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Hotel Banquet & Catering Trends
Quarterly Special Edition: Spring 2010 Click here to subscribe» |
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In the Fold Royal Caribbean adds a touch of class with inventive use of linen. Story and video by Michael Costa On Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas, dining with the captain during the cruise's "formal" night is an exclusive opportunity—only 11 passengers get to do so. To help commemorate it as a special occasion, Royal Caribbean places elaborate, hand-folded “tuxedo” napkins on each plate. In this video, Royal Caribbean’s Karaman Davute demonstrates the step-by-step technique for creating a tuxedo napkin, which can add a special touch to any formal event. 
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Time to Play Deli-themed luncheon at Chicago Marriott raises attendees' energy. By Michael Costa Hotels often try to wow clients by flexing the “upscale” muscle—fine china, elaborate setups, and black tie-clad waitstaff. But, sometimes, it helps to put a little kitsch on the menu too.  Click to view photos of a recent "Meat & Greet" event at Marriott Downtown Chicago Magnificent Mile.That’s the thinking behind the Marriott Downtown Chicago Magnificent Mile’s "Meat & Greet" deli for groups: a setup that aims for the authenticity of a real neighborhood deli in a playful, cartoon-like atmosphere. “It’s supposed to be a hole-in-the-wall deli in any American town, and it’s the exact opposite of how you would normally present an event to the guest,” says Myk Banas, the hotel’s executive chef and director of F&B operations. “This is almost like the anti-luncheon, because things are a little bit ragtag.” It's those ragtag elements, however, that make Meat & Greet such a hit with guests. For example, the hallway leading to the dining area is lined with giant whiteboards that simulate highway signs announcing the proximity of a roadside deli. Once inside the room, the guest sees:
Comical Theme, Serious Food Of course, all the fun has to be backed with “excellent” food, says Banas, who created the theme a few years ago while working at another property. The “walk-up counter” where customers order is actually a series of connected tables, and behind it are multiple action stations where hot turkey and house-cured pastrami are sliced in front of the guest, and sandwiches are built to order. The event is designed for groups of about 60, but Banas says it can be done for as many as 200, as long as extra supplies and staff are added to the walk up area to avoid flow issues. “It’s okay for the guest to wait a minute or two,” Banas says, “but you don’t want them to wait in line too long; that might be too authentic.” 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, as well as having attended culinary school.
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Click here to send us description and photos. Noble Nature Gorgeous surroundings enhance event décor. By Madison Palmer A blossoming trend in hotel and resort event business is to move away from the generic ballroom background toward low-key setups. If the property is located in a visually appealing setting, the surrounding natural elements can be the décor as well.  Poolside events at Palm Springs' Riviera Resort & Spa are naturally enhanced by a backdrop of the San Jacinto Mountains.Noble House Hotels & Resorts is in the midst of a company-wide catering initiative for events at its 14 properties. This initiative includes new décor, menus, and setups. VP of F&B Thomas Haas says it’s important not to overpower areas with too many decorative elements, and at many of the properties, natural scenery abounds from which to build location-based backdrops. One such property is the Riviera Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, California, which incorporates elements from its surroundings, such as Himalayan pink salt rocks and wildflowers, to add natural decorative touches to private and corporate events. “Palm Springs is blessed with fabulous mid-century modern architecture, snow-capped mountain ranges, and beautiful weather,” says Olivia Prescott, consulting director of catering and event services for the resort. “Business in a resort town is pretty much feast or famine, so when we do have the opportunity to make an impression for an event, we do.” One of these “impressions” involves intimate garden areas serviced by quaint, three-wheeled bicycles on which hotel staff deliver such items as chilled hibiscus tea and citrus-infused water to guests, along with packed lunches in picnic baskets. Replacing standard chafers and platters are flat-top grills incorporating the Himalayan pink salt rocks, which are placed in the oven 24 hours ahead of time to retain heat. “The mounded rock salt is infused with clove, anise, cinnamon sticks, and black and red peppercorns, which play on the guests’ sensory experience while working within our natural surroundings,” adds Prescott. “When guests are traveling, they are usually coming to a new place wanting to experience the local influence.”  “Business in a resort town is pretty much feast or famine,” says Olivia Prescott, Riviera’s consulting director of catering and event services, “so when we do have the opportunity to make an impression for an event, we do.” Above, using the natural scenery as a beautiful backdrop at Noble House Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club in Redondo Beach, California. Although Noble House believes in the less-is-more approach to its events—in this case settling on the view of the San Jacinto Mountains in lieu of a traditional ballroom backdrop—displays are not obsolete. According to Haas, the catering initiative focuses more on creating a contemporary mobile kitchen effect with action stations featuring the latest induction-style cooking elements. Iced seafood and sushi offerings are served on giant ice blocks. As an escape from buffet tables, the Riviera Resort features marble, high-top tables conducive to eye-to-eye chef demonstrations for curious guests. If the tables require service areas behind them, ruffled skirting is replaced with black scuba linen, which stretches around the legs of the table, keeping things minimalist, clean, and sharp. Madison Palmer is a freelance writer and editor based in the Atlanta area.
