Made to Order: Meetings Meal Trend Takes Root

Picture a banquet room filled with 130 meeting attendees ready for dinner. Imagine that each and every one of them has the option of strolling up to a chef at a cooking station and specifying the kind of meal they want.

Fantasy? Not anymore. Such a banquet happened recently at the Dolce Basking Ridge in New Jersey where Chef Paul Bogardus has been part of a Dolce effort to make significant changes to meeting cuisine at its 25 properties in North America and Europe.

Emulating restaurant trends
The new approach, part of a “Thoughtful Foods for Thoughtful Minds” initiative launched in 2011,  includes emulating trends at restaurants so that ingredients are fresh and locally sourced, dishes prepared in small batches, and diners able to order almost as they do in a restaurant.

“Our guests are travelers and we won’t want them to worry about what they can or can’t eat,” Bogardus said. “We just want them to worry about their meetings. After a few hotel stays they’re worried about fitting into their pants, that the food they’re eating is fake.

“Here we cook a real chicken breast and make a real sauce. We can do this kind of cooking for any meeting – different kinds of risottos, meat cooked to order. We can do that every day for every meal. Guests don’t mind waiting three minutes to get a dish the way they like it.”

Sensible portions
Even desserts are prepared in small portions. Instead of baking whole cakes and pies, chefs create individually portioned desserts so there is less waste and more sensible portions.

Freshness is also emphasized, according to Bogardus.  “What you’re eating Tuesday night we started shopping for on Monday.” The hotel has even hosted macrobiotic dinners for certain groups.

Chefs lead the way
Chefs at the various properties were instrumental in creating the new food and beverage plan, according to Dolce COO Richard Maxfield.  

“Food and beverage directors are important to administration but chefs lead the way,” he said. “We regularly bring together chefs and general managers to talk about where to go next. Most people know their eating limits. Lighter, fresher food enables people to stay energetic at meetings.”

Nutrition hubs
At Dolce properties, Nourishment Hubs are break stations that feature a wide variety of snacks, such as gluten free cupcakes, that cater to variety of dietary needs The hubs, described as “an evolution in coffee breaks,” offer “fresh and energizing refreshments throughout the day.”

Yes, old fashioned treats remain but as Bogardus said, “We may still have jelly beans and gummy bears but instead of seven or eight candy jars we’ll bring it down to three.”

All this focus on quality and customization, said Bogardus, “makes the cooks enthusiastic and they come up with lots ideas of their own. It all contributes.”

Events with a food theme
Creativity in food & beverage is also extended to team-building events for groups at Dolce Basking Ridge, according to Bogardus. The hotel has held Iron Chef competitions as well as small group dinners in the kitchen where diners interact with the chefs as they prepare a meal.  Cooking classes are another option.