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Ron Ruggless
CHICAGO —While the economy has put some pressure on fine-dining operations in hotels, many such operators say they continue to enjoy healthy business because of their locations and an emphasis on serving nonhotel guests.
During an educational session titled “The Evolution of Hotel Dining” at the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, panelists discussed challenges and benefits of hotels. —While the economy has put some pressure on fine-dining operations in hotels, many such operators say they continue to enjoy healthy business because of their locations and an emphasis on serving nonhotel guests.
“The challenges for hotel [operations] is getting customers to come from not just among your guests, but from outside the restaurant as well,” said Bob Amick, founder and owner of Concentrics Restaurants in Atlanta, who moderated the session. —While the economy has put some pressure on fine-dining operations in hotels, many such operators say they continue to enjoy healthy business because of their locations and an emphasis on serving nonhotel guests.
Amick’s company operates 16 restaurants in Atlanta, Chicago and Orlando, Fla., and six of those properties are in hotels. —While the economy has put some pressure on fine-dining operations in hotels, many such operators say they continue to enjoy healthy business because of their locations and an emphasis on serving nonhotel guests.
Amick said many hotels in the past gave up on their restaurants and decided the outside market wasn’t worth pursuing. More recently, however, the pendulum has swung back. The proliferation of celebrity chefs at Las Vegas hotels and casinos is one of the triggers for the newfound interest in hotel restaurants, Amick said. —While the economy has put some pressure on fine-dining operations in hotels, many such operators say they continue to enjoy healthy business because of their locations and an emphasis on serving nonhotel guests.
Frank Brunacci, executive chef for the 339-room Trump International Hotel in Chicago and its fine-dining restaurant, Sixteen, said his operations have benefited from providing room service to the project’s condominium residences. —While the economy has put some pressure on fine-dining operations in hotels, many such operators say they continue to enjoy healthy business because of their locations and an emphasis on serving nonhotel guests.
Brunacci said the economy has not adversely affected the high-end Trump restaurants. Sixteen did lower its prices briefly after the stock market slide last fall, but prices have since risen back to their original levels. —While the economy has put some pressure on fine-dining operations in hotels, many such operators say they continue to enjoy healthy business because of their locations and an emphasis on serving nonhotel guests.
Phillip Foss, executive chef at Lockwood Restaurant, which serves three meals a day in the 1,700-room Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, noted that hotels could be challenging for chefs. —While the economy has put some pressure on fine-dining operations in hotels, many such operators say they continue to enjoy healthy business because of their locations and an emphasis on serving nonhotel guests.
“One issue that has always gotten in the way was the collision of heads between the executive chefs of the hotel and chefs of the restaurants,” Foss said. “In this job, I was given free rein over the kitchen. I don’t report to the executive chef of the hotel.” —While the economy has put some pressure on fine-dining operations in hotels, many such operators say they continue to enjoy healthy business because of their locations and an emphasis on serving nonhotel guests.
Foss said hotel restaurants share important similarities with independent restaurants. “The three most important things are: location, location, location,” he said. “We struggle with being inside the lobby of a hotel. You need some street access for your restaurant.” —While the economy has put some pressure on fine-dining operations in hotels, many such operators say they continue to enjoy healthy business because of their locations and an emphasis on serving nonhotel guests.
He noted that hotel restaurant chefs should put their personality into the restaurant. They should also create an awareness in the surrounding community by making public appearances and be in the restaurant to put “a face” on the dining room. — [email protected] —While the economy has put some pressure on fine-dining operations in hotels, many such operators say they continue to enjoy healthy business because of their locations and an emphasis on serving nonhotel guests.
