Entrepreneurial Encouragement

 
With street-accessible restaurants, show kitchens, culinary rooms and grab-and-go lobby kiosks, Marriott is encouraging a more entrepreneurial approach to foodservice at its 160-plus estate of European hotels. At the same time, the US-owned hospitality giant is seizing the opportunity for fresh environmental initiatives throughout its conference and food and beverage activities. Bruce Whitehall talks to two senior executives at the group's continental Europe headquarters.
 
Food & Beverage Concepts: Interview with Wolfgang Gros, regional vice-president of operations, Marriott International in Continental Europe
 
Marriott is one of the world's top three hotel groups, owning, managing or franchising over 3,100 properties under 17 brands in 66 countries. Within such a vast organisation, is food and beverage policy determined globally or locally?
Gros: It's a combination of both. We have our culinary HQ in Washington DC where our global culinary chef and his team develop strategies for application throughout the world. These are very detailed for all of our brands and we believe it is vital to have centrally directed global standards in areas like hygiene, safety and financial control. But at the same time, individual hotels within all the regions develop individual concepts with HQ knowledge and support. The Continental European office in Frankfurt looks at all aspects of the restaurant and building design, analyses the local market and develops concepts accordingly. If I need to consult with corporate I can rely on them for any help but basically our office in Europe knows the market and the culture.
 
How do you decide between having an individual restaurant or a branded format?
Gros: At our moderate price Courtyard hotels, we take a ‘cookie cutter' approach with our Mediterranean-inspired Oleo Pazzo all-day bistros, now located at eight Courtyards in Germany, France, the Czech Republic and Turkey. Nearly all aspects - core menu, layout, graphics, interior decor - were developed centrally and replicated, with small local variations. It's a familiar, affordable concept based on a customisable choice of dishes inspired by Italy, Provence and Spain and it works well for the business and domestic customers who use Courtyards, plus locals. At most of our other hotel brands, we aim for individual restaurants because we consider that they are great for the local market and offer opportunities to be creative.
 

 
How much do local owners of properties get involved in the choice of restaurant?
Gros: We give them the general dir ection in terms of concepts but local owners naturally contribute their own ideas based on their local knowledge and interests. We sit around a table and try to discuss all aspects of the business in a constructive way. It may be that the local owner has other restaurant activities. For example, the franchisee of the Renaissance in Malmo has a TGI Friday's and a branch of a well established local Swedish fish chain already operating close to the new hotel.
 

 
| 15 February 2010 | Bruce Whitehall |