How Food & Beverage Can Elevate The Overall Resort Experience
Over are the days of hotel restaurants existing as a last-minute option for travelers.
Today, hotels operate full-scale culinary experiences ranging from grab-and-go markets to five-star dining, and even immersive events that truly put them on the map as a destination for epicureans.
As the Complex Director of Food & Beverage at Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, I oversee 11 diverse culinary outlets, from an authentic Italian country kitchen to innovative Pan-Asian cuisine, along with the legendary Bull & Bear steakhouse. In addition, the resort hosts hundreds of meeting and social catering events each year, as well as our very own "Epicurious" dining series with various events targeting the food connoisseur.
Food and beverage is a significant pillar across our resort, so investing in passion and trusting our team of experts to be creative and innovative is important for us. We pride ourselves on the extensive and knowledgeable team we have cultivated at both hotels. With a robust group of individuals who share the same passion for culinary excellence, we are given the opportunity to come to the table with ideas for unique activations and stand-out programming for all types of travelers and diners.
As the first Signia by Hilton branded hotel in the portfolio, we seamlessly made the transition to becoming a Signia by Hilton hotel as strong culinary is a brand pillar. At Signia Orlando Bonnet Creek, guests and locals can experience authentic handmade pastas and Neapolitan pizzas, fresh sushi rolls, American comforts and delectable poolside favorites as we strive for versatility. Two of our signature restaurants, La Luce and Zeta Asia, offer hands-on, immersive experiences for both leisure and group guests to get more out of their stay with us and create memorable moments.
For example, children can enjoy the Junior Pizza Chef Experience at La Luce, where they learn our "from scratch" approach when it comes to making pizzas, with instruction on how to properly toss dough and add sauce and toppings, all while our littlest chefs can flaunt their own chef's hat. Additionally, our guests visiting us for meetings and events can engage with the sushi-making class offered at Zeta Asia, as well as various beverage-focused programming such as blind wine tastings and whiskey blending demonstrations.
For travelers looking for a more relaxed experience, we offer poolside movie nights where guests can watch films from the lazy river with the option of getting dinner from our poolside dining venue, or should a guest prefer to enjoy a movie in the comfort of their own room, we offer a traveling snack cart complete with craft sodas, gourmet popcorn and confectionary options to enjoy. For the health-conscious traveler, Harvest Bistro has added a made-to-order juice bar and we continue to expand our gluten-free and dietary friendly menu options.
The stronger connection we make with our guests, the more we establish ourselves as a must-visit destination, not only in Orlando, but for all travelers. When creating these experiences, it is crucial to understand who our audience is and what they are seeking out of their visit. Many of our guests are families looking for a fun-filled, activity-driven getaway, which is where programming such as our pizza making class makes an ideal experience. As an Official Walt Disney World® hotel, we also understand that families are often visiting the theme parks in the surrounding area, so an in-room movie night with sweet treats brought right to their room is the perfect way to unwind.
The resort also plays host to a plethora of meetings and events, meaning team-bonding exercises and group activities, such as the wine tastings, pasta making classes and bar du chocolat demonstrations, are great interactive options for that clientele. When it comes to these add-on services, tailoring the unique offering for individual audiences allows the creativity and operations behind an idea to go that much farther.
While both Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Signia Orlando Bonnet Creek are located in a shared resort with combined culinary amenities, it is important that each brand is clearly distinguished from each other. The culinary scene found at Waldorf Astoria Orlando is naturally elegant and refined - honoring the brand's commitment to culinary excellence, and this is particularly evident in our specialized food and beverage operations. The key to upselling in the food and beverage world is creating a one-of-a-kind memorable experience for guests, while keeping in mind the cost and staff.
