Ashley Ross — Writer and Editor

Restaurants Get Savvy for Safe Reopenings

aday — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 18:46:34 +0000

Restaurants Get Savvy for Safe Reopenings aday Mon, 06/08/2020 - 14:46 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/Picos%20bar%20dividers%20header.jpg.webp?itok=Nbd4yPoq As restaurants around the world begin reopening with COVID-19-related restrictions, safety is the top priority. July 8, 2020

By Ashley Ross — Writer and Editor

While accommodating a fraction of capacity and adhering to CDC, state and restaurant association guidelines, restaurant owners and operators are ensuring that diners and staff feel safe with strategic creativity and touch-free technology.

People are leaning toward whatever they possibly can to generate new business and make people feel as safe as possible. Some restaurants are using shower curtains between tables for separation, some are simply separating tables by six feet, and others are using mannequins or blow up toys to make a dining room feel full despite empty tables.

Clear, plastic protective covers called Plex’eat, designed by Christophe Gernigon, went viral at the end of May after being showcased at a restaurant called H.A.N.D in Paris. Preorders for Plex’eat are apparently rolling in.

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In Houston, Texas, Arnaldo Richards' Picos Restaurant installed plexiglass barriers along the bar. “We’ve been open for 36 years and have a very popular bar, we are known for our margaritas, so we wanted to put the plexiglass in,” Executive Chef and Owner Arnaldo Richards said. “So far, people love it.”

"Restaurants are definitely using this time to think creatively about their operations," says ICE alum Jessica Abell (Culinary/Management, '14), head of projects and client experience at Oyster Sunday, a corporate office for independent restaurants. "One of the most creative uses of space I’ve seen is Mediamatic ETEN in Amsterdam, where they’ve built individual glass rooms for each table."

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Chef Eric Ripert of three-Michelin-starred Le Bernardin in New York told the Wall Street Journal he’s planning to use open space to cook in front of guests. And Quality Branded restaurants, like Quality Eats and Quality Italian, are planning to pump out a recording of what a restaurant sounds like through speakers.

Stratis Morfogen, owner of Brooklyn Chop House, planned to open Brooklyn Dumpling Shop in late summer and has had to adjust accordingly.

“I wanted to do a 24-hour bakery for dumplings, taking traditional sandwiches we had at Chop House and turning them into dumplings,” he says. “When COVID-19 hit, some friends mentioned automats, so I started reading about the creators of the automat.”

Automats are fast-food restaurants run kind of like a vending machine, where diners don’t see or interact with staff. They first started in 1895, and what got Stratis' attention was that after the Spanish flu, automats grew from two stores to 36 stores. Then he wondered why they went out of style.

“Technology failed the automat because when meals started to be two or three dollars, people didn’t have that much money in their pocket,” he says. “Now technology isn’t just here, technology can make it into an even better model.”

Rendering courtesy of Eye Catch

The plan for Brooklyn Dumpling Shop is to have a touchless self-ordering kiosk, from the company Tray, where guests can hover their fingers over what they want to select and the screen detects the heat. Payment can be made by credit card or Apple Pay. A mobile barcode will open two separate lockers, one with food and one with drinks, neither of which require touch.

The touchless factor is something other restaurants are trying to implement. The company Presto, which provides technology at chains like Applebee’s, Chili’s Grill & Bar, Denny’s, and Outback Steakhouse, has garnered interest in its QR codes for tables to replace menus that customers need to touch. Non-chain restaurants from fast food to fine dining are drawn to Presto’s tech, perhaps for some of the company’s more advanced offerings like Computer Vision Technology. This AI-powered tech was initially meant to help restaurants measure wait times, guest bounces and guest experience scores in real-time. Now the functionality can help with measuring social distancing and restaurant capacity and communicating those findings with partners and stakeholders.

To get started, Presto has put together a Contactless Dining Kit, which allows guests to use their personal mobile devices to scan NFC tags and QR codes at restaurants to view the complete menu, place orders, and pay with their phone at the table — without the need to touch any foreign surface or come into contact with people outside of their dining party.

“It has been about a month since we launched the Presto Contactless Dining Kit,” says Founder and CEO Rajat Suri. “We were thinking hard about how to best help the restaurant industry get back on its feet again during the pandemic. We took learnings from research of other countries that were ahead of the curve in COVID-19 recovery to determine what new consumer demands and state restrictions might look like and combined those with our already existing order-and-pay technologies to create the kit.”

QR codes are working well for many restaurants so far. Chris Shepherd, chef and owner with Underbelly Hospitality, says that two of Underbelly’s restaurants, Georgia James and One Fifth Mediterranean, are open at 50% capacity and have QR codes that lead to a food, cocktail and wine menu.

“Some guests think it’s awesome but some want a regular menu so we give them a paper one we don’t reuse,” Chris says.

Otherwise, he is trying to get creative with social distancing since for now, the dining room feels empty. He ordered 4x4-foot tempered glass dividers manufactured by Fullbrightco from a Houston dealer named Letourneau Keller.

“They break up airflow, and you can’t see them unless you look down. They’re mobile so we can move them around and they don’t break,” Chris says. “It’s basically like a clear fence but it doesn’t hide you from anything and it adds comfort.”

Chris admits some of his staff thinks he’s going over the top, but he wants to do whatever he can to make employees and guests feel safe and comfortable. He has heat sealers for silverware for every guest and small mist spray bottles branded with Underbelly Hospitality stickers and filled with hand sanitizer for every guest to take home.

"If you’re reopening your doors and taking all of the necessary steps to ensure a safe environment, you should be communicating that to your guests at every touchpoint — your website, social media, email newsletter and reservations platform," Jessica advises.

Learn more about food business strategies and develop your own business plan in Restaurant & Culinary Management.

COVID-19 Business of Food Food Trends Technology Restaurant Management

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Restaurants Push through Pandemic Restraints with Retail Products

aday — Thu, 21 May 2020 22:04:12 +0000

Restaurants Push through Pandemic Restraints with Retail Products aday Thu, 05/21/2020 - 18:04 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/signmunds%20pretzels%20header.jpg.webp?itok=szTCLj5_ Sigmund's Pretzels ICE alumni Lina Kulchinsky and Tony Scotto share their pretzel and pasta successes despite the circumstances. May 27, 2020

By Ashley Ross — Writer and Editor

Three entrepreneurs share how their food businesses have proven sustainable due to diversified revenue streams from online and in-store retail.

