Paying in advance for Taylor Swift, not for your restaurant reservation
11-8-2023
Leonie van Spronsen blogs about how we find paying in advance completely normal (a year in advance!) for a ticket for Taylor Swift and prefer not to do so for a restaurant reservation.
This blog was previously published in Dutch at the website of Van Spronsen & Partners hospitality consultancy.
Tempo by Hilton Times Square has opened as part of TSX Broadway
10-8-2023
Hilton recently (August 8) announced the opening of the 661-room Tempo by Hilton Times Square, the first hotel from Hilton’s newest stylish and contemporary lifestyle brand. Located in TSX Broadway, a new 46-story tower featuring experiential retail, cutting-edge entertainment spaces and the historic Palace Theatre, the hotel matches the ever-evolving needs of the traveler whose ambitious spirit calls for both moments of relaxation and inspiration.
They have some special rooms like their ‘Wellness’ rooms including sports equipment but for the romantics among us: they also have 31 ‘ball drop rooms’ for New Year’s Eve!
4 minutes read
Fall season is almost upon us | Pumpkin Spice Avocado Oil Caviar
8-8-2023
Chosen Foods, the maker of America’s #1 Avocado Oil and one of few on shelves that is guaranteed to be 100% pure, is getting in on the ridiculous fun of pumpkin spice season this year by launching the first-ever Pumpkin Spice Avocado Oil Caviar. This seasonal limited time offer in the USA is giving pumpkin spice lovers a chance to experience their favorite fall flavor in a way that’s anything but basic.
We would love to try this Pumpkin Spice ‘Caviar’ here in Europe as well!
Restaurant Iris at the Salmon Eye | Sustainable seafood in a spectacular setting
7-8-2023
Restaurant Iris, with Danish chef Anika Madsen at the helm, is a venue like no other. Iris opened late spring 2023, and is located inside the glittering, floating orb Salmon Eye in the Hardanger fiord, just outside the town of Rosendal. It will take guests on an exclusive Expedition Dining-journey, impossible to replicate anywhere else. The experience centre Salmon Eye, themed on sustainable marine life, was inaugurated in 2022.
Trends we spotted | Week 31
7-8-2023
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 among others a collaboration fit for a king by Sorted Food and The Earthshot Prize. And Vignerons du Terroir, the champaign tasting, will be held in the beautiful ConcertLab in the Dutch city Utrecht on October 1.
KFC Canada bids final farewell to its bland old fries with a fry funeral and funeral procession and McDonald’s in the USA has announced a new spinoff restaurant called ‘CosMc’s’.
Mel’s in NYC is officially kicking off their F.O.M.O (Friends Of Mel’s Oven) Pizza Series with limited-edition pizzas created by chefs Daniel Boulud, Gabriel Kreuther, Jean-Georges, and Junghyun Park. Although we have seen more of these kinds of collabs, we love them!
A colleague spotted the Dorian Speakeasy in The Hague on Instagram (see the post by Food Queen) and it’s high on her ‘go-to list’. More details in the link in this article. And South Korean brand LOTTE Hotels & Resorts opened the first overseas hotel in Vietnam.
Chick-fil-A has just announced the construction of the first 75-car drive-thru in Atlanta. According to the company’s Twitter, the concept features a four-lane drive-thru that’s split into two sets.
‘Art of the Espresso Martini’ and other experiences launch at U.S. Starbucks Reserve Roasteries
4-8-2023
Customers visiting the Starbucks Reserve® Roasteries in Chicago, Seattle and New York can explore the craft, theater, and innovation of Starbucks Reserve® coffee with three new, Starbucks Reserve® Signature Experiences: ‘Art of the Espresso Martini’, ‘Oleato™ Tasting Experience’ and ‘Coffee Lab: A Journey of the Senses’.
If you’re visiting one of the above Starbucks Reserve Roasteries it might be a great idea to combine it with shopping for some coffee knowledge!
First Porsche Charging Lounge in Bingen am Rhein has opened
4-8-2023
Porsche is planning to set up its own fast-charging stations along Europe’s most important routes, with a premium charging experience one expects of the brand. As a pilot site, the first Porsche Charging Lounge has opened outside Bingen am Rhein last week. Just two minutes from motorway junction A60/A61, it offers six 300-kW DC fast-charging stations and four 22-kW AC charging points. Further Porsche Charging Lounges are currently planned for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. A Porsche ID is required to access the charging stations and the lounge area. This ID must be linked to the car.
