Camp

OpenAI logo on smartphone screen, resting on laptop keyboard
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

SEO Tips from AI: Hotels & Camps

SEO Tips from AI: Hotels, Camps & Lodges

by David Klemt

OpenAI logo on smartphone screen, resting on laptop keyboard

After asking ChatGPT to suggest SEO improvements for restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, we’ve done the same for the hotel space.

This is part two of our AI-generated SEO tips series. In part one, we focus on restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and eatertainment venues.

For this part, we ask ChatGPT about improving SEO for boutique hotels, independently owned hotels, boutique and luxury campgrounds, and boutique and luxury lodges.

The boutique and luxury outdoor experiential market is heating up. So, I was curious about what keywords and advice ChatGPT would recommend to help operators in this space stand out and improve their odds for discover.

Personally, I found some of the keyword suggestions helpful. However, these are terms we at KRG Hospitality already know to include in our brand identity and marketing plans.

Simply put, I don’t think AI rivals what humans can create when it comes to brand identity and marketing. But, you should read the following and decide for yourself.

What specific terms are the best for boutique or independently owned hotels to use for SEO ranking?

For boutique or independently owned hotels, it’s important to focus on specific terms that highlight the unique aspects of your property and appeal to your target audience. Here are some specific terms that can be beneficial for SEO ranking:

  1. Hotel Name: Ensure that your hotel’s name is prominently featured in your website’s content, meta tags, and URLs to associate your website with your hotel’s name.
  2. Location-Based Keywords: Include location-specific keywords throughout your website to target customers searching for hotels in your area. For example, use terms like “boutique hotels in [location],” “[location] luxury accommodations,” or “independent hotels near [landmark].”
  3. Unique Selling Points: Highlight the unique features and qualities of your boutique hotel. Optimize your website with keywords that reflect these selling points, such as “boutique hotel with rooftop pool,” “intimate luxury accommodations,” or “designer boutique hotel in [location].”
  4. Style and Theme: If your boutique hotel has a specific style or theme, incorporate relevant keywords. For example, use terms like “vintage-inspired boutique hotel,” “modern boutique accommodations,” or “bohemian chic hotel in [location].”
  5. Amenities and Services: Emphasize the distinctive amenities and services your boutique hotel offers. Optimize your website with keywords related to these offerings, such as “boutique hotel with spa,” “gourmet dining experiences,” or “personalized concierge services.”
  6. Local Attractions and Experiences: If your boutique hotel is close to popular local attractions or offers unique experiences, mention them on your website. Optimize with keywords related to these attractions and experiences to attract visitors searching for accommodations near specific landmarks or seeking specific activities.
  7. Sustainable or Eco-Friendly: If your boutique hotel has a focus on sustainability or eco-friendliness, incorporate related keywords. Use terms like “eco-friendly accommodations,” “green boutique hotel,” or “sustainable practices in [location].”
  8. Reviews and Testimonials: Encourage guests to leave reviews on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, or TripAdvisor. Positive reviews can boost your hotel’s visibility in search results and attract more bookings.
  9. Local SEO: Implement local SEO strategies by optimizing your website for local search results. This includes creating and optimizing your Google My Business profile, ensuring consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information across directories, and getting listed in local online directories.
  10. Social Media Integration: Integrate social media into your SEO strategy by linking your website to your hotel’s social media profiles. Engage with your audience, share updates about your hotel, and encourage user-generated content through social media channels.

Remember to conduct keyword research specific to your boutique hotel’s offerings, style, and target audience. Regularly monitor your website’s performance, track keyword rankings, and adapt your SEO strategy as needed to improve your hotel’s online visibility and attract more guests.

What specific terms are the best for boutique and luxury campgrounds and lodges to use for SEO ranking?

For boutique and luxury campgrounds and lodges, it’s important to use specific terms that highlight the unique features, amenities, and experiences your property offers. Here are some specific terms that can be beneficial for SEO ranking:

  1. Campground or Lodge Name: Ensure that your property’s name is prominently featured in your website’s content, meta tags, and URLs to associate your website with your campground or lodge’s name.
  2. Location-Based Keywords: Include location-specific keywords throughout your website to target customers searching for campgrounds or lodges in your area. For example, use terms like “luxury campground in [location],” “[location] glamping site,” or “boutique lodge near [landmark].”
  3. Nature and Outdoor Keywords: Emphasize the natural beauty and outdoor experiences available at your campground or lodge. Optimize your website with keywords related to activities like hiking, fishing, wildlife watching, or stargazing. Use terms like “nature retreat,” “wilderness campground,” or “outdoor adventure in [location].”
  4. Unique Accommodations: If your campground or lodge offers unique accommodations like glamping tents, treehouses, or luxury cabins, highlight them on your website. Optimize with keywords like “glamping experience,” “luxury safari tents,” or “secluded treehouse retreat.”
  5. Amenities and Services: Showcase the luxurious amenities and services your campground or lodge provides. Optimize your website with keywords related to these offerings, such as “heated swimming pool,” “private chef services,” “spa and wellness facilities,” or “concierge services.”
  6. Sustainable or Eco-Friendly: If your campground or lodge follows sustainable practices or has an eco-friendly focus, incorporate related keywords. Use terms like “eco-conscious accommodations,” “sustainable camping,” or “green lodge in [location].”
  7. Nearby Attractions and Activities: Highlight popular nearby attractions, landmarks, or outdoor activities that guests can enjoy during their stay. Optimize with keywords related to these attractions and activities to attract visitors searching for accommodations near specific points of interest.
  8. Reviews and Testimonials: Encourage guests to leave reviews on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, or TripAdvisor. Positive reviews can boost your campground or lodge’s visibility in search results and attract more bookings.
  9. Local SEO: Implement local SEO strategies by optimizing your website for local search results. This includes creating and optimizing your Google My Business profile, ensuring consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information across directories, and getting listed in local online directories.
  10. Social Media Integration: Integrate social media into your SEO strategy by linking your website to your campground or lodge’s social media profiles. Engage with your audience, share updates about your property, and encourage user-generated content through social media channels.

Remember to conduct keyword research specific to your campground or lodge’s offerings, location, and target audience. Regularly monitor your website’s performance, track keyword rankings, and adapt your SEO strategy as needed to improve your property’s online visibility and attract more guests.

Takeaway

Just like AI-generated tips for SEO and discovery for restaurants and bars, there needs to be a human element for hotels, campgrounds, and lodges.

Relying on AI to improve search engine ranking isn’t, at this point, the best strategy. Perhaps one day that will change, but today isn’t that day.

The answers to my questions do provide some good tips regarding specific keywords and SEO practices. However, I wouldn’t suggest that operators trust AI to write their listings or the pages on their websites.

As it stands, in my opinion, AI just can’t match what people can do when it comes to marketing, branding, and discovery.

Image: Levart_Photographer on Unsplash

KRG Hospitality marketing support. Restaurant. Bar. Cafe. Lounge. Hotel. Resort.

Red neon "hotel" sign in Copenhagen
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Hospitality Mindset: Hotel Edition

Hospitality Mindset: Hotel Edition

by Jennifer Radkey

Red neon "hotel" sign in Copenhagen

Mindset can dictate one’s level of happiness but what some people don’t realize is that it also impacts their business and everyone in it.

Moods like happiness or hostility. Growth or fixed worldviews. Positivity versus negativity. For operators and leadership team members, mindset doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Rather, one’s attitude affects and influences staff, guests, and others.

So what is mindset exactly?

Simply stated, mindset is an individual’s usual attitude or mental state. It reflects someone’s way of thinking and motivates their actions. So, why is it important to be aware of your mindset?

