"Donner du temps au temps"

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It’s Sunday and I am sitting outside in the beautiful back terrace of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne. Yes it is still “warm” (about 53 degrees) enough to sit outside (at least for now) and I’m going to take full advantage.  It has been an unbelievable month and as you can tell by the lack of posts on my blog, unbelievably busy.  So I am going to do my best to catch you all up. Thank you for your patience and your support.

For those not familiar with this stage of my journey, I have joined the Executive MBA programme, an intensive 12 month MBA in Hospitality Administration, at the prestigious Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL). EHL has consistently ranked at the very top in terms of higher education hospitality management institutions and has been the Swiss and international reference for over 120 years (EHL was founded in 1893!). EHL has one of the strongest alumni networks (over 25,000 individuals) spanning the globe, across all industries, yet is uniquely positioned in the hospitality industry.

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I'm a professional (student).

My reasons for joining EHL will become clearer and clearer as the year progresses, but my two main reasons are: One to build upon my current skills in hospitality and grow in the areas of corporate finance, revenue management, real estate valuation, and business research methods and two, to join the EHL network of industry leaders gaining access to vast resources of knowledge and experience, to seek guidance from those have paved new paths in the industry, and to meet the future hospitality leaders of tomorrow. Not to mention being in the center of Europe able to travel to some of the greatest cities and wine regions in the world! So far, I couldn’t be happier with my decision to come to EHL, everything I have hoped for is here and ready for me to take full advantage of.

With all this opportunity literally beckoning me at every turn, it is understandable that my excitement level is at a 10.5 out of 10.  As I was explaining this excitement to one of my professors, she told me a beautiful and poignant phrase that has become my mantra thus far: Donner du temps au temps - Give time to time. So with this phrase, a deep breath, and a calming spirit (and an excited heart) I head into my EMBA year at EHL.

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Industry vist to Lausanne

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As part of our introduction to the Ecole hôtelièr de Lausanne family, the EHL Alumni Association organised an industry visit day for the EMBA cohort. The agenda for the day was as follows: tour at Hotel Carlton with General Manager Nicolas Lagier (EHL, class of 2002), meeting at the five star Royal Savoy with General Manager Alain Kropf (EHL, class of 1990), lunch at the Hotel d’Angleterre with Beau Rivage Sales Director, Apolline Addor (EHL, class of 2008), and finally a tour of the five star Beau Rivage Palace and a meeting with General Manager Nathalie Seiler (EHL, class of 1995). Needless to say, it was a highly anticipated day.

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Nicolas Lagier, General Manager Hotel Carlton

The Hotel Carlton is located right in the center of Lausanne and is positioned as a midscale to upper-midscale boutique hotel. Mr. Lagier greeted us in a versatile banquet/welcome room off the lobby. After progressing through the various positions within the hotel industry, Mr. Lagier landed at the Hotel Carlton as the General Manager. He explained his multi-faceted role as Sales and Marketing Manager, Revenue Manager, and Operations Manager. He has overseen and helped design a major renovation of both the rooms and conference space adding meeting rooms to cater to both local businesses and travelers. The rooms have undergone a beautiful renovation upgrading the style of this 1906 building (adding value and ultimately increasing the average per room price). Mr. Lagier has also reopened the brasserie to further generate revenue from an added F&B outlet.  As this was our first site visit, our class was eager and excited to ask Mr. Lagier everything and anything: How does the boutique combat rising OTA (Online Travel Agent) commissions and booking infiltration? Has the renovation brought more pressure on service due to increased expectation? What is your current pricing strategy? Mr. Lagier fielded our barrage of questions with equal amounts of poise and professionalism. A very interesting visit.

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Our second visit was at the soon-to-reopen Royal Savoy. The Royal Savoy has been in the process of a 5-year multi-million dollar renovation led by the Qatar investment firm Katara, aiming to upgrade this turn of the century historical landmark into one of Lausanne preeminent luxury hotels. The goal is to create a modern feel combined with traditional values, a very difficult task (to be commented on later). General Manager, Alain Kropf was hired over from Mandarin Oriental and has had a long and prosperous career on the F&B side of hotel management. Our meeting was held in their new ballroom and our questions for Mr. Kropf turned to: How does the Royal Savoy forecast occupancy, revenue, room rates before opening? What is your communication strategy during pre-opening (which guests will you target)? How exactly do you combine a modern feel with a traditional feel?  The latter will have to be addressed after opening.  We were then taken on a very special and unique tour of the site (still deep in renovation mode). Arches and chandeliers are in, but most of the furniture, carpeting, and wall decoration is yet to be placed. We were shown the beautiful rooftop terrace, which will have a bar (one that I’m sure I will visit after opening). The hotel will also have a state-of-the-art spa center and only one elegant restaurant (a strategy for drawing local guests).  Again I am very interested to see how this will all come together in the future and will make sure to post once I get the opportunity to visit.

