Chef Director of Food & Beverage at Brown’s Hotel, Adam Byatt shares his weekend cooking rituals and accompanying soundtrack.
Relaxed Precision
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A childhood fascination with food led to professional obsession for Alex Dilling, whose distinct culinary finesse has found a new home at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok.
Salvatore Calabrese
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The Maestro of bartending Salvatore Calabrese stands the test of time with a series of cuttingedge menus that honour timeless techniques while signalling a new era for mixology.
Expert Guidance
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As CEO of Gault & Millau, Patrick Hayoun is charged with steering the success of the hospitality guide’s international expansion.
DINING
Gastronomic Greats
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Mar-Bella Collection celebrates the popularity of national cuisine with the continuation of its unique Greek Chefs Abroad series.
Soil to Service
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A Regenerative Travel chefs’ residency at Craveiral Farmhouse in Portugal sets out to redefine the blueprint for sustainable hospitality.
SIPPING
A Punch Above
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The Tokyo Edition’s Yasuhiro Kawakubo reflects on what it takes to lead a meaningful bar programme with global impact.
Sip & Seek
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As immersive travel experiences gain momentum, hotels are embracing drinks masterclasses that not only showcase craft and tradition but deepen ties to local community.
ENTRÉE
La Dolce Vita
The Spanish adore dining with friends and family so much that it’s common to linger for hours after dessert has been polished, sipping on wine, laughing and chatting long into the night. This is so intrinsic to the nation’s gatherings, in fact, that there is a dedicated word for it. But ‘sobremesa’, which literally translated means ‘upon the table’, is more than a word – it’s an ingrained cultural practice that’s been passed down through generations, setting the precedent that conversation, company and above all, connection, can, in many ways, be more important than cuisine.
It’s an idea that lends itself well to hospitality, which yes, must always prioritise profit, with exceptional F&B experiences at its core, but increasingly, must also carve out space for authentic interactions to occur naturally. Today’s guests are tired of being tied up online and so they’re actively seeking genuine, face-to-face contact at a slower, more intimate pace. Savouring the moment – languishing in it even – has become essential; the antidote to our fast-paced lives. The sector is responding by tapping into that growing desire for unhurried living. It’s central to the operating premise at Villa Làrio in Lake Como, for instance, a venue reviewed in this issue, and where globetrotting Chef Davide Maci has returned to his roots with the aim of encouraging visitors to relish the bounty of local produce one bite at a time. “I imagine my guests gathered around the table, tasting and enjoying themselves,” he says. “It’s in those moments that we are truly savouring life.”
Chef George Kataras, who held a headline slot at the fifth edition of Mar-Bella Collection’s Greek Chefs Abroad event this summer, shares a similar sentiment, admitting that food plays a pivotal role in Greek culture because of the meaningful moments it sparks around the table. “It’s about sharing time
with the people who matter to us,” he says. “And that’s why it’s so important to our identities.” We explore how that ethos contributes to the success of the event.
Elsewhere, we interview one of the best-known names in mixology, Salvatore Calabrese, otherwise known as The Maestro, who confirms that ‘la dolce vita’ – which can be described as the distinct pleasure or indulgence Italians pursue when revelling in life’s simpler moments – was more present in the early days of his career. Nevertheless, it sets the tone for his entire approach to hospitality, and he’s spent a lifetime on a quest to create that same, resonant feeling for guests.
And while you could be forgiven for thinking that this quieter, less pressured approach to dining could solely be attributed to a Mediterranean mindset, it pops up in other locations too. Look to Hamburg for proof, where Christoph Rüffer has recently been awarded three Michelin stars at Haerlin, set within Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten. In our Signature section, we spotlight his pink-hued Champagne Dessert, which he explains was born during a summer holiday to Sylt, where he admired the vibrant roses that blossom on the island. Stepping away from the high intensity pace of the kitchen allowed space for ideas to blossom, sparking a new wave of creativity that wouldn’t have otherwise arisen.
With all this in mind, take some time to peruse the pages of this issue – it’s packed with plenty of reasons for why slowing down and savouring might just be the key to it all.
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Supper (ISSN: 3033-4349) is published bi-monthly by Sleeper Media Ltd and is distributed by Spatial Global.
EVENTS
Commercial Lead
Kirsty Studholme k.studholme@mondiale.co.uk
Event Manager
Kayley Johnson k.johnson@mondiale.co.uk
Event Co-ordinator Charlotte Yiatrou c.yiatrou@mondiale.co.uk
Marketing & Events
Olivia Mavers o.mavers@mondiale.co.uk
Data & Marketing
Adam Cymbaluk a.cymbaluk@mondiale.co.uk
DESIGN
Design Manager David Bell
Production Jez Reid
CORPORATE
Accounts ar@mondiale.co.uk
Chairman Damian Walsh
Finance Director
Amanda Giles
SUSTAINABILITY
Natural • Renewable • Recyclable
Supper is printed by Buxton Press on FSC Mix-certified paper using 100% vegetable-based inks. Magazines mailed from Spatial Global are packaged in FSC-certified wrap that is fully recyclable.
Sustainability is rewriting the rules of nearly every industry, and at One Aldwych in London, it is both food and fashion that serve as the medium to inspire change. The B Corp-certified hotel has launched an afternoon tea in collaboration with Anabela Chan, a fine jewellery brand championing laboratory-grown gemstones and recycled metals.
Drawing from Chan’s Fruit Gems collection, which uses natural pigments from overripe fruits and vegetables to craft eco-friendly jewels, Executive Chef Dominic Teague has created a trio of sweet treats. Served in the hotel’s Lobby Bar alongside the jewellery display, the delicacies are a reflection of the collection’s colourful spirit and commitment to reducing waste. There’s Beetroot Cherry Apple - a glossy cherry-red glaze atop
layers of blackberry and beetroot mousse, with a heart of lychee and a yellow ladybird perched on a chocolate sable; Apricot Mille-Feuille - a crisp, caramelised puff pastry layered with apricot and honey compote created with help from the hotel’s rooftop beehives; and finally, Raspberry Magic Mushroom - a raspberry jelly and lemon foam topped with caramel tuiles and white chocolate spots. Accompanying drinks include berry and hibiscus, rhubarb and rose, elderflower and apricot iced tea, or perhaps a chilled glass of Bollinger.
One Aldwych is donating £1 from every table to Seeds for Growth, a London-based charity improving the lives of people from disadvantaged communities, with initiatives like shared gardens, food co-ops and ecological outreach. Proof that luxury hospitality can also be thoughtful.
The latest resort from Appellation promises a foodfirst experience rooted in the local flavours of Utah.
The hotel industry today isn’t only about where you stay, it’s what you taste too. Enter Ameyalli Park City by Appellation, a just-announced destination resort from Appellation, the culinary-first hotel brand by Michelin-starred chef Charlie Palmer and former Four Seasons President, Christopher Hunsberger.
Set to debut in 2026 in Midway, Utah, the 80-key resort promises to bring the brand’s signature food-forward ethos to one of the most naturally dramatic locations in the American West. Built around a geothermal spring used for nearly five millennia and set across 78 acres of pristine mountain terrain, the property centres around a preserved granite dome, the highest point of the community, where generations have gathered to take in the breathtaking views.
The property will incorporate a state-of-theart wellbeing centre complete with expansive spa and programming by alternative medicine pioneer Deepak Chopra, however it is food that remains at the heart of the experience – an aspect
that Appellation sees not as an amenity, but the very foundation of its identity.
Conceived by architecture firm Overland Partners, the resort’s F&B line-up will include a signature Charlie Palmer restaurant and bar, plus an additional farm-to-table concept that taps into the richness of Utah’s verdant surroundings. Even the lobby is designed as a dynamic culinary centre. Think regular demonstrations highlighting local makers and hands-on learning with community artisans. Outside, the resort’s 55-acre natural preserve will support Appellation’s goal of growing produce on-site and sourcing from local producers.
“Appellation means ‘to give a name to a place’, reflecting our commitment to infuse locally rooted experiences in every hotel we operate,” explains Palmer. “At Ameyalli, this means integrating Deepak’s wellness philosophies, while celebrating the bounty of Utah’s mountain valleys and spotlighting local purveyors throughout the resort’s culinary programme.”
Soil to Shelf
A new exhibition at the Science Museum in London is exploring how science is creating more sustainable ways of producing and consuming food. Featuring over 100 historic and contemporary objects that highlight major food milestones throughout human history –including cricket burgers and the trademarkprotected McDonald’s McNuggets – Future of Food invites visitors to consider how our complex and interconnected food practices impact nature, climate and the societies we live in.
Along with displays of cell-grown salmon, 3,500-year-old fermented sourdough bread and the first beef steak cultivated outside a cow, the exhibition reveals the science behind innovative ideas for sustainable production. Visitors can delve into the latest developments in biotechnology and cellular agriculture, as well as the ways in which agroecology – the integration of ecological principles into agricultural practices – is transforming farming. Fermentation is also
on the agenda, with visitors able to see the process in action as yeast ferments food waste into a sustainable version of palm oil.
Inspiring stories such as vertical underwater ‘gardens’ developed by community-led farms in Pembrokeshire also feature, as does a pioneering method of pest control for crops, now being used by over 400,000 farmers across Africa to protect their livelihoods.
While the thought-provoking exhibition is open to all, it could serve as a valuable tool for hospitality professionals too, providing insight into food sourcing and production practices of the future. “This exhibition examines the exciting scientific innovations shaping a new, positive future for people, nature and the climate,” says Rupert Cole, Lead Curator of the exhibition. “I hope it inspires visitors to engage with new ideas and technologies that could transform our food system and encourages them to consider what future we want for our food and the planet.”
Summer Coolers
The temperature gauge regularly soars above 50°c in sun-baked Dubai, leaving visitors leaping for much-coveted shade at every given opportunity. But, keen to lure diners back outdoors, the savvy team at Sal at Jumeirah Burj Al Arab has launched a new concept that takes advantage of the emirate’s endlessly warm evenings and scintillating sunsets.
Evening Swim at Sal offers a relaxed sanctuary against the backdrop of one of Dubai’s most exclusive private beaches. So, as the intensity of the day’s heat begins to fade, guests can kick back at the beach club’s infinity pool, glowing horizon in the distance. Music is laidback to match the mood, and a curated seasonal menu is served, featuring light and bright signature dishes including octopus a la plancha and gnocchi sorrentina. The best part? In between dips, guests can cool off with handcrafted gelato from Sal’s specially dedicated trolley, which serves up creamy scoops of nostalgia in a crispy cone, offering flavours such as vanilla topped with chocolate crumble and gianduja sauce, and pistachio crowned with praline and caramelised pistachios, all whipped à la minute. Pure poolside indulgence after dark.
The way we eat is evolving. From changing mindsets around the notion of three square meals per day to specialist diets and the rising use of appetite-supressing medications, there’s a growing trend towards consuming less. Consequently, the hospitality industry is being forced to reassess its food offering, reimagining the culinary scene for ever-diminishing appetites while attempting to remain desirable to a broad spectrum of diners.
In some locations this has resulted in targeted measures, with menus designed to cater to guests who still seek the thrill of dining out, yet without the calories associated with decadent dishes. The latest in a slew of these examples is The Banc at Renaissance Business Bay Hotel in Dubai, which recently launched The Mini Bancer in response
Small Serve
Healthy eating habits and the increased use of appetite suppressants mean diners are consuming less than ever, and menus are evolving as a result.
to repeated requests for smaller portions. “We noticed that people were still coming out to enjoy food, but they weren’t ordering in the same way,” explains Can Topcu, co-founder of The Banc. “They would ask for half a dessert, a lighter main or a smaller cocktail, and it wasn’t just one-off – it was consistent. So, instead of pushing full portions onto guests who didn’t want them, we decided to lean in to it. The Mini Bancer is a compact, curated section of the menu with scaled-down versions of our signature dishes and drinks.”
High on protein and modest in size, The Mini Bancer features mains such as baby lamb ribs with sweet and spicy sauce and coleslaw, sea bream with olive tapenade and mashed potato, and curry prawns with Japanese rice. Smaller iterations of desserts include a baklava smash and apple pie, with a range of petite signature cocktails also featured.
The restaurant refutes that The Mini Bancer is a designated ‘Ozempic menu’, stressing that
the move is in response to consumer trends, but they also admit there’s an undeniable pattern of diners consuming less overall. “It’s not about the weight-loss trend, we’ve noticed a broader lifestyle shift,” states co-founder Mazlum Topcu. “People are more health-conscious, more mindful; some are cutting back for personal wellness, others want to try a few dishes without going overboard. This menu caters to that whole spectrum.”
It’s a savvy response given that the use of GLP-1 appetite-suppressing drugs – whether for medical or aesthetic purposes – is predicted to continue its exponential rise over the coming years. A JP Morgan research project predicted 30 million people in the US could be using weight management medication by 2030, and if these
figures transpire, the hospitality industry will have no choice but to respond. After all, unless addressed, shrinking appetites could mean shrinking bottom lines.
For the Topcu brothers, the key to offsetting the risk lies in returning to the essence of hospitality. “People should feel seen and welcomed, not judged,” Can says. “If someone’s appetite has changed, for whatever reason, they shouldn’t feel awkward asking for smaller portions. They should feel empowered.”
Mazlum agrees: “Restaurants are on the front line of lifestyle change. If we don’t evolve with our guests, we risk becoming irrelevant. This is a moment for the industry to show agility, creativity and care.”
Indeed, from appetite-suppressing drugs to intermittent fasting, it’s clear that reduced appetites are the new norm. “Smaller serves will be staples in restaurants,” Mazlum concludes. “Just like vegan menus or gluten-free options: light but luxe is here to stay.”
The Chef Director of Food & Beverage at Brown’s Hotel shares his weekend cooking rituals and accompanying soundtrack.
When did you first fall in love with cooking?
An apprenticeship at Claridge’s exposed me to the workings of a kitchen and first inspired a love for the environment. Then it was my time at The Square, also in London’s Mayfair, that cemented my love for both food and cooking.
Which chefs have inspired you?
For his creativity, I love the work of Alain Passard. I also lean towards Darina Allen for her honesty through food. And I look to young chefs such as Ben Marks and Kirk Haworth as inspiring, up-and-coming talent.
Where do you get your creative inspiration?
Through lots of different channels: ingredients and people, dining out, food trips and markets. But mostly from what my stomach tells me!
Which cookbooks can we find on your shelf?
Forgotten Skills of Cooking by Darina Allen and The Square Cookbook by Phil Howard.
Tell us about your most memorable meal. I’m lucky enough to have had many memorable meals throughout my life, but one of the best is a dining experience I shared with my wife at a Marco Pierre White restaurant 30 years ago. I can still remember the dishes!
How often do you dine out? Once a week.
Are you an easygoing or a demanding restaurant customer?
I’m very easygoing. For me, dining at a restaurant is a way of unwinding, not stressing myself out.
What’s your favourite hotel restaurant?
Florio Restaurant at Villa Igiea, a Rocco Forte hotel in Sicily. The food has such a sense of place - it’s luxurious yet still approachable. Plus the views are magnificent.
And which new restaurant are you eager to try?
What’s your favourite dish, and who cooks it?
Langoustines à la nage by John Williams at The Ritz in London.
And what’s your favourite drink to accompany? I love champagne - Dom Ruinart is my favourite.
It’s Sunday evening at home: who’s cooking and what’s on the menu?
This is my favourite time of the week, so I am most likely the one cooking. The food is hearty and simple - braised rabbit perhaps, or maybe lamb shoulder, with beans and a lovely potato gratin. Heartfelt cooking, quality ingredients and good wine; life affirming.
What’s your go-to cooking soundtrack?
Édith Piaf. It’s very relaxing and whisks me to France in a heartbeat.
Which destinations are food heaven to you?
San Sebastián and Verona.
Restaurant dining or room service? Room service.
Sweet or savoury?
NOTABLE VENUES
Charlie’s at Brown’s Hotel, London; Trinity, Bistro Union and Upstairs, Clapham www.roccofortehotels.com
There are a few in London, including Canteen on Portobello Road and Lita in Marylebone. And I’m looking forward to visiting L’Enclume in Cartmel in September.
Savoury.
Healthy dishes or full-fat indulgence?
Healthy... with the option of indulgence.
Relaxed Precision
A childhood fascination with food led to professional obsession for Alex Dilling, whose distinct culinary finesse has found a new home at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok.
Words: Heleri Rande
Alex Dilling shrugs casually. “I don’t really have restrictions,” he says of his cooking style. “If someone came to me tomorrow and suggested we open a beachside taco stand,
I’d say: ‘sign me up!’”
It’s a disarmingly relaxed comment from one of modern French cuisine’s most exacting chefs – a man who developed his craft in some of the world’s most celebrated Michelin-starred restaurants, has worked alongside two of France’s most revered culinary figures, and built a career defined by finesse and precision. Now, after a sequence of successful professional moves, he has landed in Thailand with a new permanent restaurant inside the iconic Mandarin Oriental Bangkok – a venture that began as a popup, but proved so popular it has become a permanent fixture.
Like many culinary greats, Dilling’s story began at the family dining table. Raised between London and California with a family passionate about food, his early years were filled with flavour. “My mom and grandfather were amazing home cooks. On holiday, where we were going to eat each day was our primary concern,” he recalls fondly. “To become a chef, you have to love to eat – and I did.”
That early enthusiasm translated into professional obsession. Dilling moved to New York in his early twenties without a fixed plan, but in its place, plenty of ambition.
A trial at Adour by Alain Ducasse – then located within
The St Regis New York – turned into a five-year tenure that became the bedrock of his classical training. “It was a pivotal experience for me,” he explains. “It shaped who I am as a chef and instilled my love of French food.”
What followed was another career-defining moment: the opportunity to become Head Chef at Hélène Darroze at The Connaught in London, aged just 28. “It was terrifying,” he admits. “I was the youngest person in the restaurant, but charged with taking over a two-star kitchen and a large team.” Unsurprisingly, those years spent with Darroze were transformative. “Hélène has such a sensibility,” he says. “She’s close to people but also instils incredible discipline. During my time working with her, I learned what it meant to be a leader.”
Eventually, the call to step out alone grew louder and Dilling went on to take the reins at The Greenhouse in Mayfair, a standalone fine-dining restaurant with a storied legacy. It was high pressure, but allowed him to express his creativity more freely than ever before, setting the stage for what was to come. “Looking back, it was the most important two years of my career,” he says. “I worked more hours than ever, but I found out what I stood for; what I liked as a chef.”
The experience solidified Dilling’s distinct culinary voice –one rooted in exceptional ingredients, technique and a sense of beauty. “A lot of chefs talk about beautiful ingredients, but it’s how you treat them that really matters,” he says.
“Buy quality produce and take care of it. Manipulate it if you need to, but always retain its soul.”
This ethos has underpinned his work ever since, forming the foundations of his eponymous restaurant within Hotel Café Royal in London, a 32-cover space he launched with his partner, Victoria Sheppard, in September 2022. The opening was anything but smooth – equipment delays meant cooking from the breakfast kitchen in the early weeks – but the results spoke for themselves and within a few months, the restaurant was awarded two Michelin stars. “It was an incredible moment,” he shares. “When we were invited to the ceremony we assumed we must be getting one star, but our name wasn’t called in that category. Then they started calling out the two star awards... and we heard our name straight away.”
Despite this success, Dilling is not only here for the accolades. “It’s always in the back of your mind,” he concedes. “But you can only do your best with integrity. Cook the food you believe in. That’s all you can control.”
