Everybody knows the saying: Have breakfast like a king, lunch as a prince and dine as a beggar. No meal is more important that your breakfast, reason enough to make it as fun as possible. The Toasteroid, a smart, app-controlled toaster will imprint text and images onto bread. We think it might be a great gimmick for hotels at their breakfast buffet! read more
Jupiler introduces a beer coaster with a little slit in it. You can put the refilltje on your glass the moment you’re ready for a refill. So no more waiting times, the waiters will bring a new beer immediately! read more
The world’s largest indoor theme park opens its doors at the end of August in Dubai: IMG Worlds Of Adventure. The completely indoor park consists of 28 football fields, with 17 rollercoasters, a cinema and live shows. read more
Cool initiative on the hottest day of the year in the Netherlands: record attempt for the world’s largest hammock. Today at 12 am the hammock is open for public at the Indigo Beach Club at the Zwarte Pad in Scheveningen. The current world record is a hammock of 20 meters in the U.S.A. The hammock in Scheveningen is going to be 22 meters long and 10 meters wide. Promoters and those who will relax in it: have fun!!! read more
Airbnb announced its innovation lab called Samara, whose first project is a novel community centre. The first community centre will be located in the city Yoshino in Japan. The first building can be seen at the House Vision exhibition in Tokyo this summer, and will be relocated to Yoshino to open in October. We wonder when we will be able to visit these kinds of community centres and community Airbnb’s in other countries. read more
Are you throwing a party or getting married and do you want to give your guests an original photo to remember the night? Than the magic photomirror might be what you’re looking for. An interactive experience where your guest is photographed on a fun, unique and original way. read more
Over the years chefs have distinguished themselves with the presentation of their dishes at the most beautiful plates and in cups. We’ve seen the craziest and most creative plates pass by. Now in addition to the creative set of plates, we will also be able to choose from the unique collection of cutlery of the ‘Steinbeisser Collection’. This unique cutlery is developed by 35 different International artists. It took them 4 years to design and develop this collection. read more
At Horecatrends we spot a lot of national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write articles about, the smaller trends we use in our column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. This week French fries served with soft ice cream, and a six course dinner served in a dumpster.
If you like to read the whole article, click the title. Enjoy reading! read more
Without eye contact no hospitality. But in most coffee shops and restaurants they use those great baristas machines where the barista barely has the opportunity to stay in contact with the guest. To change this two Americans introduced the Modbar, one of the most advanced coffee systems in the world. With success because next to a lot of coffee shops in the USA and the UK we spotted the Modbar also in the Netherlands. First at coffee bar deli Roekoekoe, FG Restaurant in Rotterdam recently was the first restaurant with the Modbar. read more
Another reason to go see a movie in the cinema! Lot of chances in the last couple of years in the movie and cinema world. The public started to enjoy watching movies at home but with these developments they successfully lure the public back in the cinema! With the IMAX screens, 3D movies, virtual reality and now Barco Escape movies, the cinema offers a whole new movie experience. No ‘normal’ cinema from a single screen, with Barco Escape you will be drawn in the story. This due to two additional screens that are attached at the main screen in an angle of circa 140 degrees, a panoramic view.
The ultimate bed time stories to read in hotels are stories which takes place in the hotel….. Don’t you agree? We once philosophized about starting our own hotel and one of the ideas that came up was writing a story which took place in the vicinity of the hotel. And sending this story to every guest two weeks prior to their arrival, to enhance the anticipation. Imagine the kind of stories that could be written about your hotel or the hotel you love to visit as a loyal guest. We haven’t had the pleasure of enjoying such an idea as guest yet but it’s quite interesting to see what is done with storytelling in the hospitality industry.
We made a small list with successful storytelling examples! read more
The Too Good To Go app lets you eat food which restaurants normally throw in the bin at the end of the service. Take away from your favourite restaurants for next to nothing: that’s the idea behind this new app and meanwhile preventing food waste! read more
One box, two beers and a unique flavour. That, in a nutshell is the WIP/WAP beer from the VandeStreek brewers in Utrecht (the Netherlands).
