Spirited 2009 - Volume 4

Holiday 2009 | Volume 4

Brings New Energy to the Beer Business

Talking F&B with

BOB gunkel >> PAGE 2 >> PAGE 2

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When he and his team are not holding down the financial fort for IHG in the Americas, Bob Gunkel is indulging his passion for cooking, eating and enjoying great Pinot Noirs. Our series of F&B interviews with members of IHG’s leadership team continues in a conversation with the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the Americas.

According to Bob Gunkel, finance guys don’t get out of the office much— at least, not for business. But IHG’s new Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the Americas more than makes up for it on his own time. The Atlanta native and his wife, Kimberly, are self-described “foodies” and have traveled all over the world, sampling cuisines and wines at every stop. In a recent interview, Bob talked about some of his F&B expectations and favorites, as well as his ongoing love affair with “slow food.”

The ARTof Food Pre

Earns Respect & Admiration from Bob Gunkel Any foodservice experience in your background?

“No, I’ve never worked in a restaurant, but I grew up around food and wine—my mother was a partner in a wine and cheese shop in Atlanta for a time. My career path was through finance. I’ve held just about every kind of financial role—mergers and acquisitions, accounting, asset management.

I joined IHG in 1995, after working in finance for Marriott for three years.

But I’ve always thought being a chef would be fascinating. I completely respect what they do—unlike painting and other art forms, food preparation provides instant gratification. When it’s completed, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor immediately.”

What does a great dining experience look like for you?

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“I’m a total foodie—I love to go around and check out restaurants.

Diversity in the entire dining process, not just the food, is important to me so I look for more than a standard meat-and-potatoes experience. I’m an adventurous eater—I like to try things I’ve never had before, whatever I couldn’t create myself, like sweetbreads or oxtail. Kimberly and I enjoy tasting menus and wine pairings because they give us the chance to discover unusual combinations of flavors.”

What’s your favorite food?

“Generally speaking, I believe in, and love, ‘slow food cooking,’ which includes things like braised short ribs that are cooked long and slow at low temperatures until the meat just about falls apart. I’m amazed by the process of taking ordinary cuts of beef and turning them into something special. But my favorite individual food is cheese! I was at the Crowne Plaza White Plains, New York, recently, and the General Manager brought out a beautiful plate of Hudson Valley cheese— it was wonderful! I would give up alcohol before I would give up cheese.”

How about your favorite beverage?

“I like the lightness and freshness of Pinot Noir, despite the clichés associated with that varietal from the movie ‘Sideways.’ I’m not much of a hard liquor drinker, but I can always enjoy a great Pinot. Kimberly and I love to tour wine regions— we’ve been to Napa and Sonoma, the Barossa Valley in Australia, Cape Town, South Africa, and the Burgundy region of France. Next year we’re headed to Mendoza, Argentina, where a new InterContinental Hotel will be opening, and we also have the vineyards of Willamette Valley, Oregon, on our wish list.”

Favorite restaurant?

“Being from the South, I love Southern food. So I’m just crazy about The Watershed in Decatur, Georgia. The menu changes seasonally and the dishes always use locally grown produce and reflect area cuisine. It’s almost a religious experience to sit at the bar there and enjoy a vegetable plate— which I get every single time—with a glass of Pinot Noir. It’s enough to make me consider becoming a vegetarian.”

reparation When you stay at an IHG property, what are your expectations regarding F&B? “I feel our hotel restaurants should reference the local cuisine and reflect the virtues of each individual market. I think it’s important to be able to enjoy Southern vegetables in Atlanta and lobster rolls at catered meetings in Boston.

I think our guests want to feel they’ve been somewhere, with respect to what we offer with our food and beverage. So it’s great when we have chefs trained in the area cuisine, and when the menus and approach really take advantage of what’s available locally.”

“I feel our hotel restaurants should reference the local cuisine and reflect the virtues of each individual market.”

Do you ever order room service?