Well, if your mindset dictates how you show up in your life each and every day, it will influence all parts of your life.

Your thoughts about yourself, others, your business, your opportunities and your challenges… All influenced by your mindset. Your mindset can either hinder or promote your overall well-being and success in life.

The interesting thing about mindset is that it has the ability to change—if you want. It can also be influenced by your environment and those around you. These facts led me to question if the different sectors of the hospitality industry face unique mindset challenges.

To find answers and gain further insight I decided to turn to our team at KRG Hospitality for their thoughts. In turn, I’ve written a series of hospitality mindset articles. To read the first entry in this series, the Bar Edition, please click here.

In this article I’ll explore the hotel industry, with thoughts from hospitality consultant Kim Richardson. Follow the series as I explore mindset in restaurants, hotels, bars, and start-up operations.

Let’s dive in!

The Hotel Industry

The hotel industry is vast and can be segmented into different sectors. These sectors include: lodging and accommodation, food and beverage, travel and tourism, entertainment and recreation, and timeshare and meetings.

Not only is the industry vast in its sectors, there are an array of categories. There are motels, inns and resorts, and independent, boutique and global brands. Budget, midscale, and luxury properties, and everything in between.

Different types of hotels will vary slightly in their management styles and success challenges, but most will share common mindset themes.

Successful Operators

Operating a successful hotel takes a certain mindset. You need to be organized, open-minded to growth strategies, mindful of your sectors and how they interact with each other, and responsive to the needs of your teams.

Curious about what makes one hotel stand above another, I asked Kim what contributes to a successful operator. She responded with the perspective of a general manager of a large hotel, and then from the perspective of an owner of a small boutique hotel.

“One thing that really sets the hotel world aside from the rest of the hospitality industry is the multiple facets of the different departments,” says Kim. “You’re essentially running several businesses inside of one business. All of these different departments’ successes and failures impact the other departments. I think it’s important for operators and general managers to truly have a pulse on what’s going on throughout the building and, more importantly, when a department has a success or failure, how the other departments contributed to that.”

When it comes to smaller boutique hotels or inns, Kim believes that “the ability to wear many hats and jump in as needed” is a crucial success skill for owners as they often work with a much smaller team and may need to be more hands on. Hand in hand with the ability to multi-task and wear many hats is having excellent time management skills.

Whether you are the GM of a large hotel or an owner of a small boutique hotel, it is essential to constantly “have a pulse on the business coming in the door.”

Operator Challenges

Operators need a positive, strategic, growth mindset to be successful in the hotel industry. This is a mindset that needs to be consistently cultivated, as there are challenges that will affect your daily thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes.

When asked what specific challenges hotel operators face that may affect their mindset, Kim shared her thoughts, again from the perspectives of a large hotel GM and that of a smaller boutique hotel owner.

Accountability

Being responsible for and held accountable to all levels of positions in your establishment can be exhausting, stressful, and frustrating.

“A general manager of a hotel has a lot of people to answer to. They have people above them in corporate making demands of them on a daily basis (budgets, goals, etc.). They have staff that they employ and need to keep happy. They have guests they need to keep happy,” Kim says. “With this many responsibilities, time management alone can be stressful. Finding a happy medium is close to impossible. Not every decision you make is going to please all three parties. This position can suffer from burnout just as much as the rest of their team.”

Overwhelm

Operators of boutique hotels and inns fall into danger of taking on too much themselves while feeling the success of their venue lies entirely on their shoulders.

Burnout, fear, and exhaustion are all possibilities in this situation.

“In a small boutique hotel, the owner and operator wears many hats,” says Kim. “They are often having to jump in and run many departments. If you’re short staffed in one area, you’re going to have to jump in. This can create a situation where you’re spending so much time working in the business that you struggle to work on growing the business. The overall stress of the success of the business is much more when you own your own hotel. Competing against big hotels with larger marketing budgets and known names can be a challenge.” 

Employee Challenges

Your team also experiences their own unique set of challenges that can affect their well-being and mindset.

Being aware of these challenges is important if you hope to create a culture of respect, collaboration, and trust.

When asked what specific challenges hotel staff face, Kim had some insights.

On Demand

It’s no secret that the hotels operate in a 24-hour industry. No matter what time of day or night, a hotel never truly “sleeps.” This on-demand atmosphere can be stressful for your team.

“Since the building is open 24 hours, guests tend to think you are also available 24 hours,” Kim says. “There is always the possibility that you could get a call at any time when you’re not working. Not only does the guest perceive you as always available, some managers expect the same from you, too.”

Broken Telephone

Working in a 24-hour environment means that you may not always be working with the same people every shift. In establishments with several departments, you may never have direct interaction with a lot of your team.

This can all lead toward miscommunication, frustration, and blame.

“Communication can fall short,” explains Kim. “There can be people who work in other departments that you are never in the building with at the same time. There are typically many procedures in place to communicate between departments, but things still get missed.”

Harmful Beliefs in the Hotel Industry

How you feel about the people you work with and/or work for can have major impacts on your overall mindset.

If your daily thoughts regarding your team are negative, it suddenly becomes very challenging to create a successful hotel. Why would they be excited to come to work and proud of your hotel if their efforts are only ever met with negativity?

The hotel industry has a few specific, common harmful beliefs that are prevalent in many establishments. Being aware and knowing how to acknowledge and combat these beliefs is crucial to creating a more positive work environment.

Assumptions

When I asked Kim what one of the most prevalent harmful beliefs operators harbor about their teams, she discussed the assumptions that are often made.

“I think proprietors sometimes think that what they’re asking is easy and doable,” posits Kim. “When a business is not doing well they tend to look at the quality of their staff versus quality of the processes.”

Assumptions without clarity or reason can be extremely harmful to your workplace culture. Not only are operators holding assumptions about their team, but their team holds assumptions about leadership.

Staff often feel that operators and members of the leadership team are out of touch with the reality of their market, and that they place unrealistic expectations on them. There are assumptions made that leadership does not want them to succeed personally.

“Revenue goals are increased just because they want more money but haven’t put thought into whether or not it’s attainable to make the money,” says Kim. “Operators don’t want to see people get bonuses, so in turn they raise goals. Doing well one year will only hurt you in the next year because all goals will be raised. Staff feel overworked and underpaid, leading them to believe that ownership is cheap and always giving a two-person job to one person.”

Toxic Culture

The last thing that any hospitality business needs is a toxic culture. A toxic workplace culture encourages and breeds negative mindsets on all levels.

How can you be successful if your team dreads coming in for their daily shift?

I asked Kim what can create toxic culture in a hotel, and she shared her thoughts and experiences.

“One of the biggest challenges that I always felt in hotels is the divide amongst departments. It’s very similar to the front-of-house, back-of-house animosity that often exists in restaurants,” shares Kim. “One department always feels that another department was not mindful of how their decisions impact their department. What I came to realize is sometimes that’s true and sometimes it’s not.  There’s always going to be that person who decided to make the decision that was best for their day or made them look good in accomplishing their own job.”

“However, I don’t think that is the intention of most people,” continues Kim. “With so many different types of roles in a hotel, you will never understand all of the inner workings of another department. Each department has to make the decision that best accomplishes their goal for the guest and their department. When the communication breaks down between departments and there is no understanding of how they impact each other, animosity is created.”

Moving Forward

Understanding the challenges that operators and staff are currently facing and acknowledging the importance of a growth mindset and the need for change, what positive changes have been occurring in the industry as a whole?

“Some hotels have increased wages. Some have been more open to hybrid positions of remote and on-property work since the pandemic,” Kim says. “However, there are some that are now trying to do away with those. Also, there are only a few departments in the hotel that can benefit from this as many of them need to be on property to do their jobs.”

