EDITOR ’ S DIARY
PASSION FOR HOSPITALITY
EDITORIAL Jeff Weinstein , Editor In Chief 1.312.274.2226 E-mail : jweinstein @ hotelsmag . com Barbara Bohn , Managing Editor 1.312.274.2209 E-mail : bbohn @ hotelsmag . com Chloe Riley , Associate Editor 1.312.274.2229 E-mail : criley @ hotelsmag . com Bert Ganzon , Senior Art Director 1.312.274.2227 E-mail : bganzon @ mtgmediagroup . com Steve Vanden Heuvel , Senior Art Director 1.312.274.2218 E-mail : svandenheuvel @ mtgmediagroup . com Brittney Hackbart , Associate Art Director 1.312.274.2216 E-mail : bhackbart @ mtgmediagroup . com Carolina Martinez , Freelance Design E-mail : cmartinez @ mtgmediagroup . com Bill McDowell , Vice President , Editorial Director 1.312.274.2201 bmcdowell @ mtgmediagroup . com
THE F & B SHRUG
IS FADING
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Oriana Lerner , Erin Sund
PUBLISHING David Wood , Publisher 1.312.274.2225 dwood @ hotelsmag . com
INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD Nakul Anand Executive Director , ITC Ltd ., Gurgaon , India Stephen Bartolin President , Broadmoor Sea Island Co ., Colorado Springs , Colorado Geoffrey Gelardi Managing Director , The Lanesborough , London Alex Kyriakidis President and Managing Director , Middle East and Africa , Marriott International , Dubai Christopher Nassetta President and CEO , Hilton Worldwide , McLean , Virginia Monika Nerger Chief Information Officer , Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group , Atlanta Paul Sistare President and CEO , Atlantica Hotels International , São Paulo Susan Terry Vice president of culinary and food and beverage operations , Marcus Hotels & Resorts , Milwaukee , Wisconsin
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If you are not now making money on food and beverage , historically and too often a loss leader , you are not trying hard enough . GMs once shrugged their shoulders and almost accepted the fact that their dining rooms weren ’ t better draws , but with all they should now know about consumer tastes the only thing stopping them from succeeding is a lack of creativity .
Making F & B opportunities even more plentiful : guests increasing desire for the experiential , communal and the desire for increased comfort – all of which have components that extend beyond the traditional breakfast buffet , and even the breakfast buffet freshly presented can make a new statement .
The most obvious opportunity exists just inside the front door . The lobby social phenomenon is best harvested by hiring servers who can sell , have personality and are capable of fostering an environment perfect for lounging , noshing and partying . While designing hip spaces matter , sellers can make or break the bottom line .
At the same time , lobby design is moving in a direction that incorporates restaurants and bars into one great room . Excuse the metaphor , but walls and barriers are being removed . Smart designers are creating lobby restaurants with identities distinct from the other spaces – a thoughtful move that allows F & B to market itself by its increased visibility and unique presence .
While hip and casual are trending , despite rumors to the contrary , by no means am I implying that fine dining is dead . In the right hotel and
Editor In Chief in the right space , it still thrives , as evidenced by this month ’ s Great Hotel Restaurants feature ( p22 ) where hoteliers and chefs show how they are keeping white tablecloths relevant .
And if not in the dining room or lobby , the new requirement to make F & B more experiential has more operators imagining opportunities on its rooftops and off premise for groups big and small . Witness a new program launched by the Mandarin Oriental Miami , a 20,000 square foot events-only space at the only beach located in its neighborhood . Catering options range from a barefoot BBQ to a chic cocktail reception . Consider your surroundings and capitalize .
All of this new attention being paid to F & B was seemingly shaped out of necessity to compete with disruptors . Perhaps the new realities and more active asset managers finally awakened hoteliers to the fact that the loss leader shrug was no longer acceptable . If that ’ s what it took , so be it , and long live profitable F & B .
September 2017 hotelsmag . com 7