22
JOURNEYS magazine
Volume I, 2016
CULINARY SPOTLIGHT
invested $75 million in its own
centralized manufacturing plant for
all food so it can control the quality
and the dining experience.
“We’re not only raising the
bar, we are creating the bar,” says
Halpern. “We define the experience
because we control the quality.
Gastronomy and travel have become
synonymous. Consumers are seeking
a high caliber experience and
unmatched culinary oerings, which
we deliver.”
In addition, Palace Resorts has
developed a dedicated program to
train its culinary sta on ingredients
and trends in food preparation so
they can better serve guests at the
wide variety of restaurants at every
property. Indeed, Palace features
Italian, French, Mexican, Asian,
steakhouses and regional specialties
at its restaurants, so chefs need to
be trained to prepare many dierent
cuisines. Palace Resorts chefs also
have been showcased at the Cancun
food and wine festival in the past
few years.
Cuisine also is crucial at Le
Blanc Spa Resort, which features
high-end French cuisine with wine
pairings at its Lumiere restaurant
and an eclectic menu of Asian
cuisine at Blanc Asia. Restaurants at
other Palace Resorts include sensory
dining experiences with music,
special lighting, wine pairings and
gourmet cuisine.
At Karisma Hotels & Resorts,
gourmet dining has been made part
of the brand itself with the company’s
highly promoted Gourmet Inclusive
program. Karisma oers three resort
brands in Mexico and Jamaica —
Eldorado Spa Resorts, Azul Hotels
and Generations Resorts — and will
soon be opening a property in the
Dominican Republic.
“Gourmet Inclusive is designed
to provide guests with the finest
gastronomic experiences, world-class
service, and innovative on- and o-
property programming,” says Mandy
Chomat, Karisma’s vice president
of sales and marketing. “We deliver
exceptional levels of quality that
can only be compared to luxurious
traditional hotels.”
Karisma’s culinary program
features internationally trained chefs
and sommeliers at every restaurant,
fresh local ingredients, partnerships
with leading food and beverage
suppliers like Jackson Family Wines
and Canadian Beef, and innovative
food and beverage concepts. Guests
can enjoy gourmet a la carte meals,
premiumalcoholic and non-alcoholic
beverages, and 24-hour room service.
Each of Karisma resorts features
a wide selection of restaurants,
bars and lounges, including unique
culinary experiences — everything
from a beachfront BBQ with the
fresh catch of the day and healthy
juice bar to restaurants serving
authentic Italian, Mexican, Asian and
world cuisine.
Karisma even has an award-
winning restaurant in its inventory:
Le Chique at Azul Sensatori Hotel,
led by Executive Chef Jonathan
Gomez Luna Torres, is recognized
as one of Mexico’s best restaurants.
Karisma also has been a recipient of
Wine Spectator’s
Award of Excellence
for the past seven years.
Fuentes at El Dorado Royale by
Karisma oers another one-of-a-kind
dining experience. Dinner is the show
ut over the last few years,
food has become an essential
ingredient in the overall vacation
experience. That’s why today’s all-
inclusive resorts are delivering
epicurean delights that will satisfy
the most discerning palates. You can
now enjoy gourmet dining at its
very finest at these resorts without
spending anything extra.
In part, the new focus on high-
end dining has also occurred in
tandem with the tremendous growth
in the number of all-inclusive resorts.
Where there were once four or five
all-inclusive brands, there are now
nearly 40 competing in the market.
And to attract customers they need
to oer high-quality cuisine and a
wide array of dining options.
For example, Palace Resorts,
which features two all-inclusive
brands, Palace and Le Blanc, with
resorts in Mexico and Jamaica, has
been focused on setting the highest
standard of culinary oerings at all
its properties because they have
recognized its customers are much
more sophisticated.
“Demand for all-inclusive resorts
is on the rise and customers’
expectations are on the rise as well,”
says Kathy Halpern, vice president
of sales and marketing for Palace
Resorts. “It’s now truly about the
quality of the culinary oering as
well as top-shelf libations.”
To help meet that demand for
top-notch food and beverage, Palace
LEFT
Karisma Hotels & Resorts’
Gourmet Inclusive
®
restaurants
and bars combine the finest
international cuisine and all
premium drinks in a variety of
hip and extraordinary settings.