“Overall, I haven’t seen a ton of change. There are still so many people struggling with work-life balance in the hospitality industry,” Kim continues. “I just talked to a friend the other day who has told me for years that she’s a lifer in hotels and she’s never going anywhere. She is the last person I thought I’d hear this from, but she’s feeling burnout and is not sure how much longer she can last. This is someone who is excellent at their job. Really understands the business, is a hard worker, team player, willing to go the extra mile. How many people do we find like that, that we are throwing away by putting unachievable standards on?”

Room for Improvement

Although some operators are becoming more aware of the well-being of those working in this industry, there are still many changes that need to happen. Kim believes that there are three simple changes that need to happen.

“We need to stop losing people that want to be lifers over things like burnout and lack of work-life balance. Genuine gratitude and respect from superiors goes a long way. Better communication and accountability are a must,” says Kim.

Final Thoughts

Hotels are a complex entity with many moving parts. It takes a strategic and positive mindset to ensure success and a happy work environment.

The reality is that there will always be challenges that will affect your thoughts and behaviors. You will have bad days but that is all they are: bad days.

It is the leader who can recognize these setbacks as temporary and use them to fuel their mindset towards making positive change who will come out on top.

I’ll leave you with a few last words of wisdom from KRG Hospitality hotel and restaurant consultant Kim Richardson.

“When guests come to stay at a hotel, it is their home for the duration they are there. They are there much longer than grabbing a cup of coffee or a night out to dinner. They can feel the demeanor of the staff,” says Kim. “Positive work environments exude happiness for the guests. When the employees are unhappy, the guests leave unhappy. Mindset can be contagious, and while the internal feelings trickle down to the guests, it starts way before that. If a positive energy is being given off from the leaders in the building, it can have a great impact on the staff, which then impacts the guests.

Cheers to personal and professional well-being!

Image: Marten Bjork on Unsplash

KRG Hospitality Mindset Coaching, 2023 Icon

The Pontiac bar in Hong Kong
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023 Revealed: 51-100

Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023 Revealed: 51 to 100

by David Klemt

The Pontiac bar in Hong Kong

The Pontiac bar in Hong Kong, an inclusive, welcoming venue with an all-woman team.

One week from the ceremony revealing bars one through 50 of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, the World’s 50 Best Bars announces venues 51 to 100.

Sponsored by Perrier, the World’s 50 Best Bars will announce the top 50 bars in Asia on Tuesday, July 18. This year’s ceremony will take place in Hong Kong at 20:25 local time.

However, we now know which bars have earned placement on the back half of this year’s list. As Mark Sansom, director of content for the World’s 50 Best points out on episode 82 of Bar Hacks, an expansion for their lists is necessary. There are simply too many outstanding operators and teams to not honor an additional 50 venues.

To that end, the list below represents the third edition of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, 51 to 100. In my opinion, and I think the World’s 50 Best and bar professionals across the world agree, this list is every bit as prestigious as one through 50. Let’s not downplay the fact that these are 50 of the best bars in all of Asia. It’s no small feat to earn a spot on this list.

If you’re interested in finding more amazing venues throughout Asia (and around the world), click here to learn about the World’s 50 Best Discovery tool.

By the Numbers

As you’ll see below, Singapore dominates this year’s 51 to 100 list with eight bars. I expect Singapore pick up even more spots next week.

Japan boasts seven bars on the list, with Osaka, Okinawa, and Kumamoto making debuts. Hong Kong, Taiwan, and India each have claim five slots. Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur are also well represented with four bars each.

Vietnam and China each have three bars among this year’s 51 to 100. Two bars in Seoul, South Korea, earned placement as well.

However, it’s Kathmandu, Nepal, with two bars that stands out the most to me. Numbers 100 and 70 belong to Kathmandu, and are both new to the list.

To review the list on the World’s 50 Best website, please click here.

Asia’s 50 Best Bars: 100 to 51

  1. Barc (Kathmandu, Nepal)
  2. Loft (Bangkok, Thailand)
  3. Honky Tonks Tavern (Hong Kong)
  4. Tell Camellia (Hong Kong)
  5. Enigma (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
  6. Origin Grill & Bar (Singapore)
  7. PCO (New Delhi, India)
  8. Bar Mood (Taipei, Taiwan)
  9. Bar Trench (Tokyo, Japan)
  10. Aha Saloon (Taipei, Taiwan)
  11. Union Trading Company (Shanghai, China)
  12. The Wise King (Hong Kong)
  13. The Sailing Bar (Nara, Japan)
  14. The Odd Couple (Shanghai, China)
  15. Mizunara: The Library (Hong Kong)
  16. The Haflington (Hanoi, Vietnam)
  17. Yakoboku (Kumamoto, Japan)
  18. D.Bespoke (Singapore)
  19. Bar Rocking Chair (Kyoto, Japan)
  20. El Lequio (Okinawa, Japan)
  21. Offtrack (Singapore)
  22. #FindTheLockerRoom (Bangkok, Thailand)
  23. Three X Co (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
  24. Wishbone Bar (Semarang, Indonesia)
  25. The Back Room (Manila, Philippines)
  26. No Sleep Club (Singapore)
  27. Nighthawk (Singapore)
  28. Pine & Co (Seoul, South Korea)
  29. Moonrock (Tainan, Taiwan)
  30. Epic (Shanghai, China)
  31. Bitters & Co. (Kathmandu, Nepal)
  32. Asia Today (Bangkok, Thailand)
  33. Coley (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
  34. Hideaway (Goa, India)
  35. Reka (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
  36. The Elephant Room (Singapore)
  37. Tippling Club (Singapore)
  38. Craftroom (Osaka, Japan)
  39. Last Word (Singapore)
  40. Hoots’ (New Delhi, India)
  41. Opium (Bangkok, Thailand)
  42. Home (New Delhi, India)
  43. Americano (Mumbai, India)
  44. Gold Bar (Tokyo, Japan)
  45. Junglebird (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
  46. Room by Le Kief (Taipei, Taiwan)
  47. The Pontiac (Hong Kong)
  48. To Infinity and Beyond (Taipei, Taiwan)
  49. Charles H (Seoul, South Korea)

Be sure to log into the live stream to watch the one through 50 announcement live.

Congratulations to each of the operators and bar teams above! Cheers!

Image courtesy of the World’s 50 Best Bars

KRG Hospitality. Bar Consultant. Nightclub. Lounge. Mixology. Cocktails.

Red arm of a humanoid robot
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Tech this Out: Rise of the Cobots

Tech this Out: Rise of the Cobots

by David Klemt

Red arm of a humanoid robot

As technological innovations continue to flood the hospitality industry, restaurant and hotel robots appear to be on the rise.

Or, perhaps more accurately, robotics companies appear to be targeting hospitality more.

There were, for example, far more robots on the National Restaurant Association Show floor this year. Beverage-making robots, server bots, room service delivery robots, lobby “host” and information bots, automated robot arms… There were robots in each hall.

Interestingly, however, a different word is beginning to take hold: “cobot.”

While the concept isn’t new—cobots have been working in other industries—the word is likely new to hospitality professionals.

Simply put, “cobot” is a portmanteau of “collaborative robot.” These are, therefore, robots that work alongside and with humans. In other words, the term implies that these robots aren’t here to replace people.

Rather, we’re to believe that cobots are just here to take over hazardous and tedious tasks.

Dropping fries? Let the cobot do it. Flipping patties? Why should a human do that when we have cobots? Food is up? Send out the serverbot. Table needs turning? The cobot can drop the dishes, flatware, and glassware to the dishwasher station.

