F&B - Why is it always the bottomline?

This issue details several F&B stories and are dictated by the Hann Resorts cover story. There are many awards that can be given to restaurants all over the world. The most coveted is the Michelin Star rating bestowed by the Michelin Fine Dining guide, well-respected because of how the winners are curated. Then there are other listings like “Best Restaurants” local and international editions. Some have been visited, some have been paid for to build up awareness for the restaurant. Either way, the fnal judge of all is yourself as you navigate the various press releases in the web and social media trying to convince you that what they offer is the best.

As there are happy moments when we discover food that agree with our palate, there are also some that raise alarms like the times that you have craved for food that you used to love in a cafe or restaurant that you haven’t visited in years.

So you eagerly bring your family there after bragging about it; but you are in a state of disappointment. That dish is now served in a smaller portion than before, the meat is stringy, or is inferior to the quality you remember. The salad seems right out of the fridge than fresh. The other change is the price, it is now 25% higher. You didn’t mind when you saw the menu, after all, the pandemic brought everybody reasons to get back on their feet quickly. But the idea of cutting costs and yet raising prices is a double kill, especially when the quality of the food suffers.

When these are obvious in restaurants, some luxury hotels are in it too. Buffets in their outlets are not how it was in the prepandemic. There is less protein and more carbs, and I noticed a signifcant change in the taste too. Your favorites have become less savory, even if the ingredients are still there. So, your palates shrink and you lose your appetite.

Then there is the degustacion, a fancy way of adding or changing the menu of a restaurant by letting customers have a “taste’ of what’s in store for the near future, or just to have a sampling of a chef’s culinary talent. The downside is some restaurants regard this multi-course line-up as a fne dining concept, not a menu showcase as what the original purpose is. It is a hit-and-miss tactic, but the prices can be so steep that it should be all hits, and it seldom is. When you fnd that in other countries the degustacion is actually a showcase of dishes artfully conceived from the menu that you can also order, a la carte, but it is not the way here.

So, if a degustacion gives you maybe a bland appetizer or too salty main course, or a fancy dessert with an ordinary taste, will you feel justifed spending more than, at least, fve thousand for the gastronomic adventure?

Let me quote a description I have read — “The reservation is hard won, the night is exhausting, the food is cold, the interruptions are frequent. The courses blur, the palate fags, and the check stings.”