Before the coronavirus pandemic prevented restaurants and food brands from moving forward with any sense of normalcy, some chefs and restaurants were already set up for some form of success. Or at least some form of staying afloat.

While many restaurants have had to pivot from initial ideas and visions to evolved actualities, sometimes the alternative product or business model is an eventual asset. This holds true for Tony Scotto (Culinary, ‘03), who runs DPNB Pasta Shop with his wife Louidell Scotto in Nyack, New York.

“The original idea was to be a pasta-ramen bar, but the space we ended up finding in Nyack didn’t suit that so we pivoted to being a pasta shop with an extremely limited menu,” Tony says. “But then we expanded to this hybrid area, where the space was only 1,100-square-feet, most of which was not seating so we decided to maximize the revenue centers by retailing good beer and wine, fresh pasta, prosciutto, hot sauces and good coffee.”

Tony Scotto (Culinary, ‘03) runs DPNB Pasta Shop with his wife Louidell Scotto.

He and his wife’s goal was to have a small grocery store, small restaurant and small retail space — as diverse and as profitable as possible. Everything that was on the shelves would make it into the dishes on the limited menu so DPNB would put its dry storage up for sale, something that many restaurants are trying to do now as a way to make money off what’s already purchased and in-house. For Tony, it was always a way to make more revenue, inspired by places like Court Street Grocers and Salumeria Rossi in New York.

As these revenue streams were set up at the inception of DPNB, it’s been a natural continuum during the pandemic. One big change he made at the outset of the crisis was discontinuing beer and alcohol service, or at least depleting the existing product and not ordering more. This has helped them stock only the product they know they’re going to sell. Items have been less financially lucrative since early March because of the alcohol exclusion, but adding things like pre-made meatballs, lasagna and roasted chicken to the menu to comfort people has paid off.

“We’ve had two rather prominent businesses close in town, and I think they are places that didn’t have the infrastructure we had or other revenue streams,” Tony says. “My wife and business partner did an exceptionally good job of setting up our site for online ordering and things that eliminate the phone conversation.”

Not that eliminating the phone conversation takes the personal connection out of the picture. For example, Mother’s Day was huge for DPNB with notes from customers at the bottom of orders thanking the team and saying how they couldn’t wait to order from DPNB again, something special that Tony says you don’t always get to see in the kitchen.

“We were lucky or fortunate or smart enough to have the infrastructure in place before this happened, and it’s about trust. People are going to come back to the places they trust and think are clean and providing good value,” he says.

Ben Conniff, co-founder and chief marketing officer at Luke’s Lobster, says his brand is in a similar position. In theory, Luke’s Lobster has 26 restaurants around the country but currently, 25 of them are closed. Founded in 2009, Luke’s restaurant business grew from the outset. As such, the company opened lobster production facilities in Maine and buys directly from lobstermen, distributing to itself. Over time, that led to a relationship with Whole Foods to sell lobster tails and eventually frozen lobster tails and frozen lobster meat.

“Before coronavirus, we were looking to continue growing our business with Whole Foods but then [with coronavirus] we were thrown into a state of thinking differently and doing things differently,” Ben says. “Whole Foods has stepped up and taken more of our existing products and other products from us that they wouldn’t have normally. We are in the process of getting a few more dishes added and going out to new grocery accounts.”

Luke's Lobster products

Luke’s rapidly launched a direct-to-consumer website, which has helped the team send lobster and fish to regular customers and find untapped demand among other audiences in all 48 continental states, as opposed to just metro areas around restaurant locations.

“It hasn’t replaced the lost revenue and profit from 25 restaurants but it has helped keep the team going and it’s helped us continue buying from the fishermen and get their products to a wider audience,” Ben says. “We can also diversify. The first example is dayboat scallops, which we don’t serve in our restaurants. But we could get them to people from our website at the beginning of the season and we plan to launch halibut in halibut season.”

This isn’t just a way to help Luke’s Lobster survive right now; it’s a long-term addition to the company. Under the extreme circumstances, the team mobilized quickly and gets a little better every day.

Similar to DPNB, Luke’s saw a huge lift around Mother’s Day, an exciting sign that maybe every week and every month the business could expand. For Memorial Day, Luke’s is offering a special pack with two lobster tails, lemon-garlic marinade and Maine chocolate-covered potato chips. The company also hopes to build out more with the site and experience by creating instructional videos with Maine chefs, including James Beard Award winners and nominees.

“Cooking with our product is one thing people can do to enrich their existence right now,” Ben says. “We’re looking to be a resource for people to understand how simple it can be to use their time at home to learn a new craft, which is cooking sustainable seafood. Seventy percent of seafood in America is consumed in restaurants so we feel a great responsibility to get that seafood into people’s hands.”

Lina Kulchinsky (Pastry, '07) is in a similar season of expansion. She founded Sigmund’s Pretzels in 2009 hoping to be an upscale version of Auntie Anne’s. A retail space for a bar and bakery worked for a while but then turned into an opportunity for business elsewhere: sharing pretzels with other bars and bakeries and then bigger companies like Madison Square Garden, airports, offices and even at events like weddings. In 2017 and 2018, Lina started to explore what e-commerce looked like for a perishable product like pretzels.

Sigmund's Pretzels are available on Goldbelly.

“We did have a partner in Goldbelly, and it’s been pretty exciting since they’ve helped us during this time with about 400 to 500 orders in the past six weeks, which is even more than what we do in December, what’s usually our biggest month because of holidays,” she says.

It’s pretty serendipitous considering Lina thought she’d have to postpone everything until she was able to rally workers who could drive to the bakery safely without needing to risk their health on public transportation.

“I’m glad we didn’t stop because we had to completely rework how we do fulfillment, and it was pretty cool. We learned a lot and we all realized that having a direct-to-consumer channel outside of your local channel is something you have to have in the mix,” she says.

Now she’s considering a line extension like mustards and a pretzel chip that’s shelf-stable and easier to ship.

“Things are going to be slow for a while. It’s doable, but it’s definitely tricky and also an exciting development,” she says. “It’s not clear if we’re going to be able to pivot fast enough but I’m excited.”

Develop your food business idea with strategies like diverse revenue streams in Restaurant & Culinary Management.