It’s difficult for me to not be skeptical. “Cobot” may aim to imply collaboration, but how long until most of the back of house is automated? How long until members of the kitchen team go from “freed up” to replaced fully?

On the flip side, however, I do see the appeal. Some tasks are tedious. There are hazardous tasks. Labor costs are too high. It is difficult to find and retain talent.

Cobots and other forms of automation offer viable solutions.

Cobots, Roll Out!

So, are these pie-in-the-sky vanity prototypes getting media attention? Or are there really cobots available?

If you have the money and the inclination, these robots aren’t vaporware. There are robots designed to take on several restaurant and hotel tasks that can work at your venue today.

Of course, you have to keep your back-of-house and front-of-house footprint and layout in mind. Perhaps more importantly, you also need to understand how your guests feel about technology, automation, and robots.

I don’t mean making assumptions, either. No, not every Millennial or member of Gen Z is tech-hungry. In fact, some are tech-averse and don’t want robots making or delivering their food. It’s not, as some would say, a vibe.

This is to say, the decision to bring cobots into your business isn’t just about cost. This robots will affect your bottom line in various ways, affect your team, and affect the guest experience. In turn, that means they affect your brand.

Of course, cobots and automation do work with some concepts and brands. If automation and tech-savviness are part of the brand, cobots should work.

However, it’s wise to proceed cautiously and intentionally.

Guidance, Information and Entertainment

SoftBank Robotics manufactures Pepper, a robot my friends and I have interacted with in Las Vegas.

Formerly the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas, we’ve played around with Pepper at the Waldorf Astoria over the years. Pepper has offered to help us check in, provide information about the hotel, told us jokes, and played music and danced with us. (It’s possible we’ve danced with Pepper after visiting the hotel’s Moët & Chandon vending machine.)

Another interactive robot is Guiderbot G2, also known as Peanut, by Keenon Robotics. I’ve interacted with Peanut at the 2023 NRA Show in Chicago and this year’s Hospitality Show in Las Vegas. Peanut is, for lack of a better word, cute and people seem to want to engage with it.

As one may guess from the formal name of Guiderbot, Peanut is tasked with a mission similar to Pepper’s.

Delivery and Bussing

I also “met” Keenon’s Butlerbot W3, Peanut’s room service delivering peer. Interestingly, the four doors can be configured to best deliver to a guest or guests.

Then there are the Dinerbots, a series of Keenon robots that can “work” at restaurants and drop orders off at tables.

Spend any amount of time on most hospitality trade show floors and you’ll encounter front-of-house delivery cobots. And, of course, these robots can be used to clear tables and pop by the dishwashing station.

Production

Most operators, when thinking about automation, are likely familiar with Flippy, Flippy 2, and Flippy Lite.

From Miso Robotics, this family of robots features robot arms that tend to fryers. That a Flippy can handle just about any fried food and fit in most kitchens without much modification (if any) makes these cobots attractive.

From what I’m seeing, robotic arms are the cobots du jour. Along with Flippy there are the Intelligent French Fry Robotic Solution from Atosa; FryBot from Lab2Fab; and the Wingman from Nala Robotics. And that’s just a few of the cobot arms out there.

Of similar design are a variety of automated beverage-producing robots. At the moment, these tend to be robotic arms contained within a trailer or kiosk that are capable of quickly serving personalized coffees. One impressive example is Robojo by Zink.

There are also automated make lines, such as the Robochef SmartLine and TechMagic P-Robo.

We don’t know how long it will be until robots are commonplace in restaurants. For now, they seem to be at home mostly in a select few chain restaurants, niche operations in destination markets, and hotels.

However, as we all know, as tech goes from early adoption to ubiquity, cost becomes less of a barrier of entry. My concerns, for now, are the risks to people’s jobs and the impact on the guest experience.

Image: Mathew Schwartz on Unsplash

KRG Hospitality tech stack consulting. Tech. Technology. CRM. POS. Restaurant. Bar. Cafe. Lounge. Hotel. Resort.

French fries and sandwiches in baskets
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Seemingly Simple: The French Fry

Seemingly Simple: The French Fry

by David Klemt

French fries and sandwiches in baskets

We celebrate the humble French fry—at once a living legend and deceptively simple side—on Thursday, July 13, National French Fry Day.

Now, I know I tend to dive into the history, disputed or not, of a given item when a holiday comes around. However, that’s not the point of this article.

Of course, I could easily point out that this iconic item’s origins aren’t settled history. That Belgium claims ownership as of 1680. Or that Chile may have beaten Belgium by 61 years. And that France gets credit because the recipe for “modern” French fries appear in the cookbook La Cuisinière Républicaine from 1775. I’m not even going to get into the debacle that was 2003’s Freedom Fries…

Again, that’s not the point. Whether you call them French fried potatoes, French fries, fries, pomme frites, or chips, they’ve been around for anywhere from 400-plus to almost 250 years in some form.

And still they manage to confound many a cook.

We’ve all gotten an order of flaccid, cold, mushy or otherwise cheerless chips. And we’ve all managed to muscle down at least a handful of those dismal, forlorn fries, each soggy bite driving us deeper into despair.

Okay, that may be the tiniest bit dramatic. My point is, French fries are deceptively simple to get just right. And a subpar fry can—let’s face it, will—ruin a guest’s perception of a restaurant. They may return, but they’ll be apprehensive.

Fry Infatuation

If you thought maybe I’d try to create a portmanteau like “infrytuation,” I did think about it. But that would be far too silly, even for me. I wouldn’t even type such a thing out loud.

Anyway, we may not know the origin of fries or chips for a fact. But we do know that for the most part, people love a fry. Those who don’t, well, they’re not to be trusted. Should you come across such a person, grab a handful of fries—or the entire basket—and run away. You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life.

But why? Why do we love a fry?

Perhaps it’s the versatility. They complete many a limited-service restaurant or QSR meal. At this point, the “bag fry” is almost its own varietal.

They’re at home at a dive or neighborhood bar. But they’ll also step up and accompany a steak at a French bistro or steakhouse. Fish house, shack or upscale seafood restaurant? Please—fish and chips are a power couple comfortable in any environment.

Speaking of versatility, chips are also happy to indulge a chef or cook’s most debaucherous thoughts. A vessel to carry short rib, cheeses, and an array of seasonings? They’re down.

Of course, it’s likely that fry popularity comes down to comfort. A hit of salt, fat, heat, crispness, and creaminess? That’s at the bare minimum. Toss on some parmesan or pecorino romano and that hit of dopamine doubles, at least.

Chip Tips

One professional, personality, and purveyor who knows his way around a French fry is Chef Brian Duffy.

Indeed, he takes fries seriously. So seriously, in fact, that he has promoted Lamb Weston for several years. For the unfamiliar, America-based Lamb Weston is on of the biggest producers of French fries in the world.

One of their products, the Extra Crispy series of fries, retains crispness for 30 minutes.

Chef Duffy also understands the importance of fries. They can, as stated above, make or break a guest’s visit.

Additionally, as you can see in the Instagram post below, Chef Duffy certainly sees the humble fry as a blank canvas for experimentation.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Chef Brian Duffy (@chefbriduff)

Given his strongly held views on fries, I reached out for his thoughts. And, of course, Chef Duffy didn’t disappoint. If you want to master your fries, take the Duffified approach.

Make sure you’re following Chef on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. From knife skills to thoughts on seasonings and techniques, you’ll gain helpful culinary insights. Oh, and he’s funny, too.

Duffified Fries

Elevate your French fries. Realize that they’re not “just” a side dish and therefore an afterthought.

For many brands, their fry is a calling card. That “card” can either tempt people through your doors or warn them to stay away.

Are they seasoned well?

