F & B : TableTop
Tortas arrive on individual cutting boards instead of plates at Hilton Chicago .
Natural ElEmEnts
With the popularity of farm-totable fare , organic offerings and a heightened concern about environmental impact , “ natural ” is a popular word in food — and that translates to tabletop décor too .
Focused on farm-to-table food , the team at Hilton
Chicago / Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center designs its event tabletops around rustic dinnerware , recyclable bamboo serving dishes and seasonal décor . At the time of interview , the team was preparing for a harvest-themed event .
Stone , wood , grasses and flowers found or grown onsite are all making their way to the tabletop with dramatic effect .
“ We are an Audubon Society-sanctioned property ,” says Mary Ann Kenmotsu , catering director , Hilton Chicago / Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center . “ We look to nature for lots of inspiration . Once a tree had to be removed from the property so we took cross sections of the trunk and turned them into candleholders for natural centerpieces .”
On the Hawaiian island of Lana ’ i , Hector Rubio , director of catering , Four Seasons Resort Lana ’ i , also finds inspiration just outside his office . Describing a nature-inspired tabletop design , Hector says he was “ inspired by our botanic garden and by the backdrop of a waterfall , koi pond and seductive , flickering torches . This unique table brings together elements of not only our gardens , but of the ocean ‘ in disguise ’ with the use of hundreds of driftwood pieces .”
Driftwood and other natural materials create a dramatic tablescape at Four Seasons Resort Lana ’ i .
40 HOTELS November 2015 www . hotelsmag . com