With that in mind, the menu at Alex Dilling continues to evolve with the seasons. One dish, a reimagined pâté de campagne with Iberico pork shoulder and foie gras, has become a signature, encapsulating his reverence for classical French cuisine with a modern aesthetic. Another highlight on the spring and summer menu is a tomato and mackerel dish, in which gently dehydrated tomatoes set in their own juices are paired with the barbecued fish and fresh herbs. It’s light, clean and vibrant – a dish that reflects his preference for elegance over excess. “I like to create dishes that leave guests feeling satisfied, but not heavy,” he explains. “They should feel nourished, not rolled out the door.”
“A lot of chefs talk about beautiful ingredients, but it’s how you treat them that really matters. Buy quality produce and take care of it. Manipulate it if you need to, but always retain its soul.”
Dilling’s approach to the creative process, which always includes input from his longtime Head Chef Pierre Minotti, as well as the restaurant’s sous chefs, is collaborative, with dishes shifting constantly according to available produce. “Chefs get bored quickly,” he laughs. “After three weeks, we want to move on.”
Which goes some way to explaining why, when an unexpected chance to take over Le Normandie at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok for a six-month pop-up emerged, he was keen to accept the challenge. “I’d never been to Thailand before, but always admired Mandarin Oriental,” he admits. “For me, they’re one of the best hotel groups for F&B.” The residency extended to eight months, earning a Michelin star in the process. When the group proposed a permanent concept in another legendary space – Lord Jim’s – the chef didn’t hesitate. The result is Alex Dilling at Lord Jim’s, opened in May 2025. With 60 covers, it’s a dinner-only venue that strikes a more casual and convivial tone, with a focus on cooking over charcoal. “It’s still elegant, with beautiful plates and tablecloths, but it’s a place to come for special occasions, to share grilled beef and a bottle of wine. We wanted it to feel a little more relaxed.”
The menu incorporates subtle Thai influences while remaining unmistakably French. Dishes including Limousin veal sweetbreads and Obsiblue prawn in a vol-au-vent with young ginger and vin jaune, and grilled Brittany turbot with beurre blanc and smoked roe vinaigrette, reflect Dilling’s commitment to precision and flavour. Shared starters such as mini crab rolls with celery and pomelo, or Kristal caviar served with buttermilk biscuits and marinated cucumber, offer a balance of luxury and informality that reflect the
The refined plates served at Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal were awarded two Michelin stars within months of opening
restaurant’s more relaxed spirit. Many of the vegetables used originate from Mandarin Oriental’s own farm in northern Thailand, underscoring a commitment to ingredient integrity and traceability.
On the ground, it’s Head Chef George Kay who is responsible for executing Dilling’s vision, having been with the team since the restaurant opening in London and led the pop-up. “He’s learning Thai and embracing the culture; he’s an amazing talent,” says Dilling. “It’s so important to have the right people in place.”
This people-first leadership is an approach he traces back to Darroze. “She taught me to respect every individual on the team, but also to be disciplined,” he confirms. “It’s about finding the right balance.” In an era where staffing challenges continue to dominate industry discourse, he takes a pragmatic view: “It’s difficult, but we try to create a culture that suits us and them. If it’s not the right fit, that’s fine; it has to work both ways. Integrity, once again, is the throughline. Whether it’s mentoring staff
or sourcing produce, the standard must remain high because our guests deserve the best.”
So, while the menus evolve and the geography changes, some things remain constant for Dilling: a love for ingredients, a belief in beauty, and an insistence on excellence, particularly in relation to indulgent ingredients. “I like to start with caviar, it evokes a sense of celebration,” he says. “A spoonful accompanied by a glass of champagne sets the tone for the evening.”
Despite this, he’s equally happy with a basic dish done well. “Give me good pub food or a plate of tacos any time,” muses the chef. “But then I also love the flavours of Japanese food; I love it all! I wake up every morning thinking about what I’m going to eat.”
And with so many accolades to his name, what’s the next challenge on the horizon? “I want to keep playing with the boundaries of food, whether it’s fine dining or a taco stand on the beach,” Dilling concludes. “So long as I’m working with people who care about what they’re doing, I’m happy.”
Dilling’s fondness for caviar is echoed at his latest venture, Alex Dilling at Lord Jim’s within Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
The Maestro of bartending Salvatore Calabrese stands the test of time with a series of cutting-edge menus that honour timeless techniques while signalling a new era for mixology.
The greatest dream of any bartender is to create a cocktail so exceptional that people are still making it one -hundred years from now,” says Salvatore Calabrese, seated at his jewel-toned cocktail bar, Velvet at Corinthia London.
Dressed in his trademark sharp suit, the 70-year-old speaks with the measured confidence of a man who has spent a lifetime behind the bar pursuing that dream. A career that began in a fishing village on the Amalfi Coast eventually took him to London’s grandest hotels, securing his place in the history books of mixology. It is a journey that has also earned him the title by which he is known all across the world: The Maestro.
Dreams of one day captaining a ship ended when Calabrese began losing vision in his left eye, and by age 17 he had committed fully to the hospitality trade, travelling abroad during winters to refine his craft. In 1980, he landed in London and worked behind the bar at Dukes, later moving to The Lanesborough. He would eventually run his own bar at Fifty St James Club, followed by Salvatore at The Playboy Club.
At the time, London was still emerging from an era in which cocktail culture had perhaps lost its allure. The city became a blank canvas for The Maestro’s most transformative work,
Calabrese’s bartending story began in 1966 in Maiori, Italy, where, aged 11, he spent his first shifts behind the bar at Reginna Palace Hotel. Even as a child he was captivated by what he calls “the dolce vita of those days”. Hospitality during this era was imbued with an elegance that drew him in. “There was true style involved in coming to the bar,” he explains. “People came from the beach, but they weren’t wearing shorts and flip-flops. There was something special about the industry. It was all about hospitality.” His father, who died when Calabrese was 12, introduced him to Mr Raffaele, the hotel’s head barman and Calabrese’s first mentor. “I always thank my dad for finding me that job. Mr Raffaele taught me how to make my very first Americano,” he laughs. “And I remember receiving a slap when I tried to pour a negroni aged 13 – I should have been more respectful.”
With The Pixel Book, Calabrese introduces a creative line-up of cocktails brought to life through AI-assisted visuals
and the place where Calabrese would introduce what was later dubbed Liquid History, utilising his collection of classic cognacs, rare liqueurs and spirits to create cocktails with a story to tell.
“No one had ever thought about it before,” he reminisces. “I came up with the concept of vintage cocktails because I wanted a few lucky people to be able to drink history. You can read history, maybe you can even feel it, but at that time, no one had thought to taste it.” It was a trailblazing concept, and through it, Calabrese allowed drinkers to sip the past, connecting them to the year a liquid was produced and the flavours associated with the period. It also became the title of his book, Cognac: A Liquid History.
But it was the martini – the signature pour still made worldwide today – that truly made him. “A defining moment was when I became known not just as the crazy history guy, but as the one that made martinis,” he recalls. “I always say it took God six days to create the world, and it took me five days to create the perfect martini.”
Calabrese recollects how Stanton Delaplane, an American guest at Dukes, returned each evening asking for a “very cold, very dry” martini. On the fifth night Salvatore served it with freezer-cold gin, vermouth floated on top and a twist of lemon. Delaplane sipped in silence, drained the glass, calmly ordered a second, then took one taste and walked away.
Not long after, Delaplane revealed himself as a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and The New York Times. He told readers that anyone visiting London must stop by Dukes’ Bar “where Salvatore will make you the best martini in England”. From then on, the Direct Martini’s place in cocktail lore was preserved.
Calabrese’s reputation was cemented during this early stage of his career. Reflecting on the evolution of cocktail culture, he notes that much has changed but also much has stayed the same. “In the old days, making a cocktail was a way to hide cheap spirits,” he says. “Today it’s about using the best. I hope I made a difference in the ‘90s by
“The greatest dream of any bartender is to create a cocktail so exceptional that people are still making it one-hundred years from now.”
choosing high-quality ingredients and experimenting with strong flavours like chilli, garlic, balsamic vinegar, truffle and marmalade – ingredients that you wouldn’t have found in cocktails before.”
But the real reason for staying in the industry so long is a passion for working with the next generation, whose creativity continues to inspire Calabrese. “The skills on display today are beyond anything I ever had at that age,” he admits. “I love seeing the passion they bring. The way they turn flavours around – it is true artistry.”
He channels this enjoyment into mentorship, which shines through in Calabrese’s latest menu at Velvet, The Pixel Book.
Partnering with Head Mixologist Luca Cicalese, the pair have fashioned a creative line-up of cocktails inspired by art’s greatest masterpieces and brought to life through AIassisted visuals.
Each element, from spirits and garnishes to 3D-printed vessels, is curated for a multi-sensory experience. “I attribute the concept entirely to Luca,” Calabrese says, tipping his hat to his protégé, who brought a fresh perspective that challenged The Maestro’s well-known creations. “When he suggested marrying my famous Breakfast Martini with the Spicy Fifty, I was terrified. Two of my signature drinks, crucified together!” He laughs, then points to the bar’s recreation of Munch’s The Scream, where his own face is frozen in expressionist horror, martini glass in hand.
The artwork celebrates Marmalade Madness, a fusion of Haku vodka, house-made jam, verjus, Cointreau and a dash of distilled chilli – an homage to Calabrese’s marmaladeinfused martini and the fiery kick of the Spicy Fifty. Each page of the menu mirrors the bar’s walls, which are adorned with illustrations and artificial interpretations of artworks, from Dalí’s surrealism to Hokusai’s waves. Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring becomes the fragrant Pearl Drop: a heady combination of Beluga Noblez Vodka, hibiscus, rose and saffron–infused honey. Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans transform into the velvety Soup of the Day, made with
Lakes Whisky Colheita Cask, while Dalí’s The Persistence of Memory is reimagined as the indulgent Liquid Time, with Altamura Vodka, distilled coffee, Flor de Caña Spresso liqueur, and an innovative tiramisu air.
Classic serves remain on the menu, from the original Salvatore Martini to golden age cocktails like the Rob Roy or El Presidente. “I always want to be one step ahead,” Calabrese explains. “But also I maintain tradition and the classic techniques.”
Maintaining this balance underpins everything he has done since joining Brown’s Hotel as Creative Director of The Donovan Bar. Its latest menu, Our Way, exemplifies a consistent style that’s faithful to classic mixology yet open to discreet twists. The Marimo Martini offers a vesper-inspired serve with a dry, mineral edge and a subtle seaweed infusion, while Bellini Colada is a fusion aperitivo with extra refreshment and the textural twist of grated frozen cucumber. Elsewhere, the dessert-like Tarte Old Fashioned channels the sweet savoury
magic of ricotta, pear and porcini bitters. Alongside, a notebook-style menu reveals sketches, tasting notes and the thought process behind each serve.
“This menu is all about refinement, not reinvention,” he continues. “It emphasises consistency over extravagance.” Still, lavishness remains central to the vision. “I am all about luxury,” Calabrese admits. “The feeling of exclusivity is central to what I do – crafting an experience that can only be done once. It’s about more, not less.”
This approach is clear in his latest work for Rocco Forte Hotels, available at Igiea Terrazza Bar within Villa Igiea. Ten cocktails, entitled Sicily Around The World, blend international influences with authentic Sicilian flavours –paying homage to the emigrants who carry the island’s spirit across the planet.
Each drink marries global ingredients with imaginative presentations. Sakura, for example, is inspired by Sicilians who were driven east by Mount Etna’s fire. Spicy, floral, with a
The latest menu at The Donovan Bar stays faithful to classic mixology with discreet twists
“My teams are incredible. I might be The Maestro, but I’d be no-one without them.”
herbaceous undertone, it layers gin and medlar liqueur with yuzu sake, Sakura bitter, oregano and a green tea infusion, served over a shard of ice shaped like the Sicilian volcano.
But Calabrese’s ‘more is more’ approach is no better exemplified than at Nahaté Dubai, where he has unveiled what many call the world’s most luxurious cocktail, sold for €37,500. Served in one of only two surviving 1937 Baccarat crystal glasses, it combines a never-before-released Patrón tequila blend, Kina Lillet from 1950, and 1930s Angostura bitters. “Some people buy expensive suits or designer bags,” he asserts. “If I can offer an experience that only a handful of people will ever have, why not?”
And from London to Dubai, people of all walks of life have come to taste The Maestro’s creations, drawn in by the rare chance to sip something that exists nowhere else. “I have served Her Majesty not one but two martinis, so I can say it has the royal crest,” he laughs, referring to time spent with Queen Elizabeth II. Today, this tradition continues at Dukes, where
Head Bartender Alessandro Pallazo has recently served King Charles III the iconic Direct Martini. “What a great thing to see,” Calabrese says proudly. “And to be able to leave that legacy.”
After decades rubbing shoulders with royalty, presidents and musicians, recognition has followed naturally: the title Maestro d’Arte e Mestiere in 2018, a knighthood from the Italian Republic and countless industry accolades. “I’m proud of the special moments I’ve created,” he continues. “But it’s not just about me – my teams are incredible. I might be The Maestro, but I’d be no-one without them. It’s beautiful to watch someone like Luca rise in a profession I love. I hope I’ve been able to teach him how to care, because that’s the essence of hospitality.” It’s a value Calabrese first absorbed in Maiori, where attention to detail defined the bar. Decades later, it still guides him. “We can all be great mixologists,” he concludes. “But to excel, it’s about embodying the art of hospitality. That is what has kept me in this industry for all these years, and what makes me great at what I do.”
The Sicily around the World menu at Villa Igiea in Sicily pays homage to the emigrants who carry the island’s spirit across the planet
With experience across a variety of industries including real estate, trading and distribution, Hayoun became President and Partner of Gault & Millau Group in 2019. He’s now figurehead of the internationally famous gastronomic guide, responsible for ensuring its continued growth across new territories, and driving its strategy to promote local cuisine on a global scale.
Expert Guidance
As CEO of Gault & Millau, Patrick Hayoun is charged with steering the success of the hospitality guide’s imminent international expansion.
Words: Abby Lowe
Renowned for its forthright reviews and expert evaluations, French restaurant and hospitality guide Gault & Millau has been setting the standard for what constitutes an exceptional dining experience for decades. Founded in 1969 by journalists and critics, Henri Gault and Christian Millau, what began as a magazine championing modern gastronomy evolved into the famous Guide Jaune (Yellow Guide), now a defining feature of the critical culinary landscape that’s carved out a niche in recognition of authenticity, innovation and a chef’s personal expression.
NEW HORIZONS
Today, Gault & Millau is present in over 20 countries worldwide, and the company has eyes on further international expansion, including into the UK, an essential market according to CEO, Patrick Hayoun. “The UK represents a dynamic gastronomic scene, rich in culinary offerings and diverse in represented cuisines,” he explains. “This is an opportunity for us to introduce our expertise, evaluation criteria and philosophy to a new audience while simultaneously highlighting local talent.”
Raising the profile of hitherto unknown chefs has always been a key tenet of Gault & Millau’s mission, a factor that sets it apart from other guides. “We place particular emphasis on
discovering, showcasing and making new talent known to the wider public,” Hayoun adds. “Emerging chefs often come to light well before they’re recognised by other institutions as a result of our in-depth, anonymous inspections.” Indeed, supporting chefs and producers remains especially important in today’s culinary landscape, where diners frequently turn to unchecked online sources for inspiration. “You can find information on the internet, but not talent,” he affirms. “That’s why it’s important to have people on the ground.”
RIGOROUS TRAINING
With growth across new territories imminent, building a framework of highly qualified local teams is, Hayoun says, paramount for the group to maintain its exacting standards. “My priority is to strengthen Gault & Millau’s reputation as a reference for independent and reliable reviews, because now more than ever, it is essential to provide our readers with sincere, transparent evaluations that are free from commercial influence.” He pinpoints regional expertise as central to that cause: “We aim to build local teams trained in our rigour, capable of understanding and showcasing the culinary richness of their areas, to ensure consistent quality that also respects local identities.”
Consequently, it’s food journalists and
Patrick
passionate epicureans that are primarily enlisted for the role, before undertaking a strict training regime that’s led by a local head inspector, who themself has been schooled in Paris to guarantee consistent results across all localities. It’s a scrupulous system that both protects Gault & Millau’s integrity and allows space for the specific characters of each region to shine. “Our approach to criticism is demanding yet constructive,” Hayoun confirms. “But it also allows us to celebrate a diversity of styles. We carry out anonymous visits, pay our own bills, and we judge the experience as real customers. It’s this independence that gives our selections true value and credibility.”
SCORING SYSTEM
In practice, each inspection is then translated into categories using Gault & Millau’s bespoke scoring structure, with each venue rated out of 20 possible points. Only those scoring 10 and above then make it into the guide, where they’re scored again, using the ‘toque’ (chef’s hat) system, in what has become the company’s hallmark. Each level of toque reflects the excellence, creativity and consistency of a chef’s work. So, one toque signifies interesting cuisine; two toques represents signature cuisine; three toques denotes high-level cuisine; four toques equates to very high-level cuisine; and five toques are
reserved for exceptional cuisine – the kind found in the best restaurants in the world.
Multiple metrics are taken into account when assessing a restaurant as a whole – from the quality and origin of ingredients, cooking style, textures and seasoning, to the clear harmony and progression of the menu, value for money, service, setting, ambience and vitally, the culinary personality on display. “It’s a respected system that chefs take very seriously because they know that, above all, it rewards the quality and consistency of their craft,” Hayoun says. “Our top priority is always what’s on the plate, so naturally we value creativity and a chef’s signature style, but we also demand consistency: it’s not about one good dish but maintaining a high standard throughout the duration of the meal, over time.”
HOTEL EXCELLENCE
This philosophy is applied to every venue rated by Gault & Millau, whether it’s a standalone restaurant or located within a hotel. “We have long offered a dedicated selection of hotels across several countries in recognition of their important role in the overall gastronomic experience,” Hayoun explains, going on to credit the hotel F&B scene as pivotal to the evolution of the wider gastronomic market. “It plays a major role, bringing significant resources, a diverse
clientele and increased visibility for chefs and their establishments,” he affirms.
Hayoun notes that hotel F&B venues can also play an important part in nurturing new talent, largely thanks to the financial stability they’re able to offer. “This allows chefs to explore their creativity while enjoying security that can be harder to find in independent establishments. Hotel venues frequently serve as showcases for culinary innovation where new ideas and techniques can flourish.” The result doesn’t just serve individual growth but also contributes to the diversification of local scenes. “The quality of F&B offerings in hotels helps raise local market standards,” he says. “In turn, that creates positive competition with independent restaurants and other gastronomic venues.”
With international development on the horizon, Hayoun admits that there are challenges to ensuring its success, not least meeting the expectations of today’s customer, who tends to seek diversity, transparency and quality. “Consumer expectations are rapidly evolving,” he says, applying the same rules to the hospitality industry as a whole. “So, we must evolve our formats, tone and distribution channels to stay close to the needs of current and future generations without ever losing sight of our primary mission: to showcase culinary excellence in all its forms.”
Richly layered storytelling is at the heart of The Lei Stand, a beloved Honolulu bar formerly located in Chinatown, that has now reopened within Romer House Waikīkī in Oahu. Paying tribute to the former lei makers of old Hawaii, the concept marries a tropical after-hours lounge vibe with moody lighting, plush textures and vibrant colour pops reflective of the island’s lush natural landscape.
woven throughout the space: draped across signage, incorporated into graphics and displayed as floral installations, reinforcing the deeper cultural meaning behind the symbol.
