ASCENDING FROM HIS PARENTS ’ KITCHEN TO THE HELM OF HILTON ’ S F & B EMPIRE , ADAM CROCINI SHARES HIS RECIPE FOR MAKING DINING MEMORABLE .
THE PEOPLE ISSUE
ASCENDING FROM HIS PARENTS ’ KITCHEN TO THE HELM OF HILTON ’ S F & B EMPIRE , ADAM CROCINI SHARES HIS RECIPE FOR MAKING DINING MEMORABLE .
SECRET SAUCE
THE
Crocini is Hilton ' s global head and vice president , food and beverage brands
Contributed by JEANETTE HURT dam Crocini grew up in a big Italian family in
AConnecticut where the kitchen was the hub for socializing and eating good food . On the weekends , his parents took him to New York City to dine at some of the country ’ s best restaurants .
With that kind of background , it ’ s not surprising that Crocini went into food and beverage ; his first job at age 16 was as a barback for the Max Restaurant Group . Today , Crocini is the global head and vice president in charge of food and beverage brands for Hilton , overseeing all F & B operations across the group ’ s 18 brands . “ That part-time job really became my life ’ s work and my passion ,” he says .
“ One thing I encourage — the ‘ secret sauce ’ — is [ being ] thoughtful about everything you do and what you are trying to communicate to the guest — what story you ’ re trying to tell and what experience you ’ re trying to create ,” Crocini says . “ If you really ground yourself with an idea of where you want to be , you think about the uniforms , the design , the lighting , the music , and at the same time , you ask yourself , ‘ how can we push boundaries and invent ?’ The industry calls for that right now .”
Consumers are savvier than ever before , Crocini notes , and hotels need to be aware of this to stay relevant . “ Hilton has a history of being the first in things , and I always ask , ‘ how can we [ attract ] a customer today that we can have 20 years from now ?’ When we look at food and beverage programs for a hotel , we program for the community , not just the hotel .”
Crocini says he first learned principles of good hospitality in high school , mentored by the owners of the restaurant group he worked for . “ They taught me everything about the business of running a reservation book on pen and paper for a 300-seat dining room .”
Crocini knew he wanted to be in the front of the house , but he also needed to understand what went on in the back . He attended the Culinary Institute of America and landed a job at the Four Seasons Hotel New York before joining Wolfgang