WIP/WAP beer is created to mix, that’s why they are sold in one box. WIP, the White IPA has the fruity and fresh aroma of American hops, is full of flavour through the wheat and thirst-quenching as a white beer. WAP, the oaked Barley Wine is high in alcohol and has a full, round flavour. Create your own beer by mixing both beers and be surprised by the balance. read more
We have seen quite a few examples of restaurants, hotels and leisure centres using the Olympics in their benefit. The Olympic Experience on the beach of Scheveningen is a great example. As well as storytelling in advertisings! One of the best is probably the Olympic anthem of Samsung.
We checked the web to see what has been organized in the hospitality and leisure world with the Olympics in mind.
Did you spot other great examples or did you organise an inspiring Olympic event? Let us know, we like to complete our list! read more
At Horecatrends we spot a lot of national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write articles about, the smaller trends we use in our column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. This week among others about a rooftop bar in London you will be able to sip a cocktail in the nude and Yannick Alléno about fermentation to enrich his sauces.
If you like to read the whole article, click the title. Enjoy reading! read more
With ambitions to double innovation, Taco Bell is sharing exclusive insights into its plan to R.I.N.G. The Bell for winning in the years ahead! The read more
We have been sharing inspiration on our website since 2007, inspiration that we find in the hospitality industry or by online spotting of what our read more
The Spa at the Four Seasons Hotel Houston has introduced a Spa Happy Hour. Guests and locals can get USD 30 off at a 60 or 90 minute massage, facial or body treatment from Monday through Thursday from 12:00 to 6:30 pm. They can also choose a special Happy Hour menu that includes free Spa cocktails and snacks. The promotion continued to December 31. A new kind of happy hour, not just like the Happy Hour at a bar…
In Japan a phone-holding camera stand is installed on tourist spots so tourists can take pictures of themselves without the help of others. The camera holder can rotate 360 degrees and is installed at the right height and distance to take a group photo. The stand is suitable for any smartphone and even tablets.
Waving tentacles, a dish that breathes or wriggles around? Sounds unreal, but it is possible! With the project ‘Living Food’ Minsu Kim brings food to life. Through synthetic biotech artificial life can be created in dishes. The synthetic biology pearsin haute cuisine and molecular gastronomy, but Minsu Kim brings this to another level with the project ‘Living Food’.
Artist Alex Schweder has developed a floating pop-up hotelroom named ‘Lloyd in the Sky With Diamonds’ for hotel chain ‘The Curtis’. The inflatable hotel room is located on top of a van and can be lifted up 22 ft in the air. The room has a bed, couch, curtains and a small bathroom with a shower, toilet and sink. Because the wall and ceiling are transparent guests can enjoy the view of Denver when the van is parked. One night in the hotel is now offered for $ 50,000 as part of a special package.
An ice cream soda, refreshing, old-fashioned and blessed! The last couple of warm days I experimented with this drink from my childhood. The base is a soda with a scoop of ice cream. You don’t see this drink in the most restaurants, while it is a easy drink to make! My daughter especially liked the sweeter varieties with vanilla ice cream. Personally I find the variant with a dash of lime juice and lime ice cream with sprite delicious! Yesterday I served this drink to my colleagues and they found it wonderfully refreshing! I also made the Mojito ice cream soda with lime ice cream, it was very tasty! ^Marjolein.
There are more and more food sherpas in touristicareas. Food sherpas are local people who receive tourists and show them the city. Unlike tourist agencies, the food sherpas lead you to local restaurants where you normally wouldn’t come as a tourist. They take you on a local culinary discovery tour and not only tell you where to go, but also what to order in restaurants. For example food sherpas can be found in Paris, where they guide tourist to the not so touristy Paris.
Hotels could set up an agreement with local people to guide the hotel guests through the most local hotspots. This as reaction to the deployment of an AirBnB host, because the success of this concept is that tourists can stay at the local people
In the area around São Paulo, Brazil residents can share stories in a special and direct way. The project ‘Mensagens Que Brilham’ equipped the street lights with special lenses with printed text. In the evening when the streetlights are switched on, different messages of residents are projected on the streets. This project is developed for AES Eletropaulo, an energy company. But we think that this is a special way to transmit a message, or fun for events or as an eye catcher for the entrance of a restaurant or hotel.