IN A BITE
Owner: Highgate Hotels
Architecture: Benjamin Woo Architects
Interior Design: Indidesign
Executive Chef: Brad Dodson
F&B Director: Tina Giesseman
www.romerhotels.com
“The design is a blend of neon, hi-lo aesthetics and vintage Hawaiian nostalgia,” explains Ryan Kalei Tsuji, co-founder of The Lei Stand. “Our goal was to lean into both visual and symbolic layering, so guests are guided through design moments that echo the golden era of lei stands at Honolulu Harbour, hula dancers and floralfilled arrivals at the airport, all wrapped up in a modern-day cocktail setting.”
Unsurprisingly then, the lei stand is the bar’s standout feature. “It’s more than a decorative motif,” Tsuji adds. “The lei is a living tradition that represents love, honour, welcome and celebration.” In homage to the fact, leis are
This playful and site-specific ethos is mirrored with every sip at The Lei Stand, where drink offerings match the brightly coloured aesthetics. “Our intent was to create a holistic sensory experience that flows through the menu, the cocktails and even the music,” Tsuji says. Consequently, drinks are a mix of spirit-forward classics reimagined with islandinspired flavours, embellished with elaborate garnishes and named after cultural touchpoints like Hawaiian slang and notable local figures.
“The entire experience is built around an immersive narrative, with subtle activations and curated vignettes that keep guests visually and emotionally engaged,” Tsuji concludes. “Along with a laidback yet sophisticated atmosphere that reinforces the brand’s unique position, the bar feels like a dreamy night out in old Hawaii, reimagined for today.”
Bar Artemisia
Hotel Savoy
FLORENCE
Words: Abby Lowe Photography: Courtesy of Rocco Forte Hotels
An unsung hero of Renaissance art is the inspiration behind Bar Artemisia, a reimagined space within Hotel Savoy in Florence. Opened in celebration of the hotel’s 25th anniversary, the venue is an ode to Artemisia Gentileschi, heralded as one of the most important female painters of the 17th century, and yet little known compared to other lauded artists of the time including Michelangelo, Raphael and Caravaggio. “We named the bar after her in celebration of feminine glamour and power,” explains Olga Polizzi, Director of Design at Rocco Forte Hotels.
In an effort to reflect the materiality and architectural language of traditional Florentine bars and cafés, the design team worked closely with skilled craftspeople from the north of Italy. Together, they were able to overcome some of the project’s challenges.
IN A BITE
Owner: Rocco Forte Hotels
Executive Chef: Fulvio Pierangelini
Bar Consultant: Salvatore Calabrese
Head Bartender: Federico Galli
Head Sommelier: Paolo Piccardi
Serverware: Broggi, Serax
Cutlery: Sambonet www.roccofortehotels.com
Gentileschi was the only female follower of Caravaggio, a fact that’s been channelled directly into the design. “We felt it was fitting that the bar was dark and moody,” Polizzi adds. “But we also wanted to create an immersive experience for guests with the creation of a bar that exudes warmth, mystery and playful allure.” That feat has been achieved with furniture in rich velvet tones, dark Italian marble and warm timber finishes elevated by aged brass details.
“The room is a long and narrow space with a very high ceiling, so it wasn’t the most straightforward to design,” Polizzi confirms. “To make the space feel more inviting, we enveloped the bar in dark wooden panelling and softened the edges to echo the rounded banquette that swoops around the room, then used atmospheric lighting to carefully highlight key features, which helps to create a sense of depth and dimension.”
Finished with an eye-catching wraparound mural depicting a lively Caravaggio-inspired dinner party scene, the space provides emotional impact while evoking the romantic charm of old-world Tuscany. “It’s a vibrant, creative and intimate space in which to spend an evening,” Polizzi concludes.
Sol & Sao Bar
Four Seasons Resort
Taking its name from the Latin word for sun (sol) and the Vietnamese for star (sao), Sol & Sao Bar is the latest addition to the culinary line-up at Four Seasons Resort
The Nam Hai in Hoi An.
An al fresco celebration of the transition from day to night, the venue connects guests to the rhythms and flavours of Vietnam’s sweeping coast. “Our vision centred on creating a breezy, lounge-inspired atmosphere infused with distinctive Vietnamese elements to establish a unique and authentic identity,” explains Paula O’Callaghan, Partner at HBA Singapore. “We wanted to foster a sense of inclusivity and ease, encouraging interaction and socialising in a relaxed environment.”
distinctly connected to its Hoi An location, with features including oversized hanging baskets drawing attention to the talents of native craftspeople. “These statement features evoke Vietnamese flavour, adding warmth and texture to the space,” O’Callaghan adds. “Their dynamic woven patterns are a celebration of local artistry that blends tradition with contemporary style.”
Operator: Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
Architecture and Interior Design:
HBA Singapore
Menu Design: Workhouse
F&B Director: Maryia Kryshko
Head Mixologist: Phuong Vo
Dinnerware: Kevala
Cutlery: Sambonet
www.fourseasons.com
The famously laidback beach clubs of the Mediterranean served as inspiration for the concept, O’Callaghan says, particularly the open-plan design: “The layout promotes the flow of clean sea air and natural light, embodying the carefree vibe of Mediterranean coastal leisure.” Even so, the bar remains
Boasting 180-degree views of the surrounding coastline, the bar takes guests on a journey from sunrise to sunset, in which morning coffees, evening cocktails and Vietnamese-Spanish fusion plates are served depending on the time of day. The immersive experience is deepened by the addition of a sunken lounge. “This elevated space appears to hover over the sand, offering panoramic vistas and reinforcing the tranquil, resort-like atmosphere,” O”Callaghan concludes. “While the overall ‘descostructed’ design masterfully combines regional nuances with modern comforts, resulting in a beachside haven that is both stylish and deeply rooted in Vietnamese charm.”
The Nam Hai
HOI AN
Words: Abby Lowe • Photography: Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
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Hidden Grooves
Virgin Hotels
LONDON SHOREDITCH
Words: Hannah Currie
Photography: Courtesy of Virgin Hotels Collection
Hidden Grooves honours Japan’s storied listening bars while taking guests back to the early days of Richard Branson’s Virgin Records label. Located on the ground floor of Virgin Hotels London Shoreditch, the 38-seat, hi-fi listening lounge, designed with support from London-based EPR, is tuned to deliver the ultimate audio experience.
IN A BITE
Owner / Operator: Virgin Hotels Collection
Interior Design: Virgin Hotels Collection, EPR
Project Manager: Grant Aitken
Main Contractor: CJS
Head Chef: Barry Vera
F&B Manager: Raul Lazaro
Head Bartender: Michele Gadeleta
www.virginhotels.com
The 1960s and 70s-styled space channels a nostalgia-meets-innovation aesthetic that blends music paraphernalia such as vintage posters and classic album covers with state-ofthe-art audio. “Hidden Grooves was created to evoke the thrill and curiosity of discovering new music, like flipping through records or listening to a DJ introduce a deep cut,” says Teddy Meyer, Vice President of Design at Virgin Hotels. “We set out to create a space where music lovers could relax and connect through sound.”
Two dedicated listening stations nestled between wall-to-wall record shelves are a deliberate nod to the iconic booths at the Virgin Megastore on Oxford Street, inviting guests to
drop the needle and lose track of time. Central to the lounge’s audio setup is a DJ booth flanked by handsome Westminster speakers designed by Project Audio, while an extensive record collection features thousands of handpicked vinyls compiled from private collections and auctions. There’s even a bespoke selection curated by Branson himself, featuring personal favourites including Lou Reed’s Walk on the Wild Side and Daft Punk’s One More Time.
Cosy, ambient lighting and plush seating draw on the laidback design of Tokyo’s famous jazz kissas, aided by a minimalist bar and acoustic enhancing materials like cork and wood. A retail nook rounds out the space, offering branded merchandise from tote bags to t-shirts.
“Every detail was chosen with intention and infused with the spirit of discovery,” Meyer concludes. “The result is a design that feels both timeless and current. Wrapped in the warmth of vinyl culture, Hidden Grooves is a musicforward venue that’s welcoming, transportive and undeniably fun.”
Sixty DC
WASHINGTON DC
A trio of Mediterranean-inspired F&B venues brings fresh verve to one of the US capital’s most vibrant neighbourhoods.
When a slew of government agencies were dissolved in Washington DC earlier this year, a bleak silence fell over the formerly vibrant neighbourhood of Dupont Circle. Having played a central role in the gay rights movement, the former epicentre of activism had only just recovered from the challenges of Covid and was bustling once again after its enforced hiatus.
It was at this moment that seasoned hotelier Jason Pomeranc, known for creating small-scale luxury hotels that define entire neighbourhoods, came in. “The goal was to make this a nexus, somewhere you must visit because it’s a kind of ‘club’ that’s completely democratic. We think likeminded individuals such as politicians, Washington socialites and tech entrepreneurs will naturally gravitate towards it,” Pomeranc explains. “We also wanted to respond to the power generation shift by applying Sixty’s formula of small, intimate, stylised spaces with high-touch, personalised service and deeply social energy that’s not formal.”
In this endeavour, the New York-based hotelier teamed up with Hanif Harji, a Toronto restaurateur who, on a selfguided trip to Washington DC, was impressed by the city’s offering and felt compelled to dive in. “I was blown away by the DC restaurant scene and quickly realised that it was a very sophisticated place,” he recalls. And so, the two set about
formulating the perfect recipe to lend an everimportant urban buzz to an austere Bauhaus building that, in a past life, had banking origins linked to Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. And naturally, nothing stirs up interest quite like a good old-fashioned cocktail bar. The Sixty’s iteration is named Reynold’s in a cheeky nod to an illicit affair Hamilton revealed in his personal essay, The Reynolds Pamphlet. The interiors of the floor-to ceiling-wood panelled space are dimly lit, jewel toned and rich in materials – everything guests might expect from a clandestine love den. Here, eclectic, often risqué, art pieces look on as mixologists fittingly serve up an array of martinis – a mainstay among Washington politicos. The standout among them is bubblegum-flavoured and features a blend of pineapple vodka, banana liquor, crème de menthe and bubblegum spice dust. To accompany the beverage offering, Executive Chef Zachary Albertsen includes favourites like mini burgers and fried chicken sandwiches on house-made buns with truffle
popcorn. “Dishes best enjoyed while sipping cocktails that are hitting a little harder than expected,” he jokes.
From here, guests can make their way to Casamara, a venue Harji describes as an ode to “old-world Europe and its beautiful hotel restaurants.” Working in collaboration with Perkins Eastman and Block Plan Studios, designer Melissa Bowers imbued the space with a residential feel paired with undertones of the Vienna Secession. “The building has a very concrete, Bauhaus feel, so indoors, we layered the space with accessories and details like soft fabrics. The entry and the scale is such that it feels like a speakeasy,” she explains.
A captivating 54ft handmade tapestry holds court over a chequered floor and a radial focal bar, which allows guests to see and be seen. For the food offering, Chef Albertsen says: “The idea was to have big-impact flavours from the Mediterranean combined with local ingredients in the creation of light and refreshing dishes. The perfect example of this is our Iberico Secreto. We
Casamara uses local ingredients to create Mediterranean-inspired dishes like crudo, grilled red stripe shrimp and tortellini
source the cut from Spain, brine it in a Southern peach tea and pair it with aged balsamic, olive oil and fresh, local basil.” Local outfits such as the Lancaster Farms Collective and the Dupont Circle Farmers’ Market across the street from the hotel offer infinite possibilities for achieving Chef Albertsen’s goals. Other notable dishes include the best-selling truffle cacio e pepe and pickled sardine toast on buttered sourdough bread with avocado mayo.
The energy generated downstairs bubbles up to Casamara Rooftop, the hotel’s 3,000ft2 al fresco space, which doles out some of the best views of the capital city around. “If the restaurant is a European city, the rooftop is its coastal sister – this is where we go in the summertime for a languid lunch. It’s what Ibiza is to Barcelona; what St Tropez is to Paris,” Harji explains. “The small plates menu is escapism at its best.” Dishes are diverse, ranging from Stracciatella and boquerones with bay leaf oil and lemon, crispy eggplant and halloumi, and a rotating selection of seasonal croquettes. In
a city that often takes itself too seriously, the aim of this rooftop is to allow for some sunbaked levity.
The consensus between Pomeranc, Harji and Albertsen was one of reverence for the capital, its culinary diversity and all its offerings, combined with a deep understanding of what a continental, European lean could do for it.
“There are lots of truly excellent hotels in the city,” Pomeranc says. “But we are trying to create something different in Dupont Circle - a place that with a centre of gravity that is infused with internationalism; a place that feels like it could be in New York, Paris or London, but is also still grounded in DC, and particularly in its residential neighbourhood.”
Despite its 73-room capacity, Sixty DC’s three distinct F&B venues offer impressive diversity. Even so, it maintains a kind of intimacy that’s been cleverly and intentionally cultivated. “It’s not a grand dame hotel,” Pomeranc concludes. “It was always intended to be a home-awayfrom-home.”
IN A BITE
Owner / Operator: Sixty Collective Architecture and Interior Design: Melissa Bowers, Perkins Eastman, Block Plan Studios
A series of unique yet cohesive culinary destinations sits at the heart of the Estonian capital’s most ambitious new boutique hotel.
Words: Heleri Rande • Photography: Courtesy of Bombay Group
Among the cobbled streets of Tallinn’s UNESCOlisted Old Town, The Burman is quietly rewriting the rules of luxury hospitality in the Baltics. With just 17 rooms, this boutique hotel is the gateway to a bold new culinary destination, where multiple venues unfold across a historic property, each with their own rhythm, mood and mise en scène.
Conceived and developed by Bombay Group with interiors by WeStar Architects, The Burman occupies a building that dates back to the 15th century and has operated as a hotel in various forms since 1850. Its current iteration is inspired by the elegant 1930s redesign by architect Karl Friedrich Burman – the hotel’s namesake and a defining figure in Tallinn’s architectural heritage.
On arrival, the tone is set by the scent of freshly baked viennoiserie from Maison François, a refined French-Belgian bakery located on Dunkri Street. Helmed by third-generation baker François Arnoult, it draws on family recipes to create buttery pastries, crusty loaves and delicate confections. “We wanted to create something Tallinn hadn’t seen before,” says Bart Dufour, Head of Food & Beverage. “Each space has its own identity, designed to feel like a standalone venue, but together, they tell a cohesive story.”
At the heart of The Burman is Écrin, a name that translates
as ‘jewel box’ in French, and sets the bar for the property’s culinary offering. Seating 34 guests, the space is intimate yet confident, dressed in Beltrami linens, Guy Degrenne flatware and artisan-crafted Zalto glassware. “It’s not about spectacle,” says Executive Chef Alexey Aleksandrov. “It’s about balance, refinement and exacting restraint.”
Aleksandrov, who previously held a key position at twoMichelin-starred 180° by Matthias Diether, brings a modern European sensibility softened by Nordic seasonality. Current dishes include charcoal grilled langoustine with cauliflower, green peas and langoustine beurre blanc; celeriac millefeuille with tonburi seeds and sage ice cream; and open-fire pigeon with currants, chanterelles and a Madeira-Vadouvan sauce. Desserts are equally composed: baba royale arrives crowned with Rossini Black Label caviar, infused with rum, shiso and a whisper of coconut – an indulgent finale presented with playful precision.
Each pillar is integral to an à la carte menu crafted with longevity in mind. “We’re not chasing trends; we’re building something enduring,” Dufour adds. “And we want to give diners the freedom to return without repetition of dishes.” While evenings offer a polished dining experience, lunch at Écrin has become a quiet success story – a more approachable gateway into the kitchen’s philosophy. The set
menu, designed for both business guests and casual diners, features lighter dishes executed with the same technical precision and seasonal sensibility. Écrin also serves breakfast to hotel guests, offering a composed à la carte menu featuring pastries from Maison François, egg dishes made to order, seasonal fruit, and should the mood strike, a glass of champagne. “We treat breakfast with the same level of intention as dinner service,” says Dufour. “Whether you are in a hurry or want to stay all morning, it’s all about quality and rhythm.”
Just next door, Koyo shifts the tempo entirely. Named after the Japanese word for autumn foliage, the 11-seat omakase counter is a meditation on craft and seasonality. Recruited from Japan after an intensive search, Chef Kazuto Hokari leads two sittings per night, presenting a 14-course tasting menu shaped daily by the finest ingredients available.
The experience unfolds with meticulousness – perhaps beginning with a clear mussel consommé, followed by a custardy chawan-
mushi, a pristine slice of hamachi, and, at some point along the journey, Chef Kazuto’s signature hand roll. Each dish arrives at the precise moment its flavour and temperature reach their peak, drawing guests into a choreography of taste, texture and total calmness. Pairings of carefully selected sake, wine and infusions mirror the rhythm of the menu, chosen to elevate rather than distract. “Koyo isn’t just about food,” says Dufour. “It’s about immersion and respect – for ingredients, tradition and the unfolding of time.”
In contrast, Shang Shi – a contemporary Cantonese fine-dining concept – brings a sense of theatrical flourish. Seating 60 guests and featuring a private room for ten, the space blends tactile luxury with traditional detail. Executive Chef Poon Kam Loong, working in collaboration with consultant chef Chee Hwee Tong of Hakkasan pedigree, leads a kitchen that respects heritage while embracing modernity. Beyond its headline restaurants, The Burman invites guests to explore a trio of
Écrin is the backdrop for day-tonight dining at The Burman
Executive Chef Alexey Aleksandrov oversees the contemporary European menu at Écrin
distinctive venues that bridge dining, lounging and nightlife. The Fox Den, located in the vaulted cellar of a 15th century tavern, has been reimagined as a wine cellar and cigar room with a focused digestif list. The Peacock Lounge, an elegant speakeasy-style bar on the upper floor of Bombay Club, serves classic and signature cocktails in a jewel-toned interior. Velvet, the hotel’s music salon, hosts concerts, DJ-led dance nights, and private events into the early hours. Room service, offered around the clock, quietly echoes the quality and standards of the main venues. “There is no weak link,” Dufour notes. “From the morning trolley to the latenight playlist, every detail is an integral part of the experience.”
For guests seeking a different kind of thrill, a discreet passage leads to Bombay Club, a boutique casino offering traditional gaming tables. Located within the same meticulously restored complex as the hotel, the space once housed the legendary Du Nord – one of the last century’s most iconic restaurants – now reimagined as a sophisticated addition to Tallinn’s entertainment landscape.
In the months before launch, Chef Aleksandrov immersed himself in stages at some of Europe’s most decorated and acclaimed kitchens –Jordnær in Denmark and Boury in Belgium, both of which have since earned three Michelin stars. “It wasn’t about imitation,” he says. “It was about recalibrating – surrounding myself with discipline, detail and precision.” Though the experiences left a lasting impression, Aleksandrov ultimately returned to his own instinct: to cook what he himself likes to eat.
“If it doesn’t taste good to me or my team,” he says plainly, “it doesn’t leave the pass.”
While he once hesitated to take on a hotel restaurant, the vision shared by Dufour changed his mind. “Initially I worried it would pull focus – breakfast, lunch, dinner, so many moving parts,” he reflects. “But here, there’s real support. And that allows me to create a serious dinner service with purpose and consistency.”
With a brigade of eight chefs, Aleksandrov is building a culture grounded in standards and structure. “It’s not like running a neighbourhood
bistro where there’s a reset each week. This is about creating something lasting.”