“When Kimberly and I travel, she usually orders room service. I’m not a coffee-drinker and she is, so she likes to have the pot of coffee first thing in the morning. I am a continental breakfast kind of guy, so I really enjoy a great selection of croissants and other fresh pastries. The pastries offered in our hotels are very good, and those at the InterContinental hotels are standouts.

A nice in-room breakfast really sets up the day for excellent sightseeing.”

Mineral water or tap?

“I like Pellegrino. It’s refreshing and cleanses the palate better than tap water between courses, in my view.”

Any F&B “pet peeves?”

“I like my food to be piping hot when it comes to the table; knowing that it has been languishing in the kitchen waiting on the server is frustrating to me. Also, it’s irritating when servers don’t allow enough time for diners to enjoy the appetizers before bulleting out the main course. I like to let the starters digest and then leisurely progress to the entree. The wait staff should be sensitive to the pace of the diners and adjust accordingly.”

Do you cook at home, and if so, what’s your specialty?

“I love to cook. Kimberly is a terrible cook but a great baker. I’ve always heard that you can either bake or you can cook—not both. No surprise, my specialty is slow food. I can smoke anything—salmon, pork, beef brisket—and I’m really, really good at it! I get lots of requests, and the Big Green Egg smoker/grill gets a real workout at my house.”

When you dine at an IHG hotel, what do you usually order?

“I’m a big fan of Asian-influenced food, so I generally gravitate to any lighter Asian-themed dish, like bok choy or seared fish with an interesting sauce, over noodles.”

Any recent standout meals at an IHG property?

“The InterContinental Buckhead does a superb job with catering. I’ve been impressed from the start by the inventiveness of their meeting breaks and the remarkable consistency, freshness and quality of the catering—it’s better than any I’ve seen elsewhere. Even at big functions, you don’t get the sense of being served mass-produced meals. Their team is also very creative in utilizing the expansive pre-function area outside the meeting rooms. It’s a versatile space and they leverage it effectively.”

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MillerCoors: A Marriage of Two Legendary Brewers

That certainly is the intent of the new When the merger of Coors and Miller— company’s management, which took two of America’s biggest and most out ads in major newspapers the day after the recognized brewers—was completed in June of 2008, industry pundits predicted the transaction was finalized proclaiming, “We’re out to become America’s best beer company.” move would reshape the U.S. beer industry.

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SABMiller plc, a global brewer based in London, and Molson Coors Brewing Company, with headquarters in Denver and Montreal, agreed to combine their U.S. and Puerto Rico operations to create MillerCoors as a joint venture. In the process, they created the second largest beer company in America, with nearly 30 percent of U.S. beer sales. The new venture is designed to capitalize on synergies as well as generate significant savings.

“We believe the beer business in the U.S. is ripe for change, and we intend to lead that change,” says David Colletti, Vice President of On Premise for MillerCoors. “Our new enterprise pairs the entrepreneurial energy of a small company with the resources and brewing experience of a national powerhouse. The winners, we feel, are our distributors, our retailers, and of course, beer drinkers all over America.”

A Winning Portfolio Led by two of the best-selling beers in the industry, MillerCoors has a broad portfolio of highly complementary brands across every major industry segment. The Miller Lite brand established the American light beer category in 1975, and Coors Light introduced consumers to “Rocky Mountain cold” refreshment.

MGD 64 rounds out the MillerCoors light beer lineup. With only 64 calories and 2.4 grams of carbs, MGD 64 has caught on quickly with consumers since its launch in 2008. The company also imports Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Pilsner Urquell and Molson Canadian and features craft brews from the Jacob Leinenkugel Company, Blue Moon Brewing Company and Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company.

The innovation that is a part of the MillerCoors DNA is apparent in such products as Miller Chill, the Sparks line and the company’s Leinie’s and Blue Moon seasonal offerings. Heading the list of packaging innovations is the aluminum pint, popular with consumers both at the bar and poolside. The company’s beers have garnered numerous awards in prestigious domestic and international competitions, such as the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival.