Our extraordinary Executive Pastry Chef, Franck Riffaud, has created a decadent croissant bar that provides guests with fresh, seasonally rotating croissants and baked goods, with unique flavors such as a Pomegranate Croissant or Croughnut, that are perfect for guests on-the-go. The hotel also offers a Bull & Bear Suite Life package, which allows guests staying in one of our suites to experience in-room dining complete with tableside presentations and gourmet food from the award-winning steakhouse restaurant. As reservations at Bull & Bear are in high demand, this exclusive experience provides an opportunity for guests to enjoy the restaurant in a unique way - giving them a personalized and noteworthy experience.
As Waldorf Astoria Orlando is currently undergoing an extensive renovation this year, we plan to introduce the newly re-imagined hotel with an even stronger emphasis on culinary. Our beloved dining outlets, such as Bull & Bear and Peacock Alley, will not be the same restaurants our guests remember - we have maintained the best aspects while challenging ourselves to go above and beyond to create new offerings.
When I think about the term 'upselling', it is comparable to visiting a theme park versus getting a behind-the-scenes private tour. A day spent in a theme park can be filled with wonderful adventures and showstopping thrills, but nothing can quite compare to receiving a dedicated experience tailored just to you. Similarly, our restaurants are open to guests and locals alike for a world-class experience, and often that is satisfying for our customers. The additional add-on amenities, programming and events bring a level of exclusivity that provides guests with an exceptional experience that allows the resort to stand out.
While most of these additional programming elements run on an ongoing basis, we have begun to introduce food and beverage events across the complex that only occur a few times a year and have proven to be popular amongst the local market and our guests. This fall and winter season, we are hosting two of our branded Epicurious Events that showcase all of the resort's dining establishments - events designed to be the star attraction of the night, not just the meal before the night gets started. Not only do these happenings provide an opportunity for guests to try various cuisines and sample dishes from across the resort, this allows our chefs' and culinary teams' personalities to truly shine through and give attendees a more intimate experience with our team.
With these events only available during certain times of the year, it gives them an aura of exclusivity and sense of urgency for visitors to purchase tickets and join us. Plus, the staff dedicates a great deal of time to perfecting these grand occasions, so a less frequent cadence allows us to always put our best foot forward. The grand nature of these events often leads to a premium ticket fee, so in order to not oversaturate the market, the events are held at select times of the year, whereas some of the smaller initiatives, such as the pizza making class, are suited for evergreen add-on experiences or are offered complimentary to encourage everyone to participate.
Instead of viewing these offerings as additional revenue streams, I view these premium add-ons as our team's ongoing efforts to innovate the guest experience while creating a genuine connection with our guests. For example, during the pandemic and as a result of social distancing, our team used that time to get creative and conceive our own beer for the resort, Vacay IPA, and it soon became the highest selling beer at both properties. On top of featuring it on draft at our outlets, we also created six-packs for visitors to take a piece of their trip home. This is something that grew organically as we received such positive feedback on the beer and tasting notes, that we felt passionately about bringing Vacay IPA to people's homes. The Vacay IPA label resembles the lazy river found on property, so this unique offering is just another fun way to remind our guests about their unforgettable Florida vacation. The more touch points our guests have of the resort, the more likely they are to remember their experience, share it with their friends and ideally return again.
The hospitality industry has made great strides in establishing food and beverage outlets as their own destinations separate from the hotel or resort, and these upselling moments and premier events help to cement this - keeping both guests on-site and inviting locals in to wine and dine too. Beyond offering guests a delicious meal, every aspect of the dining experience must be considered including the physical presentation of each dish, the entertainment that accompanies it, how each course connects to the next, and how each meal can be tailored to fit each person - every aspect that has the possibility to be elevated will be.
This can seem like a daunting task for Food & Beverage Directors and their culinary teams, though in reality, it does not have to be. We are not only selling food and beverage, but we are creating and offering an experience which opens the door for originality and imagination. These exclusive programming offers further enable us to connect with our guests and diners on a more personal level and understand one size never fits all.
Reprinted from the Hotel Business Review with permission from www.HotelExecutive.com.
