Market Trends

🎉 Broken Shaker, a Miami Beach oasis operated by Authentic Hospitality, embodies tropical nostalgia with its Pan-Latin and Caribbean menu and refreshing cocktails. Launched as a pop-up in 2012, it now has locations in Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City. In 2024, industry veterans Matt Kliegman, Carlos Quirarte, and Matthew Charles revitalized the venue. Open 4pm–12am Sunday to Wednesday and until 1am Thursday to Saturday, it features a revamped menu by Michelin-Starred chefs Jeremiah Stone and Fabian von Hauske Valtierra. The design by Melissa Bowers combines mid-century furniture with lush greenery. Authentic Hospitality runs six NYC venues while Freehand Hotels, acquired by Queensgate Investments in 2019, offers unique accommodations in vibrant cities.

💻 Team from The Hoxton, Downtown LA, discusses building high-performing hotel teams, mentorship, and growth culture. General Manager Kara Bartelt, Director of Engineering Michael Lopez, and Engineer Stephen Burrell share strategies on empowering teams, fostering future leaders, and blending technical skills with emotional intelligence for guest experiences. The podcast episode aired on Nov. 27, 2024, providing insights for hotel management and talent development. Roomza sponsors, offering free Hotel Personalization Starter Kits featuring Dyson and Theragun.

🍽 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999 and Restaurant Hospitality since 2016, previously wrote for The New York Sun (2005-2008), Asia Times, and Manager magazine in Thailand. He graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University in 1990 and studied at Le Cordon Bleu in 1986. Thorn won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award, was president of IFEC in 2005, and was inducted into the Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014. Contact: [email protected]

🍜 Sesame balls, a Chinese snack with rice flour dough and sweet fillings, have increased in popularity on restaurant menus by 36% in the past four years. Datassential's Menucast predicts a further 25% growth over the next four years, as American consumers develop a taste for Asian-inspired treats like mochi and boba. The snack's appeal lies in its crispy, sesame-coated exterior and chewy interior.

🏨 YOTEL Tokyo Ginza, the tech-forward hotel brand, opens December 16 in Ginza, Tokyo. The hotel offers double, twin, bunk triple, family connected rooms with SmartBeds, Wi-Fi, wireless charging, rain showers, and views of Tokyo Tower and Shinkansen lines. Facilities include a bar, restaurant, gym, and robot crew. YOTEL Tokyo Ginza is the third Asian property after YOTEL Singapore (2017) and YOTELAIR Singapore Changi Airport (2019). YOTEL plans to expand with upcoming hotels in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and NEOM. The company has 23 properties globally.

🎨 Miami Art Week 2024, from 2 to 8 December, will feature a 3D-printed concrete installation by Carlos Betancourt and giant jewellery by Nicole Nomsa Moyo. Art Basel and Design Miami, among other exhibitions, will be distributed across Miami Beach and the Design District. Alcova Miami returns for its second US edition, with over 40 exhibitors at the Miami River Inn. Installations will include immersive experiences, handcrafted lighting, ice baths by Kohler and Remedy Place, and Lexus' multi-sensory installations at ICA Miami. Pearl Jam by Moyo celebrates indigenous Ndebele women's jewellery, and The Standard hotel showcases disco's impact on design for its 25th anniversary. Capsule's Memphis Miami exhibition partners with Basic.Space for a pop-surrealist experience featuring iconic Memphis Group furniture.

🍕 Boka Restaurant Group, founded in 2002, is launching Valley Goat in Sunnyvale, California, at the Treehouse Hotel Silicon Valley, marking its first Northern California venture. The new 250-seat restaurant, headed by famed chefs Stephanie Izard—a "Top Chef" and "Iron Chef" winner—will open early 2025, offering lunch, dinner, and later brunch. The menu will feature shareable dishes highlighting local produce and globally-inspired flavors, alongside a bar with seasonal cocktails, local brewery and winery selections, and an extensive wine list.

🏦 voco Winchester Hotel & Spa celebrated its rebrand and refurbishment on Thursday, 14 November with 100 attendees. The 8-month transformation from Holiday Inn to voco cost £2 million. The hotel, built in 2010, is near South Downs National Park and Winchester City Centre. It underwent a £2.5 million refurbishment in 2019. The 131-room hotel features new premium and grand rooms with enhanced amenities and 9 event spaces. Kitchen 21 offers unique 21-inch pizzas, and the Ana Spa was added in 2019.