Dufour, meanwhile, brings global perspective and local insight. Belgian by background, he has spent the last decade shaping some of the region’s most ambitious concepts. “There’s no blueprint for this in Tallinn,” he says. “We’re not copying Paris or London – we’re distilling those influences through a Baltic lens, then elevating them.” The result is something quietly radical: a hotel where the guest journey is driven not by rooms, but by flavour, ritual and discovery.
“We didn’t want The Burman to feel like a private club,” Anton Jolkin, Head of Hospitality concludes. “We very much wanted it to feel like a place where you can drop in at any time for a croissant, then stay for a delicious tasting menu, or dance until the early hours – and feel welcome at every step.” In a city best known for its medieval charm, The Burman signals a bold new chapter: intimate, immersive and unapologetically ambitious.
IN A BITE
Owner: Tim Heath
Developer / Investor / Operator: Bombay Group
Architecture and Interior Design: WeStar Architects
A quietly luxurious rural retreat in the heart of Devon takes farm-to-table dining to the next level, inviting guests to connect with land, seasons and self.
Many hotels wax lyrical about the important role restaurants play in their overall guest offering, but at Fowlescombe Farm, near Ivybridge in Devon, food is quite literally its raison d’etre. The 450-acre organic, regenerative farm – home to herds of English Longhorn cattle, Manx Loaghtan sheep, Boer goats and TamworthBerkshire pigs – was bought by the Owens family in 2017, with the aim of diversifying beyond its livestock offering. “We realised that the site is bursting with natural beauty,” says Managing Director Caitlin Owens, on deciding to branch out into hospitality. “So, that became the crux of our future plans. We also wanted to find an outlet for our meat that allowed us to pass on its value. The way we farm is very slow and low-intervention, but it’s difficult to sell the animals for anything like they cost to produce.”
So, the family began supplying chefs directly, while also producing their own air-dried and matured charcuterie and smoked meats under a separate company, Rare & Pasture, plus they own The Millbrook Inn in the nearby village of South Pool. In addition, this spring they launched 10 suites spread across the Victorian farmhouse and a pair of repurposed barns. The hotel’s eatery, The Refectory, is located in another of the farm’s stone buildings. “It isn’t a restaurant in the traditional sense,” explains Owens’ partner, Paul Glade, a creative director who oversaw the project. “The name comes
from the space where monks would convene to eat, and that idea of communal dining is very much part of our ethos.”
It’s also all about the daily evolving ingredients that dictate the handwritten, four-course dinner menu. As well as meat from the farm, these include the fruits and vegetables grown by Head Gardener Shelley Hutcheon, whose bounty this year ranges from wild radishes and Szechuan peppers to Chilean guava. Meanwhile, key suppliers from the southwest include Flying Fish Seafoods in Cornwall; Dartmouth-based Greenstraight Scallops, handpicked by freedivers; the organic How Now Dairy, located less than a mile down the road; and former Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons executivechef-turned-grower Gary Jones in South Hams, whose apple juice is served at breakfast.
“Fowlescombe Farm is completely ingredient-led – it’s about nose-to-tail, sea-to-plate, and sharing stories with guests about how produce is grown and where their food comes from. It’s a chef’s dream to walk out of the kitchen and help yourself to vegetables from the garden,” says Executive Chef Elly Wentworth, who has previously worked at Michelin-starred eateries including The Bybrook and Restaurant Hywel Jones at Lucknam Park. She has also appeared on Great British Menu three times, and most recently, was Head Chef at The Angel of Dartmouth.
With many members of the brigade having followed Wentworth from The Angel after its closure, the kitchen is already a well-oiled machine. And interaction between the chefs and guests is a fundamental part of the dining experience too, one that is encouraged through design. The collaborative vision of Glade and London-based architecture practice Channel, the aesthetic is consciously simple. In The Refectory, sliding glass doors flood the space with natural light.
Dishes at The Refectory comprise ingredients that are locally sourced and picked fresh from the garden
An open kitchen sits at one end of the room, while at the other, wooden display shelves are lined with hundreds of bottles of wine, with a focus on whites from Austria and northern Italy, and reds from Spain and the Douro Valley in Portugal.
“Part of our design philosophy is about showing that functional items become beautiful through their purpose. The chefs are on show and the kitchen is utilitarian stainless steel,” explains Owens. “In terms of interiors, we wanted the space to feel grounded in the land, which is why we’ve used lots of natural materials and placed emphasis on tactility.” This translates to Welsh sandstone floors, walls painted in Bauwerk’s Moorland in a warm shade of terracotta chosen to match Devon’s iron-rich soil, VIP wall lights by Jørgen Gammelgaard for Pandul, and sheer, stonehued curtains that soften the space in the evening.
Taking centre stage is a large bespoke oak table by Bristol furniture-maker Konk, paired with B&B Italia Papilio stools upholstered in emerald green wool. The table, says Glade, has been purposely raised above average height to reach the same level as the restaurant-facing workstation. “It blurs the lines between the kitchen and dining. Rather than a chef’s table where guests sit in silence and observe the plating up process, it feels like being in a friend’s kitchen having a conversation with the people around you. That’s what makes it special.”
Before dinner, guests typically gather in the farmhouse for charcuterie and seasonally inspired cocktails made using syrups flavoured with garden produce like rhubarb, basil, elderflower and rose. Then it’s on to The Refectory for the first course: homemade bread, perhaps focaccia with pesto or Parker House buns, served on platters that were handmade using fruit tree deadwood by furniture-maker, Colin Ross.
This is accompanied by a velouté made from produce picked that day. A vegetable risotto topped with tomato fondue, and roasted wild bass in a langoustine bisque might follow, while dessert could be lemon crème with raspberry and coconut.
“We aim to showcase the ingredients in whatever we cook. It’s simple food, done well,” says Wentworth. “Everything on the menu has a reason for being there.” Although dinner is the main event, the produce-led philosophy is threaded through everything else that’s edible too. Freshly baked herb shortbread – from lavender one day to lemon and thyme the next – is in the suites on arrival; there is an allday menu of soups, sandwiches and specials utilising last night’s leftovers for lunch; and help-yourself cake, decorated with flowers, is laid out in the farmhouse at teatime.
There is also a changing programme of weekly activities, which could include anything from making bread or gin to collecting fresh eggs in the morning. Meanwhile, the greenhouse acts
as a multi-purpose space for everything from yoga and floristry classes to a secondary dining venue and an atmospheric spot for after-dinner nightcaps around the wood burner, surrounded by pots of shiny aubergines, vibrant chillis and kafir limes.
A refreshing informality is evident at Fowlescombe Farm. Guests can wander in to chat to the chefs in the kitchen as they stir a saucepan of bubbling jam, and the team are always happy to swap gardening tips while taming the vegetable plot. “Last week, I took a guest to pick beetroot and radishes for a tart, which she then garnished with herbs. We’re hoping to start pasta-making sessions soon, too,” says Wentworth, whose approachable, down-to-earth manner sets the tone.
A second dining venue is already in the pipeline but for now, The Refectory is the focus. “The space doesn’t have much decoration because it doesn’t need it,” Glade concludes. “So much love goes into the ingredients and cuisine, so we want them to shine.”
IN A BITE
Owner: Caitlin Owens
Architecture and Interior Design: Paul Glade, Channel, Studio Gugger, Sophia Gomm
Danny Meyer and Rockwell Group take Broadway’s revolving restaurant to new heights with supper clubinspired cuisine and theatrical design.
When it was announced that New York’s only revolving restaurant was coming out of retirement, the press reacted with the kind of fervour usually reserved for the opening of a Broadway show. ‘The View rotates above Manhattan once again’ was the line from The New York Times, while The New Yorker wrote: ‘Times Square’s revolving restaurant comes around again’. Opened in 1985, the venue was once known more for its spectacle than its cuisine – a city curiosity that eventually settled into a tourist-friendly buffet format. When Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG), under the leadership of Danny Meyer, stepped in, it was with one task: to create something the industry and locals would take seriously.
“The mission is simple,” Meyer commented at the relaunch. “To capture the lively energy of Broadway’s Theater District, showcasing a familiar American menu with dishes that are even better than you ever knew they could be.”
For those familiar with USHG’s strong track record, comprising Gramercy Tavern, Union
Square Café and previously, the Michelinstarred Eleven Madison Park, the venture made sense. The opportunity wasn’t just about food or real estate, but imagining how a space rooted in nostalgia could offer something more current.
Perched atop Marriott Marquis New York, in the heart of Broadway, The View is conceived as both a cultural reset and a hangout with edge. “At every turn, no pun intended, we want to ground the restaurant in its hyper-local context,” says Greg Keffer, Partner at Rockwell Group, the firm tapped to lead the interior redesign. “We imagine it as a place where Broadway casts and crews will come to unwind after hours – impromptu musical performances encouraged – and New Yorkers and visitors will rub shoulders.”
Entering the space feels less like arriving at a restaurant and more like stepping into a theatre. Once out of the lift on the 48th floor, guests are greeted by plush velvet curtains in Joseph Urban blue – a nod to the famed stage designer’s signature hue. An Art Deco host stand
features beside a custom screen created by Amara Payton McNeil, a graduate of the American Theatre Wing’s Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative. Comprising five illustrated panels, each depicts details from iconic Broadway theatres rendered in red and blue, tied together with metallic gold accents.
The descent to the dining room marks a key change. A rich scarlet carpet anchors the stairwell, lit by exposed cable lighting reminiscent of backstage rigging. Indeed, the interiors are packed with theatrical reveals. “We wanted to create pockets of discovery and moments of surprise,” Keffer explains. “For example, a niche cloaked with rich blue velvet drapery opens to reveal a grand piano in the shallow depth of the restaurant core. Music is piped throughout, so guests hear it before discovering the source.”
Even the corridor to the bathroom carries intent thanks to a custom wallcovering by Samantha Tutasi – a former instructor for the American Theatre Wing’s Springboard to Design programme – portraying an elaborate, Art Deco-inspired street map featuring Manhattan theatres that are historically linked to under-represented communities.
In the cocktail bar it is lighting features that take centre stage. Overhead, a dramatic globe-shaped pendant in faux alabaster and hammered champagne metal glows like the moon. The bar itself riffs on 1920s-1940s set design, where ribbed glass, antique mirrors and a custom-made ‘skyline’ in shimmering glass reflect the city’s energy back into the room. This means that “even if a guest’s back is to the view, they are still facing the ‘city,’” Keffer notes.
“The brief was to ensure that every seat in the house has a view,” the designer continues. “We wanted the interior experience to be as transportive as the concept of the rotating restaurant itself.” There’s plenty of time to take in the rhythms of city life outside the window, as the bar and lounge complete a full turn every 45 minutes, while the dining room below takes a gentler spin with one rotation per hour. This is reflected in the design, notably in a series of overlapping concentric circles on the ceiling that create ever-shifting points of reference as the restaurant revolves. “These arcing paths were inspired by the activity in Times Square down below and the hypnotic choreography of cars, trains and people,” he explains.
A nostalgia-filled menu by Chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley draws inspiration from American supper club and chophouse classics
A sense of place carries through to a menu developed by Executive Chef Marjorie MeekBradley, who says the project offered a chance to translate nostalgic energy through the medium of food. “I grew up on the West Coast, where every year my family and I would see the travelling Broadway shows in San Francisco,” she recalls. “I always cherished how those performances brought people together. When I stepped into The View, I knew that I could craft a menu that captures that same vibrant, playful energy.”
Dinner opens with reimagined staples drawn from American supper clubs and chophouses of earlier eras. The jumbo lump blue crab cake is served with a spicy remoulade that has genuine bite, tuna carpaccio is drizzled with finger lime and topped with wild arugula, while shrimp cocktail and chicory salad with apple, celery and walnut round out a confident starting line-up. Main courses include black bass en papillote, bursting with the aromas of wilted Swiss chard and saffron. A dedicated Steaks & Chops section showcases American-sourced cuts, including lamb chops and what might become the new signature - the Snake River Farms Picanha. “It’s my favourite,” Meek-Bradley admits. “A prized cut in Brazil, picanha offers the richness of a rib-eye, with less fat and the tenderness of a New York strip.”
For the seasonally minded, Meek-Bradley has created dishes that flex with the market.
“While steaks and chops reflect our supper club roots, I designed the menu to evolve with the seasons,” the chef explains. “I focus on sourcing ingredients at their peak.” Recent standouts include farro and quinoa risotto with asparagus, morels and basil; poached salmon with green and white asparagus; and a hearts of palm salad with citrus and pistachios.
Sides lean on the classic steakhouse: potatoes au gratin, creamed spinach and button mushrooms – all rich, unapologetically buttery and made for sharing. Desserts, under the guidance of Executive Pastry Chef Emily Fu, include a New York cheesecake topped with vanilla schlag, a traditional German-style cream, and raspberry sauce, or Jubilee Sundae with brownie pieces and stracciatella ice cream. And not to be missed is The View Chocolate Cake – a towering devil’s food cake with rich chocolate caramel ganache.
Upstairs, the 10-seat bar serves elevated
snacks and raw bar offerings - think East Coast oysters and chilled lobster - which pair well with cocktails by Ricky Dolinsky. Highlights include the Stilton with parmesan-infused Absolut vodka, kina and blue cheese olives, and the New Amsterdam Sour with Mckenzie rye whiskey, lemon, egg white and Ravines cabernet franc. The View also partners with well-loved local institutions Katz’s Delicatessen and Magnolia Bakery on two exclusive cocktails: the Katz’s Martini with Bombay Sapphire, dry vermouth and Katz’s blend of pastrami spices, and the Whipped & Swirled, dedicated to Magnolia Bakery’s prized banana pudding with Macallan single malt and Armagnac.
The View manages to weave together a number of these New York threads, balancing a reverence for its past with a playful perspective on the sprawling metropolis and its contemporary culture. As Keffer describes, “it’s a love letter to the city,” while Meyer sums it up simply as “your new night out on the town, where the floor just happens to rotate.”
IN A BITE
Owner: Host Hotels & Resorts
Operator: Union Square Hospitality Group, Marriott International
There is a compelling story in a homecoming. More than just a return to a place, it can also be a chance to reconnect with one’s creative roots and core identity. When Chef Davide Maci joined Villa Làrio after more than two decades in some of Europe’s top kitchens, it was with precisely that in mind - a strategic move to blend his international expertise with his Italian heritage.
Born near Lake Como, Maci’s early years were spent in the kitchens of masters like Bernard Fournier at Rome’s Hotel Eden and Enrico Derflingher at Palace Hotel in St Moritz. Seeking broader horizons, he later refined his craft at Sketch in London under the guidance of Pierre Gagnaire, before moving on to Gordon Ramsay’s Trianon Palace in Versailles. Despite this cosmopolitan journey, Maci’s heart has remained in Italy.
His recent arrival at Villa Làrio, a secluded 18-suite estate in the quaint village of Pognana Lario, was a deliberate decision to root his food in Italian terroir. The property’s interiors, by Italian design firm Castagna 1939, are as much a source of inspiration as the landscape of rugged cliffs and tranquil water that frame his culinary approach. “My cuisine is concrete and direct,” he explains. “It focuses on essence, with a precise and deliberate use of local, raw materials to reveal their nuances. Villa Làrio is the perfect context to develop these simple yet important concepts.”
Maci’s signature style first greets guests at Il Palazzo, a lounge bar set in the property’s 19th-century classical villa, fully restored in 2020. Here, as the sun dips over Lake Como, the experience envelops “light, essential and modern” small plates, offering a convivial introduction to the chef’s ethos.
Whether on the terrace, nestled in the cedar garden or perched on the new suspended deck, the new Tapas all’Italiana menu is enjoyed as a playful celebration of regional Italian fare. Highlights include Neapolitan pizza fritta topped with tomato and Parmigiano, and a Roman-style crispy pasta fritta all’Amatriciana. Maci also re-imagines Rome’s iconic maritozzo pastry, stuffing it with slow-cooked pork belly, while a rich umami-packed beef tartare is balanced with parmesan and hazelnuts. A Lombardy-inspired goldencrusted beef cube rounds out the offer, served with potatoes and tartar sauce.
The estate’s two-hectare lakefront gardens also become the arena for Villa Làrio’s garden-to-glass concept, as master mixologist Raffaele Albanese infuses innovative botanical cocktails with herbs, fruits and leaves harvested directly from the grounds. “I want Villa Làrio to speak through the cocktail menu,” he says. “Working here, I realise I am surrounded by so much inspiration – fig leaves for soda, and many aromatics that we can transform directly into liquid.”
Delivering the garden’s produce straight to the glass, Albanese embraces a sustainable, zero-waste philosophy, crafting his own homemade liqueurs and cordials, attempting to use every part of each ingredient. “We don’t use too many elements, but each one is chosen with care. This is also part of our circular economy approach,” Albanese explains. “Low-waste isn’t just a trend for us – it’s expected. With our lemons, for example, we use the whole fruit, and thanks to lacto-fermentation we can preserve the flavour and use them for months.”
The menu proudly features locally made Rivo Gin, infused with the spirit of Lake Como. Signature negronis play with wild-foraged botanicals and house-made infusions. For example, the Riva Negroni is made with distilled tarocco orange, the Pontoon Negroni with rosé vermouth and
pepper leaves, and the Il Palazzo Negroni enriched by fig leaf bitters and Italian coffee gin. Created for those feeling more adventurous, the Three Sips Dirty Martini flight offers a garden-inspired trio of brines: olive, caper and lactofermented lemon. Botanical cocktails such as the Piscine, featuring elderflower and verbena with Franciacorta wine, and the Wild Gimlet with pine liqueur and cedar fruit, elevate the drinking experience. A creative twist on the classic Bloody Mary, with tequila, tomato, coconut, basil and lime, showcases Albanese’s flair and guests seeking non-alcoholic options are equally catered for, with low- and no-alcohol drinks crafted from fig leaves or verbena from the garden.
As the evening continues, Villa Bianca, the estate’s restaurant overlooking Lake Como, takes centre stage. Here, Maci leads guests through a colourful eight-course tasting menu with a range of seasonal dishes that showcase Italy’s rich bounty, transformed by the chef’s skilful hand and imaginative vision.
This fine-dining meal is one centred on precision. “The concept we are pursuing is to increasingly remove the superfluous,” its creator explains. “We focus on single ingredients and on how to extract the maximum from each of its individual parts.” This philosophy is evident from the very first course – crisp cucumber, fresh and simple –followed by a vibrant red shrimp salad paired with peanuts and pink grapefruit. A comforting risotto-style dish made with Vialone nano rice, chicken, anchovies, lemon and roasted red pepper arrives before delicate pigeon pasta, and there’s also a daring artichoke dish paired with white chocolate and coffee. The main course of Nebrodi pork with scampi, celeriac and lemon balm sauce sweeps guests away to the mountains of Sicily, while the finale invites a choice: a refreshing dessert of milk, orange and almond, or a selection of regional cheeses. Alongside, a list of Italian wines focuses on Valtellina, Piemonte and Toscana, with reds like Rosso di Valtellina DOC and Chianti Classico Sangiovese Nittardi 2020. Maci, like Albanese, embraces ingredients at their peak. “Nature has its own timing and dictates our schedule in the kitchen, so we need to be sensitive to that and really
Chef Davide Maci leads guests through a range of seasonal dishes showcasing Italy’s rich bounty
understand it,” he asserts. “Our profession has a duty to convey to guests the best time to serve a dish.” Seasonal lunch and dinner menus include highlights like beef carpaccio with parmesan, parsley, Milanese marrow and mushrooms; burnt wheat tagliatelle with parmesan sauce and black truffle; or sea ravioli in a delicate Mediterranean broth. Secondi range from red mullet and prawns in tomatomarinated fennel stew to Maremma beef flank steak with pickled greens and green pepper sauce, and Piedmontese chicken with red pepper reduction, anchovy and leek terrine.
