Miscellaneous

📱 Chris Gilbert, CEO of Springfield Township, Hamilton County, Ohio, and founder of Municipal Hospitality Advisors, is transforming local government with hospitality principles. By shifting civic leadership from transactional to meaningful interactions, he builds a people-focused culture. This approach humanizes leadership, enhances collaboration, and fosters trust. Learn how hospitality can reshape organizational dynamics and improve public service trust and effectiveness.

🍴 Bret Thorn, a senior food & beverage editor for Nation’s Restaurant News, has been with the publication since 1999. He previously wrote for The New York Sun from 2005 to 2008. Thorn, a Tufts University alumnus and Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef, studied in China during the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. He was president of the IFEC in 2005 and won a Neal Award in 2006. His expertise includes French and Asian cuisines.

📈 Every week, Hospitality ON provides an expert analysis of the hospitality industry. Membership grants access to exclusive content and job opportunities.

☕ KNEAD Bakery Elkstone hosts a special afternoon tea on Sunday, August 17th for £29, created by award-winning Chef Mikey Topp. The event features creative dishes like Chorizo & Harissa Mini Danish and Strawberry & White Chocolate Gateaux, served at 3 PM and 3:30 PM. Across all KNEAD locations, including Cirencester and Oxford, limited-edition scones priced at £3.50 and £3.70 celebrate Afternoon Tea Week. Visit KNEAD Bakery to indulge in these culinary delights.

📈 Preferred Hotels & Resorts partners with DayBlink GPO, revealed at the 2025 Global Conference in New York, aiming to enhance member hotels' distribution strategies. This collaboration introduces chain-level agreements with Hotelbeds and WebBeds to optimize distribution costs and inventory control. Key benefits include improved rate parity and centralized inventory management via SynXis. Cheryl Williams emphasized the partnership's role in boosting bookings and profitability, while Michael Wong highlighted the importance of regaining inventory control.

✈️ Gold Medal, dnata Travel Group UK's B2B brand, now offers live flight inventory access through TProfile systems. This enhancement allows mutual customers to search and cost flights seamlessly. Jamie Greystock highlights the increased choice and efficiency, while Bhav Taylor emphasizes the importance of this feature for reducing manual entries and improving the quote-building process. This collaboration aims to boost agents’ competitiveness and streamline operations in a rapidly evolving travel industry.

🎮 Panda Express launched a gaming campaign for Hot Orange Chicken with Media AOR The Many and Super League on Fortnite Creative and Roblox. Over 265,000 players engaged in interactive cutscenes, earning in-game rewards. Players spent 65 days interacting, creating 185,000 engagements. The campaign targets Gen Z and runs until year-end with updates and new interactive elements. Hot Orange Chicken is available at Panda Express for a limited time this summer.

🍴 Bret Thorn has been a senior food & beverage editor at Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999. He wrote for The New York Sun (2005-2008) and held roles at Asia Times and Manager magazine. A Tufts University alumnus, Thorn also attended Le Cordon Bleu in 1986 and studied in China in 1988-1989. He won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award and was inducted into the Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014. Thorn lives in Brooklyn, originally from Denver.

🎮 Panda Express, in May 2024, launched a campaign in collaboration with The Many and Super League, integrating Hot Orange Chicken into Fortnite Creative and Roblox. Within two weeks, 265,000+ players viewed cutscenes, earning in-game rewards, with 65 days of player interaction and 185,000 engagements. The campaign features interactive cutscenes, map-specific rewards, and Pei Pei the Panda encounters to engage Gen Z. Hot Orange Chicken is available nationally for a limited time.