Fries are seasoned perfectly when seasoned within 3-5 seconds of being removed from the fryer. Create a fry seasoning that has a good salt-to-seasoning ratio. My Fry base is 1 cup sea salt, 1/8 cup fresh ground black pepper, 1/2 cup onion powder, 1/4 cup garlic powder, 1/8 cup dark chili powder.

Are they crispy?

A good quality fry holds its crispiness for 10 to 15 minutes, unless it’s designed with a coating like a Crispy on Delivery™ fry from Lamb Weston that can stay crispy for up to 30 minutes. There’s nothing worse that taking that first bite and having a cold, soggy fry.

Are they hot?

A hot fry has a creaminess in the center that enhances the ultimate experience of the fry. Having that crispy exterior and creamy interior ensures a perfect fry!

Hand-cut fries.

Let’s be real: They’re amazing within the first few minutes. But anything longer than that is a soggy fry, rarely cooked perfectly due to the labor involved and the variations between the type of potato, the time of the year, and the starch to sugar content. It’s just a super inconsistent product unless it’s a huge focus for your concept. I’d stay away.

What are your sauces?

Just ketchup? Just ranch? Make up a few new dipping sauces that will assist you in creating a fry program that isn’t just as a side. Three different fry cuts and three different sauces are now a $14 appetizer that will make people happy.

Choose a fry or a fry program that matches your concept!

Is it a wedge, a concertina, a waffle, a dipper or a steak…? Choose wisely because the wrong fry can take your menu from great to, “Well, that sucked.”

Takeaway

Speaking of featuring fries as a premium appetizer that justifies a premium price, Chef Duffy has a couple of ideas.

One, a fry board. We’ve seen cheese boards, meat boards, pretzel boards… Why not fries?

Sift through Instagram and you’ll also find a Chef Duffy take on build-your-own nacho fries.

Get creative. Don’t just have fries, engage your kitchen and have them build a fry program. Innovation draws people in and converts them to loyal, repeat guests while justifying premium pricing.

Image: Vincent Rivaud on Pexels

Disclaimer: Neither the author nor KRG Hospitality received compensation, monetary or otherwise, from Lamb Weston or any other entity in exchange for this post.

KRG Hospitality menu development. Restaurant. Bar. Cafe. Lounge. Hotel. Resort. Food. Drinks.

Stylish bar and bar stools
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Hospitality Mindset: Bar Edition

Hospitality Mindset: Bar Edition

by Jennifer Radkey

Stylish bar and bar stools

Messages about the importance of mindset flood our social media feeds but what exactly does the word mean, and why is it so important?

You’re told you need to have a growth mindset to be successful. You must have a positive mindset for a happy and fulfilling life. Both are true statements, but what do they mean?

Simply stated, mindset is an individual’s usual attitude or mental state. It reflects someone’s way of thinking and motivates their actions. So, why is it important to be aware of your mindset?

Well, if your mindset is your usual attitude or how you show up in your life each and every day, it will influence all parts of your life. Your thoughts about yourself, others, your business, your opportunities, and your challenges are all influenced by your mindset. Your mindset can either hinder or promote your overall well-being and success in life.

The interesting thing about mindset is that it can change—if you want it to. Your mindset can also be influenced by your environment and those around you. These facts led me to question if the different sectors of the hospitality industry face unique mindset challenges.

To find answers and gain further insight, I decided to turn to our team at KRG Hospitality for their thoughts. In turn, I’ve begun a series of hospitality mindset articles.

In this first article I’ll explore the bar industry, with thoughts from master mixologist Jared Boller. Follow the series as I explore mindset in restaurants, hotels, and start-up operations.

Let’s dive in!

The Bar Industry

In the US, the bar and nightclub market is valued at an estimated $36 billion for 2023. The industry as a whole employs close to 600,000 people.

With businesses built off drinking culture, what unique challenges do operators and those working inside these establishments face?

Successful Operators

Operating a successful bar takes a certain mindset. You need to be flexible, open-minded to growth strategies, mindful of your market and competition, and compassionate to the needs of your team.

Interested in what makes a bar operator stand above their competition, I asked Jared what makes a bar operator successful.

“First and foremost, I think that every bar owner needs to understand their product and how they are going to differentiate themselves from the competition. Ultimately, it is up to the owner to realize what their goal is in owning a bar. It requires digging deep into themselves to ask what they want out of their business.

“Are you looking for a way to make extra cash? Are you looking to provide a local hangout for you and your friends? Do you want to win awards and have a buzzworthy place everyone wants to visit? This is a tough business that requires a lot of time and energy, and thick skin.

“Be organized, clean, a good leader, efficient, and provide a home that your employees want to come to. Try to know all aspects of the business: financials, technology, culinary, bar, service, management, etc.”

Operator Challenges

Operators need a resilient, positive, growth mindset to be successful. It’s the only path forward to running a bar they are both proud to work in and enjoy working at every day.

This is a mindset that will need tending to as there are challenges that will affect your daily thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes.

When asked what specific challenges bar operators face that may affect their mindset, Jared shared his thoughts.

Labor Shortage

Dealing with labor shortages as an operator can create feelings of frustration, stress, and resentment.

“It’s getting increasingly difficult to gain a competitive edge because of numerous factors, one of the biggest being labor shortage. It’s not a labor shortage where there’s not enough jobs, it’s an unwillingness to work and/or want to work in the hospitality industry because, quite frankly, ‘It’s tough.’

“I think that with inflation happening in the world, as well as the majority of establishments working off the Tips Blueprint, it doesn’t allow people to know what they’re making day in and day out. People are turning to different jobs or jobs outside of hospitality because they don’t want to be on their feet everyday working long hours and not knowing their future.”

Competition

If a bar operator isn’t careful they can very easily become lost in the game of comparison.

Yes, it is important to know what your competition is up to, but if the constant comparison leads to negative feelings about you, your team, and your establishment without any action for improvement, this is a surefire way to hurt your mindset and chances of success.

If you truly want to be competitive without getting lost in the comparison game, focus on your team.

“The time of pumping out commercial food and drink is gone, and legitimate professionals who are educated and professionally trained are few and far between. Additionally, there’s even a creative youth movement with ambition, but they have not been classically trained in their respective outlets.

“It’s difficult to be competitive without education, training, and bringing together a group that can keep an establishment afloat with similar perspectives. It takes an army to be competitive with everyone speaking the same language, understanding the establishment inside and out, and able to execute night in and night out with the same integrity.”

Social Media/Online Reviews

As a bar operator, you rely on your reputation within your community for the success of your business. This also holds true for your online community.

How you react and your thoughts about online reviews can affect your mindset. A negative online review can very easily incite feelings of anger, disappointment, and blame.

“We live in a world driven by star ratings, thumbs up, and everyday critics writing novels about how there was ‘too much ice in my drink,'” says Jared. “If you read too many negative comments, that could affect one’s mental health and hurt confidence.”

Coming up with a strategy for dealing with negative social media posts/reviews is critical for keeping a clear perspective and maintaining a positive mindset.

Employee Challenges

Your team experiences their own unique set of challenges that can effect their well-being and mindset as well.

Being aware of these challenges is important if you are hoping to create a culture of respect, collaboration, and trust.

When asked what specific challenges bar staff face, Jared had some insights.

Long Hours/Physicality

Bars are often open late into the night, with bartenders in particular being front and center at all times. This can lead to both physical and mental exhaustion if appropriate breaks aren’t provided.

“The physicality alone will eventually take a toll on the employee who is shaking drinks for eight to ten hours a day, working doubles, having minimal break times, and standing on their feet for the same amount of hours. On top of that, you are constantly on stage and typically in a vantage point of someone either sitting across from you at the bar or observing from a table. You are constantly having to engage, take care of, and put on a happy face even if you might be dealing with something in your personal life. Not being able to take a step away or breathe can make you feel claustrophobic or trapped at times.”

