Limited edition Hemelwater jenever | Worldwide scoop for Hooghoudt: genever created with rainwater

8-3-2021

A first for Hooghoudt: the distillery with its roots in Groningen (The Netherlands) succeeded in producing gin from rainwater. Hooghoudt aims to reduce the use of scarce drinking water, the Hemelwater gin is based on Hooghoudt’s Premium Jonge Graanjenever recipe. By adding a variety of natural flavors such as juniper, iris root, fennels seeds, cardamom, star anise, elderflower and pear, the ultimate soft and pure gin is created. This 700 runs limited edition Dutch gin is very unique as gin has never been made from rainwater before.  

In 2016 we spotted the beer made from rainwater at brewery the Prael. The bitter blond beer, comparable to an IPA, was brewed in collaboration with the beer brewery Hemelswater (to be translated as water from heaven). A huge success, Code Blond even got attention outside the Netherlands. 

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Trends we spotted | Week 9

8-3-2021

At horecatrends.com or hospitalitytrends.eu we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’.

With this week, links to articles about amongst others about a Japanese-Style Basque Cheesecake from Basuku, it sounds delicious! And Orbital Assembly plans to start building private Voyager space station with artificial gravity in 2025, the first hotel in space.

A link to an article about the Dutch initiative Share That Kitchen, they want to become a kind of Airbnb for professional kitchens. And ‘Quatreau’ CBD drinks launched in the US, it sounds like a Hard Seltzer drink with CBD and we wonder whether these kind of drinks will come to the Netherlands as well.

PepsiCo is shaking up the cocktail mixer category with the launch of Neon Zebra, a new line of non-alcoholic cocktail mixers in 7.5oz mini-cans. Create 2 cocktails with one can in an instant! And an exceptional payment in the spirits industry, a transaction in Bitcoin between a supplier and distributor.

Onmateria created a Green Box. The Green Box, an amenity kit designed to tackle plastic waste in the hotel industry. And in 2025 the first Nobu Hotel in Germany will open in Hamburg, The Elbtower Hamburg.

Open for 1 month in April 2021: Candytropolis Sugar Rush, a safe, open-air, walk-through family adventure in California. And we loved this ice cream: ‘Not Fried Chicken’ Ice cream! We think it might inspire Dutch ice cream creators to make kroket, bitterbal or frikandel ice cream. Very #Instagrammable!

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Virginia Gold Peanut Coffee | The world’s first caffeinated coffee alternative made of peanuts

2-3-2021

Virginia Gold Peanut coffee is the world’s first caffeinated coffee alternative made of peanuts. For what we have read it’s the latest coffee craze in the US and we understand it isn’t coffee, but it looks like it and is delicious. Check out the reviews in the press, for example the FoodNetwork Magazine writes: “It tastes like a less acidic version of coffee, with just a hint of nutty flavor”. We here in Europe have to wait though, we only spotted it in the social media and articles in the US. We also understood that they aren’t shipping to Europe yet. We love to try it though, don’t you?

Reading time: 2 minutes  

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Restaurant Basiliek* changes opening hours and interior after reopening

23-2-2021

One Michelin-starred restaurant Basiliek in Harderwijk (The Netherlands) will change its opening hours at the moment they’re allowed to reopen and welcome guests again. The interior of the restaurant will change as well. The COVID-19 pandemic provided the couple who own the place, Tabitha and Rik Jansma, with new insights with some changes as a result. ‘Something that we wanted for a longer period of time’.

We are curious how many restaurants, bar or hotels will apply changes within their concept. We suppose that the popular meal sharing concepts disappear after reopening. Just like COVID-19 is crucial for the open jars of nuts on tables. Restaurant Basiliek will also change the number of guests, which is something every restaurant has to deal with and where the concept is decisive regarding to the revenue of the restaurant. Sadly enough, this is something we have been testing with the ‘6 feet distance’. The decision to apply new closing hours is choosing for more private time, and it is great if your concept can carry this decision. There is no information provided about continuing with delivery and take-out meals in their press release, but we are very curious how concepts will apply this within their operations. Are you changing your concept, let us know!

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French chef Cyril Lignac will be the new chef of the restaurant at the Amstel Hotel

23-2-2021

And we will make a reservation when it is possible! For everyone who has eaten at one of his restaurants in Paris, chef Cyril Lignac opens at the beginning of 2022 at the legendary Amstel Hotel! We have enjoyed our diners in his restaurant Le Chardenoux and Aux Prés, but he has three other restaurants called Ischia, Le Bar des Prés and Dragon. It is great to hear that this new chef will open a new culinary hotspot in Amsterdam, although we have enjoyed the switch of the kitchen of the restaurant at the Amstel Hotel to more simple and comfort dishes.