Visionary Founders MillerCoors had its beginnings in the dreams of two remarkable German entrepreneurs who came to America in the mid-19th century.

At age 25, Frederick J. Miller was already a renowned brewer in his home country when he immigrated to the United States in 1854.

He settled in Milwaukee and a year later purchased the Plank Road Brewery and made his first delicious beer, using yeast he had carried with him all the way from Europe. (The descendant yeast is still used in some MillerCoors beers.)

Meanwhile, Prussian-born Adolph Coors apprenticed at a brewery in his teens and then stowed away on a ship to cross the Atlantic to the U.S. In 1873 he and 26-year-old partner Jacob Schueler opened the Golden Brewery in Colorado. Seven years later Coors bought out his partner to become sole owner of the brewery.

Both founders were solid businessmen as well as visionaries, and both had strong family support to carry on their work and legacy after they were gone. The two companies flourished and were able to survive

“We believe the beer business in the U.S. is ripe for change, and we intend to lead that change.”

David Colletti, Vice President of On Premise - MillerCoors

Prohibition and two world wars, when brewing materials were scarce and many breweries failed.

In 1970, Miller Brewing Company was acquired by Phillip Morris Companies. Five years later, Miller created a sensation by launching Miller Lite, the first nationally distributed low-calorie beer. Coors beer achieved the height of its cult status in the 70s, with limited distribution leaving East Coast consumers clamoring for the brand. Coors finally became available in all 50 states in 1991.

South African Breweries bought Miller in 2002, forming SABMiller plc and creating one of the largest brewers in the world, with annual volume of more than 130 million barrels, operations in 40 countries and hundreds of brands. That same year, Coors purchased most of the assets of Bass Breweries in the U.K., becoming one of the world’s top 10 breweries. In 2005, Coors merged with Canadian company Molson, and Molson Coors Brewing Company became the world’s fifth largest.

Innovation and Social Responsibility Throughout the history of both companies, innovation and a commitment to being a solid corporate citizen have remained priorities. Among the industry-leading big ideas pioneered by the two companies: Coors patented a corking machine and bottle washer in 1884 and in 1886 Miller became one of the first breweries in the world to use pasteurization.

Commitment to responsible brewing, environmental stewardship and support for the communities the companies serve also has been a hallmark historically. For example, in 1906, Adolph Coors started a relief fund for victims of the San Francisco earthquake and more than 50 years later started a recycling revolution by offering a penny for every can returned to the brewer. In 1999, Miller became the first brewer to adopt the 70 percent standard, meaning the company only advertises in media whose audience is 70 percent age 21 or older. The standard later was adopted across the broader beer industry.

MillerCoors is focused on growing the beer business of retail establishments from convenience stores to hotels. The strategy for accomplishing this is guided by leveraging the power of what the company calls the “MillerCoors Advantage”—its brands, people, innovation, business-building solutions and distributors.

“First and foremost, we’re beer people,” Colletti says. “We see ourselves as business consultants with a beer merchant mentality.

We have great enthusiasm for the business and tremendous potential to improve it. We also continue to listen carefully to beer drinkers, to understand what they want today and what they will want tomorrow.”

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CROWNE PLAZA MANHATTAN K e e p s

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Step out the front doors of the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan and you immediately merge into the pulse-quickening, entertaining hustle-bustle of the heart of the Great White Way. The theatres of Broadway dot the avenue and sidestreets in either direction, and marquee New York attractions such as Fifth Avenue shopping, Central Park and Radio City Music Hall are only a few short blocks away.

And as far as the eye can see are—restaurants.

The Times Square area is a hotbed for bars and dining establishments of every stripe, from wellknown national chains such as Applebee’s to popular concept eateries from seasoned restaurateurs, such as Steve Hanson’s Ruby Foo’s and Blue Fin. The secret to succeeding in such crowded waters? Keep things fresh and contemporary and consistently offer a great value, according to Joe Verde, Executive Assistant Manager-Food and Beverage for the Crowne Plaza. So when the hotel completed a spectacular $85 million renovation in September 2008, Joe and his team were primed to show the redone F&B outlets off to best advantage.

