After very first and very successful Curated Experiences weekend in February of this year (see our recap of this epic event-filled Curated Experiences weekend here), Curated Experiences returns to The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes on the weekend of April 23-25, 2021.
In one perfectly planned weekend, guests at Grande Lakes Orlando can e”njoy the ultimate mix of relaxation and inspiration, along with master classes, guided workshops, immersive demonstrations and more led by an array of award-winning chefs, winemakers, jewelers, artists, athletes and wellness experts.”
New this time – Two-time James Beard Award Winning Chef Melissa Kelly will lead both the Italian Cooking class and headline the Saturday evening Wine Pairing Dinner, along with Chef John Tesar of Knife and Spoon and special guests including local Orlando Chef Kevin Fonzo (formerly of K Restaurant), Eddie Nickell (of Bites and Bubbles) and Chef Kathleen Blake (The Rusty Spoon).
Chefs and restaurateurs turn to branded retail products to generate new revenue streams and raise brand awareness
Restaurateurs have learned over the past year that they need to find new ways to make money other than crowding guests into their restaurants.
Besides delivery, which they got better at, many figured out how sell other services, like teaching remote cooking classes and wine pairings, for example. Many others also got involved in retail, which can be great for marketing as well as generating extra revenue.
This relatively low-labor approach to staying in touch with guests and selling them the food that they wanted happened initially out of necessity early in the pandemic, when supermarkets fell short on supply of some products and restaurants, with distribution channels that weren’t connected to retail, had surpluses.