Job Security/Growth

If you are working in an unsupportive environment that does not feel safe and makes you feel as though your future with the business is unsure, it can create feelings of discomfort, resentment, anger, worry, and even fear.

Bar employees need to feel respected, heard, and valued.

“Every employee—pending they do the job well—should feel safe in their workspace. I also believe that employees should be able to grow in their workspace if they have the desire to learn and/or be promoted in the future.

“I think that if an employee does the work, and has mastered the role, they should be considered for advancement. Employees in this industry need to identify what speaks to their personal interests and try to master that. I personally wanted to master the craft of bartending so that’s the path I took. Employees should never be scared if they’re interested in growing with the brand.”

Harmful Beliefs in the Bar Industry

How you feel about the people you work with and/or work for can have major impacts on your overall mindset.

If your daily thoughts regarding your team are negative, it suddenly becomes very challenging to create a successful bar with a team who shows up wanting to do their best each and every day.

The bar industry has a few specific common harmful beliefs that are prevalent in many establishments. Being aware of these and knowing what to do with these beliefs to change them is critical to creating a more positive work environment.

Paranoia

When I asked Jared what one of the most prevalent harmful beliefs operators have about their team, he discussed the belief that everyone is taking advantage of you. Many owners believe that everyone is stealing from them.

“In all of my years working in bars and restaurants there was always this sense that employees would be taking money from them or pouring ‘free products’ off to their friends/family. Truth be told, it happens, but I think that employees wouldn’t do that if they were offered a simple ‘comp tab.’

“I’m not saying that offering a free drink here and there to a friend is right, but I think for an owner to say, ‘Buy your friends a drink every now and then to show you appreciate them coming here,’ is a nice gesture.

“I’ve worked in places where owners are transparent, honest, and trustworthy with their employees, and the employees are happy so they don’t go behind the owner’s back. I think ownership needs to be realistic and give back to their employees and visitors every now and then, because that will boost morale.”

Feeling Unappreciated

When it came to harmful beliefs that staff have about ownership, Jared shared that employees feel that ownership does not care about them. While in some cases these beliefs may unfortunately be valid, in many cases owners may just be legitimately unaware that there are issues or concerns that need to be addressed.

“A lot of hospitality employees don’t feel appreciated by their bosses. Employees often feel like they can’t have a voice. Sometimes owners are so tied up in everything else to maintain the business and they won’t recognize you unless you speak up and engage in conversation over frustrations. Staff members need to not overstep their boundaries, but if there is something that could potentially move the business forward, express your concern.

“I’ve always had a good relationship with owners because I try to throw out ideas they don’t see, and come up with a potential solution to an issue. Owners don’t know everything and a lot of time are caught up in the day-to-day business. You were hired there for a reason: because they trust you to do a good job.”

Moving Forward

Understanding the importance of cultivating and maintaining positive, growth mindsets will allow you to move forward with your team towards shared goals and dreams.

Nobody wants to hate where they work, and with commitment to tackling challenges and harmful beliefs, this won’t be likely to happen.

So, what positive changes have been incurring in the industry as a whole?

“Simple things. Team-building events, like a picnic, an annual dinner to celebrate the staff, a field trip to a farm, quick getaways, etc. When the ownership/management team gives back to their team they end up enjoying coming to their second home everyday.

“Ensuring there are appropriate breaks during the long days, and potentially offering a ‘family meal’ to boost energy and give them food they might not be able to afford at home. Promoting ‘in-house’ competitions, such as the person who has the best wine sales at the end of the week gets a free bottle of wine. Leveraging different companies—spirits, wine, food purveyors—to do in-house demos and educationals. Allowing the staff to be hands on and learn something that will provide value to their personal growth.

“With less and less people choosing to take the hospitality path, it creates a lack of talent or people willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work. That’s why it’s important that the venue gives back every once and awhile.”

Room for Improvement

Although we’re starting to see more awareness of the well-being of those working in this industry, there are still many changes that need to happen.

“There needs to be sustainable and livable wages established universally amongst staff. With a world of inflation and prices on everything sky-rocketing, people are not going to be able to work in this industry and survive.

“There needs to be more meetings amongst staff to ensure that everyone has a voice and that everyone is on the same page when it comes to their jobs. There are a lot of mental health issues to this day because the hospitality industry is a crazy, tangled-up web when there is no guidance and good leadership. Our industry still has substance abuse issues, with people self-medicating with drugs and alcohol to help numb their pain, in addition to consuming too much caffeine to stay afloat.

“There needs to be more support and coaching programs available to new operators—similar to what we offer through KRG—to ensure they understand what they are signing up for. Education, leadership, guidance, inspiration, and providing a great work/life balance need to be a primary focus. Out with the 70-hour work week—back to a sustainable work timetable.”

Final Thoughts

Winning mindsets create winning concepts and winning teams. Having a positive mindset doesn’t mean that you don’t experience challenges or that you don’t experience any negative feelings. We are all human; of course we are going to have negative thoughts now and again.

It’s what you choose to do with those thoughts. If you allow them to become your predominant attitude, that will determine your overall mindset. The bar industry may have it’s challenges but it is also a place of excitement, entertainment, and creativity, a hub for social interaction with a never-ending hum of humanity.

I’ll leave you with a few last words of wisdom from KRG’s master mixologist Jared Boller.

“Understand that every day is going to be different than the previous, and you have to constantly adapt to what’s being thrown at you. If you’re not adaptable and can’t bend to spontaneous requests you might find yourself going into a dark space. Know that everyone is different, with unique upbringings and alternative perspectives on life. You are not always right, nor are they.

“Establish your rules in this bar environment. Educate yourself so you know more than everyone else in the room about your business and your craft, and open your mind to learning new things. Don’t be a know-it-all because that’s just downright annoying.

“And, finally, my rules that I live by behind a bar: ‘If someone wants to speak religion, decline. If someone wants to get your beliefs on politics, decline. And when a woman asks you their age, don’t answer, or politely decline.’ Everything else is an open conversation.”

Cheers to personal and professional well-being!

Image: Rachel Claire on Pexels

KRG Hospitality Mindset Coaching

Flipping through an open book
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

5 Books to Read this Month: July 2023

5 Books to Read this Month: July 2023

by David Klemt

Flipping through an open book

Our inspiring and informative June book selections will take your front and back of house to the next level, and help develop your leadership skills.

To review the book recommendations from June 2023, click here.

Let’s jump in!

Sugar Shack Au Pied de Cochon (Cabane à Sucre Au Pied de Cochon)

This is the English-language edition of the 2012 World Gourmand Book of the Year. You can pick it up at Amazon via this link, but it will cost you over $150 to do so. So, here’s the link to the book from the Au Pied de Cochon online store.

Those who have read this book describe it as one part recipe book, one part art piece. It’s difficult to categorize this book at all, really. It’s a journal, a recipe book, a culinary masterpiece, and a collection of scientific knowledge. In less than 400 pages, Martin Picard chronicles a year in the life of his restaurant, and shares 100 recipes and 2000 photographs, along a depth of culinary information, the value of which can’t be overstated. Pick it up today or find it at a library if you can.

Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human

If you look at your role in foodservice as more than just a paycheck, you already view cooking as important. It has real value and inspires you, stoking your passion for this business. But what if the importance of cooking is beyond just “important”? What if it’s directly responsible for human evolution? This book by anthropologist and primatologist Richard Wrangham puts forth and defends this evolutionary theory.