Most hotels charge the same price for a double room, whether you are alone or with two people. The website of Easynest enables solo tourists to share a hotel room with another traveler and share the costs. When you sign in on the website you can start looking for a companion to share your hotel room with. Although the focus of the site is on saving money during your trip, Easynest also provides a way for travelers to make friend, or even find a companion, while visiting a city. Looking at their website we imagine that the service will specially be used at big events.
Briggo has developed a robotic coffee machine in conjunction with Yves Behar and Fuseproject. The coffee machine ‘Briggo Coffee Haus’ offers people the opportunity to order a coffee through a touch screen or via a smartphone app. The range consists of many types of coffee, even with coffee syrups. The app will remember your favorite coffees. The Briggo Coffee Machine offers a fast and easy way to order a coffee, without any hassle or wait. At this point the coffee machine is tested at the University of Texas and will soon be at Bergstrom airport Austin.
Google will deliver wireless networks at Starbucks in the next year. Starbucks is planning to upgrade Wi-Fi in more than 7,000 of its stores in the United States over the next year, starting with the locations where the use of Wi-Fi is highest. Google will provide Wi-Fi access, the internet will be ten times faster and more accessible. In addition to speeding up the Wi-Fi, Starbucks and Google will also work together to improve the Starbucks Digital Network, a page where users are directed when accessing Wi-Fi.
World’s first Twitter hotel is located on the Spanish island Mallorca. The Twitter hotel Sol Wave House opened a year ago and uses Social Media to offer guests a unique experience. The hotel has Twitter themed rooms, Twitter drinks and through the virtual community #SocialWave guests can start conversations or flirt. By logging in to the hotel network, guests can share photos, send private messages and they can see who’s online and their location in the hotel. Guests can also submit requests via Twitter, such as filling the minibar or offer other guests drinks and food.
The demand for healthier food during festivals is increasing, the offer of healthy food needs to grown wider and bigger. Caterer ‘Adams Appels’ responds to this need by providing a Healthy Food Camp during the Mysteryland festival in the Netherlands. The Healthy Food Camp will consist of a healthy dining area with honest juices, slow Mediterranean food and an extensive healthy menu. There will be a natural nutritionist who can advise you on your food choice. Besides the Mysteryland festival, the caterer will also provide the Healthy Food Camp at other festivals.
McDonald’s has launched an interesting campaign in France. The fast-food chain has used super close-up photographs of McDonald’s BigMac, French fries, Sundae ice cream and fish fillets without mention the names. The photos do not even have the signature logo but are instantly recognizable. This campaign shows the undeniable power and reputation of the brand.
The Dutch-Belgian company Vonker (specialized in cultural activities) organizes a 2.5 to 3 hour ‘Antwerp Beerwalk’ this summer. A guide takes you through the beer history of Antwerp by visiting the most famous pubs in Antwerp. The beer guide lets you taste four Antwerp beers at four cafés and reveals some secrets of Belgian Brew Masters. The ‘Antwerp Beerwalk’ lets people discover and taste Antwerp in a unique way.
Last week attraction park Plopsaland De Panne has introduced an app. This app is the perfect guide during a visit to the amusement park. The app includes navigation to find the different attractions and attractions can be selected based on the height of the children. It also contains information about meet and greets and the different shows. The visitor will also receive exclusive benefits and memories while visiting the park.
Bareburger is a restaurant chain with organic burgers. The burger chain has more than ten locations in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens. The menu of Bareburger includes organic burgers and sandwiches, shakes, fresh salads and snacks. Guests can compose their own burger by first choosing a burger and choose from several types of bread, vegetables, cheeses, bacon and sauces. But the burger bar also offers a reverse concept, where guests can first choose their own burger style (a combination of toppings) followed by choosing the burger and bun. Going to NY? You might be inspired by this organic burger restaurant.
10 Life Hacks you need to know for this summer! These Life Hacks are especially for consumers and we are looking for restaurant owners that would like to share some simple daily use tips with colleagues. If you do please send them to us. We would like to collect them and share them with the visitors of horecatrends. Of course with you as our source..