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Three ICE Alumni Thriving in Food Media

aday — Wed, 20 May 2020 20:13:37 +0000

Three ICE Alumni Thriving in Food Media aday Wed, 05/20/2020 - 16:13 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/magazines%20header.jpg.webp?itok=haWgwGEl These Culinary Arts grads pursued editorial paths in New York City. June 1, 2020

By Ashley Ross — Writer and Editor

Jenna Helwig (Culinary, ’07), Cecily McAndrews (Culinary, '13) and Shay Spence (Culinary, '14) apply their culinary education to food editor and director positions at Real Simple, Callisto Media and People Magazine, producing compelling content.

Jenna Helwig wanted a career in television when she was in college, so she worked for a television entertainment company for years. But over time, it became more and more disenchanting.

“While of course I went to culinary school to help establish a platform for myself, gain credibility and make connections, I really went because I was so hungry to learn more about food and cooking and then transition into a new career,” she says. “I knew that there was no place else I could learn so much so quickly. I chose ICE for many reasons but one big one was that it was supportive for career changes and part-time programs.”

Jenna completed the Culinary Arts program while staying at her job and with a one-year-old at the time. Throughout nine months of classes, she found opportunities to boost her confidence and learn more than she expected.

“I really went in with a lot less experience than a lot of people. Some people already knew how to do a lot of stuff. I didn’t come from a family that cooked a lot. I never considered myself a natural chef,” she says. “I promised myself I would not be intimidated by anything. You can make the decisions to make the program go a little easier, but I tried all the hard stuff.”

Jenna Helwig, Real Simple Food Director

ICE gave Jenna a foundation that she could do the cooking, which in turn gave her the confidence to network and reach out to people who could change her career — and some did. By the time she finished the program, she decided to go into personal cheffing and instruction. One connection asked her to write an essay that ultimately turned into recipe development. This opened the door to Parents magazine, where Jenna worked as a senior food editor and continued to climb the ladder. Eventually, she took on the role of food director for Parents and Health magazines, under the same parent company. She did this for almost seven years before moving over to Real Simple, where she leads the small team responsible for creating around 20 pages of food content for the magazine every month, including about 15 original recipes.

“I fantasized about ending up in this position. I always loved magazines, and if you would ask me about my dream job, I would have said I wanted to be the editor of Gourmet magazine, and it would have seemed outside the realm of possibility, but looking back, I did make the choices that put me on that path.”

Jenna confirms that she didn’t set out with a hard plan of exactly how to make her dream job possible. Instead, she let herself be guided by her training and interests. Today, she develops recipes for feature stories; tests products like olive oil, ice cream and vegan hot dogs for the magazine's monthly Road Test column; gives creative direction for photo shoots; and appears in self-shot cooking videos. Jenna often writes the Things Cooks Know column with topics like How to Choose Sustainable Seafood and Baking Better Biscuits and Shortcakes.

"My favorite part of my job is the satisfaction of coming up with an idea and many months and a lot of teamwork later seeing it come to life in the pages of the magazine," she says. "I also love working with my smart and talented colleagues on a daily basis. I learn so much from them and love to see their passion for their work."

In addition to the magazine jobs, doors opened to the world of writing cookbooks, the fifth of which is in progress.

"When I went to ICE, I didn’t know much of what I wanted to do for a career besides think about food all the time," Jenna admits. "And now I do that! It’s kind of a miracle."

Shay Spence studied political science and government at Tulane and planned on going to law school. After graduating from college, he moved back home for a year and was supposed to be studying for the LSAT. Instead, he ended up working in a restaurant kitchen and at a food truck.

“I developed an unhealthy obsession with the Food Network, and it suddenly dawned on me that food and cooking were what I was most passionate about and what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” he says.

Working in media became the goal, which is why Shay chose ICE. The program had opportunities for students to do externships at magazines, not just restaurants. His brief work in restaurant kitchens before ICE gave him the sense to know that while working in food was of interest, working in restaurants was not. Today, Shay writes and edits food content for People magazine and People.com while working on a web show called "First Taste" with People TV.

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“Using ICE's network to get externship interviews at Good Housekeeping, Martha Stewart and Rachael Ray is the main reason I was able to meet people in the industry and move up in my career relatively quickly,” he says. “It's funny working at People now because most of my colleagues went to school for journalism, but I ended up working at the biggest entertainment magazine in the country by way of culinary school. It's nice to have a unique expertise that sets me apart from my coworkers and that they value.”

Initially, though, Shay was scared to make this career move. It seemed anything but secure, he says, and a lot of people thought he was crazy for pursuing a career that he barely knew existed.

“I won't say everyone should do it, and I wouldn't go into it thinking you'll be the next Bobby Flay because that's probably not going to happen,” he says.

Ultimately, though, he’s glad he followed his instinct. He might have made more money had he gone to law school, he says, but he’d be way more miserable. Shay remembers his time at ICE fondly and is still in touch with friends from the program, some of whom live all over the world.

“I can't say exactly how my career would have gone had I not gone to culinary school, but it absolutely helped get my foot in the door. I didn't know anyone in media — much less food media — when I arrived in New York, and you soon learn that like many industries, it's often about who you know,” he says.

Cecily McAndrews never conceptualized food media as a line of work while growing up. She got an English degree from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, but culinary school was always in the back of her mind. After undergrad, she was hired at John Wiley & Sons, a publishing company where she worked for three years editing cookbooks.

“I got to work on the revamp of ‘How to Cook Everything’ [by Mark Bittman] so I would read every page of that cookbook and then go home to my first real kitchen and learn more about new flavors,” she says. “Then I got a job at a now-defunct magazine called All You, where I was an associate food editor.”

While working for All You, Cecily had the opportunity to attend many food events where she noticed the people she networked with had one similar piece of experience she didn’t have: culinary school. So she decided to join her peers and get a diploma herself, completing Culinary Arts in nine months on Wednesday nights, Thursday nights and Saturdays — on top of working.

Cecily McAndrews, from Food Network Magazine to Calisto Media

“It was so fun, and I was exhausted all the time. It felt like camp because I was with like-minded people cooking and eating delicious things all the time. It was just a great time of growth,” she says.

A stint at Gramercy Tavern proved to be very educational in two ways. First, she learned she didn’t want to work in restaurants, but she also learned about a galaxy of produce she didn’t know existed and what techniques to use with them. From there, her career took off in an exciting, upward direction: After working at Parade, she went to Rachael Ray’s magazine, where the company shared a test kitchen with other brands.

“I met a lot of people there, and having a test kitchen was another level of education so I learned how to taste there,” she says. “Hearing how colleagues evaluated their dishes was really educational.”

Next on the career ladder for Cecily was Food Network Magazine, which she says broadened her horizons.