Back in 2018 we published an article in which a designers firm and sports brand reimagined an adaptive reuse of gas stations across the USA as Fitness Hubs, where people can prioritize their mental and physical wellness while charging their electric cars. Although the first Porsche Charging Lounge is completely different, workouts can be done here as well, in front of a smart mirror to keep the driver fit for the journey ahead. Interactive Porsche content can also be selected here. Now it’s waiting for likewise charging lounges created for humans and cars of all brands! A collaboration between a fast charging specialist, hospitality and a fitness brand?
A ‘private cellar dining’-experience at Delamain Cognac
1-8-2023
An article for the real Cognac lovers! Delamain Cognac recently announced the launch of its ‘Cellar Dining’ experience, a first-of-its-kind, ‘single table’ opportunity for guests to explore some of Delamain’s finest cognacs as paired with regional gastronomic specialties prepared by a private chef and served amongst some of Delamain’s rarest cognacs in its principal cellar.
ICE! at Gaylord Hotels returns for the 2023 Holiday Season
31-7-2023
Gaylord Hotels, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s extraordinary portfolio of 31 hotel brands, last week announced the return of its iconic ICE! event for the 2023 holiday season. ICE! At Gaylord Hotels – more than 2 million pounds of ice at each of the brand’s five resorts transform into colorful, larger-than-life, story-driven holiday showplaces featuring characters and scenes from beloved Christmas classics. It is all part of the brand’s So. Much. Christmas. extravaganza, featuring dozens of holiday activities, entertainment, unique dining experiences, and more.
With the start of August and a real autumnal summer week here in the Netherlands, we love to publish the first article for the Holiday Season!
Cher debuts ‘Cherlato’ | A world class gelato experience on wheels
31-7-2023
Cher and New Zealand’s renowned gelato artisan, Gianpaolo Grazioli (Giapo), announced the release of ‘Cherlato’. This is a new mobile gelato truck that arrived on the streets of Los Angeles beginning July 28.
Trends we spotted | Week 30
31-7-2023
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 among others the fact that cultivated meat and seafood can soon be taste tested under limited conditions in The Netherlands! The Dutch government, in collaboration with cultivated meat producers Meatable and Mosa Meat and sector representative HollandBIO, successfully created a ‘code of practice’ that would make tastings possible in controlled environments.
Books for Cooks, a very special cook book store! And on Instagram we came across a ‘Mystery Picnic Tour’, we think every city should have a tour like that! Now available in the UK, Canada, Australia and the USA.
Notorious for its creative culinary ventures, Domino’s Japan is back with its latest unconventional pizza: the Pickle Pizza, equipped with 1.32 pounds of sliced dill pickles. And Bar Vegan in Atlanta is introducing a Bubble Brunch – a new bottle service experience with dry ice, rubber duckies and literal ‘bubble baths’ to pair with the celebrated vegan brunch cuisine.
The Berkeley hotel will open its rooftop – usually reserved for hotel guests – for everyone for the rest of the Summer, with a brand new bar and great views of the sunset over Hyde Park. And in Amsterdam the Conscious Hotels Group is taking a 100% stake in Hotel V & The Lobby, stronger together through shared ambitions hospitality & sustainability.
Illustrator Hedof designs designer glass 2023 for Duvel and the famous cookies from Amsterdam, the Eberhardjes, named after the deceased mayor Eberhard van der Laan, are now available throughout the Netherlands.
Celebrate a spectacular Pride 2023 | #YOUAREINCLUDED
27-7-2023
Amsterdam is getting ready to fill the city with love, diversity and pride. From the 1st till the 6th of August, we can once again enjoy a spectacular Pride in Amsterdam with the theme #YOUAREINCLUDED. We have compiled a small collection of Pride 2023 events, parties, food dishes, ‘cocktails for a cause’, make-up workshops, an exposition, bingo, parade initiatives and the #TakeAStance initiative for sharing views and proposing solutions for inclusivity.
Trends we spotted | Week 29
25-7-2023
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 among others, global game-changers like Proveg International join forces to increase bean consumption with a ambition ‘Beans is How’ campaign.
Reservations to taste and experience UPSIDE Foods’ Cultivated Chicken at Bar Crenn are open! And the other approved cultivated chicken producer Good Meat celebrated the 100th birthday of the godfather of cultivated meat, Willem van Eelen, with a dish created by José Andrés at China Chilcano.