Sensing Success A celebrity chef's restaurant works with banquets and room service. By Laura Powell Guy Martin, Fairmont Battery Wharf's new three-Michelin-star celebrity chef, and his protégé, Gerard Barbin, have developed a strong working relationship with hotel Executive Chef Brendon Bashford. The three work together to execute the hotel's banquets and catered events, infusing them with the aura of Martin's new Sensing restaurant.  Chef Gerard Barbin The two French chefs, along with Bashford, consult several times a month to discuss strategy, menu, and ingredients. The transatlantic team-work results in a restaurant that’s French but flavored with American ingredients. Says Director of Operations Maxence Compagnon, “The influence of Sensing on the hotel’s F&B operation is huge. Banquet staff are trained in the restaurant, and many of the dishes from Sensing’s menu are brought to the banquet table. Similarly, while room service is prepared in the hotel’s main kitchen, some of the menu items are Sensing creations.”  Chef Brendon Bashford Banquets Sensing Style On the catering side, the hotel tries to integrate Sensing’s sense of flavor, flair, and freshness into banquet settings. "It helps," Compagnon says, that “neither Sensing nor the banquet operation is volume-oriented. In fact, we can only seat 120 people for dinner in our ballroom. So both operations are low volume and very individualistic.” Bashford adds that presentation is key for banquet attendees. For example, rarely will one see a chafing dish at a Fairmont event. In fact, often the guest may see Sensing-inspired small plates served on the restaurant’s fine china. Banquet waitstaff start their training at Sensing. By exposing them to the restaurant from the beginning, they learn more about food and develop an interactive style with the guests. But interaction with guests is not reserved for the waitstaff. The open kitchen in Sensing allows cooks to kibbutz with customers sitting at the communal kitchen-front counter. Similarly, during banquets, chefs are often on hand to engage guests and explain the cuisine.  Fairmont Battery Wharf banquets feature restaurant-style small-plate presentation, often served on the hotel's Sensing restaurant's fine china. Bringing the Restaurant to the Room Room service customers also get a taste of Sensing. “About 30 to 40 percent of our room service menu has textures and flavors influenced by Sensing,” Bashford explains. “The room service menu, while offering standard fare like burgers and salads, includes a three-page insert with Sensing-inspired selections. As the restaurant’s menu changes seasonally, the three-page insert gets updated. We also add a fun element to each meal, just like at Sensing. For breakfast, that means a fresh squeezed juice shot, while dinner is accompanied by a complimentary amuse-bouche.” In most ways, Sensing and Fairmont F&B are parallel operations.   The hotel integrates Sensing restaurant's flair into banquet settings, such as the noodle bowls and goat cheese spoons shown here. “Our standards outside the restaurant are the same as inside,“ says Bashford. “We try to instill the exact same values and professionalism in all of the staff, regardless of where they work.” To do this, the two staffs meet together, train together, and oftentimes mix things up. Sensing cooks cover in-room dining one day a week, while the waitstaff and kitchen staff of both are interchangeable when need demands. This flexibility is possible, Compagnon says, because “in our training, all hands get the same approach. Everyone speaks the same language. We train all employees to be flexible, open-minded, and non-hierarchical.” Laura Powell has covered the travel industry for nearly 20 years. She appears on television stations across the country as a travel expert and blogs at www.dailysuitcase.com.