“At magazines, you have to absorb the voice and learn to speak to those readers, which is a good exercise in empathy,” she says. “You learn what your readers are looking for and how to best serve them.”

Things have come full circle, though, as Cecily is now back in cookbooks at Callisto Media, where she gets to work in different parts of the food world and stay on her toes — all the things she wanted out of a career in food media.

“My advice is that before you go to culinary school, don’t forget the practical side of things. Go for your dreams but try to have a plan. Try to make as many connections as you can while you’re there because your connections will pull you through lean times,” she says. “There are a lot of wonderful people in the world, and beyond the sheer value of friendship, they can help you immeasurably professionally.”

Pursue a career in food media with ICE's diploma programs.

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Michelin Guide Awards First Green Stars in North America

aday — Mon, 11 May 2020 18:03:23 +0000

Michelin Guide Awards First Green Stars in North America aday Mon, 05/11/2020 - 14:03 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/The%20French%20Laundry%20header.jpg.webp?itok=R1W0110l Seven California restaurants are recognized for environmental efforts in addition to the iconic red stars and other symbols. November 24, 2020

By Ashley Ross — Writer and Editor

Michelin Guide recognition is the ultimate honor in restaurants, akin to an Oscar or Tony Award in entertainment. The recognition is most well-known in the form of its stars, which are awarded for quality of ingredients, mastery of flavor and cooking techniques, personality of the chef in the cuisine, value for cost and consistency between visits.

The guide recommends restaurants beyond the awarding of one to three stars, with Bib Gourmand and The Plate designations or other symbols that denote what a restaurant deserves: beer mugs for quality pubs in Ireland, wine and toothpicks for ideal tapas spots in Spain, a cart symbol for incredible street food in Asia. There are even symbols for interesting views, terrace dining and counter dining.

Another symbol debuted this year to recognize a new category: sustainability. The green clover was introduced to “promote the chefs who have taken responsibility by preserving resources and embracing biodiversity, reducing food waste and reducing the consumption of non-renewable energy,” Michelin wrote in an announcement.

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In October, Michelin Guide California hosted a virtual Family Meal event to award the first North American chefs and restaurants to be recognized with the green clover: Chef Thomas Keller for The French Laundry, Chef Alice Waters for Chez Panisse, Chef Dominique Crenn for Atelier Crenn, Chef Michael Tusk for Quince, Chef Kyle Connaughton & Katina Connaughton for SingleThread, Chef Matt Kammerer for Harbor House Inn and Chef Nancy Silverton for Osteria Mozza.

Among the North American honorees' practices, The French Laundry and SingleThread both grow ingredients with farms on-site, Chez Panisse exclusively sources California ingredients within 50 miles, and Atelier Crenn composts food scraps for the nearby farm that grows most of its produce, eliminated meat from menus and uses napkins made from recycled materials.

See more sustainable practices at U.S. restaurants.

“Faced with constantly evolving challenges including production methods, sourcing and waste management, chefs are striving to improve their practices,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of MICHELIN Guides, in a statement. “Often, these initiatives combine the best of the knowledge of our predecessors with the creativity and innovation of chefs who are never short of ideas. The ambition of our approach is to amplify the scope of the good and ingenious practices of chefs by putting them in the spotlight. The ideas, methods and know-how developed by these chefs will thus help raise awareness of an entire sector to its customers and the general population.”

The clover was first awarded to 50 French restaurants with symbol-worthy environmental practices, including Mirazur in Menton, France, for its permaculture gardens, and Septime in Paris for its bio-waste recycling program, in January. In February, 30 Nordic restaurants in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden were granted the sustainability symbol.

See ICE alumni at Michelin-recommended and starred restaurants in California and New York.

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ICE Alumni Among 2020 James Beard Award Finalists

aday — Tue, 05 May 2020 21:26:31 +0000

ICE Alumni Among 2020 James Beard Award Finalists aday Tue, 05/05/2020 - 17:26 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/2020%20jbf%20finalists.jpg.webp?itok=eLlyKGB6 On Monday, the foundation took to a livestream on Twitter to announce nominees in nearly 60 categories for the 2020 awards. May 5, 2020

By Ashley Ross — Writer and Editor

One bright light for the ICE community in this wild time for hospitality is the nomination of two ICE alumni for 2020 James Beard Awards. While the nominations were just made, the media awards will be announced via press release on May 27, and the restaurant and chef awards will be announced on Sept. 25 through a livestream on the James Beard Foundation’s twitter feed, similar to the nominations.

Rachel Yang (Culinary, ‘01) was nominated for Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific. She co-owns three restaurants in Seattle and one in Portland with her husband, who is also a chef, Seif Chirchi. The husband-and-wife team opened Joule in Seattle in 2007, serving refined Korean fare, which is available for takeout Wednesday to Sunday currently. The restaurant’s popularity launched them into culinary fame, from a spot on “Iron Chef” to recognition as semifinalists or finalists for the James Beard Awards every year since opening.

"Seif and I are incredibly humbled and honored to be nominated again," Rachel told ICE. "Even though we have been here before, it feels strangely different this time. The lights in the restaurants have been turned off and many cooks have put their knives away. There's no laughter in the dining room nor the hustle and bustle in the prep area. We realized all of a sudden that restaurants were the hearts and souls of the community. But we are still here. We are still cooking and feeding people. Being recognized that we are still the chefs for people gives us incredible strength and hope."

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We are honored to celebrate in this challenging time. Thank you @beardfoundation for nominating us one more time as #bestchef #pnw We are reminded again what it means to be chefs and to have restaurants. We are here to provide and we are here to be the community for everyone. We are here for you and @joulerestaurant @revelseattle @revelrypdx are your home. #wegotthis

A post shared by Rachel Yang (@rachelchyang) on May 5, 2020 at 12:47pm PDT

Missy Robbins (Culinary, ‘95) was nominated for Outstanding Chef. No stranger to these nominations, Missy won Best Chef: New York City in 2018. That year, the co-owner of Lilia and Misi, both in Williamsburg with thoughtful, critically acclaimed Italian cuisine, told ICE in 2018 that she doesn’t cook for a critic or to prove something.

“How about just cooking food and seeing how people react to it? For me, there was some risk involved in that. [My] culinary voice grew out of that desire to cook great food for people and put all those outside voices to rest and not worry,” she said. “In doing that, I’ve become a better cook, a better leader and a better teacher because I’m not trying to prove anything. I’m just cooking what I want to cook, and I hoped to God that people were going to like it.”