From Amazon: “In a groundbreaking theory of our origins, Wrangham shows that the shift from raw to cooked foods was the key factor in human evolution. When our ancestors adapted to using fire, humanity began. Once our hominid ancestors began cooking their food, the human digestive tract shrank and the brain grew. Time once spent chewing tough raw food could be used instead to hunt and to tend camp. Cooking became the basis for pair bonding and marriage, created the household, and even led to a sexual division of labor.

“Tracing the contemporary implications of our ancestors diets, Catching Fire sheds new light on how we came to be the social, intelligent, and sexual species we are today. A pathbreaking new theory of human evolution, Catching Fire will provoke controversy and fascinate anyone interested in our ancient origins – or in our modern eating habits.”

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

If you prefer your self-improvement and leadership books coated in gobs of sugar and wrapped in sheets of positivity, prepare for a shock. Author Mark Manson isn’t a sunshine, daisies, unicorns, and lemons-to-lemonade type of person. Instead, Manson thinks people need to toughen up and learn how to simply deal with being handed lemons. However, this isn’t a nonstop punch to the gut or blast to the chops. Rather, Manson wants people to change their mindset and focus on what should matter.

From Amazon: “Manson makes the argument, backed by both academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited – “not everybody can be extraordinary; there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault”. Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek.

“There are only so many things we can give a f*ck about, so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.”

Pick this book up here!

Samsung Rising: The Inside Story of the South Korean Giant That Set Out to Beat Apple and Conquer Tech

During a recent team meeting, KRG Hospitality executive chef and culinary expert Nathen Dubé recommended this book. And while it’s the story of a massive corporation, it doesn’t read like a collection of boring essays. Rather, Samsung Rising is the true story of a family-run business that has grown from 40 employees to more than 300,000. After taking big risks and committing to building a technology empire, Samsung has nearly doubled in size in comparison to rivals Apple and Google. However, the road to creating a dynasty has been anything but smooth.

From Amazon: “Forty years ago, Samsung was a rickety Korean agricultural conglomerate that produced sugar, paper, and fertilizer, located in a backward country with a third-world economy. With the rise of the PC revolution, though, Chairman Lee Byung-chul began a bold experiment: to make Samsung a major supplier of computer chips. The multimillion- dollar plan was incredibly risky. But Lee, wowed by a young Steve Jobs, who sat down with the chairman to offer his advice, became obsessed with creating a tech empire. And in Samsung Rising, we follow Samsung behind the scenes as the company fights its way to the top of tech. It is one of Apple’s chief suppliers of technology critical to the iPhone, and its own Galaxy phone outsells the iPhone.”

Grab Samsung Rising today.

Salt & Straw Ice Cream Cookbook

Recently, we had the opportunity to attend a pre-opening event for the first Las Vegas location of Salt & Straw. Those who have visited a Salt & Straw ice cream shop know how creative the brand is when it comes to flavors. We also found their team’s service to be impeccable.

The Salt & Straw Ice Cream Cookbook, as you may imagine, shares the brand’s recipes. Impressively, these all spring from a “base” recipe that takes just five minutes to make. This recipe book should help to inspire your own desserts.

From Amazon: “Based out of Portland, Oregon, Salt & Straw is the brainchild of two cousins, Tyler and Kim Malek, who had a vision but no recipes. They turned to their friends for advice—chefs, chocolatiers, brewers, and food experts of all kinds—and what came out is a super-simple base that takes five minutes to make, and an ice cream company that sees new flavors and inspiration everywhere they look.

“Using that base recipe, you can make dozens of Salt & Straw’s most beloved, unique (and a little controversial) flavors, including Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, Roasted Strawberry and Toasted White Chocolate, and Buttered Mashed Potatoes and Gravy.

“But more importantly, this book reveals what they’ve learned, how to tap your own creativity, and how to invent flavors of your own, based on whatever you see around you. Because ice cream isn’t just a thing you eat, it’s a way to live.”

Image: Mikołaj on Unsplash

KRG Hospitality. Business Coach. Restaurant Coach. Hotel Coach. Hospitality Coach. Mindset Coach.

"Think about things differently" neon sign
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: July 2023

Program for Unique Holidays: July 2023

by David Klemt

"Think about things differently" neon sign

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your July holiday promotions.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our June 2023 holidays list, click here.

July 5: Workaholics Day

Great bars and restaurants offer escapes from the drudgery and negativity of the rest of the world. On this day, encourage those who can step away from work to actually do so.

Barring getting workaholics to play hooky, come up with an LTO menu that’ll inspire them to at least pop by to unwind after a hard day’s work.

July 6: World Kissing Day

There are quite a few cocktails with “kiss” in the title, and these are the drinks you should use to program for this holiday.

The Kiss cocktail, for example, is a gin cocktail with Dubonnet, sweet vermouth, and Luxardo maraschino liqueur. The Widow’s Kiss consists of apple brandy, Yellow Chartreuse, Bénédictine, and Angostura bitters. In other words, it’s not difficult to celebrate this holiday through your drink menu.

July 7: Dive Bar Day

It’s difficult to beat a dive or neighborhood bar when you’re looking for a great time with friends. If you’re a dive or neighborhood bar operator, this is your day.

July 11: National Cheer Up the Lonely Day

Look, the past few years have isolated far too many of us. People are lonely, and this isolation isn’t doing anyone’s mental health any favors.

Bars and restaurants are cornerstones of their communities, so this is an excellent day to encourage people to come in, grab a bite and a drink, and try to make some new friends.

July 13: National French Fry Day

When a French fry is done right, when it’s hot with a crunchy exterior and creamy interior, it’s a perfect food. If you think your team makes amazing French fries, brag about it on social and prove it to your guests.

Better yet, this is a great day to show off your French fry skills with signature loaded versions.

July 14: National Nude Day

Unless you’re running an incredibly niche concept with excellent community and guest support, please don’t celebrate National Nude Day with nudity.

Instead, draw guests in through an enticing LTO menu. You can, for example, highlight your bar team’s prowess for creating the Naked & Famous cocktail, a mezcal cocktail made with Aperol and Yellow Chartreuse. Of course, there’s also the Porn Star Martini, along with other cocktails with names that imply nudity.

July 20: National Moon Day

It may seem like this holiday is related to the previous one, but please behave. You and your guests can celebrate Earth’s sole natural satellite via cocktails.

Not only are there drinks like the Moon cocktail (made with gin and sherry), you can also offer blue, purple, and black cocktails served with large ice cubes.

July 25: Culinarians Day

Are you proud of your kitchen team? Proud of the culinarians that are working hard to make your restaurant a success? This is the day to highlight the mastery of their craft and your signature menu items.

Alternatively, if you can afford to do so, you can also go dark on this day to give your culinary team a break.

July 28: National Get Gnarly Day

If you have some “out there” menu items, this is the day to highlight them. Do you have a food challenge? Promote it! Have some “interesting” bottles in your inventory? Promote them!

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

KRG Hospitality menu development. Restaurant. Bar. Cafe. Lounge. Hotel. Resort. Food. Drinks.

The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2023 Awards group shot
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

’23 World’s 50 Best Restaurants: 51 to 100

2023 World’s 50 Best Restaurants: 51 to 100

by David Klemt

The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2023 Awards group shot

Last week we checked out the top 50 restaurants around the world, and today we’re taking a look at those ranked 51 to 100.

Narrowing down the 50 best restaurants in the world is a harrowing task. So it makes sense that the World’s 50 Best Restaurants expanded the list to the best 100. Even that, however, must be daunting.

France performed particularly well on the 100 to 51 list this year, clinching six spots. Four of those, unsurprisingly, are located in Paris.

The US, Bangkok, and Spain each have four restaurants on the list. For the US, two restaurants make the rankings in both California and New York.