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“The changes in the bar, restaurant and event spaces have been very well-received, and we’ve gotten a lot of good press,” says Joe, who joined the Crowne Plaza Manhattan in July of last year. “We’re proud to have won IHG’s Renovation of the Year award for 2008.”

Executive Assistant Manager–Food & Beverage

Joe Verde

Windows overlooking the Great White Way and sleek décor are hallmarks of the Broadway 49 Bar & Lounge.

Unmatched Views Guests enter the hotel from street level via an escalator to the second-floor lobby. Here the main attraction is the nearby sparkling new Broadway 49 Bar and Lounge (the hotel is located at Broadway and 49th Street). The bar’s sleek décor features dark hardwood floors, creamy furnishings and a lighted bar-top.

Together they create the perfect stage set for a bank of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Times Square, rendering the window tables a coveted location. As part of the renovation, an adjacent reservation office area was removed to open up even more window/viewing area for the bar.

“To attract both in-house guests and the local market, we work to have a constant stream of promotions going to keep things new and interesting,” Joe says.

That means teaming with suppliers for events that range from the summer’s Mojito Madness featuring BACARDI flavored rums to a craft beer promotion in October showcasing New York state breweries to the current “winter warmer” offerings of spirits-laced eggnog, ciders and hot chocolate. The bar also stocks a nice selection of wines and a healthy offering of exceptional single malt Scotch whiskies.

Classics to Comfort Food The cool new décor and exceptional views of Broadway and Times Square extend into the adjacent Brasserie 1605, the hotel’s eclectic, three-meal-a-day restaurant. The menu changes with every season and is designed to provide wide appeal, Joe says, offering a nod to brasserie classics such as French onion soup and pommes frite counter-balanced with a good dose of comfort food.

“The goal is to change things up often enough—and creatively enough—not to get pigeon-holed as a ‘hotel outlet,’” he notes.

As for value, it’s hard to beat the Crowne Plaza’s three-course, pre-theatre dinner, which includes appetizer, entrée and dessert for $25, with a guarantee diners will be served in plenty of time to make it to their chosen play well before the curtain rises.

Espresso To Go One recent, unexpected F&B success has come with the opening of the Grab & Go Café, which occupies an area within the restaurant that previously served as an additional bar. The new outlet features top quality to-go items, including illy caffé products from the renowned Italian coffee producer as well as New York City’s signature Balthazar Bakery croissants, Danish and other pastries.

in the ballroom that includes dinner, stepping outside for the famous balldrop at midnight, and moving back into the ballroom for dancing until the wee hours.

A Passion for the Business Keeping the F&B team inspired is key to continuing the renewed success the renovation has jump-started, Joe says. “When you have the right people—those who have a passion for food and beverage—my job gets easier. And our team is filled with people who love what they do.”

General Manager Michael Silberstein agrees. “In line with our renovation, we’ve upgraded the quality of both our service and our food to the fourand-a-half star level, and we’re beginning to see results,” he says. “We’re fortunate to have The City Investment Fund as our owners. Their investment has made us the only `new’ hotel on the West Side, giving us a tremendous edge over the competition.”

The Grab & Go Café provides to-go service as well as a quiet corner to enjoy a cappuccino or snack.

The location at the opening to the restaurant drives a strong level of impulse buying, and revenues have more than tripled since the outlet opened in midAugust. Joe and his team are considering ways to possibly extend the use of the flexible café space into other day parts, such as opening a small aperitif and wine bar in the evenings.

Ringing in the New Year The hotel’s 25,000 square feet of function space also received a makeover as part of the renovation. Banquet business is largely corporate groups and meetings, driven by the Crowne Plaza’s setting in the midst of offices for key financial clients such as Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Ernst & Young and Barclays.

