F & B : DINING ROOM DESIGN
UPSCALE , EARTH
BUT DOWN- TO- by ANN BAGEL STORCK , MANAGING EDITOR
Modeled after a traditional Argentinian courtyard-style home , the dining room at Elena Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires features interactive details such as an open kitchen and marble charcuterie counter as well as a black-and-white marble herringbone-patterned floor that mimics many of the neighborhood ’ s eateries .
DINING ROOM DESIGN IS TAKING A CASUALLY ELEGANT APPROACH WITH A NUMBER OF UNIQUE TWISTS .
Evolving guest expectations about the meaning of “ luxury ” accommodations are impacting hotel dining spaces as well . Take Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts — long known as a standard-bearer for luxury hotels , the Toronto-based company is going through an ongoing process to make its restaurants more approachable and engaging for guests even as they maintain high-end ambience . At Four Seasons Hotel Buenos
Aires , for example , the new Elena Restaurant is inspired by a Latin American home and offers interactive features such as a pathway through the kitchen and a charcuterie counter at the dining room ’ s entry . And at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North , the new Proof , an American canteen , aims to evoke nostalgia and fun with details like a vintage shuffleboard table and oldfashioned soda fountain .
“ We always talk in the hospitality business that we want our guests to feel like they are inside our homes ,” notes Bryan Feigenbaum , director of food and beverage at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North . “ Our restaurants need to have design features that bring the kitchen and the comforts of home to you .”
“ Dining is no longer about eating and drinking only , but it is an experience ,” adds Ivan Suardi , vice
www . hotelsmag . com January / February 2013 HOTELS 43