Chef Yann Chupin is the new Executive Chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, and has been in the hospitality industry for over 25 years, working in the kitchens of hotels, resorts and restaurants. Read More
Summer brings the beneficial arrival of tourists and the subsequent impact to your seasonal F&B revenue. Read More
The infinitesimal array of serving traditional meals for the holidays is not without a frayed cook challenged by time, choice food markets to research and best pricing bids to get the best cuts in plentiful orders. Read More
While doing some research on chefs who go beyond the farm-to-table modality to taking that extra educated step in bringing a compelling product / vendor to their restaurant, I can appreciate the challenges afforded the novice as well as gourmand appetite for working in the grass-fed beef into their repertoire. Read More
Photo Credit – John McJunkin
The Essencia Experience
Wine so precious you drink it with a crystal spoon – Essencia is in my Life
This was certainly the most exquisite way to start the New Year. Tasting the Royal Tokaji Essencia from its traditional crystal spoon had me wondering less about its pricey interruption to my budget than its overall unique flavoring, tending more towards the classic dessert wines like Croft Porto Vintage (a coffee-infused delicacy), Penfolds Grandfather Rare Tawny Port (tasting a delicate ambience of crushed nuts, raisins with a slight essence of vanilla bean), Les Clos de Papulilles Banyuls Rimage (a Grenache from France, my favorite region). I generally shy away from the overuse of Sauternes (blending French Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscatel grapes) as I’ve over-consumed this for the past 48 years with well-meaning aficionados and relatives whom you could not distract or recommend otherwise – so, I have acquiesced far too long.
I have found there is honor in saying “no mas” and trying out a (new to me) wildly luxurious blend. I’m not sure whether I was taken more by the presentation of a weighty, possibly handmade, crystal spoon – but I like this classy approach. This was necessary marketing. This approach has eye appeal. You wouldn’t generally want to drink water from cupped hands; however, I would certainly find a way to cup my hands should this bottle fall by my wayside.
Recently, Ivanka Trump decided to introduce this Hungarian winery of The Royal Tokaji – Essencia to the new Trump Benjamin Hotel in DC. Selecting this blend certainly follows the current momentum of posh and fad with her F&B team setups around the world.
Pricing among restaurants serving Essencia, the wine is available (and served / charged by the spoon) in around 20 restaurants across the United States, with prices ranging from a relatively modest $25 in some venues to the $130 charged by Saison in San Francisco.
Factotum: Essencia is the richest and rarest of all Hungarian Tokaji wines. It is the truest expression of terroir known to man. Typically, this free run juice takes 6 to 8 years to complete its fermentation to less than 3% alcohol. Essencia can reach 85% residual sugar. Essencia wine is legendary. Essencia 2000 is presented in numbered bottles in a brass hinged wooden box complete with a traditional crystal spoon.
Béchamel Mucho – Extricate Yourself from Failure: Innovate
Dedicated chefs and patissiers have learned all about preparation, cooking and presentation techniques for their time-honored classical and traditional recipes, such as a chocolate soufflé or a petite entree for Gruyere cheese soufflé with chives and a hint of dusted Hungarian paprika for the spiciness desired. Read More
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Meg McDonough, President of Luxury Hospitality Consultants LLC We are pleased to introduce a new Contributor to HospitalityEducators.com. Meg McDonough, President of Luxury Hospitality Consultants LLC, will share regular insights on luxury resorts, boutique hotels and international dining with our members and readers. Kathleen Hogan MBA, Publisher, HospitalityEducators.com Meg grew up in Havana, Cuba, and came to appreciate at an early age the diversity of dining in an international setting as the island cultivated not only its own flavors indigenous to the area but was also home to people from all over the world who brought their own food styles with them. Family travel throughout Europe added exposure to some of the world’s finest hotels and provided an endless array of important recollections respecting service, quality hospitality performance and fine dining within beautiful settings. Her career included service to the Dean at Harvard as assistant to the Director of the Kennedy Institute of Politics for four years, followed by a ten-year affiliation at The Architects Collaborative, as secretary to the president, and later with subsequent placement in prominent positions in corporate America working with various presidents and CEOs. Ms. McDonough is a licensed real estate sales associate in Florida and a Realtor. She had the unique experience of working with a prominent American family on their three sizeable estates in Sarasota. The property, along with the formal household staff of 18, was considered optimally as a “small resort” and for which all operating procedures were accommodated as though it were a high-end boutique hotel. In 2008, Ms. McDonough completed a one-year comprehensive program at the University of South Florida and received her Certificate in Hotel Management. As part of her research, she conceived, developed, and marketed a hypothetical new hotel brand that included the formulation of a collection of independently operated boutique hotels with two properties—one by the Bay, the other to be located within the business district of downtown Sarasota. The impact of this course of study, and eventual accreditation within the hospitality industry, became the impetus for the creation of Ms. McDonough’s consultancy efforts via Luxury Hospitality Consultants LLC |
