THE PEOPLE ISSUE
Puck in Las Vegas . “[ Puck ] taught me that the development of restaurant concepts is anchored in hospitality and service . It was not just a good food and service experience ; it was lighting , the way you walked guests to the table and how the table was set . That was the DNA we tried to embody .”
“ To be really great , you need to take everything you do seriously ,” he says . “ We are in a creative business and it ’ s our passion , but it ’ s still a business and it has to be commercially successful .”
The idea , he says , is to create experiences that will distinguish one restaurant from another . Crocini uses the example of an American steakhouse — how different can one prototypical restaurant be from another ?
“ What you want to do is find a new way to create a lasting memory for the guest ,” he notes .
At this steakhouse , for example , a guest might order a fine whiskey on the rocks , but to make this experience more vibrant , the bartender might reveal the bottle with a bit of showmanship before carving a perfect globe of ice and putting it in a crystal glass . “ There ’ s a bit of theater and emotion ; you create a lasting memory for the guest ,” he says . “ The next time they order whiskey on the rocks , they ’ ll be missing that perfect crystal ice ball .”
BEYOND THE PANDEMIC COVID-19 has caused hoteliers to rethink the guest experience , and Crocini expects prepackaged food , as well as artful bento boxes at events in lieu of buffets , to continue . But even in the chill of winter , people went outside to eat and drink in igloos and by firepits . “ People want to return to restaurants to socialize , and I think [ business ] is going to return stronger than ever because of pent-up need for community and connection ,” he says .
When will this explode into returned business ? Crocini predicts global domestic travel will rebound first . “ As soon as people feel comfortable
Terra is the signature restaurant at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi .
[ traveling ], we will return bigger than ever because of the time during which people haven ’ t been able to do what they love to do ,” Crocini says .
He believes there will be a backlog of people clamoring to hold weddings or conventions . “ Couples might have had a commitment ceremony or courthouse wedding , but at the end of the day , they want their celebration ,” he says . “ People also want to connect for business . You can ’ t do everything over Zoom .”
Crocini predicts that the kitchens in hotels will once again be bustling , noting that there is a place for ghost kitchens , but that Hilton is looking to bring all of its kitchens back online .
The casualization of fine dining , however , will continue . “ People want a beautiful gourmet meal , but they don ’ t always want formality ,” he says . What they do want , he notes , is the same attention to detail they ’ d receive in a Michelin-starred restaurant — no shortcuts . But instead of dressing staff in formal waistcoats and bowties , they might wear Converse sneakers and high-quality denim . “ It ’ s still fine dining , but it ’ s designed without the look of formal dining with high-backed chairs and multiple yards of white linen .”
In managing his global team , Crocini is inspired by all the young , talented chefs and their passion , and he acts to guide and inspire . “ I don ’ t micromanage . I want people to have the opportunity to make decisions and to put themselves forward to learn and to learn from their mistakes . It ’ s important to showcase their passions , supporting them in what they ’ re great at and challenging them in areas where they ’ re not .”
FIND A NEW WAY TO CREATE A LASTING MEMORY FOR THE GUEST .
ADAM CROCINI
54 hotelsmag . com March / April 2021