What does the catering industry do in the context of the COVID-19 virus | Inspiration April 6
7-4-2020
Gradually we get used to the effects of the Covid-19 virus here in the Netherlands, fortunately many keep their distance and many people are able to work from home. Maybe even in the sun today! But more and more entrepreneurs are starting to worry about the economic impact. They could survive the first deadline here of the 6th of April, but the effects are getting more serious now. Fortunately, we see a lot of inspiration and even experience it ourselves, such as restaurant owners who add a card to the delivery to thank their guests and offer a glass of bubbles when his or her business is open again.
This week’s inspiration!
With initiatives involving collaboration like between the kitchen of Eleven Madison Park & the Rethink Group. The restaurant with three Michelin stars is now part of a ‘Soup kitchen’ and an example from a takeout meal from restaurant Alinea in Chicago, also with three Michelin stars.
A bagel shop ‘Call Your Mother’ in Washington reopened and came up with a very special and original auction!
In China we have spotted a special delivery initiative at Meituan, they deliver a paper shield behind which you can eat! And New York-based technology and lifestyle company Air Co. makes hand sanitizer out of CO2. We already wrote about their carbon negative vodka earlier.
An initiative by Airbnb to offer health care professionals and first responsers sleeping places closer to their work. And an article that made us realize how difficult entrepreneurship in the U.S. is. We came across an article about choosing between offering delivery which increases the possibility of infection of employees with Covid-19 or fire to them.
Stay healthy and take care of each other! ^Team Horecatrends
Click on the title if you like to read the full article. Enjoy reading!
Lockdown Kit by Patty&Bun X HG Walter
31-3-2020
Most of the Dutch people saw the crowds in the tubes in London on the news so we really understand the statement on the website of Patty&Bun. Here they indicated that they wanted to keep going for as long as possible, but felt it was no longer viable, or safe for their teams to travel into work every day. So…. What’s next? No more burgers for their guests? Well they’ve created a Lockdown Kit by Patty&Bun, through the butcher HG Walter their guests can order their ‘Ari Gold’ Cheeseburger or the ‘Smokey Robinson’.
We love all the collaborations and inspiration we spot at this moment. This is one that we think might be used by restaurants and fast food chains in collaboration with their suppliers! And you have to admit the result of a kind of DIY kit with the right ingredients must be more tasteful than a burger ordered in….
BACARDI® is going to help produce more than 267,000 gallons of hand sanitizers
30-3-2020
Brands across company’s portfolio including BACARDÍ®, MARTINI®, GREY GOOSE®, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE®, DEWAR’S® and ANGEL’S ENVY® unite to help produce more than 267,000 gallons (1.1 million litres) of hand sanitizers. All BACARDÍ® hand sanitizers produced in collaboration with the brands contain more than the minimum alcohol content recommended by the World Health Organization for containing the spread of the virus. These temporary, emergency actions at all locations will not disrupt the supply of brands in the Bacardi portfolio.
What does the catering industry do in the context of the COVID-19 virus | Inspiration March 27
27-3-2020
Our perspective on the world has completely changed during the past couple of weeks, a true paradigm shift! At this very moment it’s important to constantly fact check all the news about the Coronavirus, a lot of fake and scary news has been spotted at the social media. For example at a website in the U.S. we came across a question whether or not food could be a source of the virus. Fortunately they also gave the official answer of the CDC (Centers of Disease Control and Protection) but please don’t believe strange advices!
We also spotted a lot of positive inspiration. So, we want to show you some small positive gestures and inspiration during these anxious times.
Stay healthy and take care of each other! ^Team Horecatrends
Very positive news is that we see a lot of people unite and not only in the health care. We even spotted an online game in which gamers can help the university of Washington’s Center for Game Science to create a medicine.
In France the Accor Group, a hotel chain, opened the CEDA (Coronavirus Emergency Desk Accor) telephone helpdesk. They help to accommodate homeless people trough France in conjunction with the government.
We spot a lot of positive initiatives by restaurants, like for example #JREwhatsinthefridge and other ones to keep in touch with their guests. In the Netherlands, one of our chefs with two Michelin stars started a video making a delicious daily meal. And many more individuals give tutorials, which made us laugh is the reaction of a famous chef in an Instagram story: “After two days in quarantine and watching many cooking videos, I understand why so many of you come to restaurants” ?
In most languages there is a saying like ‘money can’t buy happiness’ but if you’re very rich you can buy a ‘Covid-19 themed exclusive package’ at Le Bijou Hotels & Resorts in Switzerland. But if you’re entertaining your kids at home, you could make them happy with a ‘toilet paper’ cake!
The Westin Houston Medical Center | First Hotel in the U.S. to deploy ‘Virus Killing Robots’
24-3-2020
The Westin Houston Medical Center is the first and only hotel in the U.S. to utilize LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots™ to sanitize and disinfect its guest rooms and common areas to help combat the threat of coronavirus. The room disinfection technology, provided by San Antonio-based Xenex Disinfection Services, was developed by two epidemiologists in Houston, with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center as their first customer. The Westin Houston Medical Center purchased two of the decontaminating Robots, which are already at work sanitizing rooms inside the building.
