Human Resources

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999 and Restaurant Hospitality since 2016, is known for his coverage of food and beverage trends. He hosted the podcast "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn" and wrote for The New York Sun from 2005 to 2008. A Tufts University magna cum laude graduate, he also studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Thorn won the 2006 Neal Award, served as IFEC president in 2005, and has written for notable food encyclopedias. He resides in Brooklyn, N.Y.

📋 Temp-to-hire models gain traction in the foodservice industry, particularly in quick-serve and fast-casual segments, due to their growth in 2024 and expected expansion in 2025. This hiring method allows employers to assess potential permanent staff in a low-employment environment without long-term commitments. Temporary postings typically range from three to six months, after which employers may pay a conversion fee to make the temp a permanent employee. The method offers a solution to adapt to increased labor demands despite the introduction of automated systems. Employers are advised to invest in committed training and intentional onboarding to improve hiring success.

🏡 Sage Hospitality Group now manages Hilton Denver City Center, the first partnership with Park Hotels & Resorts. The hotel, featuring 613 rooms and 35,000 square feet of meeting space, joins Sage's 18-property Denver portfolio including The Crawford and The Oxford. Located near Larimer Square, the hotel provides mountain and city skyline views and Sage Restaurant Concepts oversees its dining venue. Sage's four companies offer comprehensive hospitality services in Denver.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since 1999, has been spotlighting F&B trends. Host of "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn," he wrote for The New York Sun (2005-2008), and earlier, covered business in Thailand for Manager magazine and Asia Times (1992-1997). A Tufts University magna cum laude graduate and Phi Beta Kappa member, Thorn also attended Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and studied Chinese in China. He won the 2006 Neal Award and was inducted into the Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014.

🏡 The Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle has been acquired by Trinity Investments. The hotel, opened in 1924, offers 450 rooms, and is near Amazon, Disney, Starbucks, and attractions like the Seattle Convention Center. It recently underwent a $22 million renovation. Trinity, with over $730 million invested in hospitality this year, plans to renovate the guest rooms last updated in 2016. This purchase is Trinity's 11th U.S. hotel transaction since 2021.

📓 BWH Hotels elected Steve Wahrlich as board chairperson for 2025, with 40+ years in hospitality. Pendry West Hollywood hired Mgeni Mpolo, with 20+ years of experience, as director of sales and marketing. Vakkaru Maldives welcomed Janice Tan as VP of commercial for Europe and Scandinavia, after her 2020-2023 stint as director. Stonebridge Companies appointed Marco Selva as SVP in Miami for luxury expansion. Ritz-Carlton Maldives added Sandrine Boutin as director of sales and marketing, with 24 years of experience. Pandox (AB) announced Mikael Hultqvist as SVP property management starting June 2025. Steigenberger Hotels made multiple appointments: Friedrich von Schönfeldt (Frankfurter Hof), Florian Woithe (Hamburg), Charlotte Holtmann (Leipzig). Capella Hotel Group's global expansion included Anthony Gill (Patina Maldives), Dennis Laubenstein (Capella Taipei), Antonio Saponara (Capella Bangkok), and Hildegard Anzenberger (Capella Hanoi). Hotel Drover named Aaron Ide as GM and promoted Kristin Assad to COO at Exchange Hotels Management.