F & B : BAR BUSINESS
Regent Taipei ’ s target clientele — businessmen and women age 30 and older — are looking for the best wines , regardless of price .
high-quality wines such as Argento from Argentina and Laroche from France for just US $ 24 per person . “ This promotion led to a 5 % increase in our fine-dining business and a 5 % to 8 % increase in our lounge ’ s total revenue ,” he adds .
Marriott International ’ s JW Marriott brand has made wine a key brand differentiator via its “ wine ambassador ” program . Wine ambassadors at each JW Marriott property
LOCAL
As local sourcing becomes increasingly prominent
FOCUS among hotel restaurant menus , bars are looking to source locally too — sometimes as close as in-house .
Last October The Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town , South Africa , unveiled its own beer label , “ Oscar Lager ,” inspired by the hotel ’ s mascot — Oscar the Seal — and established in collaboration with the craft breweries of Jack Black Beer . Last December , the hotel added its own signature wines , The Captain ’ s Table , created by winemaker Rikus Neethling of Bizoe Wines .
“ Small quantities of grapes , excellent wine-making ability and exceptional quality will
Kerry Hotel Pudong , Shanghai ’ s beer menu features six craft beers and a cider brewed at the hotel .
be our hallmark ,” says F & B Manager Joep Schoof .
Kerry Hotel Pudong ,
worldwide taste wines monthly and upload tasting notes to an internal website to share their expertise .
It ’ s a program that has been especially successful at JW Marriott Chicago , where Director of Restaurants Olivier Lau , who also serves as lead wine ambassador , notes that wine represents almost a third of overall beverage sales at the bar . The hotel has even opened monthly wine ambassador tastings to loyal guests
Shanghai , takes local sourcing even further with its beer menu , which features six craft beers and a cider brewed at the hotel . Offerings include a seasonal brew that changes monthly , such as a longjing tea lager and even a dragon hot pot ale brewed with five-spice powder and Sichuan peppercorns .
“ Crafted quality products are more and more in demand ,” notes Director of Food & Beverage Michael Huang . “ Consumers are now more interested in knowing where their food comes from — not just how good the chef who makes their dish is . They want to be sure of the quality of the product they are paying for from start to finish .” and select fans from Facebook and Twitter . The wine ambassador team also has created a fact sheet for all servers including suggested food pairings and an anecdote for each wine .
“ We believe that ’ s what people like to hear — a story rather than a technical fact such as the pH of the wine or the kind of barrel it was aged in ,” Lau says .
Perfect pairings Food often goes hand in hand with wine , beer or other spirits to drive bar business revenue — provided hotels can maximize this opportunity . “ This is often something operators don ’ t take seriously enough ,” says Shelia Turner , vice president of operations at San Francisco-based restaurant consultancy Puccini Group . “ By pairing wine , beer or spirits with food , it helps make the guest experience more approachable . Most people have no clue what wine goes with what entrée , and by making the process easier , you will garner more engagement .”
It ’ s an exercise that can appeal to all price points , too , even at a luxury hotel . Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford , California , recently offered a US $ 30 food and wine pairing in the bar with selections including a salmon sandwich paired with a glass of Copain Pinot Noir . “ We found it to be pretty successful ,” says Auberge du Soleil General Manager Bradley Reynolds . “ People enjoyed [ Auberge Wine Director ] Kris Margerum ’ s suggestions , and people
48 HOTELS May 2012 www . hotelsmag . com