Food for Thought As Marriott International continues to strengthen its culinary offering, the group’s Vice President Food & Beverage Europe, Middle East & Africa Robert Juntke discusses regional trends, harnessing the power of tech and the future of the buffet. Words: Shanna McGoldrick
PROFILE Robert Juntke Vice President of Food & Beverage Europe, Middle East & Africa Marriott International As Vice President of Food & Beverage for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Marriott International, Robert Juntke is responsible for overseeing the success of more than 3,000 venues across more than 1,000 hotels; a portfolio that includes some of the group’s most luxurious brands, such as The Ritz-Carlton, W Hotels and the Edition label. His journey into hospitality began early, with an apprenticeship in his native Germany and a job as a waiter, followed by the decision to enrol in hotel school. He completed a bachelor’s degree in hotel management before moving into brand operations and area operations, and has been in his current role since 2019. Upcoming Openings: Bling Tiger, The Ritz-Carlton, Baku (2022); Hedwigs, 12|14 Stradom House, Autograph Collection, Krakow (2022); Sushisamba, W Edinburgh (2023)
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Marriott International’s extensive portfolio
need to make more effort to convince our guests
includes some of the most recognisable luxury
to stay with us and dine with us”.
hotel brands in the business: from names like
These efforts range from marketing and
The Ritz-Carlton and St Regis to W Hotels,
promoting F&B venues independently from the
Bulgari and Edition, the group has perfected
hotel itself, to building separate entrances for
the art of creating upscale hotels with distinct
eateries to create boundaries between various
personalities. It’s a philosophy that extends to its
facets of the hospitality experience. “I welcome
F&B offering, which spans casual breakfast joints
every guest and we want to make sure that our
and fine-dining venues, placing an emphasis on
solutions are tailored not just to the hotel guests,
destination eateries that appeal to guests and
but to the locals too,” says Juntke.
locals alike. As Vice President of Food & Beverage
When it comes to tapping into wider F&B
for EMEA, Robert Juntke’s hospitality remit
trends, Juntke believes that retaining a sense of
includes glittering rooftop bars in Dubai, beach
place and perspective is important – and working
clubs in Portugal and Michelin-starred venues
across a region as varied as EMEA means that
across mainland Europe.
there’s no shortage of inspiration. One of the
A GLOBAL APPROACH TO STAYING LOCAL
biggest current trends across the board – and an area in which Marriott’s hotels are responding
“F&B plays a major role for us; it accounts for a
successfully – relates to culinary clarity, he
huge amount of our revenue shares,” explains
believes. “We are very aware that our guests
Juntke. A large portion of Marriott’s offering, he
would like to know what they’re eating, what
says, is “locally-driven” which means balancing
the supply chain is and where we source our
the expectations of residents in the surrounding
products,” he says. “We transparently share this
community with the needs and desires of guests
with our guests on site and make sure that they
keen to enjoy regional cuisine. While the ratio
understand what they’re eating.”
of guests dining in-house is critical in resort
Another trend he is focusing on involves
properties and remote locations, he points out
maximising the opportunities outside of the
that it is also increasingly important in major
traditional restaurant and bar set-up, using
cities, where choosing to eat at the hotel might
spaces to host pop-up concepts and innovative
not initially appear to be such a natural choice for
F&B activations that not only add excitement for
guests. It is these locations, he says, where “we
guests but generate revenue. “A pop-up outlet in