Cheers is dedicated to delivering hospitality professionals the information, insights and data necessary to drive their beverage business by covering trends and innovations in operations, merchandising, service and training.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/103517
BEST CHAIN HOTEL BEVERAGE PROGRAM J.W. MARRIOTT SAN ANTONIO HILL COUNTRY At the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country, part of the Marriott International hotel chain, three "pillars" guide the hotel's beverage programs. First is offering the right mix of core products, known collectively as The JW Marriott Platinum Collection. The Marriott International Beverage Team and the Beverage Council meet yearly to update the collection, based on past depletions, input from regional clusters, supplier suggestions and profile of hotel guests. Then there's the initiative to supplement those core items with locally sourced beer, wine and spirits. "In general, we encourage our hotels, no matter where they're located, to dig into indigenous and locally produced products," says Dan Hoffman, director of equipment and beverage specifications for Marriott International. The resort sold more than 800 cases of Texas wine in 2011. Finally, the JW Wine Ambassador Program, instituted in 2011, aims to improve overall staff knowledge of wine. "Ambassadors" attend monthly meetings hosted by a project lead to taste and take notes on selected wines and varietals. These notes are shared with all other JW Marriott locations. The resort's bars and restaurants are proof of its dedication to beverage program. For example, Cibolo Moon, the first restaurant in Texas to become "T" certified by the Tequila Regulatory Council of Mexico, offers more than 100 tequilas. Sportsbar High Velocity is all about beer—primarily Texas beer, while the Crooked Branch specializes in handcrafted cocktails, and steak house 18 Oaks has a heavy wine focus, particularly Texas wines. The resort saw a 19.5% increase in beverage sales year-over-year, as well as an 8.7% decrease in beverage cost. Even during challenging times, Hoffman says, "those establishments that continue to set their standards extremely high and maintain JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country's High Velocity them will always perform better than those who try —Kara Newman sportsbar, left, and the tequila-centric Cibolo Moon. to cut corners." BEST CHAIN SIGNATURE DRINK PROGRAM TAVISTOCK RESTAURANTS Sangria might seem like a no-brainer at a Spanish or Mexican restaurant. But Tavistock Restaurants owns and manages a diverse portfolio of 32 restaurants across the U.S., including Abe & Louie's, Atlantic Fish, Blackhawk Grille, Cafe del Rey, Joe's American Bar & Grill, Napa Valley Grille, and Zed451—very few of those with Spanish or Mexican cuisines. But thanks to an emphasis on seasonal ingredients and customized recipes to fit the individual concepts and markets, Signature Sangrias represent nearly 21% of all liquor sales at Tavistock's 12 Joe's American outlets; 19% of wine sales at Zed451 in Chicago; and nearly 21% of all cocktails sold at Cafe del Rey in Los Angeles. "Sangria is the most profitable item we have," says Mike Hanley, beverage operations and training director. The estimated 8.5% to 11% cost per item, "brings affordability to our entire drink line," he says. "It allows us to charge $8 to $9 for other drinks instead of $15 to $16." While consistency is prized and core ingredients remain the same across the various outlets, regional and seasonal ingredients are rotated in each season. That might mean sangrias with apples and spice in the northern states, and drinks featuring peaches in southern regional restaurants—when those fruits are in season. Training for both core drink offerings and seasonal additions is accomplished via laminated recipe cards, which include www.cheersonline.com Two of Tavistock's seasonal specialties: Citrus Sangria, left, and Red Wine Sangria, right. a photo to show how the finished drink should appear. To supplement in-person training, Tavistock tapes brief online videos that Hanley emails to bar managers. Staffers are encouraged to collect input from guests about what they would like to see in their glass. "We have 1,000 people on the front lines that listen to 10,000 people every month on what their desires and tastes are," Hanley notes. As a result, many new recipes and ideas for flavors are inspired by guests. —Kara Newman JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 | 19