Of course, given the property’s superb location, New Year’s Eve is always a major occasion. This year, the hotel is offering two packages, both destined to be sellouts. One features dinner in the restaurant, along with the prime view of festivities in Times Square. The other will center around an event

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Winning Entry Bartender Joey Scorza (pictured below left) from the InterContinental Miami already has legions of loyal fans who are wild about her inventive cocktails. Now she has added one more winner to the list: The Mark Avenue, which took top prize in the recent World Class Beverage Program Maker’s Mark Manhattan recipe contest. Arnaldo Hernandez of the InterContinental San Juan garnered an honorable mention for his Caribbean Passion Manhattan. Here is Joey’s winning recipe:

The Mark Avenue • 1.5 ounce/measure Maker’s Mark • 1 ounce/measure PAMA Pomegranate liqueur • 1/4 ounce/measure Partida Agave Nectar • 3 measure mint leaves • 2 ounce/measure sour mix Put all the ingredients in a shaker can. Do not muddle the mint leaves. Add one scoop of ice. Shake well. Serve in a chilled martini glass and garnish with a mint leaf.

Season Promoting the

Two exciting new promotions from key World Class Beverage Program suppliers Beam Global Spirits and Moët & Chandon are set to light up the 2009-2010 holiday season at participating InterContinental and Crowne Plaza hotels in the U.S. and Canada.

Manhattan Magic

Making It Moët

Beam Global Spirits’ Maker’s Mark premium bourbon whisky is at the heart of a Manhattan-themed bar promotion that kicked off in midNovember and runs through mid-February. The “Everything Manhattan” event showcases the classic American cocktail by introducing four delicious new versions: the Big Apple, Park Avenue Honey, Strawberry of Liberty and Midtown Espresso Manhattans.

Champagne and celebration go hand-in-hand, as demonstrated by a new promotion from Moët & Chandon aimed at generating incremental revenue from sales of bubbly by the glass. The “Make It Moët” event, which began in mid-October and runs through February, centers on casual but unusual ideas to enhance the guest experience with Champagne as a cocktail option. The suggestions are grouped into three categories.

The promotion included a challenge to bartenders to put their own touch on the classic Manhattan in a recipe contest leading up to the launch.

Blind taste tests were conducted to determine the top three recipes with IHG’s Corporate Food & Beverage making the final decision. The winner: Joey Scorza, head bartender at the InterContinental Miami, for her The Mark Avenue version of the Manhattan (see sidebar story on this page).

Honorable mention went to Arnaldo Hernandez of the InterContinental San Juan for his Caribbean Passion Manhattan. Joey’s winning cocktail has been included with the other four Manhattan recipes in the “Everything Manhattan” point-of-sale and collateral material.

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“Perfect Pairings” offers delightful combinations of various Moët & Chandon selections with chocolate, artisanal cheeses and even sushi.

Among the “Surprising Cocktails” ideas are the layering of mousselike foams (made from fruit juices, savory essences or herbs) on top of the Champagne, and using a syringe to inject such flavors as Grand Marnier or raspberry liqueur into a Champagne cocktail. “Slick Service” suggestions include creating Champagne flights and holiday packages (such as for Valentine’s weekend). Moët will be providing local and national support for successful implementation of the ideas in all three categories.

For additional information about these promotions, contact Laura Hammer at 770.604.8283, laura.hammer@ihg.com, or Pamela Tweedell, iMi, at 770.928.1980, ext. 211, pamela@imiagency.com.

Bartending

Dynamic Duo Dream Team: InterContinental San Juan Bartenders Compete on the World Stage Though they may not realize it, patrons at the Splash Pool Bar & Grill at the InterContinental San Juan Resort & Casino have a unique opportunity. If either Jaders Calcaño or Ded Chatzule is behind the bar, the guests will experience cocktails prepared by one of Puerto Rico’s bartending champions and a world class competitor.

Early this summer Jaders took top honors in Puerto Rico’s Ketel One World Class Cocktail competition, earning a spot in the Diageo Reserve Brands World Class Global Finals in London in July. Nicknamed the “Liquid Oscars,” the World Class event is renowned as one of the industry’s most prestigious international bartending competitions. Jaders represented Puerto Rico as one of 18 finalists who had bested 6,000 other entrants from 24 countries in the quest to determine the world’s best bartender.

