Cut and Create salad at the Capital Hilton Washington , D . C .
F & B
DEMAND FOR
HEALTHIER OPTIONS AND A SHIFT TOWARD EXPERIENTIAL
F & B HAS HOTELS
GRAVITATING TO GROUP WELLNESS .
By CHLOE RILEY , ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Gone are the days of that perfect storm : overstuffed meetinggoers and under appreciated PowerPoints – the dreaded four-course corporate lunch .
“ Health and wellness is here to stay ,” says Wyndham Hotels & Resorts F & B Director Mark Anderson . “ It might be cliché , but the millennial world is real and the expectation among that demographic is a much lighter , health-conscious meal .”
“ Millennials are generation nice ,” The New York Times once declared . Organic , sustainable and veggie-friendly options feed the millennial mindset dominating the modern corporate meeting , which has also been forced to prioritize those with alternative food needs . Vegan , vegetarian , gluten-free , nut allergies – rather than view these groups as the exception , many hoteliers have started angling their group meetings around these options , which skew toward healthier , plant-based items .
And it isn ’ t just what you eat , but how you eat it . Experiences – and the Instagram photos they inspire – lately dominate any meeting worth its salt , both actual and proverbial . Snipping fresh greens for a salad . Handrolling fresh sushi . A yogurt parfait slurped down following morning yoga .
“ Five years ago it was typical that lunch was three or four courses : a pre-set , heavier appetizer , a very heavy entrée with a starch that overwhelmed the plate , followed by a pastry ,” Anderson says . “ Everyone left that luncheon feeling like they wanted to go take a nap . That world has changed .”
For the meeting-centric Dolce Hotels & Resorts , which Wyndham acquired in 2015 , the focus has been around nourishment
42 hotelsmag . com May 2017