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Inspecting the Royal Savoy plans.

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Our group was then taken to Hotel d’Angleterre, a 4-star boutique recently acquired by the Beau Rivage Palace to add a softer more residential option for guests. We were delighted to receive a glass of wine in a cave behind the restaurant, where in 1893 the first class of l’Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne convened (so cool).  We then had a wonderful lunch provided by the hotel, bruschetta, charcuterie, mushroom risotto, absolutely delicious.

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Our last stop was the shining star of Lausanne, the Beau Rivage Palace. This 5(+) star hotel has been the premier destination of prominent figures from movie stars to international dignitaries throughout the century. You may have recently seen this hotel on the news because it was where US Secretary of State, John Kerry and the Iranian delegation made the Iranian nuclear deal. I had been interested in visiting this hotel even before coming to Lausanne and upon entering, I knew I was in a special hotel.  It was absolutely stunning, vaulted ceilings with fresco paintings, enormous windows, light poured into the hotel. The color scheme was a soft pastel teal and violet. I had expected a hotel this old with this much history to be designed with dark wood and ornate decoration, it was anything but, it was light and gracefully decorated (unfortunately none of my pictures did the Palace justice, I will most certainly return with a better camera to give you a feel of how beautiful the hotel is). We had the great pleasure of meeting with the recently appointed General Manager, Nathalie Seiler. She told us of her journey back to Lausanne and how excited she was to take the helm of such an iconic property. Our questions for her were about strategy for running such a beautiful place. She told us that before understanding the guests, she needed to understand the culture of the hotel and to do that she needed to meet her team. She said that for the first few months her goal was to meet everybody in the hotel and ask them questions related to operation and guest satisfaction because her employees would be the best people to teach her about the guests in the hotel. A very smart strategy.

We were then given a very exclusive tour, visiting a room overlooking Lake Geneva, we saw the uber luxury spa, and my personal favorite, the Cellar of the 2-Michelin star restaurant Anne-Sophie Pic. With over 75,000 bottles, this cellar is one of the grandest in Europe. I was literally in heaven.

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It was an absolutely fantastic day. Beyond the wonderful opportunity to visit these iconic Lausanne locations, it was the value of meeting face to face with the GM’s, all EHL graduates. Each had a very different role, but all spoke candidly about their experience at EHL (all very positive) and the tasks that lay before them. It showed me that I am now a part of something very special, an alumni network that is strong and influential in the hospitality industry. I couldn’t be happier and couldn’t be more excited for who I might meet in the future. Donner du temps au temps.

Dov’é il Cuore? Dov’é Massimo?

Dov’é la Cuore? Dov’é Massimo? Where is the heart? Where is Mossimo? These were the questions we found ourselves asking as we made our way through dishes and wine pairings that were uninspiring, unintelligible, and eventually inedible. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me start at the beginning, the entrance, a locked door at the front of Osteria Francescana.

Approaching the unassuming door of Osteria Francescana, I was actually nervous. My heart beat a little bit faster in anticipation and I realized that I had never actually been anxious for a dinner before. Having made our reservation nine months prior, my anticipation was understandable. Having read numerous articles on Chef Massimo Bottura and watching his featured episode on Netflix, “Chef's Table”, my expectation for dining at the Michelin 3-Star and World Number 2 Restaurant (according to HERE) was unquestionably high. It would be this expectation and Massimo's lack of presence that would lead to one of the most disappointing dinners of my life.

After ringing the doorbell, the door opened on a simple and modern foyer, grey being the dominant color. Five gentleman stood at attention in immaculate suits, one broke stance and said, “How may we help you.” I replied, “Well, we have a reservation for dinner tonight.”

We were taken to our table, one of only twelve in the restaurant, in a room offset from the main dining room. There was a party of six seated at the only other table in the room (they would never become our friends). The table was exquisite, white table cloth, brushed porcelain olive oil bowl, gold leafed charger (I think that’s what you call a plate that you don’t eat off of that is there just to look pretty?). Jay and I looked at each other and laughed an uneasy “here we go” type of laugh.

