Food on the road
Eating well is no accident, not even on holiday.
Food isn’t a type of trip of its own. It’s part of every trip, and it helps decide whether a hotel is the right one.
Hills near Bologna, Emilia-Romagna
The hotel restaurant, seen from the inside
Operationally, a hotel restaurant is often a cost centre first. The same kitchen handles breakfast, room service and only then à la carte dinner. That isn’t necessarily bad, but it explains why a beautiful hotel can have an average restaurant.
The signal you can check: do people who aren’t staying there eat there? If so, the restaurant has to prove itself every night.
The half-board question
Half board sounds convenient and often removes the very reason to leave the hotel in the evening. Whether it’s worth it depends on what’s within walking distance and how good the hotel’s own kitchen is. I clear that up in the Hotel Check, before you book.
What I take care of
An assessment of the hotel’s kitchen, based on the signals above.
Three to five places for a reason, not a long list. If I know someone locally, I ask them too.
Reservations where they’re hard to get. We agree in writing beforehand which ones I handle.
Dietary requirements sent to the hotel in writing, before you arrive.
What qualifies me for this, and what doesn’t
I know hotel food and beverage from the inside, from my studies at EHL and from Park Hyatt Zürich. I cook myself. I’ve eaten a lot on the road, which on its own isn’t an argument. And through EHL I know people in the industry. That helps with an assessment, not with a table at a fully booked restaurant.