For those cocktail lovers living or visiting London, we have seen incredible cocktails on Instagram served by the Incognito Cocktail Company, they have 4 locations. And Lilly’s Café in the Covent Garden’s Piazza serves a ‘Bottomless Rosé’ brunch this summer.
From Friday 15 to Sunday 17 September 2023, the festival ‘Classical on the Amstelveld’ will be organized in Amsterdam for the 11th time. Visiting on Friday and Saturday is free!
In Rotterdam you can enjoy the Japanese Souffle pancakes at the Souffle Café, a lot of Wiggleness! And also spotted on Instagram: the Gâteau Mille-pressé by Gariguette in Japan, it looks delicious!
A new pop-up in LA by the luggage brand Béis, the BÉIS Hotel, is still open till July 29. And Burger King in Brazil introduced the Barbie Burger combo meal in pink.
Son Bunyola Hotel | Virgin Limited Edition’s newest hotel in Mallorca
24-7-2023
The Son Bunyola Hotel and Villas opened its doors for the first time following a historical restoration of a 16th century Mallorcan Finca, becoming the newest luxury hotel in Mallorca.
We love the breathtaking spot and the understated design!
TOMBSTONE® Pizza raises the bar with new Bar Snacks Pizza
21-7-2023
If anyone knows bar food, it’s TOMBSTONE® Pizza, which is why the brand that was born in a bar nearly 65 years ago in Medford, Wisconsin is paying homage to its roots with the introduction of the TOMBSTONE Bar Snacks Pizza for the International Beer Day 2023. Fans can enter for a chance to win the unapologetic, over-the-top bold flavour experience that features bar snack favourites all on one buttery, crispy crust. Topped with gooey mozzarella sticks, zesty fried pickles and fried onions, the pizza is finished off with spicy jalapeno slices and nacho cheese sauce, bringing the boldest, craziest bar bite straight to the homes of lucky winners.
A pizza with a crispy crust with crunchy mozza sticks, fried pickles and onions! We have spotted the Frikan’ Dutchman pizza by Domino’s here in the Netherlands with the Dutch bar snack ‘Frikandel’ or the Turkish pizza with our national bar snack ‘kroket’, called ‘Pizza Marjolein’, at a cafetaria in Utrecht (we couldn’t find it on the menu anymore). We think the mozza sticks and fried onions are more appropriate on pizza!
Hilton New York Times Square unveiled Aladdin’s Times Square Palace Suite
21-7-2023
With summer travel in full swing and families traveling to enjoy Broadway experiences this season, Hilton New York Times Square has unveiled an Aladdin’s Times Square Palace suite complementing the hotel’s close proximity to Disney’s Aladdin the Musical on Broadway.
Rooftop to go | Wet deck of the W Amsterdam
20-7-2023
You no longer have to go to New York for the best rooftops! As soon as the sun shines, there are a number of rooftops in the Netherlands where you can enjoy the sun, cocktails, bites, music and an amazing view with a touch of fashion. The WET Deck in the W Amsterdam is one of them, we enjoyed a beautiful sunset there!
The first food market in Den Bosch | DE FAM
20-7-2023
The first food market in Den Bosch, DE FAM, will open its doors on July 29. The first original food market in the capital of the region Noord Brabant took some time to arrive, but it was worth the wait. With the opening of the new concept, Den Bosch has gained a top hotspot. The urban appearance, A-location and the diverse range of food concepts make this brand new spot the jewel of the city.
SHIROKIMONO | Sake + Art Innovation
18-7-2023
Nozomi Japan Inc. is expanding its business to the world and will hold reception tasting events in the U.S. and France for their fermentation + art themed high brand sake “SHIROKIMONO”. This sparkling sake will only be available at selected restaurants in 2023 and there will be no general release.
Taco Bell revives nostalgic Coin Drop game virtually in their mobile app
18-7-2023
Taco Bell recently announced it is relaunching their nostalgic Coin Drop game. And it’s back with a modern twist – trading in countertops for the Taco Bell mobile app. Available to Taco Bell Rewards members, the fan-favorite fundraiser will run now until August 14, 2023 and a digital “coin” will appear when customers opt to Round Up their total to the nearest dollar in the Taco Bell app while ordering, or visit their website (ta.co/coindropamoe) to request a coin without making a purchase or rounding up), giving fans a shot at playing the game and a chance to win one of three classic menu items for free*. Rounded up funds will go directly to the Taco Bell Foundation to support the next generation of leaders with scholarships, grants, and educational experiences.