Well, they’ve certainly liked it.

The Beard Foundation acknowledged that it’s a challenging time in the restaurant community. Many restaurants have had to either close entirely or swiftly pivot business models to delivery or no-contact pickup, losing staff with no sure end to the situation at hand. The foundation is turning its attention away from awards activities and focusing on the JBF Food and Beverage Industry Relief Fund (one of many funds helping restaurants stay afloat right now).

“Some of the restaurants announced today are temporarily closed, some are operating in another form, such as takeout or meal relief efforts, whilst others have already announced that they will permanently close,” said JBF CEO Clare Reichenbach. “Today we acknowledge the accomplishments of all the people behind these restaurants and the need for everyone to fight for this industry that employs 16 million people and is a vital part of American culture.”

Congratulations to ICE alumni among the semifinalists announced in February: Ann Redding (Culinary, '02), co-chef/owner of Uncle Boons, who was up for Best Chef: New York State, and Charlie Brooks (Culinary, '09), chef de cuisine at Denver's Sunday Vinyl, which was recognized among Best New Restaurants.

Read more about award-winning ICE alumni.

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How Hotels Are Helping During the COVID-19 Crisis

aday — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 15:38:38 +0000

How Hotels Are Helping During the COVID-19 Crisis aday Thu, 04/16/2020 - 11:38 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/Four%20Seasons%20header.jpg.webp?itok=NK9cifY6 The hospitality industry provides rooms for health care workers, patients and first responders in the midst of travel restrictions and shelter-in-place orders. April 21, 2020

By Ashley Ross — Writer and Editor

There’s no shortage of industries impacted by the coronavirus crisis, and hotels are walking a fine line of trying to save business while helping. Here’s how some hospitality brands are adapting as the pandemic evolves, finding ways to make use of hundreds of thousands of rooms and staff.

There were early calls for New York City, America’s epicenter of the virus, to quarantine the sick in hotel rooms, and the city’s first step was for some hotels to provide rooms for non-critical patients and health care workers (a move lauded by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo).

The Four Seasons Hotel New York started welcoming medical personnel for complimentary stays on April 2.

“Our health care workers are working tirelessly on the frontlines of this crisis,” said Ty Warner, owner of the Four Seasons Hotel New York. “Many of those working in New York City have to travel long distances to and from their homes after putting in 18-hour days. They need a place close to work where they can rest and regenerate. I heard Governor Cuomo’s call to action during one of his press conferences, and there was no other option for us but do whatever we could to help.”

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As our first medical personnel check-in today, we are thankful for all of the health professionals who are working tirelessly all over the world. Today, we’re drawing the line so they can be on the front line. We are humbled to play a small part during this unprecedented situation. Stay safe and be well everyone! #fsnewyork

A post shared by Four Seasons Hotel New York (@fsnewyork) on Apr 2, 2020 at 5:29pm PDT

Other cities have seen similar efforts: In Los Angeles, San Pedro’s Sunrise Hotel converted its 103-room property for emergency use, which also helped keep staff employed. These responses aimed to free up space and ease pressure on hospitals while continuing to generate revenue.

Since mid-February, when the pandemic started escalating in the U.S., hotels have lost more than $10 billion in room revenue, according to The American Hotel and Lodging Association. Hotels are on pace to lose more than $500 million in room revenue every day based on current and future reported occupancy rates, with nearly 3.9 million jobs either eliminated or soon to be eliminated. And as travel restrictions continue, these figures only worsen.

Chicago enacted a plan in response to the pandemic and the industry effects. Various properties are offering rooms to those who are mildly sick or awaiting test results for $175 a night, which includes three meals a day. Michael Jacobson, CEO and president of the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association, told The Chicago Tribune that hotels were gaining interest in joining the program “by the hour.”

While Marriott earned its place in the news as a popular chain that furloughed thousands of employees, including at the corporate level, the brand has responded with a relief effort called Rooms for Responders in collaboration with American Express and JPMorgan Chase. The effort will provide up to $10 million worth of hotel stays with no-cost rooms for frontline health care workers in some of the hardest-hit cities across America.

Meet the ICE alum managing culinary development for luxury properties at Marriott.

Meanwhile, some luxury hotels are finding ways to help and keep staffers employed. Le Bijou in Switzerland is offering free stays for health care workers, according to Alexander Hübner, CEO and co-founder of the apartment-style hotel.

“We saw that they were shutting down borders and we had a lot less guests coming in and airlines were grounded so we thought it was probably going to hit us very hard, and we had to come up with a new offering and we also had inquiries in that direction, people asking for two-week stays and additional health care offerings,” Hübner says.

Prior to the pandemic, Le Bijou had health care offerings for guests, such as requesting a nurse through a digital app called James.

A look inside a Bijou room

“We call ourselves the hotel of the future: We use apartments with a modern design and technical amenities, we employ more software developers than other people, and we use an Uber-like system where you can order all sorts of services,” Hübner explains. “We do grocery shopping for our guests and leave groceries in front of the door, and we have inquiries for private chefs and for medical check ups as well.”

The hotel typically has about 70-80% occupancy at this time of year, and now it is at 60%, so Hübner is pleased with the result of the hotel’s efforts.

“We have people here who depend on their salary and on hourly rates and we wanted to make sure that all of our team members can stay in the company,” he said. “I am subsidizing my CEO salary to try to make things work for now.”

Other properties are responding whether as an exercise in brand marketing or to give back: The Kimpton Fitzroy London is serving free breakfast and lunch to health care and emergency workers, service industry employees and local residents. In the Amalfi Coast, Le Sirenuse, Hotel Santa Caterina, Il San Pietro di Positano and Palazzo Avino are donating money to a fundraiser called Together for a COVID-19 Vaccine. Even Airbnb implemented a program offering free or subsidized housing for COVID-19 responders.

The definition of hospitality is “the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors or strangers.” However the world and situation may change, companies will continue to adapt — and the definition of hospitality will remain.

Pursue a career entertaining guests with a diploma in Hospitality & Hotel Management.

Hospitality Management Hotels COVID-19 New York City Los Angeles

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Rethink Food NYC Coordinates Food Response with Local Restaurants

aday — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 19:43:49 +0000

Rethink Food NYC Coordinates Food Response with Local Restaurants aday Wed, 03/25/2020 - 15:43 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/rethink%20header.jpg.webp?itok=9O73k_KA The organization's restaurant response program strategically grants stipends to expand reach and support restaurants. March 25, 2020

By Ashley Ross — Writer and Editor

We're highlighting the hospitality heroes positively impacting the restaurant industry and our communities amid the coronavirus crisis. Here, ICE alumni collaborate, as a nonprofit that turns food waste into meals for underserved communities converts New York City restaurants into distribution centers.