Ded won the title of Puerto Rico’s Number One cocktail bartender in a separate competition and then flew to Uruguay to compete in the 13th annual Pan American Cocktail Competition, organized by the International Bartenders Association. No stranger to global contests, Ded won the local Finlandia Vodka competition in 2008 and represented Puerto Rico in Finland at the world finals.

And the wins just keep coming. At San Juan’s Coco Lopez Bartending Competition in October, Ded took first place, Jaders placed third and fellow InterContinental bartenders Arnaldo Hernandez and Ricardo Fontanez took second and fifth, respectively. Further, Ded has been named to the Culinary Team of Puerto Rico, who will compete in Ecuador at the Panamerican Congress in 2010.

“We are very proud of our bartending ‘dream team’ and the prestige and honor their achievements have brought both to our hotel and to Puerto Rico,” says Felix Mulero, Director of Food & Beverage for the InterContinental San Juan. “Their commitment to excellence really supports our efforts to make ours a Great Hotel Guests Love.”

Ded Chatzule (left) and Jaders Calcaño traveled internationally to represent Puerto Rico in two prestigious global bartending competitions

The Winning Entries One Jay One Bartender Jaders Calcaño, who has been with the InterContinental San Juan for four years, won Puerto Rico’s Ketel One World Class competition with this signature drink: • 1 ounce Ketel One Vodka • 1/2 ounce Bianco Rosé Vermouth • 1/2 ounce Licor 43 • 1/2 ounce Drambuie Scotch • 3 ounces White Grape Juice

Ber Roselin Ded Chatzule, who has been with the InterContinental San Juan for two years, captivated judges in a local competition by mixing juices and sweet liquor in this award-winning recipe: • 1 ounce white Bacardi rum • 1/2 ounce Cointreau • 1/2 ounce Bianco Rosé Vermouth • 1/2 ounce Monin Rose Syrup • 3 ounces White Grape Juice 9

Steritech Helps Hotels Maintain a

Flawless Kitchen It’s a given in the hospitality industry: behind every successful food and beverage operation is an organized, well-run, immaculate kitchen. While compliance with local health department ordinances is an important first step for any establishment, IHG sets the bar much higher.

To protect the integrity of the company’s full-service brands from a food safety perspective, IHG Food and Beverage maintains an ongoing partnership with The Steritech Group, Inc., the leading provider of food safety and quality assurance services in North America. The program with Steritech is available and recommended for company-owned and –managed InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Hotel Indigo hotels that are World Class Beverage Program compliant. Through food safety audits and training, the program is designed to: • Educate kitchen employees and ensure that all food-handlers are certified in food safety practices and procedures.

• Reduce/avoid the risk of causing illness.

• Minimize the risk of potential lawsuits resulting from a work environment that is not as clean and safe as it should be.

• Help provide and promote a clean, healthy cooking environment.

The on-site Steritech audits are unannounced and conducted annually.

Using a detailed checklist, a highly trained Steritech specialist assesses the entire foodservice environment with primary focus on the kitchen.

Areas covered range from maintaining appropriate food temperatures to proper hand-washing to examining the filter screen on the ice machine in the bar to checking that the hotel’s liquor license is current.

The goal is to uncover any potentially hazardous flaws and to assist in developing corrective actions that ensure long-term solutions. The passing grade is 92 percent with five or fewer “critical violations” in designated high-risk categories. Hotels that do not pass are re-audited within 30 to 45 days and then re-evaluated—at a cost of $400 per audit—until a passing grade is achieved.

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Within 24 hours of completion of the audit, the hotel’s food and beverage director receives an email message with a link to a secure website.

Whether the hotel passed or failed, the F&B director is required to create, within three days, a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for both critical and non-critical deficiencies observed. The Steritech associate then discusses the CAP with the GM, chef or F&B director and sets completion dates for remedying any critical violations.

