Latest news with #GuestExperience
Hospitality Net
3 days ago
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Jonathan Rosenthal has been appointed Director of Operations - Food & Beverage at Wild Dunes Resort in Isle of Palms
Nestled on the northern tip of Island of Palms, Wild Dunes Resort has announced the appointment of Jonathan Rosenthal as Director of Operations - Food & Beverage. Jonathan will oversee food and beverage operations across 14 distinctive dining venues at the property, focusing on innovation, elevating guest experiences, and ensuring exceptional operational standards. Jonathan brings over 20 years of leadership experience in luxury hotels, resorts, and upscale restaurants, with deep expertise in food and beverage management, guest experience, and financial performance. Before joining Wild Dunes, he held a dual role with Miraval Resorts (Hyatt Corporate), serving as the Regional Culinary and Beverage Experience Architect for 3 Miraval properties, while simultaneously acting as the Director of Food & Beverage for Miraval Arizona. In these roles, he successfully enhanced operations, elevated guest satisfaction, and drove revenue growth. His background includes leadership roles at several Hyatt properties and high-profile restaurants, including Fleming's Prime Steakhouse. Originally from Massachusetts, he's a devoted family man, passionate Red Sox fan, movie buff, and occasional backyard pizza stand entrepreneur.
Travel Daily News
3 days ago
- Business
- Travel Daily News
Remington Hospitality promotes Stephen Wittman to VP of F&B
Veteran hospitality leader to drive innovation, eExpand offerings, and elevate guest experiences in Remington Hospitality. DALLAS – Remington Hospitality, a leading hotel management company, has promoted Stephen Wittman to Vice President of Food & Beverage. In his new role, Wittman will oversee the strategic direction of Remington's F&B operations, with a focus on elevating food and beverage offerings, enhancing guest experiences, and driving revenue growth across the portfolio. 'Stephen is a key member of our leadership team. In his new role, he will continue to play an integral role in shaping our food and beverage programs and lead the vision and goals of the department across all of our properties,' said Ted Peters, Senior Vice President of Food & Beverage Operations at Remington Hospitality. 'His deep understanding of our brand, commitment to excellence, and passion for delivering exceptional guest experiences make him the perfect fit to take our F&B strategy to the next level.' Wittman has spent over a decade shaping the company's food and beverage strategy, developing innovative dining concepts, and streamlining operations to elevate performance across the portfolio. As Vice President of Food & Beverage, he will oversee all culinary and beverage programming across Remington's properties, leading concept development, brand partnerships, operational standards, and team training initiatives. He is also responsible for ensuring consistency in quality and service, optimizing profitability, and identifying emerging trends to keep the portfolio competitive and relevant. His expertise in food and beverage operations, passion for delivering bespoke service, and dedication to mentoring future leaders have been instrumental in driving Remington's continued success. Before joining Remington in 2015, Wittman built a strong foundation in food and beverage through roles at some of the industry's most respected luxury hospitality brands. He brings over 20 years of experience, having held key operational and management positions with The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance Hotels, Omni Hotels, and One Ocean Resort & Spa. 'I'm thrilled to take on this new role and continue working alongside such a talented team,' said Wittman. 'Food and beverage is a powerful driver of guest satisfaction and brand differentiation, and I'm excited to build on our strong foundation to deliver exceptional experiences, grow our offerings, and help shape the future of F&B across our portfolio.'