In these times of stress about the spread of COVID-19 amongst travellers worldwide, these virus killing robots are an interesting new cleaning product for hotels. The Westin Houston Medical Center pioneers one of the hospitality industry’s response to COVID-19.
What does the catering industry do in the context of the COVID-19 virus | Inspiration March 24
24-3-2020
Our perspective on the world has completely changed during the past week, what a paradigm shift! I personally thought that we would no longer post trends and inspiration on Horecatrends. It seems of no importance right now however we also spotted a lot of positive inspiration. So, we want to show you some small positive gestures and inspiration during these anxious times.
Stay healthy and take care of each other! ^Team Horecatrends
Here in the Netherlands we spot a lot of initiatives in the hospitality industry, like hotels offering capacity to hospitals. In the UK the hotel chain Best Western is in talks to convert their hotels into NHS hospitals and in the U.S.A. hotels are used to shelter the homeless and the less seriously ill who have to be in quarantine.
In London a restaurant with one Michelin star reopened as Brat Farm, Grill and Wine Shop. Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort gives an example on how to try to provide your guests with as much flexibility as possible through your cancellation policy.
Click on the title if you like to read the full article. Enjoy reading!
Trends we spotted | Week 12
20-3-2020
Our perspective on the world has completely changed in the past week, what a paradigm shift! I personally thought that we would no longer post trends and inspiration on Horecatrends. It seems of no importance right now but we also spotted a lot of positive inspiration. So, we have written a ‘trends we spotted this week’ with small positive gestures and inspiration in these anxious times.
Stay healthy and take care of each other! ^Marjolein van Spronsen
This week, among other links to articles about a hand wash tutorial by Gordon Ramsey and the Cheese trucks of the London based The Cheese Bar.
McDonald’s in the U.S. and Canada are considering rent deferrals for its franchisees and Uber Eats is introducing a new support package that includes a waiving of delivery fees on all orders from independent restaurants across U.S. & Canada and dedicated marketing campaigns.
And an article at Eater about what restaurants need right now to actually survive in the USA. Here in the Netherlands, the government is taking all the necessary measures at this moment and even banks are helping. We wish all restaurant owners worldwide will be able to find a way to stay in business.
Chipotle tackles social distancing with virtual hangouts on Zoom, interesting inspiration if you try to reach young people. And upscale restaurant Canlis in Seattle finds new business model in the Covid-19 crisis.
In the Netherlands we spotted free e-learning programs for people working in the hospitality industry and many restaurants offer gift vouchers with benefits. One of them doesn’t give vouchers but gift plates!
Winners of the 1st ProVeg Vegan Cheese Awards I Max & Bien and Petit Vegann
13-3-2020
The Amsterdam vegan cheese maker Max & Bien won the audience award of the ProVeg Vegan Cheese Awards 2020 with their blue cheese. The Petit Lorrain, a vegan brie from Petit Veganne from France, was the favourite of the jury. The awards were presented during the well-attended sixth edition of VeggieWorld in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Although a news from a week ago, we still love to mention it! There is currently an increasing demand for high-quality vegan products with which you can make a difference in the catering industry. For example, we recently wrote about camembert made from cauliflower and hemp seeds from Grounded Foods in New York.
BUNK hotel Amsterdam |A new hotspot in the former Sint-Rita church
9-3-2020
After the booming success in Utrecht, Amsterdam now also gets a BUNK Hotel. BUNK opened its doors on the 5th of March in the former Sint-Rita church in Amsterdam North. After a thorough renovation, the monumental building has room for 300 guests. Is it a hotel with hostel prices? Or a hostel with the quality and service of a hotel? BUNK invites you to experience it yourself. BUNK has a sympathetically priced restaurant and a broad cultural programming. With the compact rooms and Pods, the lively shared spaces and the free cultural offer, BUNK focuses on connecting with the neighborhood and the world.
Last Tuesday, the 3rd of March, I was present at a dinner at the BUNK hotel. You are already impressed upon arrival by the transformation of this large church into a hotel. Great to see the BUNK pods but also the 107 compact rooms in the belly of the church, a separate concept. From April onwards you can and go sleep there, I believe this is a special and pleasant experience in Amsterdam. It’s also a great place to enjoy dinner with dishes based on various international cuisines, including that of Amsterdam. ^ Oscar van der Maas
Booking.com Launches New Pilot App CityBook in Amsterdam, London and Paris
25-2-2020
Booking.com, one of the world’s leading digital travel companies committed to making it easier for everyone to experience the world, recently announced the launch of a new pilot product, CityBook, a responsive digital guide for cities that seamlessly combines inspiration, planning, navigation and experience all in one place. The first pilots launched in the cities of Paris, London and Amsterdam.
This Pilot product leverages machine learning to make instant recommendations for travelers to easily explore all the best a city has to offer on the go. Booking.com just made exploring cities a whole lot easier.