On a regular week, Rethink Food NYC’s mission is to create a more sustainable and equitable food system by working with various food partners like restaurants and corporate kitchens. Rethink uses these partners’ food excess and surplus at their Brooklyn headquarters to repurpose the food into new, nutritious meals that can be delivered to communities in need. On a normal week, Rethink delivers an average of 10,000 to 15,000 meals.

“Given current circumstances, we’ve had to change that,” says Executive Director Meg Savage. “Now we’re working toward about 25,000 meals a day.”

When Meg’s team saw what was happening in Italy, they realized it was only a matter of time before New York was similarly affected.

Inside Rethink Cafe

“A lot of our distributions were closing down so we had to think quickly, but within the past week we have bulked up our operations to get more food by creating an alliance with a caterer so we can get out those 25,000 meals a day to cover the five boroughs,” Meg says. “We’re also working with God’s Love We Deliver to help expand to those in quarantine or directly impacted.”

What’s been difficult to navigate, besides the operations element, is the unchartered territory and the emotional aspect of the situation.

“I feel like everyone was in shock and is still in shock, but at the office we’ve all come to the agreement that there are people who need our help and in order to do what we do well, which is feeding people, we’re going to max that out to our biggest potential and do that in the safest way possible,” Meg says.

Her team has upped its food safety and sanitation operations, checking temperatures of anyone in contact with standard operations or with the food multiple times throughout the day. And there are only a limited amount of team members, including cooks, working right now, all of whom are masked and gloved.

Meg, meanwhile, has an autoimmune condition called myalgic encephalomyelitis so she’s been staying in her apartment in Brooklyn with her husband and two small children to keep herself and others safe.

But that doesn’t mean the organization isn’t full steam ahead.

“The biggest thing we’re doing is that we created a restaurant response program that is not only to help us with more distribution arms, but it’s also our way of helping the culinary community that is hurting right now,” Meg says. “So we are selecting various restaurants throughout New York City and giving them a stipend of up to $40,000 to stay open.”

Restaurants serve meals based on what food they have coming in, playing to their strengths. For example, Simone Tong’s (Culinary Arts/Management, ’11) Little Tong Noodle Shop in the East Village is working with Rethink to serve meals like kung pao chicken breast with marinated cucumber and steamed jasmine rice or ground pork ragu with a roasted vegetable couscous and creamy lemon sauce.

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Alexa, play Hungry Eyes. 👀🥡🥢Spiced pork, pickled cabbage, mixian rice noodles! Available on @seamless @grubhub 📍East Village OPEN until 6pm. Vegan version: butternut-squash & tofu 🔥 ALL proceeds from sales to @rethinkfood.nyc, a nonprofit dedicated to feed those in need. #sendnoods #supportsmallbusiness #supportlocal #noodles #eastvillage #donate #eeeeeats

A post shared by Little Tong Noodle Shop (@littletongnyc) on Mar 24, 2020 at 1:29pm PDT

This stipend helps restaurants convert to Rethink distribution centers, where people can go get a meal at no cost or at a suggested donation of $5. The money is also meant to help restaurants stay open in general and to pay staff during a turbulent time in the industry.

Rethink’s own brick and mortar, Rethink Cafe near the Brooklyn Navy Yard, was going to open later this year as a source of revenue. When New York City’s restaurants were shutdown, it opened immediately for emergency food response. Rethink’s chief strategy officer and founding member, Winston Chiu (Culinary, ’13), painted the cafe to get it up and running as fast as possible.

"We help scale the idea of a nonprofit picking up food and utilizing it to help save those in need," Winston says. "The need for food is starting to rise and we’re starting to see people from all walks of life come through who need a meal that’s hot and nutritious. This problem is not biased to income."

Winston was a partner in a catering startup committed to sustainability, Bonbite, when he had the opportunity to pilot Rethink founder Matt Jozwiak's idea for upcycling food waste. That mission of problem-solving is proving to be vital now.

"Restaurants throughout the entire nation are taking a hit. It’s going to change the way we think about how they work," Winston says. "As an organization, we tend to look at the way current NGOs work and challenge ourselves to think outside the box."

Rethink is running completely on sponsorship from its network of foundations. The organization is sourcing more donations, including supplies like bulk to-go containers, and involvement from other restaurants (more than 100 have applied for stipends).

“ICE's mentorship and the network provided allowed me to be able to do what I'm doing today,” Winston says.

More on COVID-19 and the restaurant industry:
Resources for Restaurant Industry Workers
ICE President & CEO Rick Smilow Compels Community to Order In
Six Food Books to Get You through the Shutdown
Food for Boosting Immunity and Calming Nerves

Tag @iceculinary and @rethinkfood.nyc on social media to get involved and read more about ICE alumni giving back.

Restaurant & Culinary Management Culinary Arts

Alumni Chefs Philanthropy COVID-19

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Restaurants Strategize to Keep Business Alive through Coronavirus Crisis

aday — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 12:28:44 +0000

Restaurants Strategize to Keep Business Alive through Coronavirus Crisis aday Wed, 03/18/2020 - 08:28 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/empty%20kitchen%20header.jpg.webp?itok=xj4jK_R8 Restaurateurs adjust delivery, pick-up and staff management in a tumultuous time for the industry. March 18, 2020

By Ashley Ross — Writer and Editor

Food and beverage business owners in Los Angeles, New York City and other major cities are adjusting their business models to feed their communities and stay in business through COVID-19 regulations and closures.

Julia Sullivan had been paying attention to the news long before she realized it would affect her two businesses in Nashville. She’s the owner of a restaurant called Henrietta Red, part of Strategic Hospitality Group, and the owner of a catering company called The Party Line.

“The first time I started paying attention to coronavirus was 6-8 weeks ago because I was scheduled to go to Seattle for Taste Washington to cook there at the food festival,” she says. “So I thought it would have an impact, but once that was canceled, there was an incredible domino effect where every day it became more apparent how big this was going to be.”

As coronavirus has spread across the globe and become a pandemic, according to the World Health Organization, restaurants, bars and their staff have had to adjust quickly to a new normal that’s changing not even day by day but sometimes hour by hour.