Forbes
13-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How The World's 50 Best Bars In North America Keep Guests Hooked
What makes a World's 5o Best bar? From San Francisco's Pacific Cocktail Haven to Mexico City's Kaito del Valle to Grand Cayman's Library By The Sea to Jewel of the South in New Orleans and even Vancouver's The Keefer Bar there are quite a few contributing factors to consider. Of course the quality, complexity and consistency of the drinks is tantamount. Add in other components like overall concept, bar design and location and the checklist for what makes a bar the best may seem strikingly different. That is, however, until you talk to someone who runs one. 'When you go to a bar or a restaurant, you don't remember the drink you had or the dish.' Kevin Diedrich co-founder of Pacific Cocktail Haven, or PCH, explains. 'You remember how you felt when you leave the place.' Kevin Diedrich Co-Founder of Pacific Cocktail Haven in San Francisco Which means that each location ultimately succeeds by tapping into an authentic form of guest interaction that respects the inherent relationship between bartender and guest. The recently revealed North America's 50 Best Bars of 2025 may span the continent but they all have one thing in common, their clientele. With rising food and beverage costs and stiff competition, guests have become more discerning than ever. Which means that bars have never had more opportunity to create the ultimate guest experience with locals, regulars and one-off visitors alike. 'We've pretty well always said that the pretentious bartender thing is dead.' Says Amber Bruce, beverage director for The Keefer Bar an institution that has been going strong for 15 years in Vancouver's Chinatown. 'Check your ego at the door. Welcome people like it's your own living room. We have an amazing crew who've been with us for years. Your section becomes your own bar basically.' Library by the Sea from Grand Cayman Library by the Sea, located on 7-mile beach in Grand Cayman, is a cocktail destination within a vacation destination and head bartender Max Wolff notes that even their elevated and integrated story-themed drinks sometimes come second to their unique relationship to the guests. 'We find that we might not have regulars every day of the year but we have them for their stay. We get to know them much more intimately than you'd get to know them in a bar in the neighborhood. We see them at breakfast, meet the kids. Sneak the kids some gelato and get them to go play in the pool while the parents have cocktails with us.' The team from The Keefer Bar in Vancouver Different establishments lean into different approaches to hospitality but for Diedrich's PCH, his own experience and attention to detail has paid off. 'When we first opened we were just supposed to be a neighborhood cocktail bar and now we're this high end destination bar.' Diedrich, who implemented a monogrammed coaster program for regulars, explains. 'We jokingly say that the hardest thing to learn isn't the drinks it's knowing all 200 regulars and their initials and their partner's initials.' Jewel of the South in New Orleans 'I pride myself on the concierge style of helping the guests along with their stay.' Says Chris Hannah, bartender and co-owner of Jewel of the South, who keeps it old school in his approach to guest experience based on his own background at NOLA classic, Arnaud's. 'We make sure that they go see some of our friends because our competition is a healthy competition in New Orleans. We want to make sure that while they're there they are going to someplace where we know that our friends are going to take care of them as well.' Kaito del Valle from Mexico City is a Mexican and Japanese-based Izakaya that focuses on sake-based cocktails but with Mexican ingredients. While the cocktails are complex, the path to great hospitality of any best bar is simple. 'We opened nine years ago and it's a full female staffed bar.' Clauda Cabrero says of what she calls the super nerdy, funky and relaxed spot. 'It just sort of happened. I didn't plan it like that. I thought it was going to be fun. It's really fun.'
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hattiesburg Zoo will become cashless venue, increase admission prices
HATTIEBURG, Miss. (WHLT) – The Hattiesburg Zoo will transition to a cashless venue, and admission prices will increase by $2. According to Hattiesburg Zoo officials, this change will begin on March 1, 2025. 'We believe the change will enhance the overall experience for our guests,' said Demetric Kelly, director of Retail and Guest Experience. 'Becoming a cashless venue is also safer for our employees as they are not moving money throughout the facility or between the zoo and bank.' Eaglepalooza returns for first time since 2019 The zoo has a reverse ATM on site for guests who bring cash. Officials said cash will be transferred to a debit card, which can be used at any location that accepts MasterCard and Visa. Also beginning March 1, zoo admission prices will increase by $2. Officials said the $2 increase will help cover rising operational costs, such as maintenance, staffing, and improvements to the zoo's facilities and exhibits. 'Just like families facing increased pricing of groceries, medical costs and gas, our zoo has faced the rising cost of food, veterinary care and construction costs,' said Salem Bunkheila, director of Operations for the Hattiesburg Convention Commission. Admission Pricing (effective March 1, 2025) Category Online Gate Under 2 Free Free Child (2-12) $8 $10 Adult (13-64) $10 $12 Senior (65+) $9 $11 Groups (minimum 20 people) Child $7 $9 Adult $9 $11 Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