After a few minutes a gentleman handed us menus, took our water order and left promptly without saying a word. A few minutes later, the Maitre d’ or Manager or Head Server, we’ll call him Pepe (I think that’s actually his name) approached the table and said, “Have you made your decisions?” Not one to miss an opportunity to talk to my fellow professional, I tried to engage Pepe in conversation, telling him that this was our first time here, how excited we were and how we had come all the way from Los Angeles, via a stop off in Sardinia, to which Pepe responded, “Very good, have you made your decisions?” (Wow, ok, not getting much out of this guy.) I then told him how we were looking for some guidance on the menu as dish names ranged from Eel Swimming up the Po River to Fish Soup.  We told him that we were thinking about the “Traditional Tasting Menu” but were also interested in maybe trying some items from the “Experimental Menu”. Pepe replied, “Very good, I will prepare you a 12-course combination menu,” and removed our menus from the table. My sister tried with one last gasp to engage Pepe by saying, “My brother is a Sommelier.” Pepe replied, “Very good, I will send over Andrea, our Sommelier.”  (Phew, that was intense.)

We sat for another few minutes talking about the thickness of the air in our dining room, but still very much looking forward to the meal ahead. Andrea, the Sommelier approached the table and said, “You have questions about the wine?” I told him that I was a Sommelier and that I was excited for the meal ahead and was very interested in pairing the dishes with wine. He replied, “We will take care of the wine pairing for your, thank you,” and he was off (good chat).

After another few minutes, our first dish arrived, a tempura Fish & Chips wafer with a dollop of Carpionne cream (which Jay hysterically dropped in her lap before making it into her mouth), a Rabbit Macaroon (which was smaller than my pinky fingernail, but actually had the most flavor of almost anything we tasted all night), and Baccala and Tomato (which my sister lovingly called a 50€ Hot Pocket). All this was paired with a delicious white wine from Sicily, wetting our palate for more.

The third dish was titled Mediterranean and consisted of cucumber ravioli (the ravioli shell was a thinly sliced cucumber) stuffed with eel. The ravioli sat in this beautifully green shallow mint broth sprinkled with flowers, fresh mint and gentle dollops of tzatziki. We had to inquire more about this dish. Our “server” told us that it was fashioned after the movie “Mediterranean” in which the Italians occupied Greece during WWII and were forced to fuse their cuisines. My sister replied, “Oh, like 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin', have you read that book?”  “No, I only have seen the movie,” the server replied. “Oh, well it’s like that then,” said my sister. “No, it’s not,” replied the server, “It’s like the movie I just told you about. Thank you, enjoy.”  (Blow Back. We died laughing a little bit).

"Mediterranean" not "Captain Corelli's Mandolin"

As you can imagine, it continued to go downhill from here. Dishes arrived and we would try to find out what the ingredients were or how the dish was prepared or why the wine was paired in such a way, only to be met with answers that confused us and led us to more questions. One such instance was a dish titled Abstract Asparagus, Prosciutto, and Peas Tagliolini. The server described the dish as a traditional springtime pasta made in Modena, deconstructed into a soup (for those uninitiated to this term, “deconstructing” a dish is like the burrito bowl at Chipotle, all the ingredients of the burrito, just opened up and displayed in a different form. Please forgive me for using Chipotle in this example.). It was in fact a soup that was supposed to taste like pasta. I asked how the chef made a soup from pasta? He replied, “It’s like a miso.” I said, “Well what does that mean, does he just soak the noodles and use that broth.” He said, “No, do you know how they make a miso? It’s similar. Thank you, enjoy.”  Further complicating this dish, was an obscure white wine from Piedmont, Italy that had strong notes of musty melon and lychee, totally uncomplimentary of our liquid pasta miso soup.  This was going from bad to worse.

Dishes continued to arrive, servers continued to not explain what they were, my sister and I continued to look at each other wondering if our taste buds were off.  Our overarching feeling of each dish was that they were boring and uninspiring. Even the signature dishes felt soulless and underdeveloped. The Five Ages of Parmigiano Reggiano was delicate in its presentation but rich and overwhelming (also incorrectly paired with a very acidic citrus wine) and The Crunchy Part of the Lasagna, which is often spoken of as the highlight dish of Massimo's career, did taste like delicious lasagna, but left us asking, why not just make the best darn lasagna we’ve ever had? It was deconstructed, leaving you with a bite of bolognaise and bechamel with a crunchy cracker (reminiscent of those asian-style crispy wafers), and no noodles. This was served with a juniper-infused beer from Bologna, not wine. We were not served one of Massamio's favorites, Tortellini Marching into Broth (sad).

