Unwrap the holiday magic at the Omni Hotels & Resorts | ‘Ticket to wonder’ package
10-11-2023
Omni Hotels & Resorts helps to unwrap the holiday magic by giving away five-night stays to 50 lucky guests who book their ‘Ticket to Wonder’-package and unwrap a winning Periwinkle Ticket hidden in special-edition chocolate bars, created in partnership with Kate Weiser Chocolate.
Winter magic at the restaurants of The Entourage Group
10-11-2023
We often feature examples of winter magic from abroad on our website, like this week about the ‘Countdown to Christmas’ themed suites at a number of Hilton Hotels and the Christmas initiatives on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate museum. But a lot is happening in the Netherlands around Christmas too! If you are doing something special send a press release to the local press! Hopefully potential guests will read an article about what they can experience at your place. Of course, we always enjoy receiving special press releases as well. From The Entourage Group, for example, we received an overview of what their restaurants are hosting for each holiday. Hopefully their ‘winter magic’ press release will be picked up by the local press in Amsterdam as well. Check out what they organize during the holiday season below.
‘Countdown to Christmas’ themed suites | By Hilton and Hallmark Channel movies
9-11-2023
When you want to be surrounded by the magic of the holidays in a home away from home, it matters where you stay. Hilton and Hallmark Channel are teaming up to give travelers, fans, and viewers the chance to immerse themselves in a festive dreamscape inspired by Hallmark’s beloved ‘Countdown to Christmas’ movies. The ‘Countdown to Christmas’ themed suites are located at select Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties in New York, Houston and Chicago.
Restaurant and bar Ms.Chelin in Amsterdam | Good food without a fuss
7-11-2023
Opening – On November 6th, the restaurant and bar Ms.Chelin opened in the iconic Hans Brinker hostel on the Kerkstraat in Amsterdam. With a playful nod to the culinary guide, they aim to provide good quality without the frills and at an affordable price. The menu features homemade comfort food and original cocktails.
Don Papa Rum Tay Tay | Collaboration Frank Haasnoot x Don Papa Rum
7-11-2023
Top pâtissier Frank Haasnoot truly knows how to combine flavours and creativity with an eye for detail and innovation. His roots are in Rotterdam, but he mainly finds inspiration while working abroad. Through his cooperation with Philippine company Don Papa Rum, Frank discovered, among other things, that the typically ‘Dutch’ treat taaitaai, which is extremely popular during the Sinterklaas period, is not so Dutch at all. This inspired Frank to develop a premium taaitaai, with caramel based on Philippine brown rum and a crackling layer of milk chocolate. Instead of the traditional taaitaai pop, it now became Don Papa Rum Tay Tay.
Urban Bistro by AMI now open in Rotterdam and The Hague
6-11-2023
The second location of restaurant chain BY AMI has just been opened in The Hague, Prinsenstraat 5A. The first location can be found on the Wilheminapier in Rotterdam. BY AMI has created a blend of a modern and urban bistro with an international ambiance. Both locations entertain a unique modern and very Instagrammable design while allowing you to enjoy their international menu filled with sustainable/local products.
Trends we spotted | Week 44
6-11-2023
At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column named ‘Trends we spotted this week’.
With this week links to articles about:
- Chefs’ Table Top, in distinctive tableware, glasses and cutlery.
- The recipe for joy this Holiday Season by KFC.
- The Shaken Cacio e Pepe served in a cocktail shaker, is on the menu at the new cocktail lounge The Ruby in New York.
- November 14 is National Pickle Day and as mentioned before, the USA has ‘National Days’ for everything you can imagine. We spotted The Original Pickle Shot which consist of pickle brine, dille and vodka.
- Get a free medium Fries every Friday with any $1 minimum purchase, only in the McDonald’s app* in the USA for the remainder of 2023. Free Fries Friday sound like a great plan for all McDonald’s worldwide, don’t you think?
- Recently the Balloon Museum opened in New York City at 299 South Street and they have a lot of locations in the planning!
- We came across ‘It’s Good’- a platform for positive restaurant reviews only! Good idea?
‘Christmas at Biltmore’ Estate starts today
3-11-2023
Biltmore House in North Carolina is ready for Christmas 2023. This museum where guests can experience America’s Largest Home®, as magnificent today as it was more than a century ago. Your self-guided house visit spans three floors and the basement of the luxurious family home of George and Edith Vanderbilt. Explore the stories of the Vanderbilt family, their guests, and employees through displays of vintage clothing, accessories, art, furniture, and more. Like Christmas decorations inside and outside as their Christmas season starts today!
At the Biltmore Estate they know how to create the ultimate Christmas ambiance, it must be great to visit their estate this time around! Check out how they decorated the estate and the possibilities to visit it. You can stay at The Inn and as from November 26, the movie ‘A Biltmore Christmas’ will premiere on Hallmark Channel.