Mandatory Training Food safety training is mandatory for foodservice management, kitchen employees and food handlers. Members of F&B management and chefs are required to complete the ServSafe Training Program, which is conducted on-site by a ServSafe-authorized Steritech trainer. Kitchen employees, stewards and food-handlers must complete online training via PracticeFoodSafety.com, an instructional website that is accessed through an annual subscription, also available from Steritech.

Alternatively, hotels may opt to work with Steritech to organize an on-site food-handlers class.

“The Steritech program is an informative, effective structure for providing an objective view of our hotels’ kitchens and F&B operations,” says Jean-Pierre Etcheberrigaray, Vice President of Food & Beverage.

“The audits and training serve to ensure we are being rigorous in terms of food safety, cleanliness and regulations. This in turn supports our ability to provide an exceptional experience to our guests.”

If you have questions or want to arrange on-site training, contact Ellen White, Seminar Coordinator, The Steritech Group, at 704-615-4793. For assistance in accessing your audit report and PracticeFoodSafety.com, contact Steritech Account Manager Stephenie Lemus at 228-257-2561. Direct any additional questions to Laura Hammer at 770-604-8283 or laura.hammer@ihg.com.

Early in 2009, IHG Food & Beverage created an innovative new team to help support company-owned and managed hotels with their food and beverage programs and to provide input into development of future F&B initiatives.

The successful contributions of this select group of IHG hotel food and beverage directors—dubbed the F&B Commando Committee—has prompted the introduction of a similar team to focus specifically on culinary matters.

INTRODUCING THE

CULINARY COMMANDOS The Culinary Commando Committee for North America will assist company-owned/managed hotels in the region across three of IHG’s full-service brands—InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn. The scope of their charge covers several key areas: • Concept development and implementation, including menu design/ redesign and menu engineering as well as kitchen development and design.

• Compliance and quality orientation, particularly with regard to the Steritech and Avendra programs.

• Best practices, including food trend research and dissemination of ideas to the field, along with food cost determination.

• Communication—specifically, serving as conduits for news and information about pilot programs and promotional efforts from the IHG Food & Beverage department, as well as ongoing communication among IHG culinary colleagues.

The Committee also will provide hands-on support for designated hotels within specific geographic zones.

A Talented Team The Committee comprises a range of backgrounds and experience. The members are: • Didier Montarou, Executive Chef, InterContinental Boston, and head of the Culinary Commando Committee. A 17-year veteran of InterContinental Hotels, Didier directs operation of the kitchens at both the InterContinental Boston and the InterContinental Buckhead, via Flying Chef. He has participated in pre-opening and grand opening activities for the InterContinental Hotels in Cleveland, Boston, Madrid and Cartagena, Colombia, and was instrumental in the global InterContinental Kitchen Cookbook project. In 2004, as executive chef at the InterContinental Cleveland, Didier led his team to a coveted AAA Five Diamond Award.

• Christopher Culp, Manager, Food & Beverage Concepts and Innovation, Holiday Inn. Christopher oversees all food and beverage programs, innovation development and training for Holiday Inn hotels in the Americas, working directly with the brand management teams on concept testing and recipe development. His 15-plus years of F&B experience include eight years as an executive chef with food and facilities management leader Sodexo, serving major corporate clients.

• Joe Buentello, Executive Chef, Crowne Plaza Perimeter, Atlanta. Joe has more than 30 years of F&B experience, 15 as an executive chef.

He has been with the Crowne Plaza Perimeter since 2004, and has been involved in the opening of a number of hotels and restaurants, including the Holiday Inn Select Orlando.

• Peter Loeffler, Executive Chef, InterContinental Houston. Peter has overseen the kitchen operations of the Houston property for five years. He previously was executive banquet chef at the InterContinental Miami. Other prior experience includes eight years in the luxury cruise industry refining his culinary skills around the world.

• Vincent Cachot, Executive Chef, InterContinental Cleveland.

