Luxury Hotels Bring in More Celebrity Chefs in Guest Gigs
Photo Credit: Chef Mads Refslund. Luxury hotels are looking to chef residencies to boost their high-end credentials. Shangri-La Al Husn Resort & Spa
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In a day when exclusive access and intimate experiences are heralded over material goods, a meal prepared by world-class chefs in a spectacular setting is something luxury consumers are willing to travel for.
Culinary experiences have become an integral part of modern culture and, in high-end travel, intimate access to world-renowned chefs can set a luxury hotel stay apart.
Luxury hospitality operators have become enchanted with chef residences as a way to introduce new culinary concepts, celebrate openings and, of course, stir up media coverage.
Luxury resort operator Soneva, for example, recently marked the opening of an intimate sushi counter and overwater dining room at its flagship Maldives property with a two-week residency by Michelin-starred chef Kenji Gyoten.
Guests can skip the usual six-month long waitlist at his restaurant in Fukuoka, Japan to vie for one of five seats at his lunch and dinner service.
Soneva’s CEO and co-creative director Sonu Shivdasani is passionate about the value that chef residencies bring for all involved.