Taiko New Year | Rice as ingredient of the ninth year
31-10-2023
Taiko Cuisine, the restaurant at Amsterdam’s Conservatorium Hotel, named ‘Best Asian Restaurant 2023’ by Gault&Millau, launched its ingredient of the year on October 30th: rice. Inspired by the Chinese New Year, Taiko Cuisine annually celebrates its birthday with a ‘Taiko New Year’. On this occasion, chef Schilo van Coevorden always presents a product that he puts at the centre of his menu for a year. This year, it’s rice.
Bike Blinky | Scoop for Domino’s pizza delivery drivers in Enschede
31-10-2023
It’s getting dark early and for Domino’s delivery bikers, who do more than 80% of their delivery trips in the evening, it is even more important to be visible in traffic. Two Domino’s locations in Enschede are therefore starting a test with Bike Blinky: an innovative visibility solution developed by students. This interactive lighting system on the delivery jacket is in contact with the bicycle and makes delivery drivers even more visible to other road users when turning or hitting their brakes. The test period started on Saturday 28 October and will run throughout the winter months.
House of Bird Kwintelooijen | Tasting room and brewery in Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park
31-10-2023
House of Bird Kwintelooijen will open its doors on Saturday December 2nd. This new location, nestled in the beautiful Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park between Rhenen and Veenendaal, is more than just an addition; it is the first tasting room of a brewery in the Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park. A unique place within the region.
L’OUI created a limited edition for the winter | Barrel Aged Negroni
31-10-2023
Artisanal, spicy and a tantalizing bitterness. The cocktail L’OUI is introducing this autumn fits right in with today’s trend: back to basics, but with a twist. From November 1st, the state-of-the-art bartender will pour a special Barrel Aged Negroni. To create the perfect flavour profile for this limited edition, L’OUI’s recipe developers travelled to Bordeaux. The result is a cocktail with a tough character, intense and distinctive due to its ageing in oak barrels. Romantic together in your favourite Grand Café with your friends at the bar or as a stylish aperitif – taste the Barrel Aged Negroni this autumn while stocks last.
At Michelin-starred restaurant EDEN in Valkenswaard there’s crow on the menu
30-10-2023
Michelin-starred chef Herman Cooijmans has a dish with crow on the menu at his restaurant EDEN in Valkenswaard, The Netherlands. He serves the animal’s breast paired with braised green lentils with bacon and orange, cream of parsnip and pine nuts, and a powerful poultry gravy with cardamom.
Marriott Bonvoy Land Game | Virtual city in Fortnite
30-10-2023
Marriott Bonvoy – Marriott International’s portfolio of over 30 extraordinary hotel brands and 10,000 global destinations – has become the first and largest hospitality company to launch in the Fortnite universe with Marriott Bonvoy Land Game, a virtual park leading to four hotel themed Mini Games that represent four distinct Marriott Bonvoy branded hotels: Moxy Hotels, Westin Hotels & Resorts, W Hotels & Resorts, and Autograph Collection Hotels.
Trends we spotted | Week 43
30-10-2023
At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’.
With this week’s links to articles including the presentation of the We’re Smart awards, there are 16 Dutch restaurants on this list of the best vegetable restaurants in the world. ‘De Nieuwe Winkel’ in Nijmegen is number 1 again.
Pink and yellow oyster mushrooms are included in the range of products of the exotic mushroom grower Oakfield as well as bundle-, white beech-, wig- and coral mushrooms.
The Casual Pint Craft Beerstro launched Tap4Good. A national fundraising initiative to support local communities. The local manager decides the charity!
In London, ‘The OWO Residences by Raffles’ recently opened and Starbucks opened its China Coffee Innovation Park (CIP), achieving its vertical integration ‘from bean to cup’ in one market – a first for the company globally.
Bakkit.nl creates ‘the Rotterdam Roll’ – a rolled croissant in various flavours. They also sell other pastries. Speaking of croissants, Dominique Ansel, the inventor of the cronut, presented a vegan cronut for the first time in September.
Pizza Hut in Germany recently introduced ‘Pizza-Sandwich’ Melts and a special McDonald’s restaurant in Terminal 1 of Sydney Airport!
A capital injection for Zence Object in Macau: for a project to convert used tea leaves and other local bio-waste streams into packaging and other industrial items.
And an interesting design article on Eater about the neon walls, palm-shaped chairs and giant pepper mills of Shuggie’s Trash Pie, they call it maxed-out restaurant design for 2023.
The Pizzoli by Marco’s Pizza® | A fresh and fully loaded handheld pizza
27-10-2023
Marco’s Pizza, one of the nation’s fastest-growing pizza brands, is expanding its menu offerings with the launch of its NEW Pizzoli – a fully loaded handheld featuring savory high-quality meats and four melty cheeses rolled up in the brand’s fresh house-made dough and baked to golden perfection. The crispy, craveable creation is finished with garlic sauce and their romesan seasoning and paired with a side of dipping sauce.
In our next trends we spotted this week (week 43) we will write about the ‘pizza-sandwich’ Melts of the German Pizza Hut, another handheld pizza!
Conscious Hotels opens their smallest hotel to date
27-10-2023
In collaboration with biologist, animal activist and vegan chef Dennis Vink, Conscious Hotels opens their smallest hotel to date: a bee hotel on the roof of Conscious Hotel Vondelpark in Amsterdam.
