Many times the word of sourcing and purchasing food from local vendors has been romanticized in the imagination of restauranteurs and restaurant patrons of a long gone world with the farmer bringing his freshly harvested goods and crops to the back door of the kitchen to be inspected personally by the Chef where a handshake cements a partnership that represents all that is good to be served and savoured! This is a wonderful dream, now we must quickly return to the real world, where product sourcing, time and menu creation need to be quick, cost efficient, and most of all profitable. This article explains how to get the best of both worlds and most importantly your dining guests can expect and enjoy the best of local purchase on an affordable scale. READ MORE

Turks & Caicos is a destination synonymous with white sand beaches and beautiful turquoise blue waters, so the concept of “eating local” here evokes an array of ocean-to-table fare. Before farm-to-table had become trendy, or even discussed, local seafood available right off our shores had always been a staple of our Island diet. While common knowledge may dictate that Caribbean islands rely mostly on imported food, the truth in Turks & Caicos is that there are bountiful resources both in our seas and on land. At Grace Bay Resorts, and our Providenciales properties Grace Bay Club and West Bay Club, we have always enjoyed sharing the Islands' unique culinary traditions with visitors. READ MORE

If you walk into a full-service hotel today, one of the first things you may see is either a coffee bar, or a mini-mart in the lobby. What you may not see is a traditional three meal a day, all-purpose dining room. This change of scenery is emblematic of the evolution of food and beverage offerings at U.S. hotels. Consumer and financial factors have both contributed to this change. A rising number of new travelers are seeking communal experiences similar to what they partake in back home. Sitting in a coffee shop atmosphere with internet access is more appealing than sitting by yourself in a large dining room or your guest room. The ability to serve yourself and control your own time has given rise to the popularity of grab-and-go mini-markets in full-service hotel lobbies. READ MORE

In today's global marketplace, food and beverage operations are faced with a myriad of challenges to meet their guest's expectations while maintaining a profitable bottom line. Sourcing local food and beverage ingredients that meet the needs of the organization as well as the demands of the guest is increasingly important in this competitive landscape. Understanding the term local and how it is defined in your organization, identifying your guest's expectations and key drivers, and assessing various sourcing options and selecting the best method for the needs of your organization are critical components for creating a successful local food program. READ MORE

Total Revenue Performance is the intelligent calibration of demand across all hotel functions to meet overall business objectives. It is the ability to instantly and systematically decide which business to accept across multiple revenue streams at all times, based on greatest overall value to the asset. This kind of holistic approach to revenue management considers not only guest room rates or availability but also a myriad of other sources, including revenue streams across your business and other data, such as social media and sales data.. This article outlines those practical tips for forecasting, pricing, optimizing and managing total hotel revenues, allowing you to determine your readiness for a Total Revenue Performance approach to your business. READ MORE