Small, local producers are central to the sourcing of nearly every meal served at Villa Làrio. “We have so many brilliant producers here,” Maci says. “Knowing and seeing how they cultivate crops and raise stock makes us conceive each dish with a specific sensitivity.”
For an authentic Lake Como experience, a picnic basket option invites a leisurely breakfast, lunch or sunset aperitivo, all made with fresh, Italian products, to be enjoyed on-board the
property’s private boat. Light bites might include olives with parmesan and pecorino; a salad of tomatoes, cucumber and basil; or a focaccia adorned with prosciutto cotto and grilled aubergine. Finish with almond crumble paired with marinated strawberries.
Across the property, Maci believes the F&B experience must transcend the plate. Reembracing the Italian dolce vita, he sees meals as a moment to “savour life”. This joy extends beyond food into the surroundings: the serene lake, the plentiful gardens of Villa Làrio and the gentle embrace of the Italian landscape.
Perhaps it is about reconnecting with place, inviting guests to slow down, enjoy their company, and celebrating the simple pleasure of being exactly where they are. “Presence at the table is an important moment we share with our loved ones,” he concludes. “From the kitchen, I like to imagine my guests gathered around the table, laughing, tasting and enjoying themselves. In those moments, we are truly savouring life.”
The Greeks have bestowed myriad gifts on the world, from mathematics and philosophy to the foundations of language. They drew the outlines for western culture as we live today, and while these grandiose facts quietly effervesce in the background of daily life, conversely, the country’s distinct culinary influence has come to the fore in recent years, bringing with it fresh appreciation for the quality, simplicity and authenticity embodied by Greek cuisine. It’s never been a secret, but put simply: the Greeks make great food, and suddenly everyone wants in on the act. This realisation was a key driver in the genesis of Greek Chefs Abroad, an annual culinary series hosted by Mar-Bella Collection across its seaside properties. Keen to host a foodiefocused event that showcased the venue’s capabilities, the original idea stemmed from a desire to define a visceral sense
of place for its guests. “People come to Greece specifically to eat our food,” emphasises Maria Machera, the group’s UK and US Sales & Marketing Director, from the brightly lit lobby of Elix, Mar-Bella Collection, Parga. “And that’s what struck me most when we were coming up with the concept back in 2020.”
But the real lightbulb moment came when the team decided to eschew the trend for securing international Michelinstar collectors, instead reaching out to homegrown talent. “Many chefs leave the country to pursue a career abroad, and that’s contributed to the continuing popularity of Greek cuisine worldwide,” she continues. “So, we decided to call up the best among them, asking them to design menus that fuse their personal heritage with their experiences from the countries they work in.” Invitations were extended to local chefs making their mark on the international stage, and
Dishes including local oysters with melon granita, tomatoes topped with peaches, and steamed squid were envisioned by George Kataras (previous page)
before long, the prodigal children were enticed home for a reunion.
Now in its fifth year, and continuing to grow in renown, the 2025 edition of Greek Chefs Abroad is a celebration of heritage, diversity and the future of the nation’s gastronomy. This year’s line-up includes Giorgio Pintzas Monzani, Takis Panagakis, Arsenios Fourkiotis, Niko Koulousias and George Kataras, who were each charged with crafting a five-course tasting menu that weaves together tradition, innovation and personal storytelling, plus a signature dish defining their style and a plate inspired by their own culinary journey. These are then served to guests on select dates over summer, with the idea of feeding as many mouths as possible.
“We host the events across five summer dates, split between Apaggio at Nido in Corfu and Pearl at Elix in Parga, because our aim is to open up the event to as many people as we can,” Machera explains. “We want our guests to have a memorable culinary experience that really showcases elevated Greek food and reveals what lies at the heart of our famous hospitality.”
Backed by the hotels’ owners, who are committed to offering unique dining experiences, the events form an essential pillar of the group’s overall strategy. “You have to offer guests something special,” Machera affirms. “Meaningful experiences are what travellers are looking for.”
From a chef’s point of view, the series appeals in a different way, offering a rare opportunity to return to the lands that sowed the seeds of inspiration within them, but with a refreshed perspective that allows them to cast renewed eyes on their past. For Finland-based Fourkiotis, that was a primary stimulus for signing up. “Greece is where I first discovered
“The new generation of my fellow chefs are doing bold, thoughtful work. It’s time for the world to see that Greek cuisine can be fearlessly innovative.”
ARSENIOS FOURKIOTIS
flavour, and where my relationship with food began,” he explains. “So, to come back is both emotional and meaningful – especially because the new generation of my fellow chefs are doing bold, thoughtful work. It’s time for the world to see that Greek cuisine can be fearlessly innovative.”
For Kataras – who left Athens at the age of 21 and went on to work at Michelin-starred Geranium in Copenhagen and Fera at Claridges in London, before founding Cue in Amsterdam – Greek Chefs Abroad is a chance to spotlight the simple approach to cooking that he’s developed throughout his evolution as a chef. “I prefer to use only two or three ingredients in my dishes,” he explains. “My style today is very minimalistic. I don’t get caught up in overly complicated plates anymore – I promised myself that the goal for Greek Chefs Abroad was simply to cook nice food using the best local produce available.”
This ethos is on full display on a warm evening back in June, when Supper is in attendance for Kataras’ event at Elix in Parga. Overlooking the twinkling Ionian Sea below, and with skies the colour of ripening nectarines above, guests take their seats on the al fresco terrace at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Pearl. Some have booked their trips specifically to coincide, others are simply taking advantage of having access to a toprated chef on their holiday, but all are settled in for the twists and turns of a promising gastronomic journey.
The feast begins with a Mexican-inspired appetiser of freshly caught, local oysters. Poached in sea water to draw out the intensity of the salty flavours, they’re served with a melon granita and green chilli. Plump tomatoes that have been peeled, cured and presented in a rich broth topped with peaches and bee pollen follow. Next, Kataras uses a Japanese technique for
“Greek hospitality is about sharing time with people at the table, and that’s why food is so important to us.”
GEORGE KATARAS
wine pairing for
steaming squid to create a buttery texture, before pairing it with an almond and fig leaf sauce, and accompanying with rustic potato bread made with semolina and topped with creamy local cheese.
A croakerfish dish follows. Gently poached with sage, it’s drenched in a lemony, Sabayonstyle sauce that Kataras explains is used all over Greece. It’s served with foraged coastal herbs and amaranth for a hint of sweetness. Pork and green beans come next, immersed in traditional Greek buttermilk that has similarities to kefir. And to finish, Kataras produces a dish of cherries and yoghurt encased within paperthin pastry. Each course is accompanied by handpicked wines from nearby Zervas Winery, and is delivered to the table by Kataras, who explains his insights in person.
During preparation for the event, Kataras realised that his involvement was about more than style and creativity; it was an opportunity to uncover the nuances of the hospitality he
grew up surrounded by, which together combine to become essential features of meaningful life in Greece. “Our dinners are like big gatherings where we sit around the table long after we’ve finished eating,” he reminisces. “We sip wine, and we talk things through with friends, family and loved ones. It’s about sharing time with people at the table, and that’s why food is so important to our identities.”
Machera concurs, confirming that at its core, Greek Chefs Abroad reveals the essence of what makes the country’s culinary flair so appealing beyond its own borders. “It’s about human connection,” she says. “Between the chefs and kitchen teams, between the chefs and the guests, and between the guests themselves, who swap stories over the table. It’s all central to Greek hospitality and food. Ultimately, it’s about simple, healthy dishes that are big on flavour, sharing that enjoyment with others, and bringing the best our talented chefs have to offer to our guests.”
The
Kataras’ Greek Chefs Abroad evening was presented by Zervas Winery
Soil to Service
A Regenerative Travel chefs’ residency at Craveiral Farmhouse in Portugal sets out to redefine the blueprint for sustainable hospitality.
Words: Morgane Nyfeler
Photography: Courtesy of Craveiral Farmhouse (unless otherwise stated)
In the sun-drenched hills of Portugal’s Alentejo region, five chefs gathered not to compete, but to collaborate; not to chase gastronomic perfection, but to interrogate what it means to cook regeneratively. Hosted at Craveiral Farmhouse, a design-led eco-hospitality project in Odemira, the two-week, immersive gastronomic residency was a culinary exchange rooted in soil health, cultural storytelling and the goal of systemic change.
Organised by Regenerative Travel in collaboration with Craveiral Farmhouse, the residency convened chefs from Botswana, Cambodia, the US and Australia, each selected via an open application process and representing a broad range of backgrounds, geographies and operating contexts. The aim was to connect gastronomy with regenerative agriculture, while exploring how these principles can be scaled meaningfully within the wider hospitality sector. It was designed as a working blueprint for regenerative hospitality – one that goes far beyond the farm to table tagline and into the ground itself.
Craveiral Farmhouse is a long-time member of Regenerative Travel, making it a natural choice for the pilot residency. Boasting a 70% homegrown produce model alongside local sourcing and regenerative land management programmes, it’s a living case study for how hospitality businesses can integrate circular economy principles into day-to-day operations. When founder Pedro Franca Pinto took on the land, the soil was depleted and lifeless. “This dream started with the intention to leave our region better than how we found it,” he explains. “Hospitality can be a powerful vehicle for change, education and belonging.”
Guided by Rodolfo Pereira, Craveiral’s Permaculture Manager, the team slowly began to rebuild the soil health using organic compost made from kitchen scraps and by reintroducing native species to encourage biodiversity. The result is a thriving, self-sustaining agricultural ecosystem that yields a colourful and nutritious variety of produce year-round. “The harmonious balance of biological interactions, mimicking natural ecosystems, enables healthy harvests without the need for chemical inputs,” Pereira explains. “And we do this while respecting the seasonality of each crop.”
This process formed the educational basis of the residency, during which participants spent their days learning about the complexities of soil science, composting techniques and closed-loop systems. Henry Elliman, a FrancoAmerican chef known for his nature-inspired dining pop-ups, believes regeneration begins with deep attentiveness: “You have to spend time in the garden, tasting, smelling and understanding how things grow. That’s where creativity really begins.”
“This dream started with an intention to leave our region better than how we found it. Hospitality can be a powerful vehicle for change, education and belonging.”
PEDRO FRANCA PINTO
Over the course of two weeks, chefs were challenged to develop two tasting menus using only what could be harvested or sourced locally. They explored nearby fish markets, visited regional producers and worked closely with Craveiral’s team to create dishes that were both grounded and inventive. From burnt carrot purée and lemon-cured rubalo fish to beet skewers with ‘edible soil’ and a Palestineinspired dessert, each plate told a story of sustainability and culture.
While rooted in the availability of local produce, each dish also sprung from the chefs’ diverse experiences gained from cooking around the globe, where they were all confronted with the same uncomfortable truth: glamorous gastronomy often comes at the expense of waste. “The challenge is to minimise food waste by using every part of an ingredient,” says Tian Oelofse, the South African-born chef who runs the kitchen at AndBeyond Xaranna Camp in Botswana. “All while ensuring guests still receive a high-quality dining experience.”
It’s a conundrum that requires unpicking at every layer of the hospitality industry, from supplier relationships to kitchen culture and guest education. “Experiences like this deepen an appreciation for the care, intention and effort that goes into growing and rearing every ingredient,” says Johanna Wilder, the driving force behind Italian zero-waste eatery Ama Restaurant in Washington DC. “It reinforced my commitment to honouring practices rooted in stewardship and respect for the land in my restaurant and communicating these values to our guests.”
In today’s hyperconnected, demanddriven world, Amanda Ho, co-founder and
CEO of Regenerative Travel, says that one of the challenges in hotel F&B is expectation management. Guests often anticipate globally recognisable ingredients regardless of where they’re travelling, but regeneratively aligned properties are pushing back on that narrative by curating instead of catering. “Hotels shouldn’t apologise for only serving what’s in season or locally sourced,” she confirms. “We aim to change mentalities around food availability in restaurants, educating and involving guests in the journey.”
The residency culminated in a multi-chef dinner at Lisbon’s Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, where participating chefs presented dishes inspired by the experience. But despite an array of inspiring plates, the true takeaway wasn’t the menu, it was the model. “Regeneration is only possible when we share knowledge, support one another, and work across multiple disciplines,” says Elliman.
This sentiment is echoed by Jez Wick, Sydney’s first Food for Soul Refettorio, who emphasises the importance of stepping beyond the kitchen pass: “Our work as chefs doesn’t stop at the plate,” she affirms. “We’re part of a larger community that includes farmers, foragers, fishermen and future generations.”
The residency proves that regeneration is a mindset that should transcend trends. Lasting change demands humility, partnership and a willingness to question the systems we’ve inherited. The path is far from easy, but the potential impact on land, people, palate and guest experience is undeniable. “Hotels have a responsibility to curate their food experiences,” Ho concludes. “And that makes them very wellplaced to make a statement with their menus.”
http://www.narumi.co.jp
Île Flottante comme un Calisson Amarines
Villa Miraé
CAP D’ANTIBES
Two iconic French delicacies unite in one of Mauro Colagreco’s latest creations served at Amarines within Villa Miraé in Cap d’Antibes. Île flottante comme un calisson is an amalgamation of a classic île flottante and a calisson d’Aix, reimagined with a characterful twist. “It combines the best of both desserts,” Colagreco confirms. “So, it’s rooted in tradition yet also playfully inventive.”
Composed of delicate layers, the base is a soft, vanilla-steamed meringue, topped with a traditional calisson made from almond paste, and enriched by candied melon and orange along with a dusting of icing sugar. The dessert is then crowned with a crisp, unleavened wafer that has been soaked in syrup and oven-dried for added crunch. Finished with a smattering of whole caramelised almonds fresh from Provence, the dessert is served in a sea of lavender-infused crème anglaise.
“The flavours resonate deeply with me, speaking of Menton, my hometown, where citrus trees flourish. In fact, we grow all the ingredients in our own gardens, which makes it feel even more rooted to the location,” Colagreco adds. “I also find the play on textures beautiful; there’s something very satisfying about the contrast of light and airy, melting and crisp, all in one bite.”
A summer holiday to the island of Sylt and the fragrant pink roses that blossom on its shores are the inspirations behind Champagne Dessert, a signature dish from Christoph Rüffer. The chef, who was recently awarded three Michelin stars for Haerlin at Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, sources the ingredients directly from a local farmer he knows personally. “He handpicks rose petals and raspberries on the island and delivers them to our kitchen twice a week,” Rüffer reveals. The produce is then used to create a raspberry-rose mousse, a champagne sorbet and a syrupy tea. “The mousse is prepared like
a crème anglaise, while the sorbet is made with Dom Pérignon and refined with a little butter, which makes it deliciously creamy,” Rüffer explains. To finish, a raspberry-rose petal crafted from sugar is placed on top. “This is my favourite detail,” he says. “It adds a delicate crunch and a unique mouthfeel that makes the dessert truly memorable.”
Simultaneously sweet, light and floral, the dish has proven popular with diners, as Rüffer concludes: “Our guests love it because it’s refreshing, but also evocative of north Germany’s beautiful summers.”
APERITIFS
On Course for Cocktails
Multi-course tasting menus might be the norm in the dining sector, but they’re yet to make the mainstream in the world of cocktails. Now, mixologists are getting in on the action, as Four Seasons Hotel Seoul introduces H Bar, The Lab of Fine Drinking. Tucked away in the basement behind a secret doorway, the speakeasy-within-aspeakeasy describes itself as Korea’s first ‘courseformat’ cocktail bar, in which drinks are served consecutively for a curated imbibing experience.
Inspired by 18th-century cocktail writer Charles H Baker Jr, the venue imagines how the era’s adventurous bon vivant might host a gathering in present-day Seoul. True to Baker’s spirit of innovation, each cocktail is crafted using hyperseasonal local ingredients and cutting-edge techniques. Think rotary evaporation, centrifugation and liquid nitrogen, complemented by distinct flavours like Chodang corn, Daejeo tomato, Korean melon and perilla leaf.
Guests can opt for a two-course experience for a brief introduction to the bar’s concept or go à la carte and pick their poison from the eight-strong tasting menu. The line-up includes the fizzy, fruity fun of Alcopop’s Black Mango Watermelon, bursting with Seongju Chamoe and accompanied by an ice lolly. Or there’s the nature-inspired Matcha Latte, topped with flash-frozen local herbs and a handcut ice diamond.
Dual Daiquiri is served with a pearl that transforms the cocktail’s flavour profile with the first sip; Nightcap offers a moment of botanical calm with the introduction of H Bar’s first seasonal amaro; and Shampagne, Sweet Corn & Sgroppino is something of a sensory surprise, marking the end of a bold and imaginative flight into exciting new cocktail territory.
Cheers to the Years
As Steigenberger celebrates 95 years of hospitality, the H World International brand is raising a glass to legacy, with a cocktail collection that revives popular recipes from decades past.
The Founder’s Cocktail Selection reimagines signature drinks inspired by the golden years of Steigenberger bar culture, spanning the 1950s to 1980s. From fruity and refreshing to dry and complex, each cocktail has been reinterpreted by seasoned mixologists to pay tribute to the concoctions that once delighted stars, style icons and world travellers.
Chez Heinz, first crafted at Frankfurter Hof in 1953, blends apple wine, apple-infused vodka, Curaçao and lemon bitters in a bold, characterfilled tribute to the legendary head bartender of the iconic Author’s Bar. And from 1957, Etoile offers a refined mix of Amer Picon, rum, lemon juice and red fruits, a tipple that once delighted
icons like Christian Dior and Louis Armstrong at Parkhotel Düsseldorf.
Meanwhile, Old Joe, originating at Ritters Park Hotel in 1963, combines gin, Cointreau, orange juice, bitters and sparkling wine into a vibrant homage to a bar chef who helped define Steigenberger’s bar culture. Finally, Little Pilot, a non-alcoholic favourite from Steigenberger’s property at Frankfurt Airport, charms with ginger beer, grenadine and Sprite in a sweet salute to the youngest guests of one of Germany’s first airport hotels.
Whether it’s an aperitif at Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof in Vienna, a scenic sundowner at Steigenberger Alcazar under the Sharm El Sheikh sky, or a moment of complete indulgence at Steigenberger Hotel Doha, every creation offers guests a taste of artisanal precision, alongside a touch of nostalgia.
One-Sip Wonder
In a drinking culture increasingly defined by moderation and precision, Tiny Cocktails delivers a timely, trendaware approach to modern mixology: compact serves, low-alcohol luxury and all the flavour without the fallout.
Authored by bartender and drinks journalist Tyler Zielinski, the book champions the rise of the ‘little drink’, offering 60 small-format pours (just 3-6 ounces each) that balance bold flavour with measured restraint. “Tiny cocktails are very much the fashionable way of low-ABV drinking. Aesthetically, they’re striking – dare I say, cute,” says Zielinski. “But there’s more than meets the eye as these diminutive cocktails also provide solutions to a variety of modern-day drinking quandaries.”
With recipes from some of the world’s sharpest bartenders, readers can peruse everything from predinner palate-openers to micro-dose caffeinated cocktails that don’t impact sleep, plus indulgent nightcaps that hit all the notes without overdoing it. There’s the fluffy, tropical lift of Campari Garibaldi, the cocoa-nib richness of French Kiss, or a Wee Irish Coffee that reimagines the classic in a few sips.
Alongside Zielinski’s recipes, readers can pick up pro tips, simple ways to elevate cocktail service, ideas for infused syrups and spirits, and glassware tricks that make even the tiniest drinks feel top shelf.