Tiny houses, the Tiny Bar and winter fireplaces at eco-resort Basecamp IJmuiden
27-10-2023
You are able to enjoy a winter vacation at eco-resort Basecamp Ijmuiden in the spacious ‘Kennemerduinen’ surrounded by fresh sea air. Every season this resort is a wonderful place for a relaxed and sustainable stay in nature. You should expect crisping fireplaces, infrared sauna’s, winter drinks at the Tiny Bar and other activities that will make you leave the comfort of the tiny house.
Toss In, Take Out | Pizza in exchange for recycling a bottle
24-10-2023
Recently Coca-Cola announced it has teamed up with beloved local pizzerias across the United States to launch Toss In, Take Out – a traveling restaurant takeover to serve up delicious slices and pies. But, not for any amount of money, instead for the act of recycling a plastic bottle. A campaign to celebrate the introduction of their 100% recycled plastic* bottles.
Great idea, Coca-Cola in the Netherlands?
Trends we spotted | Week 42
24-10-2023
At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’.
With this week links to articles about amongst other the self-flying air taxi by the Chinese firm EHang has just been cleared for commercial flights!
We’re Smart World and the European Best Vegetable chefs wrote a recipe book, their first ‘Radilicious’-cookbook.
New York Pizza introduces their ‘Thin & Crispy’ base and four action pizzas in the Netherlands. And Mama’s Koelkast (mama’s fridge) opened in Amsterdam in May this year. A concept through which mums, who cook with love and passion, are given the chance to do so professionally.
As usual a couple of great inspirational Instagram posts: for example the ‘Crompouce’, dry-aged fish by Quique Dacosta, great looking Taiyaki cones filled with pumpkin spice ice cream and Halloween inspiration from Shake Shack.
W-Hotels, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s global portfolio of over 30 brands, announced the highly anticipated opening of W-Sydney! And also located in Sydney: The Poetica Bar & Grill they serve Oysters Flambadou, topped with nduja and guindillas.
A Michelin-starred dinner by Dutch or German chefs at home | Getvoila launches in the Netherlands
23-10-2023
Getvoila gives restaurant owners and chefs the chance to extend their reach throughout the Netherlands and Germany. Getvoila launches in the Netherlands on October 23. The German startup works closely with top chefs to get their dishes to people’s homes. This allows consumers to order ready-to-finish menus from Michelin-starred chefs such as Max Strohe and Onno Kokmeijer throughout the Netherlands and Germany. With Getvoila, entrepreneurs increase their sales and reach a much larger audience.
We previously wrote about a similar concept operating in the Netherlands and Flanders called SOUS, click here to find out more about them.
Spectacular start of the Christmas season at festive restaurant Grace
23-10-2023
We can’t say it often enough: celebrate the start of the Christmas season! Festive restaurant Grace is leading by example.
A festive moment will take place at festive restaurant Grace on November 19: the tree-lighting of no fewer than thousands of lights in the giant 6-metre-high Christmas tree. This iconic moment not only marks the start of the festive Christmas season, but also unveils the largest Christmas tree that has ever been shown in a restaurant in Rotterdam. Situated in the centre of the restaurant, the tree rises from the ground all the way up to the 6-metre-high ceiling of the recently renovated premises on the Coolsingel. A walking lunch on a Sunday afternoon in dinner jacket or cocktail dress with acts including Mariah Carey look-a-likes, dancers, Mandy McCandy and singer Frank in Person.
Stumptown Coffee X Alaska Airlines | Bespoke coffee blend crafted specially for the skies
20-10-2023
Alaska Airlines, the premier West Coast airline, and Stumptown Coffee Roasters, a third-wave coffee pioneer and certified B Corporation, are proud to introduce a custom coffee blend that’s specially crafted to be enjoyed up in the air. Stumptown Coffee X Alaska Airlines, brewing soon on all Alaska flights.
Like a former airhostess I am really thrilled with this initiative! Although I stopped working as a airhostess some 30 years ago but I still taste and spot a lot of the ame old coffee I used to make in my days. I hope that everyone can soon drink their coffee the way they like it at all flights, like for example the espresso served in the business class of Air France and KLM. ^Marjolein
SOUS | Home delivery at the highest level
20-10-2023
During the pandemic, top restaurants managed to reach consumers at home by necessity. After the lockdowns, restaurant owners had to return to their physical restaurants and chefs, but they wanted to continue serving their new customers across the country. Founded in 2022, SOUS saw a gap in the market and was able to take this culinary home dining experience to the next level. SOUS now supplies the menus of dozens of top restaurants and chefs in the Netherlands and Belgium, and SOUS Market offers a range of curated premium products.
Cheese fondue restaurant Smelt returns to the Westerpark in Amsterdam
19-10-2023
Cheese fondue restaurant Smelt (Dutch for melt) reopens its doors for their second season in Amsterdam. After a six-month absence from the Westerpark, the restaurant is back. Smelt will once again serve its classics, such as Swiss fondue, Dutch fondue and new this year the Italian fondue, during the dark winter months.