Operators in Japan earn three spots, with two restaurants in Tokyo and one in Osaka. London also achieves three places on this list.

A number of countries, regions, and cities have two restaurants on the 2023 100 to 51 list: Cape Town, Denmark, Hong Kong, Istanbul, and Mexico.

Again, like to 50 to 1, Canada and Australia don’t have restaurants ranked anywhere on the 51 through 100 list.

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023: 100 to 51

  1. Maito (Panama City, Panama)
  2. Fu He Hui (Shanghai, China)
  3. Saison (San Francisco, California, United States of America)
  4. Labyrinth (Singapore)
  5. Ricard Camarena Restaurant (Valencia, Spain)
  6. Ceto (Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France)
  7. La Colombe (Cape Town, South Africa)
  8. Kei (Paris, France)
  9. Neighborhood (Hong Kong)
  10. Kadeau (Copenhagen, Denmark)
  11. Wing (Hong Kong)
  12. Mingles (Seoul, South Korea)
  13. Potong (Bangkok, Thailand)
  14. Ossiano (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
  15. Lyle’s (London, England, United Kingdom)
  16. Enrico Bartolini (Milan, Italy)
  17. Meta (Singapore)
  18. Sazenka (Tokyo, Japan)
  19. Enigma (Barcelona, Spain)
  20. Azurmendi (Larrabetzu, Bizkaia, Spain)
  21. Flocons de Sel (Megève, France)
  22. Nuema (Quito, Ecuador)
  23. Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen (Paris, France)
  24. Tantris (Munich, Germany)
  25. Oteque (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
  26. Fyn (Cape Town, South Africa)
  27. Nusara (Bangkok, Thailand)
  28. Cosme (New York City, New York, United States of America)
  29. Sühring (Bangkok, Thailand)
  30. Core by Clare Smyth (London, England, United Kingdom)
  31. Sud 777 (Mexico City, Mexico)
  32. Zén (Singapore)
  33. SingleThread (Healdsburg, California, United States of America)
  34. Le Clarence (Paris, France)
  35. Turk Fatih Tutak (Istanbul, Türkiye)
  36. Burnt Ends (Singapore)
  37. Aponiente (El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz, Spain)
  38. Neolokal (Istanbul, Türkiye)
  39. Arpège (Paris, France)
  40. Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare (New York City, New York, United States of America)
  41. La Cime (Osaka, Japan)
  42. Mérito (Lima, Perú)
  43. Lasai (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
  44. Jordnær (Copenhagen, Denmark)
  45. Sorn (Bangkok, Thailand)
  46. Ernst (Berlin, Germany)
  47. Alcalde (Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico)
  48. Brat (London, England, United Kingdom)
  49. Hof van Cleve (Kruishoutem, Belgium)
  50. Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)

Last Year’s 100 to 51 List

A number of restaurants from the 2022 World’s Best Restaurants, 100 to 51 are also on this year’s list.

Flocons de Sel, located in Megève, France, likely made the greatest gains. In 2022, the restaurant was ranked number 99. This year, Flocons de Sel earned the number 80 spot.

A few restaurants made humble but notable steps in the right direction. As an example, New York’s Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare climbed from 63 to 61. And Ernst, located in Berlin, went from number 62 in 2022 to 55 this year.

Unfortunately, Sud 777 in Mexico City tumbled in 2023. Last year, the venue reached the number 52 spot. This year, however, it’s number 70. That said, it’s the number 70 restaurant in the world. Nothing to be ashamed of, and I won’t be surprised to see the Sud 777 team drive the restaurant back toward the 50s or better in 2024.

To review the 100 to 51 list from 2022, please click here.

Cheers to these 50 top-performing restaurants!

Image: The World’s 50 Best Restaurants

KRG Hospitality. Restaurant Business Plan. Feasibility Study. Concept. Branding. Consultant. Start-Up.

The Matrix-style green, vertical characters on computer screen
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

AI Guesses 2023 Spirited Award Winners

AI Guesses 2023 Spirited Award Winners

by David Klemt

The Matrix-style green, vertical characters on computer screen

Ahead of the 17th annual Spirited Awards ceremony I asked a chatbot called Chat AI to guess the winner in each award category.

Before we get into the chatbot’s guesses, this is solely for entertainment. I’m not a programmer or engineer. I don’t pretend to know how to work with and get the most out of artificial intelligence. I thought this would be a bit of good fun.

In fact, I asked a very simple question, followed by the awards and nominees of each main category: “Can you guess the winner of each category below?”

That’s it—very simple. But, hey, if any of the guesses turn out to be accurate, that’s pretty cool. It will mean that Canada, New York, San Francisco, and Singapore are going to do well this year.

Another note: I couldn’t use ChatGPT, Bing AI, or Google Bard for this little project. It took some doing to find a chatbot that would tackle making award predictions.

Ultimately, it was AI Chat from DeepAI that made the guesses. It did so quickly and without hesitation.

Now, I can’t say that I know what criteria DeepAI AI Chat used to make its guesses. I have no idea if it crawled reviews and articles in a split second. Nor can I say that Chat AI did anything but apply random selection generation (that sounded techy, didn’t it?).

Again, this is really just for fun, so I’m not overly bothered by AI Chat’s methodology. The platform is not, to the best of my knowledge, affiliated in any way with Tales of the Cocktail or their judges. In fact, I didn’t even mention Tales of the Cocktail Foundation or the Spirited Awards when “conversing” with Chat AI.

US Categories

US Bartender of the Year presented by Pernod Ricard USA

Masahiro Urushido, Katana Kitten (New York, New York)

Best US Bar Mentor presented BarSmarts

Nectaly Mendoza

Best US Brand Ambassador presented Libbey

Vance Henderson (Hendrick’s Gin)

Best US Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons

Pacific Cocktail Haven (San Francisco, California)

Best US Cocktail Bar presented by Absolut Vodka

Service Bar (Washington, DC)

Best US Hotel Bar presented by Grey Goose

Dear Irving on Hudson at the Aliz Hotel (New York, New York)

Best US Restaurant Bar presented by Amaro Montenegro and Select Aperitivo

Kumiko (Chicago, IL)

Best New US Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy

Pacific Standard at the KEX Portland (Portland, Oregon)

International Categories

International Bartender of the Year presented by The Busker

Giorgio Bargiani, Connaught Bar (London, England, United Kingdom)

Best International Bar Mentor presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Agostino Perrone

Best International Brand Ambassador presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Daniyel Jones (House of Angostura)

Best International Bar Team presented by Angostura Caribbean Rum

Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)

Best International Cocktail Bar presented by Patr​​ón Tequila

Atwater Cocktail Club (Montréal, Québec, Canada)

Best International Hotel Bar presented by Perrier

Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)

Best International Restaurant Bar presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Analogue Initiative (Singapore)

Best New International Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy

Night Hawk (Singapore)

Global Categories

Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient presented by Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic

PATRÓN El Alto Tequila

World’s Best Cocktail Menu presented by Diageo Bar Academy

Panda & Sons (Edinburgh, Scotland)

World’s Best Spirits Selection presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Baba Au Rum (Athens, Greece)

Writing & Media Categories

Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Difford’s Guide

Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Online Video Series presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

The Speakeasy Podcast

Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

“The Great Mezcal Heist” by Emma Janzen, for Eater

Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Modern Classic Cocktails by Robert Simonson

Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History, or Spirits presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

A SENSE OF PLACE: A Journey Around Scotland’s Whisky by Dave Broom

Image: Markus Spiske on Unsplash

KRG Hospitality tech stack consulting. Tech. Technology. CRM. POS. Restaurant. Bar. Cafe. Lounge. Hotel. Resort.

Top