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In this issue: Sensing Success A celebrity chef's restaurant works with banquets and room service. Noble Nature Gorgeous surroundings enhance event décor. Time to Play Deli-themed luncheon at Chicago Marriott raises attendees' energy. 
In the Fold Royal Caribbean adds a touch of class with inventive use of linen. 
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Corporate Editorial Advisory Board Brian Abel Co-Leader and Sr. Director of F&B, North America, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Michiel Bakker Co-Leader and Sr. Director of F&B, North America, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Kris Beck Director, Brand Operations Support, Embassy Suites Hotels Phil Beilke Sr. Director Brand Management, Choice Hotels/Cambria Suites Terry Bickhardt Co-President, HVS Hotel Management Don Billings President and CEO, Incentive Marketing Inc. (iMi) Elizabeth Blau President, Blau & Associates Pete Boyd VP F&B, the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino Brian Carney Corporate F&B Director, Cooper Hotels Nicholas Clayton President, Viceroy Hotel Group Paul Daly VP of F&B, North America, Hyatt Hotels Fred DeMicco University of Delaware Giorgi DiLemis VP of F&B, Benchmark Hospitality Andy Dolce President, Dolce Hotels & Resorts Marion Edwards Corporate Director F&B Experience/Concept Development, Great Wolf Resorts Steve Enselein VP, Catering and Convention Services, Hyatt Hotels Steven Falciani VP Operations, The Dow Hotel Company Don Fisher President/CEO, Fisher-Nickel Inc. Frank Fraser Catering Director, Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino George Goodrich Corporate Director F&B, Red Lion Hotels Thomas Haas VP of F&B, Noble House Hotels & Resorts Keith Halfmann Corporate Director of Restaurants & Hotel Operations Support, Marcus Hotels & Resorts Steve Hedberg VP Operations, Carlson Hospitality International David Henkes VP, Technomic Inc. Jim Henning Corporate VP of F&B, Sage Hospitality Menze Heroian VP F&B, Tishman Hotels Dave Hoemann Corporate VP of F&B Operations, Sage Hospitality Jean-Marc Jalbert VP F&B, Accor North America Dieter Kadoke President, PointSource LLC Steve Kirsch Director of Culinary Operations, Holland America Line David McIntyre VP and GM, The Signature at MGM Grand Scott McMinn VP, Benchmark Hospitality Corporation Mitch Mehr VP F&B Operations, Destination Hotels & Resorts Sue Morgan VP Franchise F&B, InterContinental Hotels Group Morgan Plant VP F&B, Joie de Vivre Hospitality Barry Prescott Corporate Director of Beverage, Hyatt Hotels Stephen Rosenstock Senior VP Brand Standards and F&B, Omni Hotels & Resorts Fernando Salazar VP F&B, Wyndham Worldwide Martie Sparks VP Catering & Convention Services, Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino Mariano Stellner Corporate Director of F&B, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Nathan Tanner VP Restaurants, Larkspur Hotels & Restaurants Fred Tibbitts, Jr. President, Fred Tibbitts & Associates Ellen Burke Van Slyke Corporate Creative Director F&B, Loews Hotels Matthew Von Ertfelda VP Restaurants & Bars, Marriott International Frank Weber VP, F&B Operations, Royal Caribbean International Robert Winchester President/COO, Waterford Hotel Group Steven Zappacosta Corporate Executive Chef, Station Casinos Doug Zeif VP F&B/Asset Management, LXR Luxury Resorts |
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Hotel Banquet & Catering Trends is edited by Michael Costa and Tad Wilkes and published in affiliation with Hotel F&B Magazine
and Hotel F&B Online (www.hotelfandb.com). To submit story ideas or images, contact Michael at mcosta@hotelfandb.com or upload photos or videos at www.hotelfandb.com/photos.asp.
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