| As a new contributor to www.HospitalityEducators.com Meg McDonough identifies the basis of her educational research while attending the University of South Florida (Sarasota) where she received her Certificate in Hotel Management in December 2008. The first in a three-part series “Punitive Damages Affiliated with Hotel Management Agreements” summarizes five case studies in recent law dealing with the complex scenario of agency relationship and fiduciary responsibilities. The most prominent of these cases is the P.T. Karang Mas Sejahtera v. Marriott International Inc., et al. as it significantly employed the awarding of US $10 million to the Ritz-Carlton Bali owners. [An appeal of this case had not yet been reached at the time of this writing.] |
| Please visit the Punitive Damages Series written Meg McDonough on this website. |
When your hotel experience includes elegant and unique dining options, one of the most important elements is how well you define comfort, style and premier services to your hotel guests. Read More
I started my project with the simplest observation I could make and that was by viewing and experiencing the appeal of resort-style hospitality here in Sarasota, Florida. Our town definitely offers a little bit of paradise for every type of visitor – national and international – and I felt there was sufficient opportunity to appeal to this audience. In addition to adhering to the real estate adage “location, location, location,” I was determined to include “variety and diversity” in the types of foods we would offer. Our on-site signature restaurant would have met the location requisite; however, in order to assume we could also provide variety and diversity within the F&B operations, I was compelled to take our hotel culture to the next level beyond the formal service available to our specialty dining and private club. We tested our concept at a local private country club to observe and retrain our thinking about what it was our patrons might want that was different yet convivial.
We found the solution when we orchestrated a more relaxed and casual dining option highlighted as a themed Friday midnight buffet extravaganza. We found that the “night owls” were there all along and their receptivity to our offerings was met with kudos for management to take such a leap in style. It also meant a change in scheduling for the service personnel, but they soon came to appreciate the opportunity to work the late-night shift as they received tips commensurate with this added level of service. We had volunteer staff who preferred to work the midnight buffet and their energy was compelling for our continuing the setups.
As for the hotel F&B operations, setting up the food stations did not require high-cost items, rather a grand selection of diversified foods set up and using low pin lighting to set the mood; hurricane lanterns were set on the veranda tables for al fresco dining, a favorite gathering place to take in the enjoyable warm evening and relaxed atmosphere. Inside we set up food action stations and ice-block martini stations lit with blue-gel lamps (theatrical quality) to set the mood. A jazz trio complemented the atmosphere we desired.
Once the initial F&B operations were identified for the boutique hotel collection, I conducted a feasibility study which revealed that it was more beneficial for us to control all F&B operations internally for now, as opposed to leasing them out to independents.
Excerpt – The creation of a new hotel concept for a boutique hotel collection included a full-service, on-site signature restaurant with an additional feature to incorporate a private dining club as part of its operations. This created additional appeal to the hotel guests as well as walk-ins who desired a more private setting for their “power lunches”; it also demonstrated the need for variety and diversity to our hotel F&B operations.
On April 1, 2013, in Boutique Hotels, effective marketing, kitchen, motivation, public relations, restfinance.com, by Meg McDonough
Volunteering to service outside of one’s ordinary station, regardless of managerial hierarchy is called “Snap”.
On March 26, 2013, in Banquet & Catering, Catering Kitchen, Emergency Kitchen Plans, kitchen, restfinance.com, SOP Storm Plans, by Meg McDonough
During a “big storm” the dining event may well be your most important role – and the most appreciated and memorable experience your guests will ever encounter.
Don’t Follow the Lemmings Over This Fiscal Cliff
On February 7, 2013, in Cyber critiques, Management, managerial leadership qualities, People & Productivity, by Meg McDonough
“Get it right the first time” should be the motto across the board. When repeat poor service occurs, it just lowers the standards and morale of the operations and, not surprisingly, the business suffers.
Focus on the Focus Group Surveys
On February 5, 2013, in Boutique Hotels, focus group, Management, monitoring quality, restfinance.com, Surveys, by Meg McDonough
Demand to be the best and demonstrate your willingness to change for the best and experience improvement in your F&B operations.
Guard Your Secret Recipe, Not the Secret Service – Maybe
On April 20, 2012, in appetizers, copyright, Cuisine & Menus, heart-healthy, legal,
recipe, seared scallops, secret recipe, trademarks, Trends, by Meg McDonough
Use trademarks to protect the brand identity of your company, and keep your recipe a closely guarded secret.
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