Room service - from ordinary to extraordinary
Who would have thought a year ago that booking a hotel room was the key to a gastronomic meal? Check out what is happening right now in Paris, while all the French restaurants and cafés are officially closed for lockdown.
What used to be simply a convenience is now turning into a real ambitious goal. An upscale gastronomic experience is replacing the burger, chips and club sandwich in hotel rooms. The demand is there; customers are eager for a gourmet escape given the limitations on how restaurants will be able to reopen and operate in a near future.
It all started in Paris at The Bristol, where Chef Eric Frechon decided to meet customers’ needs after they expressed their boredom with the traditional room service menu. Chef Frechon responded with ‘’simple’’ suggestions such as scallops with truffle or Bresse poultry. It was an immediate success. From there, the gastronomic experience was elevated up to the rooms. Champagne was served in the salon, the three-course meal presented on a draped table and even a soufflé was served at the end of the meal, which required quite an epic coordination.
Today, the in-room dining experience is not only limited to a Palace hotel. Mama Shelter or the Boutique Hotel des Grands Boulevards are also transporting their restaurant experience to their rooms. Customers are indulging in all types of Bistro dishes from foie gras to risotto, from chocolate mousse to Tiramisu, all in the comfort of their rooms.
La Réserve Paris has taken it a step further. Here you can book a room just for your meal… without having to stay overnight.
A new chapter of the “in-room dining experience” is being written.
Stéphane Bellon, founder, Studionomie, Geneva
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Room service from The Bristol, Paris (photo credit: Claire Cocano)