Fine Drinking.
Sunraysia Five Star Cranberry is currently enjoying residency at the following fine hotels: The Lowell New York, Boston Harbor Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, The
Setai Miami, Park Hyatt New York, The Langham Chicago, L’Ermitage Beverly Hills…
(Pictured Cocktail: Sunraysia Cosmopolitan, mix it from your hotel minibar.)
Shrine to Wine
Moinard Bétaille transforms the historic wine cellar at Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo into a sanctuary for curious oenophiles.
Today’s wine drinkers are more curious and informed than ever, seeking not just exceptional bottles, but the stories and traditions behind them. As a result, fine wine is no longer simply served, it is appreciated as part of a rich cultural experience, and once-hidden away wine cellars are emerging as curated spaces that reflect a quiet reverence for the craft.
At Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, Europe’s largest hotel wine cellar has been transformed into a subterranean shrine to wine. Built in the 1870s, the space has long been a cornerstone of Monaco’s fine wine history, from hosting some of the world’s rarest vintages to safeguarding precious bottles during World War II.
Interior design agency Moinard Bétaille, known for its work with leading Bordeaux and Burgundy estates, has undertaken a renovation that respect’s the cellar’s storied past and celebrates wine not just as a product, but as a cultural expression. Drawing inspiration from the oenological world, the entire space is clad in oak, a material used not only for its practicality
in wine storage, but as a tactile connection to the barrels where wine matures. Vaulted ceilings evoke the grandeur of cathedral naves, while narrow beams of daylight from the Côte d’Azur filter through carved openings.
In wide aisles dedicated to the world’s great appellations, bottles rest in bespoke oak racks, while illuminated display cases showcase largeformat wines suspended on invisible supports, as if floating. There’s also a tasting room, with a circular central table that serves as a kind of altar to discovery.
At the deepest point of the cellar lies the Marie Blanc Reserve, named after the wife of hotel founder François Blanc. In this sanctum sanctorum, walls of La Turbie stone and oak are complemented by a bespoke lighting installation made from hundreds of suspended bottle bases.
And at the heart of it all lies Le Cercle des Caves, a by-invitation-only club that grants access to exclusive events and intimate tastings, held within rooms that feel less like hospitality spaces and more like consecrated sanctuaries.
A terrace by the sea, and a limoncello just for me
CLASSICI ITALIANI
illustrated by Giordano Poloni anddiscovertaste
Yasuhiro Kawakubo
Director
of Bars, The Tokyo Edition
Marriott International
With over 20 years of experience in the bar industry, Yasuhiro Kawakubo has held multiple progressive leadership roles specialising in high-end beverage concepts. His journey with Marriott International began as Bar Manager at The Tokyo Edition in early 2024, before being promoted to Director of Bars overseeing Punch Room, Sophie Bar, The Roof and The Lobby Bar. Prior to joining Marriott, Yasuhiro was Bar Manager at Bulgari Hotels & Resorts in Tokyo, where he led Bvlgari Ginza Bar to achieve a ranking of 86th in Asia’s 50 Best Bars.
A Punch Above
With Punch Room earning a coveted place on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025, The Tokyo Edition’s Yasuhiro Kawakubo reflects on what it takes to lead a meaningful bar programme with global impact.
Words: Hannah Currie
When Asia’s 50 Best Bars revealed its annual ranking in July, one of the biggest surprises came from inside a hotel. Punch Room Tokyo, less than a year old and tucked inside The Tokyo Edition in the ritzy district of Ginza, debuted at number 36 - a major statement for Japan’s evolving bar scene.
ROOM TO POUR
“Even I can hardly believe it,” admits Yasuhiro Kawakubo, Director of Bars. “My previous bar was ranked 87th last year, so perhaps expectations were high. The achievement isn’t just about votes for the venue, but support for my journey.” In any case, the win has already resulted in an uptick in visitors, particularly among trend-conscious travellers. “By satisfying these early adopters, I hope we can spark a positive cycle of word of mouth,” he says. “And I hope it builds confidence in Edition’s beverage programmes globally.”
Despite the recent attention this particular concept has received, Kawakubo’s scope is much broader, taking in four distinct bars spread across the 86-room Tokyo Edition. From the Japanese whisky and gin-forward Lobby Bar to the seasonal, open-air The Roof, each venue has its own identity. Core duties involve managing the beverage programmes across these spaces and training both bar and floor staff. But, Kawakubo says the most important part of the
job is ensuring that his team stays motivated and aligned with each bar’s philosophy day-by-day. “Rather than pushing my personal preferences, I take a strategic approach, analysing the venue’s mission, identifying what’s lacking or in demand in the local market, and designing a dedicated programme that sits at the intersection of the two,” he explains.
Still, most of his time is spent at Punch Room on the hotel’s second floor. Inspired by 19th-century private clubs in London, the brand’s concept spans eight Edition properties worldwide, offering historically rooted punch cocktails tailored to each region. Tokyo’s iteration takes that mission seriously. “Our current menu, Wonderland Volume 2, explores the kind of punches that might have emerged if trade ships had reached Japan in the 17th century,” says Kawakubo. “It’s easy to focus on the visual appeal of bowl service, but we remain faithful to punch’s historical origins and structure, anchored in five pillars of flavour: spirit, citrus, sweet, tea and spice.”
The Japanese bartender’s nuanced philosophy also extends to service. With 80 seats – large by Tokyo’s standards – Punch Room trains not only its bartenders but also floor staff to execute drinks with confidence. “In Japan, where bar culture is deeply rooted in craftsmanship, only a select few are permitted behind the counter. But
with a venue as large as ours, I want to train all floor staff to be able to make our signature drinks. I aim to create an environment where servers can also experience the joy of bartending.”
GLOBAL OUTLOOK, LOCAL TOUCH
Bringing his own experience to the property, Kawakubo’s international résumé informs his methodical, strategic approach. In Singapore, he was part of a team that made Asia’s 50 Best Bars in its inaugural year and in Paris and Sydney, he worked at restaurant bars, absorbing culinary techniques from chefs that now influence his infusions. “Each of these cities gave me a different lens through which to view Japanese bar culture, helping me see both its strengths and its blind spots, which has proven invaluable since returning to Tokyo.”
This perspective is especially relevant as Japan navigates shifting drinking patterns. “Postpandemic, late-night crowds have thinned and many bars have shortened their hours,” he notes. “This is healthy for society, but it poses challenges for profitability. It means bars now need to create value in a much shorter window, where people focus more on how they drink and with whom. Punch, shared from a bowl, is a great tool for this because it’s inherently social and brings people together.”
In a world still buzzing with molecular
mixology and visual spectacle, Kawakubo sees a pivot toward simplicity. “There’s a return to the classics – refined, well-balanced cocktails with precision in ice, glassware and house-made ingredients,” he notes. And, of course, alongside this technical refinement is a reimagining of service. “The best bars today have entire crews, not just one star bartender. A great guest experience doesn’t rely on one famous personality but on the strength of the whole team.”
PUNCH WITH PURPOSE
Looking ahead, Kawakubo says entry into the World’s 50 Best Bars is not necessarily a stated ambition, but still, excellence remains the roadmap. “Since voting is anonymous, I hesitate to set World’s 50 Best as a fixed goal. But we do know that the voters are split roughly into thirds: bartenders, media and well-travelled consumers. So our approach is twofold: create a venue that earns the respect of our peers, and train every team member to clearly communicate our concept and story to each guest we serve.”
With his roots now firmly planted in Japan, Kawakubo hopes Punch Room Tokyo can serve as a gateway for knowledge and discovery. “While we may be the only venue specialising in punch, Japan actually has a long, rich history with this style of cocktail,” he says. “I want to pass
that baton to the next generation of bartenders and guests, making punch delicious, fun and accessible, and showing that bars can be places of both tradition and excitement.”
In the heart of Ginza, Kawakubo aims to pursue the highest standards of technique, ingredients and service, while remaining warm and approachable to a range of guests. “Rather than simply using traditional Japanese ingredients like matcha or yuzu, we take a more philosophical approach to crafting our drinks,” he asserts. A service gap for international visitors in particular is acknowledged: “With six times more overseas travellers than a decade ago, many bars here still lack English-friendly service, so that’s something we’ve focused on. When I make recommendations, I also explain how to enjoy each venue, not just list names.” This mindset guides how Punch Room Tokyo connects with the broader bar community. “As more international guests visit, I hope we can serve as a hub that links them to incredible local bartenders and bars across Japan, and not just in Tokyo.”
Longer term, Kawakubo sees the bar’s mission as part of a greater movement: sharing and preserving the values of Japanese bartending. “I want to continue studying and passing down the traditions and philosophies of Japanese bar culture to our peers overseas,” he concludes. “That’s the legacy I hope we can build together.”
As immersive travel experiences gain momentum, hotels are embracing drinks masterclasses that not only showcase craft and tradition but deepen ties to local community.
Words: Shanna McGoldrick
Around the world, hotels are quite literally raising the bar on guest experiences, with beverage programmes specially designed to spotlight local drinks heritage and build cultural connections. As a result, the hotel bar is no longer just a spot for casual postdinner drinks; it now serves as a gateway to community, acting as a salve to the growing thirst for authenticity among luxury travellers. From herbal teas in Osaka to aperitifs in Rome, these curated tasting masterclasses invite guests to engage with local traditions through what’s in their glass.
On Mexico’s tropical Yucatán Peninsula, a region renowned for its gastronomic credentials, few ingredients epitomise the allure of its epicurean cultural legacy quite like
the humble agave. Deeply rooted in the Central American nation’s identity, the storied plant forms the basis of its most renowned spirits, from pre-Hispanic liquor pulque to mezcal and tequila.
It’s why, at Maroma, a Belmond resort in the Maya Riviera, a guest experience called Journey into Agave is proving a hit. Designed to educate participants on the plant’s cultural, agricultural and spiritual significance, this is a tasting experience with a difference. Sessions feature unique local pours such as Xtabentún – a liquor of Mayan origin that comes from Yucatán and is made using honey from bees fed with the xtabentún flower – and the atelier covers botanics, farming traditions and production techniques, both ancestral and contemporary.
At Six Senses Rome, guests can brush up on their knowledge of quintessentially Italian liqueurs like Campari, Aperol and
“It’s incredibly important to shine a light on local and national beverages, especially in a country like Mexico, where drinks such as mezcal, tequila, pulque and regional infusions are deeply tied to identity, tradition and place,” says Alfredo Ruiz Falcon, EAM F&B Director at Belmond. “Guests today are looking for more meaningful connections to what they consume, and beverages – especially those with cultural or artisanal value – offer a perfect opportunity.”
Belmond is not alone in responding to a growing appetite for authentic and interactive F&B experiences that reinforce a sense of place.
A 2025 report from Skift and Accor found that dining activations have become a natural gateway to deeper destination immersion, with hotels taking on the role of ‘cultural connector’, guiding guest exposure to a range of regional customs and traditions.
Though cooking classes and organised market visits are now almost considered the norm at a luxury level, the hospitality sector is lately seeing a global shift towards immersive, destination-specific drinking experiences that anchor individual hotels to the wider beverage culture of their locations. At Patina Osaka, for instance, guests can sign up to a specialist herbal tea workshop guided by the property’s in-house experts, while Singapore’s Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree is already seeing success with Local Kopi Craft, a handson tasting session exploring the city-state’s expansive coffee culture, spotlighting traditional Nanyang-style kopi brewed using roasted Robusta Beans and mixed with margarine or sugar for a local twist.
A similar initiatives has emerged in Rome, where guests at Six Senses can brush up on their knowledge of the quintessentially Italian liqueurs such as Cocchi Vermouth, Campari and Aperol, before playing bartender as part of a masterclass called The Art of Aperitivo. And in Texas, Auberge Resorts Collection property Bowie House is boosting engagement with an activation known as Spirits of the West, exploring the spirits that have shaped the drinking culture of the American Southwest.
“Guests today are looking for deeper, more meaningful connections to what they consume, and beverages with cultural or artisanal value offer a perfect opportunity.”
ALFREDO RUIZ FALCON
At the heart of such approaches is storytelling. “These experiences go beyond tasting,” says Ruiz Falcon, explaining that hands-on elements like mixing and distilling, or learning about origin, tradition and technique are integral to the format. “It’s part of a broader trend where luxury is defined not just by comfort, but by authenticity, education and engagement.”
Grace Cowan, Experience & Community Manager at Bowie House, agrees. “Guests aren’t just looking to order a great cocktail; they want to engage with what’s in their glass, hear the story behind it, and experience it in a way that is personal and meaningful,” she says.
Indeed, the point of experiential beverage programmes seems to be less about boosting profit margins (charges for the classes mentioned range from complimentary to US$130 per person); instead, the commercial benefit lies in the long-term positive impact gained from relationship-building with guests. “It deepens
the guest connection to Fort Worth and Bowie House, transforming a simple hotel stay into an unforgettable experience,” says Cowan.
Olivia Loh, F&B Manager at Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree, points out that initiatives like the kopi masterclass “foster deeper guest engagement and loyalty”, while Ruiz Falcon says the agave experience not only creates a “meaningful bond between guests and Mexico” but helps to “reinforce the hotel’s identity as a place that values heritage, sustainability and authentic human connection”.
Activations can also, when handled sensitively, benefit local economies – an obvious draw for community-conscious travellers. “Highlighting these beverages supports local producers and communities and helps preserve ancestral knowledge and sustainable practices,” says Ruiz Falcon. “It’s a way of creating lasting memories while promoting local heritage and supporting the community.” And the benefits work both ways, as Stefano Lanzara, F&B Manager at Six Senses Rome, points out: “These experiences also give our team the chance to proudly share our culture.”
Even the most well-travelled guests are surprised by what they discover during the sessions. “Many guests are fascinated to learn that Singapore has its own kopi lexicon, brewing techniques and café traditions that date back to the early 20th century,” shares Loh. Cowan adds: “Guests are amazed by the diversity and innovation coming out of the Texas spirits scene, from bourbon rivalling Kentucky’s finest to experimental spirits growing right here in the American Southwest.” Ruiz Falcon, meanwhile, points to the drinking practices themselves. “These ancestral liqueurs should be sipped slowly and enjoyed for the aromas and nuances they offer,” he stresses, adding that participants are also often surprised by the regional diversity of agave spirits and the ceremonial uses of alcohol in indigenous communities.
Although bar experiences have been historically slower to take off than culinary activations, drinking programmes are particularly well-suited to offering the kind
Cocchi Vermouth
“Beverage programming has become a vital part of experiential luxury travel, creating moments that feel intimate, authentic and memorable.”
GRACE COWAN
At Bowie House in Texas, an activation called Spirits of the West explores the whiskeys, tequilas, mezcals and sotols that have shaped the drinking culture of the American Southwest
of authentic cultural capital that guests crave. “Beverage workshops like Local Kopi Craft are becoming more popular because they offer that same hands-on engagement, yet in a faster, more accessible format compared with full-day culinary classes,” clarifies Loh.
Naturally, there are challenges – perhaps more for city-centre properties that face varied external competition for consumer attention than resorts. “The allure of Rome often draws guests out to explore the city whenever they have the chance,” explains Lanzara.
But this is where the hotel’s F&B range comes into play, with a class that allows guests to step into the role of bartender by mixing and tasting their creations under the guidance of the hotel’s expert staff, pairing drinks with classic aperitivo bites provided by the kitchen. In this way, he points out, the property can “personalise each guest’s journey based on individual tastes and preferences” – the sessions are consistently popular enough to merit being run fortnightly.
In a competitive hospitality landscape that
sees luxury groups and independent F&B brands vying for attention, hotel masterclasses provide a relatively low-cost opportunity to channel in-house expertise to promote deeper guest engagement, scoring high in terms of authentic cultural discovery, guest satisfaction and corporate social responsibility.
“Beverage programming has become a vital part of experiential luxury travel worldwide, creating the kind of moments that feel intimate, authentic and memorable,” says Cowan. But that a creative bar masterclass should feel like such a natural fit for curious-minded guests should come as no surprise: after all, drinking has always been a reliable way of bringing people together. “Western drinking culture is profoundly intertwined with community and gathering,” Cowan concludes. “In the early frontier days, saloons were the heart of a town. They were places where news was shared, deals were made and neighbours became family. That tradition of gathering over a great glass continues today.”
COCKTAIL
Summer Punch
Manhattan Bar
Conrad Orchard
SINGAPORE
At Manhattan Bar, housed within Conrad Singapore Orchard, The Big Apple is more than a namesake, it’s the ultimate muse. The bar’s new menu, Seasons of Manhattan, aims to capture the New York district’s rhythm through time, offering a drinking experience that mirrors the essence of spring, summer, autumn and winter in the city that never sleeps.
The 31-drink collection is presented as a desk calendar, unfolding like a curated journal with pop-up illustrations that animate scenes from the blossoming trees of Central Park to the warming glow of the Rockefeller Center at year’s end.
Notably, the menu caters to all, giving mindful drinkers a front row seat at the table. “For us, it was important that every guest could be part of the experience,” says Beverage Manager, Zana Möhlmann. “So, each season includes a zero-proof cocktail crafted with the same concept and complexity as the rest of the menu.”
One standout is Summer Punch, a vibrant, alcohol-free serve created by Möhlmann, together with mixologist Sylvester Foo, to mirror the energy of New York in midsummer: bold, layered and mood-lifting.
A base of Crossip Fresh Citrus, cold-infused with cascara, introduces cherry and tea-like notes while Seedlip Grove & Garden brings further complexity. A measure of coconut cream is followed by a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice and finally, a pour of mango and ginger cordial rounds out a smooth, refreshing mix.
“Summer Punch is layered and vibrant, with ingredients that come together in such a balanced way to hit all the right notes. The flavours speak to each other, so it doesn’t need alcohol to feel complete,” Möhlmann concludes. “This drink was created especially for the summer season, so we wanted it to feel joyful. It’s truly sunshine in a glass.”
The humble apple takes centre stage in a thoughtful new take on the classic champagne cocktail at The Langham London’s Artesian bar.
The standout serve is part of Ultimo, the final volume in the venue’s Futureproof Trilogy: a curated list of 16 ingredient-driven drinks, each built around a single, often overlooked component which is preserved, transformed and layered using expert techniques to unlock new flavours.
“The aim was to reinterpret the champagne cocktail and centre it around one of the most historically and culturally rich fruits,” explains bartender, Giulia Cuccurullo. “Apples have been cultivated in Europe for centuries, and using them here allowed us to connect the past with the present in a thoughtful, flavour-driven way.”
The serve combines Johnnie Walker Blue Label and Courvoisier VSOP to offer warmth and depth, while Disaronno contributes its signature almond note. For a silky texture, the spirits are fatwashed with cashew nuts and oil, a technique that imparts gentle nuttiness and a rounded mouthfeel, softening the bold edges of the whisky and cognac.
For the first apple component, the fruit is preserved in a syrup infused with the comforting flavours of apple crumble. A splash of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut adds luxury fizz.
But the best is still to come. “When the drink arrives at the table, it looks like a simple glass of champagne, but then we drop in a delicate sugar apple rose that dissolves to create a subtle effervescence and aroma,” Cuccurullo adds. “This gesture is a nod to the traditional sugar cube used in old-school champagne cocktails, but here, it’s reinterpreted as something more theatrical, leaving guests with a touch of sweetness and a smile. It’s not just a garnish; it’s the closing line of a story.”
Sunraysia Five Star offers a hand-crafted range of natural juices made from the finest fruit varieties, bottled in 100% recyclable packaging.