"The Crunchy Part of the Lasagna"

The proverbial “Coup de Grace” came at what was supposed to be the crescendo of the meal, a dish titled Spin-painted Veal, Not Flame Grilled. An absolutely gorgeous dish was laid in front of us with multi-colored purees splashed across the plate and a cut of meat prominently displayed in the center. The server introduced the dish by saying, “The meat here is not veal, it is beef meant to taste like veal. Further, it is not grilled, it is meant to look like it is grilled because the best part of grilled meat is the appearance of the char.” Wait, excuse me, did you just tell somebody who works in an open-fire steakhouse that the purpose and best part of grilling meat is the look? I was flabbergasted.  Apparently the beef-not-veal was boiled in a vacuum pack and then crusted with herbs to “look” like it was grilled. Unfortunately this dish did not taste like grilled veal, it was dry and tough, lacking in flavor and dripping with pretension.  

The look of the grill on "Spin-painted Veal, Not Flame Grilled"

It was at this point in the meal, that we had some questions for a Manager. We asked our server if Pepe was available. He told us that Pepe had left for the evening. We then asked if Massimo was in the kitchen. He told us that Massimo was not there, sometimes he stops in, but he has other projects he is working on. Aha.

Herein lies the most fundamental question of the meal, where is Massimo? I understand that a Chef needs to be creative and innovative, to challenge themselves to create new and exciting dishes within the realm of their specialty.  I believe this is the reason Massimo created Osteria Francescana in the first place, to “deconstruct” the flavors of Modena and the Italian Kitchen and present them in new and exciting ways and he did so with much heartache and challenge, but he succeeded. Now it would appear as though he has left Osteria Francescana in the hands of his staff and is pursuing other ventures and the restaurant is suffering.  By nature, Massimo is dynamic, exciting and charismatic, these were the qualities I was looking for in his dishes.  However in the hands of his team, who are following his recipes, the dishes come off lethargic, dull and totally lacking in heart and soul. Further, for such a dynamic personality, the “feel” of the restaurant was stale and unwelcoming. Who would want to dine in such an atmosphere? Not to mention the service, unengaging, unfriendly, and unknowledgeable.

This experience also conjured up an interesting dilemma in expectation. My expectations were very high and rightfully so, considering that I was going to have a meal by Massimo Bottura at the Osteria Francescana, a Michelin 3-Star and World Number 2 Restaurant. However, as we left the restaurant I felt dejected, lied to, and disappointed. As a restaurateur and hospitality professional, I greatly look forward to exploring the world of food and wine. I have my issues with Yelp and TripAdvisor (to be discussed in later posts), but in the restaurant industry, the Michelin guide is held in high esteem as the ultimate test.  One star is nearly impossible and is given only to fantastic restaurants.  Two stars is exceptional, but three stars!?!? That’s one of the highest achievements possible.  I have a serious question for the Michelin people and have drafted a review similar to this one to send to them.  It begs the question, do you believe the hype?  In this case, I was duped. I believed in the system and I believed in Massimo and I was whole heartedly let down by the experience.

The meal ended much as you would expect, more unexplained dishes displayed in unique ways that didn’t taste very good and were poorly paired with wine. Around dish ten or eleven, we were served a Foie Gras Ice Cream Bar that was infused with balsamic glaze. First of all Foie Gras is one of the softest, most delicate and delicious tastes.  Why would you add a strong and powerful balsamic glaze to it?  Second of all, it was paired with a Barolo Chinata, an extremely powerful red wine with notes of rhubarb and dried tree bark. This was a disaster and totally inedible, and I looked over at my sister who said in ernest, “I just threw up a little in my mouth.”

By the time the bill came, we were so dejected that it only seemed to add insult to injury that the total was 700€ (coffee and water were NOT included in the 660 prix-fix food and wine price). If I had been a different type of person, I probably would have walked out mid-mess, but that’s not who I am. I kept hoping it would get better and wondered if I could I learn from the experience. And finally, as we approached the locked door to exit, our server thanked us and handed us our parting gift… a bag of breadcrumbs.  One thing's for sure, I won’t be leaving a trail of those to follow back to Osteria Francescana.

Never ones to let a bad meal get us down, we kept smiling.

