The hospitality industry may be about providing food, drink, accommodation and service, but sometimes you have to go the extra mile to pull customers in. If you’re stuck for ideas on how to make your business more appealing take a look at what others are doing for inspiration.
Chalet at Swissotel The Howard
London's Swissotel The Howard has erected a replica Swiss chalet in its grounds to give guests a taste of the Alps during the winter season and provide a themed private dining and events space. The chalet, complete with handcrafted Swiss furniture, will be available for clients to book until 28 February 2010 and can hold anything from 35 to 250 people. The hotel has created special Swiss themed food packages, including cheese fondues, to have in the chalet.
Fungi food
Named best Italian restaurant in Harden's 2009, Putney's Enoteca Turi is offering a fungi-based menu to celebrate wild mushroom season. Guests can enjoy a mushroom-centric two or three-course menu at £25.50 or £29.50 respectively. The menu includes Polenta Taragna with Sauteed Porcini and a Lasagne of Mixed Wild Mushrooms.
Fish fiesta
On 4 October the Bristol-based Glassboat is to host a fish festival on Welshback Quay. Billed as a 'Fiesta of all things fishy', the event is a celebration of local seafood with stalls and an oyster-shucking competition. The restaurant will keep the crowds going with an all-day menu of simple and sustainable seafood with an Italian slant.
Baltic at Bob Bob Ricard
Leonid Shutov, the Russian owner of Soho's Bob Bob Ricard, has introduced a selection of his homeland's dishes to the eclectic venue's all-day menu. The Baltic spread includes Jellied Ox Tongue with Horseradish Sauce, herring and various types of dumplings. It's all washed down with shots of chilled vodka, served at a gratifying -18 degrees celsius.
The rootmaster
Legendary three-star chef Alain Passard, of Paris's vegetable centric L'Arpege, is to help celebrate the second birthday of RootMaster - a Brick Lane-based vegetarian restaurant on the top-deck of a bus. Alongside the venue's seasonal menu, guests have a chance to try a mystery course designed by Passard himself.