With strictly no retail distribution, Sunraysia is one of the only juice brands dedicated exclusively to the global, luxury hospitality business. The Australian brand caters to a range of beverage occasions, including inroom mini-bars, welcome amenities, breakfast service, restaurants, bars and banqueting.
Focused on a pure, simple and authentic drinking experience, Sunraysia Five Star juice is never made from concentrate. The collection includes apple, orange and pineapple, offering guilt-free indulgence with no added sugar, no preservatives and nothing artificial.
For those seeking more indulgent tasting experiences, the Nectar and Juice Drink collections feature pear, mango and cranberry varieties. Delicious on their own, these juices are also crafted to work as mixers for creative cocktails and mocktails. www.sunraysiafivestar.com
Thrill International Thrill Rock
Thrill International presents Thrill Rock, a new generation of professional glass chillers developed with a focus on robust design, advanced technology and ease-of-use.
The compact, fully autonomous units use liquid CO₂ to eliminate up to 88% of bacteria and neutralise odour, and chill glasses quickly and evenly without affecting the taste of the beverage. Each features a simple, onehanded activation system and has a built-in rechargeable battery that provides several days of use without the need for a power outlet.
Thrill Rock is available in two versions. The first, crafted from natural or black-stained walnut wood is compatible with compact 4 or 5kg CO₂ cylinders while delivering optimal cooling and sanitisation. The second is made entirely of black-painted stainless steel and is specifically designed for the horeca sector. Built to withstand intensive use, it supports CO₂ cylinders up to 10kg. This model is also NSF-certified, ensuring full compliance with international hygiene standards and suitability for use in highly regulated environments. www.thrillinternational.com
Quaglia, Antica Distilleria is relaunching three of its classic Italian after-dinner liqueurs: Limoncello, Sambuca and Amaretto, with new packaging and label designs set to hit shelves this autumn.
The revamped line, Classici Italiani, draws on traditional family recipes and aims to reconnect consumers with regional Italian flavours through a modern visual identity. The restyling, created in collaboration with illustrator Giordano Poloni, is designed as a visual journey through Italy, from the lemon groves of the south to the cafés of the north.
The Limoncello is made using a slow infusion of fragrant lemon peels to extract essential oils. The distillery’s Sambuca features a balanced distillation of star anise and fennel seeds. Meanwhile, its Amaretto showcases a blend of almond, fruit and vanilla notes, offering a velvet-like profile.
Each liqueur serves as a tribute to Italy’s artisanal heritage, packaged as a keepsake that reflects the country’s visual and cultural richness and continues the story of a brand that evolves without ever losing sight of its roots. The new design signals a new chapter and strategic shift for Quaglia, Antica Distilleria, which focuses more on storytelling and premium positioning. www.distilleriaquaglia.it
Hardy Cognac Lauren & Hardy Podcast
The 160-year-old Hardy Cognac house has unveiled a bold new content project, Lauren & Hardy, an original podcast that celebrates the history and non-conformist spirit of cognac through a historical and resolutely uninhibited fiction.
The unexpected narrative brings together an unlikely duo: Lauren Duplessis, a young New York podcast producer in search of meaning, and Anthony Hardy, the legendary 17th century founder of Maison Hardy, who is back from the past to tell his story two centuries later.
Blending expert anecdotes, British humour and absurdist dialogues, this podcast breathes new life into the legacy of the French spirit. Across eight episodes – each lasting 7-8 minutes – listeners embark on a journey that combines historical facts, artisanal expertise and a contemporary take on what’s happening in the world of spirits.
With incisive dialogue, careful staging, entertaining skits and fake commercials, Lauren & Hardy, written by Josselin Bordat’s and directed by Arnaud Forest, breaks the mould of traditional communication in the drinks industry. www.hardycognac.com
Havana Club International (Pernod Ricard) Icónica Collection by Havana Club
In 1978, Maestro Don Navarro revolutionised the rum industry by introducing the continuous ageing method, setting a new standard for luxury Cuban rum. This technique harnesses the country’s climate to accelerate the natural ageing process, where the ‘angel’s share’ – the portion of rum that evaporates – is higher due to the humid environment, resulting in more concentrated flavours. Once the rum has been left to age naturally, a portion is taken out of its original barrel to be re-aged and blended in another cask for a more sophisticated profile.
All rums in the Icónica collection by Havana Club undergo this meticulous process, meaning they are blended with some of the oldest and finest rums, first laid down more than 60 years ago. The maestros then age and blend the rum to perfection before bottling, following the ‘gota mínima’ principle, which ensures the age on the bottle reflects the youngest rum inside. Today, Maestro Asbel Morales leads the blending of these three extra-añejo rums at the brand’s distillery in San José de Las Lajas, using only the finest ingredients from Cuba’s rich terroir. www.havana-club.com
MBG International Premium Brands 9 Mile Vodka
Inspired by the raw beauty of Nine Mile Canyon in Utah, 9 Mile Vodka is a bold, characterful spirit. Crafted from premium wheat and pure water, the vodka undergoes a filtration process through granite rock, a method that imparts smoothness and clarity. The result is a clean, mild flavour profile with 37.5% ABV, making it suitable for cocktail-making and enjoying straight over ice.
The distinctive bottle design features a matte, stone-like surface, metallic label and copper accents, paying homage to rocky landscapes. At its base, an integrated LED light button activates a steady glow or flashing modes, transforming the bottle into a centrepiece at bars, nightclubs and parties.
Beyond its signature vodka, 9 Mile also offers a line of ready-todrink premixed cans. With around 10% alcohol, these 0.33 litre cans pair the brand’s signature vodka with fruity, vibrant flavours such as Pornstar Martini or Pink Rush, which features pink grapefruit. www.9mile-vodka.com
All-in-one portable THRILL for Work or Home
All-in-one portable THRILL for Work or Home
The Fabric of Hospitality
Creators of bespoke uniforms that communicate brand identity and respect local heritage, Kloth Studio weaves sustainability and style into every stitch.
In the world of luxury hospitality, every detail – from the scent in the lobby to the weight of a wine glass – plays an integral role in the overall guest experience. But few factors leave a lasting impression like the people who bring that experience to life, and what they wear can also speak volumes, adding layers of depth to brand meaning.
Headquartered in Toronto, Kloth Studio was established in 2017, and began as a conversation between two friends, Rafaan Seraj and Abeed Azad, who shared a vision for building a meaningful business. A casual ideas exchange soon became more concrete, laying the foundations for a company hoping to reimagine uniforms for the global hospitality industry.
Leveraging a joint connection to Bangladesh’s garment manufacturing industry, the duo made an early decision to produce a significant portion of its products regionally, supporting local craftsmanship and ensuring quality and ethical production from the outset. Small successes soon attracted a global reputation, and Kloth now partners with celebrity chefs, high-end restaurants and global hotel groups such as Rosewood, Hilton and Four Seasons.
Today, its competitive edge lies in a fully integrated approach. The company owns its entire manufacturing process – a rare advantage that ensures consistency, agility and competitive pricing. From creative consultations to prototyping and global delivery, the Kloth Studio process is designed for efficiency.
This model also supports a vital sustainability mission. By minimising excess and overseeing every phase of production, Kloth can significantly reduce waste and environmental impact. In partnership with Better Cotton, it is working towards a fully renewable production cycle that uses regenerative agriculture as well as smarter packaging alternatives and sustainably sourced materials. Deadstock is donated to underserved communities and hazardous waste is minimised in factory operations. “Sustainability is about designing smarter and creating a positive impact for the duration of a garment’s life cycle,” asserts Seraj, now Supply Chain Director. “We use recycled, organic fabrics that last longer and require less energy to maintain, which in turn reduces overall waste.”
Still, Kloth designs with movement and comfort in mind. With increasing demand for sustainability without compromise, it is important that the brand invests in highperformance, ethically sourced textiles that meet the pressures of daily hospitality service. Think breathable, easy-care fabrics that maintain their structure and sharpness throughout long shifts and frequent washes.
This approach is overseen by 100 professionals across four international offices, guided by Seraj, Azad and President, Maher Murshed, but the brand still prioritises blending scale with a bespoke sensibility. The team personally travel to each client site, working closely with those on the ground to ensure every detail – from
fabric to fit – reflects and respects local culture, climate and context. This is crucial given the rising guest expectation for storytelling and authenticity, and something Kloth translates by making sensitive design decisions.
“We have a subtle approach, using local textures, tones and silhouettes without relying on direct cultural symbols,” explains Seraj. “For a property in the Middle East, for example, we blended traditional draping with modern tailoring in desert-inspired hues. We also drew inspiration from local architecture, artisanal textiles and the hotel’s natural surroundings. The result is a uniform that feels strongly rooted yet refined.”
Kloth’s design team believes that uniforms serve as a visual extension of a brand’s voice. “We start by understanding the property, its values and the guest experience. From there, we make choices that feel authentic to a brand’s personality,” confirms CEO, Azad. “A boutique coastal resort may call for lightweight, breathable linens, while a high-end city hotel might prefer structured monochrome cuts.”
More than anything, Kloth knows that uniforms often act as the first point of connection between guests and brand. It sets the tone for understated professionalism, a sense of place, or an effortless take on luxury. “Ultimately,” Azad concludes. “We design uniforms that look good and feel right for the spaces and people they represent.”
www.klothstudio.com
Words: Hannah Currie
Familial Ties
The father-and-daughter duo behind bespoke recycled leather company LIND DNA thrive on intuitive connection and creativity.
Words: Abby Lowe
Natural flow underpins the foundations at LIND DNA, the family-run, pioneering Danish company specialising in recycled leather products. Helmed by Aarhusbased father-and-daughter duo Preben and Mie Lind, the brand’s journey began after a lightbulb moment led Preben to experiment with surplus leather from the furniture and fashion industries. Aided by his background in furniture design and manufacture, combined with Mie’s eye for composition, a collection of durable and stylish home accessories soon followed. “It all stems from the deep connection between my father and I,” Mie explains. “That’s why it’s more than just a business to us; it’s an extension of our personalities.”
Anyone who’s worked with Preben and Mie can confirm the same: the pair live and breathe the brand, acting as its creative directors, customer contact points, ambassadors and more. “We answer phone calls, we speak directly to our clients and we’re active in guiding design decisions,” Mie adds. “It’s very important to us that people know the faces behind our company.” Equally vital is ensuring the production process remains within Denmark – 90% of their suppliers are located near the office – a benefit that allows them to move swiftly from initial idea to finished product, and to simply pick up the phone to collaborators to solve issues in real time.
But more than anything perhaps, it’s the product itself that’s most cause for celebration, made using leftover pieces of core leather, which is granulated into tiny pieces before being combined with natural rubber from trees at a ratio of 80:20. The final stage in becoming Oeko-Tex Leather Standard-certified is to dye it using natural, water-based colours in a range of specially created Nordic hues. The result is a product that’s versatile, long-lasting and durable, not to mention aesthetically striking. “We’re very proud of my father for discovering the material,” Mie confirms. “And for the highquality products we’re able to create using it.”
In fact, there appears to be no limit to the products that can be handcrafted using LIND DNA leather. Within the menu folder collection alone, there are 12 distinct lines, each with multiple subsections for different colours, sizes and textures – in addition to the thousands of additional products in its broader portfolio.
Items range from signature curved tablemats and menu holders to tray inlays, gift voucher envelopes and other bespoke creations – if you can imagine it, they can craft it. “Specifications of course change depending on the project,” Mie says. “And because we’re able to make everything to order, our lead time can be as little as five days.”
This quick turnaround, alongside the wipeclean nature of the product, makes it ideal for
hospitality settings, so it was only a matter of time before the brand extended beyond retail into the hotel F&B industry. Already, LIND DNA is working with Michelin-starred restaurants including Lyst and Frederikshoj in Denmark, as well as international hotel brands such as The Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons. It’s a natural progression that Preben and Mie closely oversee, and a feat made easier by the fact they produce to order. “We manufacture according to requirements,” Mie confirms. “So, we’re in the great position where we’re rarely out of stock of anything.”
Keen to work side-by-side with venues in the realisation of their creative visions, Preben and Mie also allow space to explore their own whims. It was a spark of Mie’s imagination, for example, that led to the creation of LIND DNA’s unique corduroy textured collection. Mie proposed the idea to Preben, and after pondering it for a few months, he found a way to develop the machine that embosses the pattern onto the leather. Unbound by what’s come before, it’s this underlying symbiosis between the pair that sets them apart. “The quality of our luxury products originates from us taking so much manual care over every aspect of the process,” Mie says. “And when coming up with new ideas, we work with the assumption that everything is possible.”
www.linddna.com
PETITS FOURS
Vista Alegre Hotelware Vita
Portuguese porcelain manufacturer Vista Alegre believes that to bring dining tables to life and elevate every dish, it’s essential to choose tableware that combines simplicity with character, without compromising on quality. The new Vita line, part of the brand’s Excellence range, embodies this philosophy.
Each piece in the collection features biscuit porcelain along the edges, creating a matte finish that contrasts a glossy, glazed surface in the centre. This interplay of textures is enhanced by delicate raised motifs inspired by tree bark, adding an organic, tactile quality to every plate. www.hotelware.vistaalegre.com
2. La Tavola Core
With a warm glow and sleek wireless design, Humble Air lamps are finding a place in hospitality settings looking to create a more intimate atmosphere. At Moon, a fine-dining restaurant on the 19th floor of Amsterdam’s A’DAM Tower, the Humble Air in full gold finish adds to the ambience, casting a light that complements panoramic skyline views and refined interiors. The lamp offers four dimmable settings, up to 140 hours of battery life, group remote control, wireless charging and a IP65 waterproof rating. It is available in a range of styles. All parts are replaceable, positioning the Humble Air as a sustainable, long-lasting choice for hospitality decision-makers. www.humblelights.com
Core is the latest innovation from La Tavola, designed to meet every buffet need, from compact breakfast set-ups to full-meal presentations. The freestanding line includes cold and hot holding stations, multi-level bread and pastry displays, cereal dispensers, yoghurt holders and juice dispensers. Surfaces are made from durable, hygienic HPL for superior resistance, while structures are crafted in powder-coated steel, ensuring long-lasting performance and safety. Available in a range of colours, Core can adapt to a variety of spaces and styles. The modular and practical solution reflects La Tavola’s commitment to design, quality and innovation.
www.la-tavola.it
3.
BHS Tabletop Heart & Soul - Pine
Pine by Heart & Soul is a tableware collection that embraces relaxed, understated beauty. Inspired by touch, tone and a feeling of togetherness, it features a subtle honeycomb texture across plates and bowls in muted shades, ranging from blush and almond to coal and sky. Each piece has a tactile surface that adds character, while the soft colour palette encourages professionals to find their own creative mix-and-match combinations. Designed with gifting, casual dining and mood-driven retail environments in mind, Pine aims to reflect a sense of joyful simplicity and curated spontaneity, key themes in contemporary lifestyle and design.
www.bhs-tabletop.com
4. Rewthink Bespoke Products
Rewthink has created bespoke frontof-house products for top chefs and restaurateurs for over a decade, with a design ethos that prioritises both functionality and aesthetics. The brand’s classic service tray features ‘inside-out’ handles and a low frame profile, while its stackable design offers practicality. Fully-rounded corners as well as easyto-grip handles make the product not only durable but comfortable. The full collection of Rewthink trays is available in a range of designs, sizes, materials and finishes, including natural, fumed and ebonised European oak and American walnut. This wood is sustainably sourced from managed forests. www.rewthink.co.uk
Inspired by the cyclical rhythms of nature, the Tilop collection by Kütahya Porselen is the embodiment of sustainable and contemporary design. Crafted using recycled materials, Tilop stands as a testament to the Turkish brand’s commitment to environmental responsibility without compromising on aesthetics. Each piece in the collection has a minimalist look, featuring soft textures and earthy, natural tones. As a proud contributor to Kütahya Porselen’s Green Route category, Tilop goes beyond simply offering visual appeal for culinary professionals, and instead embodies a design philosophy that values harmony with the earth.
www.kutahyaporselen.com.tr
2. Steelite International Steelite Distinction
Morella
The Steelite Distinction Morella tableware collection presents a fusion of historical inspiration and modern design, with the aim to evoke the essence of the medieval town of Morella in Valencia. This latest range showcases intricate embossing, intended to be reminiscent of natural textures. The mid-rim style plates feature an engineered spiral effect, adding depth to each piece. The collection is designed for fine-dining settings, and includes signature banqueting pieces and a dramatic teapot with a distinct midcentury aesthetic and impressive height. Each of these tableware pieces combines a timeless aesthetic with stylish modern design aspects.
www.steelite.com
3. Amefa Metropole
The Metropole cutlery collection by Amefa is defined by long lines and a distinctive sloping on the bottom of each handle. Crafted from high-quality 18-10 stainless steel, each piece is available in a range of finishes and colours, including classic stainless steel, velvet, black, copper, champagne and gold. Metropole aims to be a favourite among chefs, restaurants and hospitality professionals looking to elevate table presentation with cutlery that performs as beautifully as it looks. Amefa has been setting tables all over the world since 1931. A cutlery specialist with a passion for both quality and craftsmanship, the company is proud to be founded in The Netherlands.
www.amefa.com
4. Proof Tonati
Tonati is a bold and contemporary tableware line from Proof, crafted exclusively for hospitality, catering and professional kitchens. Made from premium porcelain, Tonati is lightweight, easy to stack, and built for the demands of high-volume service. Each piece has a deep matte anthracite finish, enriched with a subtle basalt texture. The combination of a smooth, central serving surface and a raised, textured rim delivers both practicality and visual drama. The collection features 15 coordinated pieces – from generous 33cm dinner plates to espresso cups and saucers. The items are dishwasher-safe, stackable and made to integrate into professional workflows. www.prooftableware.com
1. MyGlassStudio Incredible India
MyGlassStudio brings the vibrant colours of South Asia to the dinner table with an Indian-inspired glass collection entitled Incredible India. Featuring bold patterns, hand-painted details and tones reminiscent of a spice market, the curated range adds an artisanal feel to a range of hospitality settings. The collection features glass dinner plates, tea sets, chutney bowls and decorative thali trays. Based in Sofia, Bulgaria, MyGlassStudio is a boutique factory specialising in glass dinnerware for professional use. The company has been serving the hospitality market for more than 20 years, adding value while conforming to professional kitchen requirements.
www.myglassstudio.com
2. Goodfellow & Goodfellow Jacques Pergay Flower Plate
The Jacques Pergay Flower Plate is handcrafted in France by skilled artisan ceramicists. The 31cm plate showcases a dramatic petal-shaped rim in a soft matte finish, encircling a small glazed centre. The striking contrast draws the eye inward, framing culinary creations with sculptural elegance. Goodfellow & Goodfellow offers a spectrum of food presentation solutions, from the humble oyster to the grandeur of high-end hotel cuisine. Recognised for tabletop innovations, the company engages with global hospitality partners and tailors bespoke options and branding solutions, from individual tableware pieces to whole dining concepts. www.goodf.co.uk
3. Modbar Modbar
Modbar reimagines the coffee experience by blending architectural minimalism with barista-level performance. The brand’s under-counter brewing model preserves the visual harmony of hospitality spaces with an ambition to enhance the experience of coffee craft. Its product range includes espresso and tea configurations, as well as pour-over and steam systems. During the Host Milan tradeshow in October, Modbar will present its latest offering, partnerships and advancements in modular brewing equipment at Out of the Box, a signature off-site event in celebration of coffee, culture, design and hospitality. Find out more at #OOTB2025.