Vincent’s 12 years of food and beverage experience include stints with two five-star resorts in Paradise Island, the Atlantis Resort and the Ocean Club. He also has been with Hilton Hotels and Sofitel Hotels, and was the opening chef at Eau de Vie restaurant at the Phoenicia Intercontinental Hotel in Beirut. He joined the InterContinental Cleveland as executive chef in 2008.

“Impeccability of our culinary offerings and processes directly impacts the quality of the dining experience and therefore, our ability to deliver Great Hotels Guests Love,” says Jean-Pierre Etcheberrigaray, Vice President, Food and Beverage. “The Culinary Commandos will serve as a catalyst for furthering the culinary accomplishments of all our properties.”

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BEVERAGE BRIEFS Zeroing In On A Winnerin Medellin Wine Bar A Winner

Jump-Starting 2010

Mixing It Up With World Class Beverage Program Holiday Gift

Big risks can often mean big rewards. When the InterContinental Medellin, Colombia, opened its La Cava (The Cellar) del Inter Wine Bar two years ago, the country and the culture weren’t all that into wine.

But General Manager Tony Ruiz trusted his vision and his instincts and convinced the hotel’s owners to convert retail space that formerly housed a clothing store into a first class wine bar, boasting an inventory of 1,800 bottles, more than 500 brands and 46 different stocks of grapes. When word got out about the new concept, two of South America’s leading wine producers—one in Chile and one in Argentina—invited Food & Beverage Director Elkin Salazar to their vineyards for training at their expense.

The public was intrigued by the intimate (28 seats) space, but hesitant. Initial business was limited to weddings and celebrations of anniversaries and other special occasions. Staying attuned to the desires of local customers for something other than traditional Colombian fare, the hotel team added an elegant, limited menu six months into the project and changed the outlet’s descriptor to “Wine Bar & Quality Food.” Elkin turned his young culinary team loose to develop a highly creative, three-course menu that changes every three months and features such delights as rabbit in papaya coulis and Colombian sauces, shrimp in butter and cilantro with fried plantains and Japanese-style lotus flower ice cream.

The move vaulted the wine bar into the spotlight, generating demand among top corporate executives and public figures and creating media buzz. La Cava has received glowing reviews in every gourmet and wine publication in Colombia, and business continues to climb rapidly.

“I’m so proud of our team and the wine bar’s success,” says Tony. “It’s rewarding that La Cava is making wine selection easier for our guests while expanding their overall understanding and enjoyment of wine as well.”

When the World Class Beverage team introduced a new recipe Rolodex for bartenders this summer, the response was overwhelming. The handy, behind-the-bar tool supports standardization of signature IHG cocktails across brands and further familiarizes hotel F&B teams with World Class Beverage Program requirements and standards. The Rolodex contains colorful laminated recipe cards for popular IHG drinks such as those in the well-received Astrology promotion, the Non-Alcoholic Beverages menu and the InterContinental City Cocktails line-up.

Each full-service company-owned/managed hotel in the U.S. and Canada received a Rolodex, and word spread fast, generating a flood of additional requests. Glenn Miller, Regional Director of Sales & Marketing, suggested that the World Class Beverage team load the cocktail recipes onto individual computer jump drives and make them available to IHG associates. His idea came just in time for the team to deliver a holiday surprise. The recipe jump drives have been distributed to all F&B Directors at company-owned/managed hotels, to Regional Directors and to every employee in Atlanta Ravinia headquarters.

“We’re inviting IHG employees to use the recipes on the jump drive to literally mix it up over the holidays,” says Laura Hammer, IHG Food and Beverage. “The cocktails are fun and easy to make. We think this is an entertaining way for IHG folks to mix their professional and home lives and add enjoyment to the season.”

Jean-Pierre Etcheberrigaray | Vice President of Food & Beverage Laura Hammer | Office Manager 3 Ravinia Drive, Suite 100 Atlanta, GA 30346 www.ihg.com

Pamela Tweedell | iMi Ann Wilson | Writer ThincFactory | Design & Layout

+1 770 604 8283

www.ihgbeverage.com