HotelsMag July-August 2013 | Page 53

F & B : LOCAL SOURCING

PERMANENTLY SUSTAINABLE

Hoteliers are making a habit of looking to their local areas — and sometimes even their own properties — to source the freshest , highest-quality ingredients .
by ANN BAGEL STORCK , MANAGING EDITOR

This past spring , The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire , Scotland , made an unlikely marriage in pairing the idea of farm-to-table sourcing with the tried-and-true concept of the wine list . The result is the Gleneagles “ breed book ,” created with local butcher Simon Howie and designed to give diners at the hotel ’ s Deseo restaurant the chance to choose their beef in the same way they would select fine wines and whiskies . The book highlights four native and two continental beef breeds , and each week a different “ guest

The Gleneagles Hotel ’ s Deseo restaurant ( pictured above ) offers a “ breed book ” that allows diners to select their steak as they might a fine wine or whisky . breed ” showcases the unique characteristics of Scottish cattle .
“ The breed book has been a real success ,” says Gleneagles Executive Head Chef Alan Gibb . “ There has been very good feedback from the guests on the quality and variety of the beef , and there is an opportunity for the guests to cut their own steak , which in general means bigger steaks and better sales .”
Local sourcing is not new for hotel F & B programs , but it is constantly evolving — and it appears to be here to stay . “ Local sourcing makes a great
www . hotelsmag . com July / August 2013 HOTELS 51