part of S&D’s Premium Gold Line, it is a medium-roasted coffee with a uniquely clean flavor, rich body, and pleasant lingering finish.

Rainforest Select beans are certified by Rainforest Alliance, a nonprofit environmental and sustainable development organization whose mission is to protect ecosystems and the people and wildlife dependent on them by changing land-use and business practices and consumer behavior. The organization, along with members of the Sustainable Agriculture Network, sets standards for the sustainable production of coffee. Farms meeting the guidelines are awarded the Rainforest Alliance certification, offering them increased access to markets and better prices for their product.

“S&D’s support of Rainforest Alliance Certified™ coffee lets us continue promoting sustainability by serving as good stewards of both the natural and human resources of coffee-growing regions in Latin America,” says Brian Bradley, senior director of product development, S&D Coffee, Inc. “By offering sustainable coffee, we provide our customers with an affordable premium product that not only offers a distinctively pleasing taste, but gives them and the end-users the opportunity to participate in global conservation efforts.” CONTACT: www.sndcoffee.com.

DOUWE EGBERTS® ONE-TOUCH BREWING SYSTEM
Sara Lee Foodservice’s Douwe Egberts® One- Touch Coffee Brewing System provides unparalleled value to lodging and gaming facilities across the United States and Canada. The combination of expertly engineered brewers, a full line of high-quality coffees, and over 25 years of reliable service and support ensures that customers receive a delicious cup of coffee every time. The bag-in-box technology maintains the coffee’s high quality while ensuring that the brewer quickly pours a fresh, consistent cup or pot of coffee on demand from 55 to 1000 cups per hour. With Douwe Egberts equipment and range of brewed coffee, refrigerated milk, and chocolate products —from European Dark Roast to Kona Blend to Cafi-Lait Milk and Cacao Fantasy Fine Belgian Chocolate—Douwe Egberts provides a coffee solution to help operators maximize labor resources and increase the efficiency of their operations. CONTACT: www.douweegbertscoffeesystems.com

Margaret Rose Caro is the editor of HOTEL F&B.