Restaurant Grand Cabaret in Belgium serves tattooed meat with ink based on Belgian top beers, a culinary world first. Chef Vincent Florizoone experimented with his American chef Nicholas Harmon and they succeeded to develop an edible tattoo liquid based on squid ink and Belgian beer. The technique they have used impregnates the taste of the beer in a subtle way in the meat or fish. The chefs have learned how to make a tattoo during a master class of tattoo artist Tattoo Louis from Kortrijk in Belgium.
Tripadvisor gives an overview of ten incredibly unique hotels all over the world. The video above is from Hotel Marqués de Riscal in Spain. This hotel is located in Elciego in the province Álava of La Rioja. The hotel is designed by Frank Gehry and the stylish rooms have a beautiful view over the valley. On the top of the hotel a rooftop terrace at which a lounge and wine bar are located with a panoramic view of the vineyards. The hotel is built in complete harmony with the environment and represents an extremely modern grapes bush which fits well with the landscape. Design, art, gastronomy and wine are all combined to create an unique experience. Watch the website Tripadvisor for more unique restaurants.
During the summer months you can find the pop-up hotel Tender 2 at the beach of Knokke (Belgium). The pop-up hotel has two floors and is equipped with all the luxury and comfort. The hotel rooms are modern furnished and guests have the option of a personal butler, Michelin-starred food, a spa and a private beach. Tender 2 consists of plate glass and allows guests to enjoy the view of the sea in privacy. The pop-up hotel is located on the beach for the second year and will be open until 15 September.
The Dutch Sayah drinks won silver with their spekkoek liquor during the International Wine and Spirit Competition 2013. Sayah is a real Indonesia liquor with the unique taste of spekkoek (a Dutch-Indonesian layered cake). Two Dutchmen’s with an Indonesian origin developed a liquor based on their origin, lifestyle and taste. Sayah has the taste of liquid cake, burnt sugar and spicy hints of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, anise, vanilla and nutmeg. The transparent liquor can be enjoyed pure with ice or mixed. Nice to drink with a rice table.
At this moment The French Bistro is very popular in New York. Leonie van Spronsen did visit one. She loves the French bistros in Paris so a small critical eye is unavoidable. But if you love the French bistro style and if you go to NY we recommend to try the French bistros with their American twists… Les Halles NYC – Park Avenue location.
You can see it from afar, the facade, the lanterns, even the tiny little terrace out front, there it is, Anthony Bourdain’s version of Paris! And yes, the food is delicious, prepared tableside, priced as it should in a French bistro and it is a lovely night out, don’t get me wrong I loved it, but I have to say, the feeling that I actually left Manhattan and stepped into Paris? Not really!
Alcohol free beverages and food pairing: Restaurant ‘In de keuken van Floris’ in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, provides a great example. They treat their guests, because of their their 7 year anniversary, on a free wine pairing during their nine-course dinner. For those who do not drink alcohol, they serve a freshly squeezed juices arrangement. They will treat their guests from Wednesday to Friday until August the 2nd 2013.
Restaurant ‘t Schulten Hues (1 Michelin star) in Zutphen (The Netherlands) and Crystal Park New Media (also from Zutphen) presented the first Dutch interactive cook book for the iPad. With Portfolio-i you will meet the dynamic world around ‘t Schulten Hues in pictures and sound. De App is made under supervision of Chef Peter Gast, producer Gerbrand Pot (owner of Crystal Park New Media) and Paul Scholte (culinary redaction). On the app you will find interactive presentations of new dishes and recipes by Peter Gast; special wine-food combinations by host Jacqueline van liere; favorite recipes from 10 years ‘t Schulten Hues. With videos of local suppliers. Pictures by Peter Casell en Boy van Dulmen. Great to watch on your iPad during your holiday.
The first edition of ‘Proefpark Haarlem’ will take place on 23, 24 and 25 August in Haarlem, the Netherlands. This festival is focused on food trucks, moving restaurants, chef cooks as artists, local produce and children festivities. Several moving restaurants will offer tastings and visitors are inspired to cook and eat more conscious and adventurous. The program includes cooking battles, cooking demonstrations of famous chef cooks from Haarlem and mini cooking workshops for children.
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