Hard Rock launched the Messi Chicken Sandwich
18-7-2023
Hard Rock International is once again teaming up with global brand ambassador, Lionel Messi, to launch a namesake menu item – the Messi Chicken Sandwich, ‘Made For You by Leo Messi’. The new ‘Milanese style’ Chicken Sandwich is perfectly timed to Messi’s historic entrance into Major League Soccer and more importantly, in South Florida, home of the iconic Guitar Hotel at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood. Since last week foodies, soccer and sports fans around the world can order the Messi Chicken Sandwich at participating Hard Rock Cafe locations and Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos via in-room dining.
Feast on Cloud 9 at the Grove | Hot air balloon dining
17-7-2023
This Summer, Hertfordshire hotel and spa, The Grove will launch a host of seasonal experiences as part of their 20th anniversary celebrations, one of them being Feast on Cloud 9. As a standout staycation destination in the UK with a wide range of experiences and close proximity to London, The Grove is one of the UK’s most exciting luxury resort estates, catering to every taste with its diverse offerings and activities.
We love the idea of the balloons in the garden of hotel The Grove, very picturesque. Here in the Netherlands we have chef Angélique Schmeinck who creates the most delicious dishes in real hot balloons at CuliAir Sky Dining. For those who love to have the images of eating in a hot air balloon but who chickens out of the real experience, Feast on Cloud 9 is much more appropriate. 🙂
Trends we spotted | Week 28
14-7-2023
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’.
This week a ‘trends we spotted’ in summer vibes! With links to a number of Instagram posts including one with a frozen Aperol Spritz recipe that could sell very well at your outdoor dining space on warm days. And about the ‘High cocktails time’ on Saturday afternoon at FAK Utrecht.
The ‘Taste the world cuisine’ at Shell cafes in the Netherlands now sells a sweet BBQ bacon bun and a pulled BBQ chicken wrap from BBQ chef Ralph de Kok. If you buy one of them, you can also win one Komado barbecue from Big Green Egg and a cookbook from Ralph. Read how in the article!
Another special swimming pool for dogs, this time ‘Mutts & Martinis’ in Florida. Including a bar where the dog owners can enjoy a drink and even order food. Last week we wrote about a dog swimming pool in France, when will one open in the Netherlands?
A number of pop-up beach clubs from major brands, we previously wrote about Gucci in the South of France and now a pop-up from Louis Vuitton in the beach bar of the Mandarin Oriental in Bodrum. And in Malaysia there is a Dioriviera! This pop-up is at the Ember Beach Club of the One&Only Desaru Coast.
Last year we already wrote an article about Anya Hindmarch‘s special ice cream project, you can taste her special ice cream flavors again until August 27 at Anya Village in London. And a lesson on how to create butlers: the Hôtel Belles Rives in Juan-les-Pins on the French Riviera introduces a ‘Water Ski Butler’.
In Milan, the ‘Ichi Station sushi bar’ chain has opened a new location on Via Solferino, with a special design in peachy colors. However, we think the packaging of their sushi take-out is very cool! Maybe an inspiration for other sushi chains!
Autocado | A cobotic solution to guacamole prep at Chipotle
14-7-2023
Chipotle Mexican Grill recently announced Autocado, an avocado processing cobotic prototype that cuts, cores, and peels avocados before they are hand mashed to create the restaurant’s famous guacamole. The prototype, developed in collaboration with Vebu, is currently being tested at the Chipotle Cultivate Center in Irvine, California. The device could ultimately reduce guacamole prep time by 50%, allowing Chipotle employees to focus on serving guests and providing great hospitality.
Foodbar & Theatre Scala opened its doors in Amsterdam
14-7-2023
Yesterday, a tantalizing new concept opened its doors on the Van Hallstraat in the Westerpark neighborhood in Amsterdam. Foodbar & Theatre Scala is an inspiring, one-of-a-kind theater and catering concept, where guests can create their own ideal evening: choose from a rich selection of short shows, or relax with a delicious cocktail and matching dishes.
All Wrapped up at The Berkeley
All Wrapped up at The Berkeley
All Wrapped up at The Berkeley
