Food & beverage
efore the Covid-19 pandemic, winter signalled a cosy turn indoors: trips to pubs with roaring fires, roast dinners in candlelit restaurants or cups of hot chocolate in snug cafes. But the virus changed all of that. More than three years after the first case of Covid-19, pubs, restaurants and cafes may appear to resemble the old normal, but many people remain wary of crowded indoor spaces. As the cold weather settles in, one important question arises: how has the hospitality sector adapted, long- term, to a post-Covid climate?
Still hungry B
“As a company largely made up of thousands of small businesses,” Walters continues, “we knew we needed to listen to our general managers, executive chefs and team members, and quickly innovate to evolve with the changing needs of guests.” So, in June 2020, Hilton developed Hilton CleanStay, an “industry-leading programme” that was “designed to deliver elevated standards of cleanliness throughout the entirety of [a guest’s] stay”.
It is a question that weighs especially heavy on hotels, who have had to countenance the additional factor of the return of travel. “Looking back, especially between March and April 2020,” says Tom Walters, senior vice-president of food & beverage operations at Hilton Americas, “customer, hotel and restaurant needs changed suddenly and dramatically. Our hotels – along with the food and beverage venues – needed to find ways to drive revenue while much of the world was locked down.
As well as prioritising cleanliness protocols for guest rooms and event spaces, the Hilton CleanStay programme also introduced innovative solutions within food and beverage. “During breakfast, restaurants offered a range of options, including grab & go, pre-plated covered items, à la carte and assisted service,” Walters explains. “When ordering
In a post-Covid world, people are still wary of crowded indoor spaces, pushing many hotels and guests alike to look to the outdoors. But with the colder season approaching, Mae Lossaso speaks to Tom Walters, senior vice-president of food & beverage operations at Hilton Americas, to fi nd out how the Hilton has adapted long-term to a post-Covid world.
Hotel Management International /
www.hmi-online.com
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Hilton
Hilton
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