Luxury Hotel Food Experience: food as a new driver of luxury hospitality

At SIGEP World, Luxury Hotel Food Experience comes to life—a three-part event series exploring how food & beverage is becoming an increasingly strategic asset in high-end hospitality. A journey that examines dining, breakfast and management models as key levers for positioning, identity and economic value. After the first two talks already held, the final session is scheduled for tomorrow, 19 January, at Rimini Expo Centre.

Dining as a defining asset for luxury hotels

The talk “Luxury Hotel Food Experience – The restaurants offer as a new competitive lever in positioning strategies” placed dining at the centre of luxury hotel identity. Moderated by Federico De Cesare Viola, Editor-in-Chief of Food&Wine Italia, the panel featured Ilaria Carini (Operations Manager, Rome Cavalieri – A Waldorf Astoria Hotel), Cristina Mottironi (Bocconi University) and Michelin-starred chef Gennaro Esposito, patron of Torre del Saracino.

It emerged that around 40% of hotels now open their restaurants to external guests, turning them into stand-alone, recognisable destinations. This choice impacts not only profitability, but above all brand perception: the hotel evolves into a cultural hub, social space and urban “third place”, capable of engaging with the local community. A model that also helps reduce seasonality and stabilise demand throughout the year.

From cost to revenue: the managerial role in hotel food

The second talk, “Luxury Hotel Food Experience – The role of managerial management in the transition from cost to revenue”, focused on food & beverage management as a key driver of economic sustainability in luxury hotels.

In the most virtuous cases, food and beverage offerings now account for 30–40% of total revenues, with isolated examples reaching 50%, supported by increasingly attractive margins. Yet the value of food goes beyond turnover alone: service quality, coherence of the offering and storytelling play a crucial role in transforming dining into a true strategic brand asset.

Signature Breakfasts: the Portrait Milano case

Reinforcing the focus on luxury breakfasts, yesterday SIGEP World hosted the event “Signature Breakfasts in Luxury Hospitality: The Portrait Milano Case”, showcasing one of the most advanced models in the sector. The session explored the case history of Portrait Milano, winner of the Best Breakfast at the Best Luxury Hotel Awards 2024.

In collaboration with Brita, the Pastry Arena was transformed into an elegant buffet inspired by the hotel’s iconic breakfast, curated by Cesare Murzilli, Executive Pastry Chef at Portrait Milano. Designed as a fully immersive experience, the setup featured reserved tables for buyers, companies, influencers and industry media.

The initiative was enriched by a series of educational talks focusing on key themes in luxury hospitality: front-of-house service as a differentiating factor and the value of staff training; buffet design, where aesthetics become part of the experience, in collaboration with Bonna; the role of water in pastry preparation, with insights from Brita; and finally the Portrait Milano case, illustrating how breakfast can evolve into a successful “side business”, capable of attracting guests beyond hotel residents.

Food as a cornerstone of contemporary luxury hospitality

The discussions within Luxury Hotel Food Experience outline a shared vision: in high-end hospitality, food & beverage is no longer an ancillary service, but a strategic tool for building identity, strengthening local connections and generating economic value. Dining and breakfast are now central elements of an experience that goes beyond the stay itself, redefining the boundaries of contemporary luxury. A journey that will conclude with the final talk scheduled for tomorrow, 19 January, at SIGEP World.