The restaurant at the legendary Amstel Hotel, owned by Katara Hospitality and managed by InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, becomes the first restaurant of the French celebrity chef, tv-star and author outside France. The restaurant, which is scheduled to open in 2022, will be based on Lignac’s successful formula in Paris.

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Écotable | An online platform which identifies, rates and promotes sustainable restaurants in France

23-2-2021

For those longing to travel to France this summer, there is a new online platform which identifies, rates and promotes sustainable restaurants in France; Écotable. With the motto: ‘Bien dans mon assiette, bien sur ma planète’ is Écotable a new guide for those who value a more sustainable way of dining out. The French startup, founded back in January 2019, is the platform to check if you want to dine out as sustainable if possible!

De Groene Ster (the green star) is a Dutch foundation comparable to Ecotable. By awarding ‘green stars’, the initiators hope to encourage the hospitality industry to make their business processes more sustainable, economically, ecologically and socially. This is not only beneficial for the industry itself, but as well for the Dutch who are looking for the most sustainable restaurant options in the region. read more

BURGER KING France | We’re keeping French farmers feeling chipper

19-2-2021

In order to support the French potatoes farmers who can no longer sell their production because they don’t have the restaurants to sell them to, BURGER KING® decided to lend them a hand. They bought 200 extra tonnes of potatoes which they have been giving away as from February 2nd. Each visit to a drive-thru gave customers one kilo bag of potatoes. At the website of BURGER KING France 3 recipes for those who don’t know what to do with them…. Like the recipe for ‘la galette du king’.

A positive buzz created by Parisian agency Buzzman for BURGER KING. The potatoes were available in all BURGER KING drive-thru’s in France. Might this be an idea for your country? 

Say ‘I Do’ in the first-ever Dunkin’ wedding merch collection

19-2-2021

Fans who run on Dunkin’ 365 days a year, including their wedding day, can now officially say ‘I Do’ with Dunkin’. Inspired by being a part of so many love stories over the years the brand is helping Dunkin’ obsessed couples tie the knot and run together forever with the first-ever Dunkin’ wedding merch collection, exclusively available on ShopDunkin.com.

I must admit, this is one thing I did not expect to happen in 2021. However, when I think about it, it is a great way to bring some joy into this year with a creative campaign which one would not expect from a coffee and baked goods chain. The question remains however; would you wear Dunkin’ Donuts merch on your wedding day? Here in the Netherlands we have the FEBO (photo 8) who has its own merch collection, I wonder whether fans would love to marry in a ‘FEBO’ dress? Maybe the pyjamas! ^Sammy

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Trends we spotted | Week 6

18-2-2021

At horecatrends.com or hospitalitytrends.eu we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’.

With this week, links to articles about amongst others about a signal-blocking butter dish for better phone habits. Interesting for on your dinner table after the COVID-19 crisis, we have been digital way too long! And a link to a ‘how to make’ Charcuterie and cheese bouquet.

Last week a M&M’S experience store opened at Disney Springs at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and we love collaborations like this one: Philadelphia’s Down North Pizza has launched ‘A Match Made In Philly’, featuring limited-edition pizza’s created by some of Philadelphia’s culinary stars.

Sustainable initiatives: #slaughterhouse waste products turned into bioplastic packaging and 2 companies are testing real-time digital labels that would detect spoiled food and thus reduce waste.

Two of America’s largest fast food chains, McDonald’s and Burger King, have announced new loyalty programs. Interesting to read! And what do you think, will there be more robots in the hospitality industry after COVID-19? We spotted another one, Robot ‘Jeeves’ in the Radisson Blu at Zürich Airport.

As of March 16th, children can watch the new show by Michelle Obama on Netflix. ‘Waffles + Mochi,’ is a culinary show that will teach them food related wisdom! And in Germany schools can create classes in the conference rooms of the Best Western Hotel Group.

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Restaurant BINGO | S.Pellegrino created a new dining Challenge to support restaurants

18-2-2021

Unfortunately the Restaurant Bingo (“Program”) is only open only to legal U.S. residents, who are 18 years or older and they need to have an Instagram account.  But it might be inspiration for other companies that have a big heart for the hospitality industry in Europe!

S.Pellegrino’s Restaurant BINGO gamifies food cravings to benefit the James Beard Foundation’s Food and Beverage Investment Fund for Black and Indigenous Americans.  S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water and Netflix Queer Eye’s Tan France are encouraging food lovers to support the restaurant industry alongside the James Beard Foundation with the launch of S.Pellegrino’s Restaurant BINGO. This new month-long program which started on February 12^th provides fans with an easy way to support their local restaurants, simply by ordering food and participating in BINGO-style challenges. Check out the post by Tan France inviting everybody to play along in the other part of this article.

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