For The Party Line, the effect was immediate, with events getting canceled for the next two months. Julia and her team decided to create boxed grocery kits and meal kits for those stuck at home, which was inspired by a community-supported agriculture model.

For Henrietta Red, the changes were different and more fluid. At first, Julia moved tables to make more space in the restaurant to create a safer distance between diners but the business has since transitioned to takeout only.

“We never had a pickup or delivery option before, and we have a raw bar so we can’t be sending people out with a dozen oysters,” she said. “We’re limiting what people can take out because the last thing I want to do is put something out in the universe and have it not work well.”

Other restaurants and bars have found similar experiences. Gabi Lombardi, the owner of Sorellina Hoboken, where ICE alum Jan Christie (Culinary, '08) is the executive chef, initially tried to stay open. As business slowed, she never saw the crisis escalating to the point it has.

“Our regulars were giving us support and we were trying to keep assuring everybody that we were being safe and sanitary and that as long as we were allowed to open, we’d provide a place for people to go,” she said.

With a broad C liquor license, the restaurant was allowing the purchase of a bottle of wine with any takeout orders and tried delivery for the first time, but then the city of Hoboken put out an order that all restaurants and bars could only do takeout and delivery, something that Gabi knew would never keep her restaurant afloat.

“Trying to stay true to who we are, it made more sense to close down our operations,” she said. “There’s no date for how long this is for so we’re taking it day by day. We had everyone come in today and clean out what would go bad in the next couple days and we’ll do it again in a couple days.”

The staff is taking groceries home to support themselves, as finances will be difficult in this time for Sorellina staff and all other restaurant staffers.

Matt Glassman, one of the partners at both Greyhounds and ETA, in Los Angeles, had similar concerns for how this would affect the livelihood of his staff. Initially, Matt was streaming Twin Peaks at the Greyhounds locations, when they would normally be streaming sports, but soon enough, he and his partner decided that the more responsible decision was to close for the time being.

“We have 80 members of staff between the three stores. We also have vendors whom we owe (who also have employees). We have bills to pay and an obligation to pay them. But at the same time, we have an obligation to the greater good and to keep people away from one another,” he says. “I think it would be bad for business to come up with long-term plans when it changes so much, but we’re planning for the worst.”

"Stay on top of industry notices from organizations such as the New York City Hospitality Alliance," advises Dean of Restaurant & Hospitality Management Rick Camac. "There may be government funds available for your employees. Continue (or start) offering delivery with a skeleton staff. Fees from third parties have been capped at 10%."

Elsewhere in the world, restaurants are trying to be creative to not only save business but also serve communities. Mamo in Ireland has launched The Hatch, a limited takeout and collection service. They’ve scrapped most of the regular menu for more rudimentary options like fish and chips.

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Family Meal delivery is now live. Link in profile to order. #wegotthisseattle

A post shared by Canlis (@canlisrestaurant) on Mar 17, 2020 at 11:09am PDT

And Canlis in Seattle, one of the hardest hit places in America, has redefined its business model with a bagel shop, a drive-through burger option and a family meal delivery option that includes a bottle of wine.

“You have to play as much offense as you do defense ... So what would we look like from scratch? If my job is to feed and restore a city, then I have to do it inside the new rules,” co-owner Mark Canlis told Fast Company.

In L.A., seasonal bowl restaurant Porridge and Puffs is converting to a grab-and-go shop with pick-up and delivery, while the West Holywood outpost of bar Employees Only is delivering DIY cocktail kits via Postmates. In New York, MáLà Project developed a quarantine delivery menu with meals designed to last two weeks. Even Milk Bar Lab converted its flagship locations to delivery and grab-and-gp.

Meanwhile, many restaurants are designating a portion of gift card proceeds to paying employees whose hours have been cut while ensuring investment in their restaurants' futures. Some operators are even pooling portions of salaries to benefit hourly colleagues.

New rules will continue to crop up as the world and the hospitality industry navigates its new, turbulent normal. Just like any recipe or new business plan, trying new creative ideas will undoubtedly be a big part of starting from scratch.

Follow industry updates @iceculinary, and start your business plan from scratch in ICE's Restaurant & Culinary Management program.

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The Latest Hotel Technology Trends

aday — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 01:20:24 +0000

The Latest Hotel Technology Trends aday Mon, 11/18/2019 - 20:20 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/Aloft%20hotels%20robot%20buttler%20BOTLR%20%28Always%20courtesy%20of%20Aloft%20Hotels%29.jpg.webp?itok=xn0qHh06 BOTLR the robot butler courtesy of Aloft Hotels AI robots and mobile 360 VR tours of hotels may sound like science fiction hospitality, but the future is now. December 6, 2019

By Ashley Ross — Writer and Editor

As technology evolves, the world evolves with it. One area that has kept pace is hotels and the hospitality industry.

Take the history of hotel keys. First, they were actual mechanical keys, then they eventually became credit-card-like keys that needed to be swiped or inserted, and now they’re usually the same kind of credit card key just tapped on the door to unlock it. That is if the keys aren’t made out of your own facial recognition program or hooked up to your cell phone or fingerprint.

Hotels are continuing to research and try ways they can use technology to their guests’ advantage. Marriott, for example, has turned a 1980s Charlotte, North Carolina property into a beta innovation lab to test features that could work at other properties. Some items up for experimentation? Virtual fitness classes, booths in the lobby that measure moods, purified air systems in rooms and even lighting to ease jet lag.

Some of this technology is still in the beta phase, meaning it’s not technically in rooms yet, but it's a sign of what's to come.

"I think it important to stay current: As the guest becomes more familiar with these types of technology, they expect to use them everywhere," says Robert Warman, an instructor in ICE's Hospitality & Hotel Management program with 35 years in the industry. "Hotels must understand that alternatives should be available for guests who may not be technologically savvy and not totally take out human interaction. Hospitality is about making people feel well and that only happens when people interact."

Here are some of the most exciting technology advances rolling out at hotels around the world.

Mobile Everything

Back in the day, everyone used their room phones: for a concierge, for room service, to set a wakeup alarm or order a taxi (long before rideshare apps existed). Today the room phone has been reimagined in the form of the guest’s smartphone. Guests can use their mobile phones to check-in and check-out; unlock and lock their rooms order room service, a car, their cars from the valet and control the TV, sound, lights, even the blinds. Certain hotels, like Hyatt and Ritz-Carlton, even have apps that make it easy to request services like dry cleaning and laundry, a babysitter or more. Notifications (when allowed by the guest) are welcome for events, and maps of a property could be helpful for conferences and meetings. It’s also a no-brainer for loyalty programs.