Hospitality at the Chia Laguna Resort

One of the key points to hospitality is a friendly greeting and a smile (added points if greeted by name).  Every single time I pass the front desk at the Hotel Laguna at the Chia Laguna Resort I am greeted by name and a smile that beams genuine happiness and care.  I feel warm and welcomed each and every time I enter the hotel.

Antonio making his signature 1988 cocktail

The other evening I was returning to my room early and mentioned to Antonio, the Sommelier and bartender that I wasn't feeling well.  He replied, "Wait just a minute, I know exactly what you need." After a few moments he returned with fresh ginger, which he then muddled and added a little mint, lemon, and agave syrup with hot water in a pot and gave it to me to take to my room, the perfect remedy for a little cold.  This anticipation of need and his desire to exceed my expectations, is what makes Giuseppe and the Hotel Laguna a 5-star resort.

The staff at the Chia Laguna are truly exceptional.  Every person I've come in contact with has had a smile on their face, has displayed genuine empathy for my experience, and has been available to my every need.  When my step-dad, Asaad was concerned about his laundry that was dropped off a few days earlier, he was met with this response, "Mr. Kelada, have no worries, we will take care of you."  In fact, I heard that very same phrase a number of times during my stay, "Everything will be taken care of for you." The staff take interest in getting to know me, joke where appropriate, offer recommendations to sites and destinations, and have also blended seamlessly into the background unnoticed but ever present.  The Hotel Laguna at the Chia Laguna Resort is a model for hotel hospitality.

Gian-Luca, General Manager Chia Laguna Resort

By the time we left this morning, my family and I truly felt like we were a part of something special, part of a family.  We were sent off this morning by Antonello, GM of the Hotel Laguna and Gian-Luca, GM of the Chia Laguna Resort with such warm and loving care that our hearts with filled with love. We will most certainly return in the future.  Thank you so much to the entire staff at Chia Laguna for making this one of the best trips of our lives.

The Wine of Sardegna

Vermentino is widely planted in Sardinia as the grape likes the cool Mediterranean climate.  If done right, it is an excellent combination of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, with crisp minerality, direct acidity, and a medium to full body. On the nose, this white wine is upfront with pear and white peach notes, and an herbal grassiness followed by green apples.  It is the perfect compliment for Sardinian dishes featuring seafood; tuna, sea bass, and my favorite, lobster.

Sardinia's red claim to fame is Cannonau or known elsewhere as Grenache. Sardinians hold firm the belief that they were the first to grow the grape and when the Spanish came to colonize, brought it back to Spain in the form of Garnacha.  It is spicy with ripe black and red cherries on the palate, soft and usually full bodied in texture and form.  On the nose, black pepper and  terra-cotta with secondary notes of myrtle black currents create an interesting and complex invitation.  This upfront red pairs well with cured meats and pasta bolognese as well as with grilled steak and pork.

A Model GM

"It is our goal to exceed all your expectations"  - Antonello Cocco, General Manager Hotel Laguna

First and foremost, he takes the time needed to develop true and meaningful relationships with his guests. My mom and beau-pere arrived a week prior to my sister and I and had quickly become "best friends" with the GM.  By the time we arrived, we were already "celebrities". He greeted me by name, with a warm and welcoming smile and told me how happy he was to have me in the hotel knowing that I was soon to attend the prestigious hotel school, the Hotel ecole de Laussanne.

Throughout the week I watched as he was ever present but always unassuming. He made a point of being in the cocktail area just around 7pm when guests arrived for their pre-dinner drink.  He would spend time with each guest, never checking his watch, always engaging, sometimes listening and sometimes dispelling valuable information about happenings at the hotel and surrounding area.  More than once he asked us what our plan for dinner was, if we didn't have one, he would say, "Have you tried the sushi restaurant yet, it is excellent, I will make you a reservation, no problem," or "Have you a plan for tomorrow? You must see Tuelleda, it is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. Stop by the front desk and I will have a map there for you."

During dinner, he would make a point of greeting ALL guests, some with just a gentle "Buona sera" not to interrupt, other times being offered a seat and taking it, would effortlessly make guests feel as though he was a part of their party.

Staying at this hotel for a week has allowed me to spend time observing and talking with Antonello, he is a fascinating hospitality professional and is well suited for his position. He always makes sure to check in on the business of the hotel in the morning, diligently remembering guest check-in and check-outs, reviewing P&L's, and holding manager meetings, but then he allows his managers to run their departments, which in turn ALLOWS him to take the necessary time it takes to become an integral part in every guests experience. He has made our stay overwhelmingly memorable.  Thank you Antonello.