SANDALS RESORTS INTERNATIONAL EXPANDS GOURMET DISCOVERY DINING PROGRAM
~ Authenticity and Rich Experience Enhance Dining at Luxury Included Resorts® ~
MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, November 20, 2014– According to the World Food Travel Association, culinary tourism is on the rise with 30 percent of travelers deliberately choosing a vacation destination based on the cuisine and 51 percent planning a trip to enjoy unique dining experiences. With the ‘foodie’ mentality in mind, Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts are expanding their “Discovery Dining” program, countering preconceived notions of the all-inclusive dining experience by focusing on authenticity, globally-inspired cuisine, local ingredients, and perhaps most importantly: choice. Rolling out in 2015, the expansion will feature 21 restaurant concepts - which include Classic French, Italian, Caribbean, Japanese, English pub fare and the recently added and upcoming Steakhouse, Indian, Southern and Tapas restaurants – as well as a reinvented spirits experience and a new partnership with Robert Mondavi Winery.
“On average, guests spend six days with us so it’s critical that we present them with a choice of dining opportunities that not only exceed their expectations in terms of quality, but that are distinct, authentic and engaging. With Discovery Dining, we’ve set the bar as the Gold Standard in the industry with internationally trained chefs creating diverse dishes that allow guests to savor the world in just a few short days,” said Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, Chairman of Sandals Resorts International.
The brand’s first signature steakhouse, Butch’s Chophouse, debuted at Sandals LaSource Grenada Resort & Spa in December 2014 and will debut at the new Sandals Barbados in January 2015, along with the brand’s first ever Indian restaurant, Bombay Club. The Southern Table, an authentic journey through iconic Southern cuisine and Tapas on the Riviera, a Mediterranean small-plates restaurant, will debut at Sandals Ochi Beach Club, Golf & Spa Resort in February 2015, along with a new bar concept, The Rabbit Hole, tapping into the popular Speakeasy trend.
Throughout its history, Sandals Resorts International has distinguished itself as a consistent innovator. It was the first all-inclusive resort company to offer a la carte dining with a range of culinary concepts that reach far beyond its Caribbean roots. With the Discovery Dining experience, Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts expand this approach, digging deeper into the cultural cues and flavors of the international cuisines it offers to bring new sights, sounds and tastes for a richer, more fulfilling guest experience.
To create Discovery Dining, Sandals Resorts turned to its culinary team comprised of chefs from 32 countries. The process began with the sharing of interesting back stories for each concept and carrying these themes throughout the dining experience. “We recruit talent from all over the world including Europe, the Americas and the Far East, so that the regional cuisines and experiences we are creating are not mere interpretations, but reflective of the true techniques and presentations of the chefs who know them best,” adds Stewart.
More than phenomenal food and beverage, Discovery Dining is also part story-telling and set-design, transporting guests on an unprecedented gastronomic expedition. It is designed to envelope guests in rich and rewarding ways, enhancing their Luxury Included® Vacation on the Caribbean’s best beaches.
At a Glance: Discovery Dining at Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts
· 160 restaurants, serving close to 20,000 guests daily, throughout the company’s 17 Caribbean-based Luxury Included® resorts
· 21 distinct restaurant concepts including Italian, Neapolitan Woodstone Pizza, Classic French, French Brasserie, French Pâtisserie, Crêperie, Mediterranean, English Pub Fare, Seafood, Caribbean, Japanese Teppanyaki, Sushi, Thai, Pan-Asian, Grilled Specialties, Seaside Grills, Southwestern, Indian, Southern, Steakhouse and Tapas
· Expanded anytime dining options offering casual and convenient dining for guests, such as room service for all concierge and higher room categories and ‘round the clock eateries serving everything from coffee and pastries, to grab-n-go snack bar bites.
· New dedicated “culinary concierge desks” and one-on-on consultations with executive chefs for those with food allergies and special dietary requirements
· Italian restaurants offering regional specialties from Milan, Venice, Parma, Naples, Rome, Brindisi, Florence and Genoa.
· Some British pubs introduce a new, inventive Gastropub menu
· Appleton Rum, the iconic Jamaican and internationally acclaimed rum, joins a full range of premium liquors served at all bars
· An expanded selection of six top quality pouring wines from Robert Mondavi Winery of the celebrated Napa Valley, which will debut in 2015, plus expanded Manager’s Wine List with suggestions for each concept restaurant
· Authentic beers including Singha from Thailand, Japanese Kirin Ichiban, and in the pubs, Britain’s Guinness and Newcastle Brown
· New signature cocktails featuring local Caribbean ingredients and house-infused liquors, such as Scotch Bonnet pepper tequila and grilled pineapple and ginger rum.
· Jamaica’s Blue Mountain Coffee, regarded as one of the world’s finest coffees, in all restaurants and rooms, all day long
· Music that harmonizes with each restaurant’s unique culinary concept to create the ideal ambiance for the guest’s dining journey
For more information, please visit www.sandals.com or www.beaches.com.
Sandals Resorts:
Sandals Resorts offers two people in love with the most romantic, Luxury-Included® vacation experience in the Caribbean. With 14 stunning beachfront settings in Jamaica, Antigua, Saint Lucia, The Bahamas, Barbados and Grenada, Sandals Resorts offers more quality inclusions than any other resort company on the planet. Signature Love Nest suites for the ultimate in privacy and service; butlers trained by the English Guild of Professional Butlers; Red Lane Spa®; Discovery Dining, ensuring top-shelf liquor, premium wines and gourmet specialty restaurants; Aqua Centers with expert PADI® certification and training; fast Wi-Fi from beach to bedroom and WeddingMoons®, for dream destination weddings are all Sandals Resorts exclusives. Sandals Resorts is part of family-owned Sandals Resorts International (SRI), which includes Beaches Resorts and is the Caribbean’s leading all-inclusive resort company. For more information about the Sandals Resorts Luxury Included® difference, visit www.sandals.com.
Beaches Resorts:
With three spectacular locations in Turks & Caicos and Jamaica and soon a fourth in Barbados and a fifth in Antigua, Beaches Resorts is the ultimate getaway for every member of the family. With outrageous waterparks, XBOX® Play Lounge, the Scratch DJ Academy, exclusive Kids Camps, teen nightclubs, Certified Nannies, Butler service, Red Lane® Spas, Aqua Centers with expert PADI® certification and training; and free Wi-Fi, Beaches Resorts provides more quality inclusions than any other resort company on the planet. As a proud sponsor of Sesame Street, Beaches Resorts also offers the Caribbean Adventure with Sesame Street®, where kids can spend their vacation with their favorite friends from the Sesame Street gang with daily activities and weekly stage shows. Beaches Resorts are also the perfect place for family gatherings from reunions and special birthdays to FamilyMoons®, Beaches’ signature destination wedding and vow renewal program. Beaches Resorts is part of family-owned Sandals Resorts International (SRI), which includes Luxury-Included® Sandals Resorts and is the Caribbean’s leading all-inclusive resort company. For more information about the Beaches Resorts difference, visit www.beaches.com.
Contacts:
The Decker Royal Agency
Stacy Royal Devyn Barker Ana Zawacki
646-650-2185 646- 650- 2186 646-650-2187