Facial recognition check-in technology pilot at two Marriott International properties in China

Facial Recognition

Facial recognition software used to feel like something out of a Tom Cruise movie, but thanks to Apple’s Face ID feature, many don’t even think twice about it. Now it’s being rolled out as a feature for security for guests to unlock their rooms, authorize payments and check-in. Concierge services are using it to help identify guests as they ask for help. AliBaba’s FlyZoo Hotel has robots that will scan your face then send charges directly to your room bill instead of having you take out your wallet. Marriott began a pilot program for facial recognition check-in at Hangzhou Marriott Hotel Qianjiang and Sanya Marriott Hotel Dadonghai Bay last year with plans to expand the concept and increase efficiency at other properties. The uptake of these will be interesting, especially among guests concerned for their privacy.

Alternative Realities

Virtual reality, VR, and augmented reality, AR, are new kids on the block for hospitality. The difference between the two is that VR is a complete immersion in a new world while AR adds digital elements to a current live view of the world you’re in by using the camera on a smartphone. Hotels are using these technologies to showcase different amenities and the rooms on offer. VR hotel tours are becoming more common, with brands like Atlantis Dubai and Cape Dara in Pattaya, Thailand using the functionality in marketing materials. In addition to its robot butler, BOTLR, that transports items from the front desk to rooms, Aloft Hotels uses a 360° Virtual Tour to showcase the panoramic views at its Tucson, Arizona property. The Premier Inn in the UK provides AR on maps in its rooms, where guests can see info on local spots nearby. AR is also expected to be an option for gamification in hotel rooms in the future.

Learn more about Hospitality & Hotel Management in our diploma program.

Hotels Hospitality Management Technology Travel

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Hotels Go Even Greener with Eco-Friendly Strides

aday — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 16:38:36 +0000

Hotels Go Even Greener with Eco-Friendly Strides aday Thu, 10/31/2019 - 12:38 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/four%20seasons%20header.jpg.webp?itok=fDxcjURP In September, the Four Seasons Green Team participated in International Coastal Clean Up Day and the Alliance for the Great Lakes by cleaning up Ohio Street Beach in Chicago. Major hospitality brands are sourcing sustainable seafood, reducing plastics, cleaning up local beaches and more. November 5, 2019

By Ashley Ross — Writer and Editor

Single-use plastics is a phrase that, up until recently, wasn’t part of society’s vernacular. However, with a wave of statistics and awareness events, and million-dollar-raising KickStarter campaigns against plastic straws, people are finally paying attention.

Single-use plastics are defined by the United Nations Environment Program as “waste products of a throwaway culture that treats plastic as a disposable material rather than a valuable resource,” which includes common products at restaurants and hotels like drinking bottles, bottle caps, food wrappers, grocery bags, lids, straws and stirrers, and foam take-away containers.

Hotels are anticipating that guests care about how single-use plastics can affect the environment and making changes to their operations and food and beverage programs as a result.

Four Seasons chefs Donovan Davis and Michael Zachman visited the hotel's sustainable seafood supplier, Wabash Seafood, in advance of a summer sustainability campaign at Allium Restaurant.

“Guests not only care about sustainability, it’s something they look for in a hotel,” says Amanda Castaldo, assistant director of food and beverage at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. Amanda is part of the hotel’s Green Team, a committee dedicated to operating a fine urban luxury hotel in a manner that protects and conserves the natural resources and environment.

“Not every guest understood the importance of sustainability back when the hotel first started putting cards down about not changing sheets every day, but it’s common practice now and people are much more receptive to it,” Amanda says. “Guests look for recycling, they ask for it. And as employees, we’re looking for what’s next in that space and what we can do. We’d love to be as sustainable as possible before it becomes a trendy thing to do.”

Whether it’s a trend or an essential requirement, Four Seasons Hotel Chicago is in line with most hotels in their treatment of single-use plastics in that they’re using paper and hay straws instead of plastic ones as well as glass bottles.

Marriott International announced an expanded step on the single-use plastics front to eliminate single-use plastic toiletry bottles across its 7,000 properties by 2020. This would reduce wasting 1.7 million pounds of plastic, an estimated 30% annually, according to Marriott. The brand previously committed to reducing carbon, food waste and water.

“One of the most appealing aspects of working for the culinary team of Marriott International is the enormous platform-wide reach we have to affect positive change in the world," says ICE alum Jennifer Etzkin O’Brien (Culinary, ‘09), senior manager of culinary development for luxury properties. "The company makes doing business responsibly one of its first priorities and I am honored to have a hand in this.”

Similarly, or perhaps on trend, will be hotels in the EU, where parliament has voted to ban single-use plastics like plates and cutlery by 2021. However, sustainability goes beyond getting rid of single-use plastics.

Marié Fukudome, director of environmental affairs for Hyatt, says the company has been working toward 2020 Environmental Sustainability Goals across its 850 properties.

“I drive our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy, water and waste at our hotels and increase responsible purchasing,” Marié says. “Along with our goals, our ‘Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served.’ philosophy guides us to serve cuisine that is good for our people, our planet and our communities.”

The Grand Hyatt Melbourne composts the property's food scraps for fertilizer used on its rooftop garden.

Hyatt was able to achieve an industry-leading goal of sourcing 15% of its seafood from farms fisheries certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC). The brand introduced the Beyond Burger at Hyatt Regency and Hyatt Place hotels in the U.S. while continuing to explore plant-forward menu options. The Grand Hyatt Melbourne even utilizes on-site composting technology to repurpose food waste into a nutrient-rich soil conditioner, which can be mixed with other soil to fertilize gardens and grounds.

Meliá Hotels International, a Spanish hotel company, was recently named the most sustainable hotel company in the world for its outstanding dedication to 360-degree eco-conscious practices. The organization works environmental commitments into supply chain management, starting with concepts and design. This means impact on the environment is considered in the development of everything from the foundation of a hotel to the lighting. Water is filtered through a treatment plant so it can be reused to irrigate gardens and golf courses at various properties, and the company implements employee training programs like one coordinated with the Dominican Republic Institute of Environmental Law at the Paradisus Palma Real in Playa Bávaro.

As hotels follow suit, properties will continue to get creative with eco-friendly hospitality solutions.

Learn more about essential trends and advancements in the industry in ICE’s Hospitality & Hotel Management program.

Hotels Hospitality Management Sustainability Fish & Seafood