www.modbar.com
4. ID Fine Roots
ID Fine sets a new benchmark with its nano surface technology, showcased in the Roots Qasbah and Roots Rune collections. Developed with precision for professional kitchens and dining spaces, this advanced technology delivers exceptional hygiene, scratch resistance and rich, lasting colours. Built to withstand the demands of high-traffic, professional environments, the collections retain both visual appeal and structural integrity over time. The result is a balance of practical performance and considered aesthetics. ID Fine remains committed to thoughtful design and long-lasting quality, contributing to a more considered approach to modern dining.
www.idfine.com.tr
1. KAI Europe
Seki Magoroku Kaname
The Kaname knife, part of KAI’s premium Seki Magoroku Master Line series, features traditional san mai construction – three-layered steel blades designed for performance and durability. The Kiritsukestyle blade, with its signature tapered design and rear notch, is designed for comfortable and safe handling. Meanwhile, at the core of each blade is VG Xeos steel encased in two layers of tough stainless steel, creating long-lasting sharpness that reduces food resistance during use and ensures precise cuts. An intricately handcrafted handle made from black-grained pakka wood is shaped in an octagonal, ergonomic form for a comfortable, balanced grip. www.kai-europe.com
2. Crystalex CZ Glass Mixology Picks
Crystalex is bringing science to the art of cocktails with the launch of Glass Mixology Picks, a collection of precision-crafted glassware developed in collaboration with leading bartenders and mixologists. At the heart of the collection is the espresso martini glass, designed specifically for one of today’s most iconic cocktails. A crystal-clear body highlights the espresso martini’s signature silky foam, while a finely balanced stem ensures the drink stays perfectly chilled until the last sip. Developed with input from industry professionals, these glasses are intended as statement pieces for bars and restaurants looking to elevate their creations with precision.
www.crystalex.cz
3. Kevala Ceramics
Six Senses Southern Dunes
For nearly two decades, Kevala has thrived within the artisanal traditions of Balinese culture, beginning as a small group of passionate ceramicists and growing into a dedicated team of specialised potters, painters, carvers, designers and artists who create madeto-order, handcrafted pieces. Today, more than 150 hotels trust Kevala to craft bespoke pieces for hospitality, dining and wellness. At Six Senses Southern Dunes, this philosophy finds expression in Dune Lines, a collection designed exclusively for the resort. Its curved rims reflect the rolling desert dunes, while intricate carvings draw inspiration from the rich patterns of Bedouin textiles.
www.kevalaceramics.com
4. Rona Glassware by Erik Lorincz
Rona, the manufacturer of lead-free crystalline glassware founded in 1892 by entrepreneur Jozef Schreiber in Lednické Rovne, Slovakia, has unveiled its latest mixology suite. Designed in collaboration with Erik Lorincz, winner of the Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year award, every detail on each glass piece has been carefully designed to enhance the sensory experience of sipping a cocktail, from the curvature of the bowls to the balance and weight in the hand. The design language of the collection marries Japanese-inspired minimalism with Rona’s lauded craftsmanship, and Lorincz’s passion for elevating the fine art of mixology.
www.rona.glass
Onda tableware is designed to withstand the test of time, standing out for its durability thanks to a reinforced edge that ensures resistance, preserving both appearance and functionality in highdemand environments. The collection is available in white, cream and blue.
At Costa Verde, performance is approached holistically. From visual impact to tactile sensation, and from practical use to economic value, each piece of porcelain is created to deliver a complete sensory experience.
Intended for professionals and everyday customers alike, across kitchen, service and dining settings, Onda balances aesthetics with function.
In the hospitality and restaurant industries, every sense matters. This collection is developed with that in mind. www.pro.costa-verde.com
Costa Verde Onda
Fine Dining & Living NV Fine2Dine - Bloom
Bloom offers the look and feel of fine bone china but without animal-derived ingredients. Made from a natural blend of materials, it is lightweight yet strong. The collection features soft, rounded forms, influenced by floral motifs and reimagined through Fine2Dine’s modern design approach. A bright white finish provides a neutral backdrop for chefs to display their culinary creations. The range includes plates, bowls, cups and saucers, in a range of sizes, making it suitable for a variety of dining formats.
Fine2Dine supplies hospitality professionals with porcelain tableware designed to elevate culinary creativity, from fine-dining restaurants and hotels to catering and beach clubs. With a focus on design, quality and the latest tableware trends, Fine2Dine is a goto choice for chefs seeking modern, distinctive tableware. www.fine2dine.com
1. Mogogo Cantine Display Cart
Mogogo is an international brand, born from an interdisciplinary passion for design and food with a common vision to re-imagine and manufacture furniture for the world of hospitality. Known for its modular and design-forward buffet solutions, Mogogo creates products that are tailored to the evolving needs of the industry. The Cantine Display Cart is a prime example of this, drawing inspiration from the classic European market wagon while embracing a modern, sustainable aesthetic. Crafted from lightweight yet durable bamboo and accented with powder-coated metal, the cart is suitable for mobile presentations, themed stations or outdoor activations.
www.mogogo-buffet.com
2. Bornfree Ceramics Customised Ceramicware
Bornfree Ceramics, based in the United Arab Emirates, specialises in handcrafted ceramic tableware for the hospitality industry. Every piece is made by skilled artisans using high-quality materials and traditional techniques. From serving platters to ramekins, the collection offers chefs and restaurateurs versatile options for everyday service and signature presentations. Unlike massproduced ceramics, the pieces are made individually, giving each item a unique character while maintaining consistent performance standards. Bornfree Ceramics creates customised designs to reflect the identity of each brand and the creative vision of each chef.
www.bornfreeceramics.com
3.
Zafferano Un Fiore
Un Fiore by Zafferano is a collection of small, handblown and handcrafted borosilicate glass vases designed by Federico de Majo to meet the needs of the hospitality industry. Available in three shapes and six hues – grey, light blue, lake green, golden yellow, pink and transparent – a versatile design allows them to be used as decorative accents on restaurant tables, bar counters or lounge areas, whether holding fresh flowers or as standalone pieces. Lightweight yet durable, Un Fiore combines artisanal craftsmanship with a modern sensibility, offering professionals in the horeca sector a way to personalise and enhance their spaces.
www.zafferanoitalia.com
1. Mesa Ceramics Kanji
Specialising in the horeca sector, Mesa combines ceramic expertise with high-quality natural resources and advanced technology to deliver in both craftsmanship and service. In 2024, the Portuguese factory, known for crafting high-quality fine stoneware, introduced ID7, an advanced vitreous stoneware material optimised for isostatic pressing. Crafted from this innovative new formulation, the Kanji collection features a minimalist shape that is subtle yet highly resistant. Inspired by Japan’s mountain landscapes, the pieces are designed to evoke a sense of serenity, offering a clean canvas for culinary presentation in demanding hospitality environments. www.mesaceramicshotel.com
2. Porland Iris
The Iris collection by Turkish porcelain brand Porland is envisioned as a celebration of elegant, timeless design. The tableware line features a distinct glaze that blends subtle tones with a softly textured surface, while each piece reflects the company’s wider dedication to showcasing craftsmanship and quality. Iris’ versatile and contemporary design makes the collection suitable for both modern and classic dining environments, contributing to the overall presentation of dishes. Suitable for restaurants as well as use within hotels, the collection aims to combine functionality with a strong aesthetic appeal, making dining occasions more memorable. www.porland.com
3. Narumi
Narumi Corporation, founded in 1946, is a leading Japanese manufacturer of premium bone china tableware. With a rich history spanning over 75 years, Narumi now introduces its latest collection, Pave. Inspired by pavé – a design style celebrated for its intricate, diamond-like sparkle – the new design features a shimmering pattern and softly rounded coupe shape. In addition to serving as a signature plate that complements a range of cuisines and dishes, the collection also includes cups and pots, suitable for a lobby lounge setting. The collection is available in two hues: Pave Blue Topaz and the opulent gold Pave Topaz. www.narumi.co.jp
4. Zieher
The Diamonds • The Stripes
Zieher introduces a series of doublewalled glasses made of high-quality borosilicate, and designed for both hot and chilled drinks. An insulating vacuum between the walls ensures that drinks stay at the ideal temperature for longer. The Stripes line is characterised by a purist design with filigree groove embossing on the outside and a greytinted interior. Meanwhile, with diamondshaped embossing, The Diamonds range is reminiscent of crystal glass. Despite a delicate appearance, the thin but sturdy borosilicate glass impresses with low weight and robustness. Both designs shimmer in an elegant green, offering a colourful accent to tablescapes. www.zieher.com
Pave
1. John Jenkins Havana
British glassware manufacturer John Jenkins presents Havana, a collection of handmade cocktail glasses comprising six distinct shapes, from a straight-sided glass to a flared shape for martinis. The brand is known for its range of handmade and machine-made glassware that runs the gamut from wine and cocktail glasses to classic tumblers, all of which are available for immediate delivery. John Jenkins also has an in-house design department that can create bespoke pieces and exclusive patterns. Each piece benefits from the latest advancements in glass-making technology, employed to enhance clarity and durability as well as scratch-resistance.
www.johnjenkins.co.uk
2. Sambonet Radici Trolleys
The design and materials that distinguish the Radici Buffet System are exemplified in a new trolley collection: a stainlesssteel structure available in two different colours with a scratch-resistant coating. The tops are available in high-quality stoneware and two wood types. Made with a water-repellent treatment, each trolley is durable, easy-to-handle and resistant to bacteria, heat and solvents. Crafted in Italy, Radici trolleys are available in different sizes, and can be customised with a wide range of accessories to create configurations that perfectly suit different style and service requirements, from cocktail creation to table-side dish preparation. www.sambonet.com
3. Rex-Royal S-series
Crafted in Switzerland, the RexRoyal S-series is designed for high performance. Each model, from the compact S1 to the powerful S500, combines precision engineering with intuitive operation. Whether producing classic espresso, fresh milk beverages or hot water at scale, the S-series ensures consistent in-cup quality. Modular options, advanced user interfaces and seamless integration with payment and telemetry systems make it a versatile choice for hotels, restaurants and self-service environments. Built with premium components and backed by expert service, the S-series delivers long-term reliability and great taste, cup after cup. www.rex-royal.com
4. Costa Nova Arenito
Handcrafted exclusively from Costa Nova’s recycled clay formula - ecogresArenito combines functional design with a commitment to eco-consciousness. Arenito started as a collection of coffee cups and bowls, but has naturally grown into a full and diverse range that now includes several dinnerware pieces, a variety of espresso cups, lungo cups, latte bowls and poke bowls, offered in six colours. Each piece features a matte glaze on the interior while retaining an unglazed underside, a distinctive detail that imparts an artisanal feel to the collection. Discover Arenito at the New York Tabletop Show, from 21-24 October at 41 Madison, Floor 7. www.costanovaprofessional.com
Bespoke products for front-of-house
1. Corby Hall Amuse Bouche Spoons
Corby Hall, a family-owned business based in Randolph, USA, has supplied the international hospitality industry with high quality flatware, holloware and bright white porcelain dinnerware for the past 50 years. With designs ranging from traditional to contemporary at competitive price points, Corby Hall has the ability to supply all food and beverage outlets associated with a full-service operation. A global distribution network coupled with production facilities in Europe and Asia allows for seamless service for both opening orders as well as re-supply. Corby Hall now introduces Amuse Bouche Spoons, perfect for refined, single-bite presentations.
www.corbyhall.com
2. Frilich Vario Station
For over two decades Frilich has created innovative buffet products for the hotel and gastronomy sector. The brand offers a versatile selection of presentation and dispensing systems for buffet displays. With its latest launch, Frilich invites hospitality venues to enhance efficiency and elevate their coffee service with the Frilich Vario Station. This model dispenses non-dairy milks from sleek 1-litre stainless steel containers with drip-free taps, eliminating messy cartons while improving hygiene standards. The Vario Station is complemented by Frilich porcelain cups, enhancing the presentation of smaller items such as sugar and stirrers. www.frilich.com
3.
The Unity collection, a collaboration with Tomorrowland festival, merges an imaginative spirit with Serax’s longstanding passion for craftsmanship. True to its name, Unity celebrates togetherness, much like the festival itself, which brings together people from all corners of the world. Designed to create that same sense of connection around the dining table, the extensive art nouveau style collection features a wide range of porcelain plates, glasses and a coffee set. The glassware is mouthblown with a minimalist shape and handengraved illustrations, all hand-drawn by Tomorrowland’s in-house creative team and crafted through artisanal methods. www.serax.com
4. Broggi 1818 Foscari
Broggi 1818 has unveiled Foscari, a reimagining of the iconic 34 cutlery line, which has featured in catalogues since the early 1900s. While Foscari pays tribute to the brand’s heritage by preserving the original collection’s classic design, a new selection of contemporary materials and trend-led finishes, such as nickel silver and stainless steel, open the door to bold new interpretations suitable for contemporary tables. Breathing new life into a timeless design, Foscari finds its place in modern settings such as restaurants and boutique hotels, where minimalist interiors and essential design elements enhance the distinctive lines of this evolved Broggi 1818 classic. www.broggi.it
Serax Unity by Tomorrowland
The textured Furo bowl, in five beautiful shades of green, is made from alumina-vitrified clay, which provides exceptional strength and durability. Made in Norway. Learn more at figgjo.com
1.
Stölzle Lausitz is the only remaining glassworks in Lusatia, Europe, producing more than 45 million glass pieces every year. With a focus on high-quality, durability and attention to detail, its range includes everything from crystal-clear wine glasses to elegant tumblers. Today, Stölzle introduces Symphony, coloured tumblers that form part of the Prestige segment and are designed to enhance the visual language of the dining table. Symphony brings colour, texture and clarity with thin glass walls adorned with delicate vertical texture, which lends the collection a tactile feel. The series comes in three colour options; orange, teal and bordeaux red.
www.stoelzle-lausitz.com
2. Julius Meinl
Julius Meinl offers teas from around the world selected by experts in the field. Since 1862, the brand has provided everything hospitality experts need to create tea moments for guests, from classic tastes to new blends. The range includes tea bags, pyramids, pot portions, loose leaf and iced tea. The majority of Julius Meinl teas are certified organic, with some varieties recognised by the Rainforest Alliance. The packaging is eco-friendly and recyclable, supporting a greener future for the industry. The Julius Meinl story began with a single grocery store in Vienna, Austria. Today the company serves customers in 70 countries across five continents. www.juliusmeinl.com
3. Pioli
Inspired by the colours of the ocean, the Reflect series by Pioli features gentle tones and a subtle pattern designed to bring a sense of calm composure to the dining table. Each piece is thoughtfully made to complement a wide range of dining settings. This collection marks the latest introduction from Pioli, a Porland brand developed specifically for the restaurant and hospitality market. With an ambition to become a leading force in the industry, Pioli offers durable, stylish tableware crafted with professional chefs in mind. The range provides versatile products, aiming to encourage creativity while combining traditional porcelain craftsmanship with modern design. www.pioli.co
4. Pordamsa
Pordamsa expands beyond porcelain, bringing glass into focus as a material of expression for haute cuisine. Inspired by Scandinavian design, each piece in the Nordic Collection is mouth-blown by artisans, and shaped with smooth contours, silky finishes and delicate smoky veining that adds depth and character. Its soft transparency allows the glass to integrate effortlessly into contemporary gastronomic spaces, enhancing presentation while respecting the chef’s vision. The result is a collection that combines craft and function, offering a distinctive proposal designed to elevate the dining experience through the refinement of Scandinavian design. www.pordamsa.com
Nordic Collection
Stölzle Lausitz Symphony
Premium Tea Solutions
Reflect
1.
Introducing Celeste, the newest addition to the Digi dinnerware collection by RAK Porcelain. Crafted using advanced digital technology, each piece in the series features a celestial pattern, which aims to evoke the tranquillity of a starlit sky, subtly embossed in white-on-white porcelain. The design is not only inspired by global flavours and traditions, but is crafted to bring a modern aesthetic to the table. Created for versatility, Celeste can work in both casual restaurants and fine-dining settings, offering chefs a canvas where individuality and culinary storytelling take centre stage. The range includes couple plates, bowls, coffee cups and saucers.
www.rakporcelain.com
2. Ariane Fine Porcelain Mineral
Since 2014, Ariane Fine Porcelain has established itself as a trusted name in professional tableware, known for a commitment to technical precision, durability and thoughtful design.
The Mineral collection embodies this approach. Created in collaboration with designer Nick Holland, Mineral is made from high-performance porcelain, built to withstand the demands of busy restaurants, luxury hotels and fine-dining environments. It is lightweight for ease of service, yet robust enough for daily use.
The neutral, textured finish is designed to complement a wide range of cuisines, making it a reliable choice for chefs, restaurateurs and operators.
www.arianefineporcelain.com
3. Bonna East
Designed by ceramist Robin Levien, the East collection from Bonna draws inspiration from the delicate flowers seen in the Far East. The collection complements a variety of dishes, from starters and mains to desserts and coffee service, with two distinct plate shapes and a wide colour palette for chefs to choose from. Bonna, a Turkish tableware brand since 1981, blends traditional craftsmanship with modern design and technology. Known for durable, highquality porcelain, the brand serves the needs of hospitality professionals and discerning consumers alike and is globally recognised for both design innovation and customer satisfaction.
www.bonna.com.tr
4.
Founded in 1997 by Geert-Jan Van Cauwelaert and Ann De Cock, XLBoom is a Belgian design brand known for its innovative approach to contemporary design. The Pillar collection, designed by Frederik Delbart, offers a modern take on the traditional wine cooler. With a sculptural, double-insulated form inspired by ancient architecture, the line is available in multiple finishes. Pillar’s minimalist design reflects XLBoom’s commitment to creating practical, wellcrafted objects, made to complement a variety of hospitality settings. All collections can be viewed by appointment at the company’s European showroom near Antwerp.
www.xlboom.com
RAK Porcelain Celeste
XLBoom Pillar
COMPACT
HOST MILANO 17-21 OCTOBER 25 BOOTH F23-G24 HALL 16
ADVERTISING INDEX ISSUE 44
All Roads Lead to Venice
The Venetian Resort
Las Vegas brings Italian flair to the city’s food hall scene with Via Via.
Venice comes to the Las Vegas Strip with the opening of Via Via, an immersive food hall experience housed within The Venetian Resort. Envisioned by Celano Design Studio Co, the 17,000ft2 space combines a collection of eateries that span the US, whisking diners on a culinary road trip from Los Angeles to New York, while channelling the same atmosphere as a lively stroll among the winding streets of Italy’s Floating City, albeit with a lot more neon signage.
Dining spots include the legendary Florentine sandwich shop, All’Antico Vinaio; naughty-butnice Nashville hot chicken spot, Howlin’ Rays; and the playful, izakaya-style plates and noodles of beloved New York City haunt, Ivan Ramen. Meanwhile, drinks come courtesy of modern craft cocktail connoisseurs, Close Company. A melange of scents, scenes and flavours are
emphasised by a backdrop that includes grand plaster-clad arches to mark the entrance, and a colour palette evoking sunlit streets and quiet canals, paving the way for spontaneous foodiebased adventures. Situated on the hotel’s casino floor, it’s a star-studded addition to the property’s culinary offering.
“Via Via gave us an incredible opportunity to transform a traditional food court into a ‘micro-neighbourhood’ that takes guests on a journey through Venetian-inspired streets, encouraging them to turn a corner and discover something new around every bend,” says Vincent Celano, Founder and President at Celano Design Studio Co. “As designers, crafting that immersive rhythm - from grand plaster-clad arches to hidden speakeasy moments - was both deeply rewarding and genuinely fun.”
