Innovation in the hotel industry’s food and beverage offering is particularly emphasised during the summer season when hotels can not only boast their varied culinary offering, but can also double their footfall by utilising outdoor spaces.With terraces, courtyards and gardens, hotels have always offered a great option for diners in the sun. But how can you maximise your food offering during this time and create something different to attract floods of customers? With summer looming, we look to the hospitality industry for inspiration and advice on menus and seasonal dining experiences.

As a nation, Britain loves to take advantage of any good weather. So the first sign of a warm afternoon or evening, alfresco dining is the top of our to do list.And for these diners, summer entertaining is all about lighter menu choices and being able to have the freedom to enjoy food in an informal setting. As such, the food offering should be kept simple and manageable to serve at short notice and to high volumes. Whilst hoteliers shouldn’t over complicate the menu, they should still create something appealing to the customer and if possible, set trends and break new ground. Looking at summer menus on offer, the world of corporate hospitality provides a good example of getting the balance just right. Summer sizzler promotions are the ‘plat du jour’ at Newbury Racecourse this year.

Martin Bunch, Head of Catering at the racecourse explains: “Rather than offering a traditional barbeque, which is the staple of back gardens across the UK during the summer months, we have added to our guests experience and enjoyment by accommodating an open spit fire. This has given us the chance to try less obvious, but not less delicious barbeque options such as organic spit roast pig, wild boar or even water buffalo”.

Sacha Cauwels, General Manager at QHotels Hellidon Lakes Golf & Spa Hotel agrees. “Having the right food and beverage offering for alfresco dining is crucial. The choices should be innovative, quick and easy to prepare and simple to serve without compromising on taste”. And changing the menu to reflect the weather is at the top of the agenda at the AA Hotel Group of the Year, as well as continuing to offer client’s favourite dishes: “Even though it’s summer, you don’t want to suddenly get rid of comfort dishes like apple crumble and hot beverages.We continue to cater to as many guest’s tastes as possible by offering promotions on hot chocolate, with or without a shot of the guest’s favourite tipple, as well as ice creams and old time classics like knickebocker glories, which always go down well at Hellidon Lakes”.

Innovation can also come in the form of the space itself. Alfresco dining does not need to be limited to a garden or terrace, and it is worth investigating any alternative options, however unorthodox they seem. For example, the Captain’s Club Hotel, situated on the River Stour in Dorset, takes its guests to the water during the summer. Utilising one of their unique selling points, the 34ft Fairline Targa motor cruiser moored outside the hotel; the hotel promotes summer picnic cruises and afternoon tea on the water. Although this can create challenges for
Andrew Gault, Head Chef at the Captain’s Club Hotel, there are always ways to combat this. He explains:“We always provide the best possible service to guests, but we are obviously limited to what we can offer on the
boat, especially regarding hot food. To ensure that guests get the same standard of quality and service on the boat as they would in the restaurant, we have developed a delicious range of afternoon tea, sundowner canapés and cold buffets. That way, we can prepare all food in the kitchen and store it in cold boxes on the boat, ready to be served whenever the guests get peckish during the cruise.”

Whilst not all hotels have the food and beverage or kitchen facilities to support outside dining, it is still possible to maximise the summer months with some careful planning and lateral thinking. Take guidance from the professional caterers. For example, it is not uncommon for caterers to build kitchens and service areas from scratch, including areas for staffing and even taking electrical and water supplies with them. Whilst this may not always be possible for hotels, it should make you think about creating a fabulous summer location by building or hiring a kitchen area, marquee or outdoor wood buring stove.

It is part of the skills as a caterer to adapt to unusual locations. Matthew Quarantine, Director of Moving Venue Caterers, one of the accredited suppliers at the Natural History Museum advises: “The skill here is to ensure you can recreate the very best conditions for food preparation and delivery in an unusual or outside location... just make sure you get the catering right. There’s nothing worse than coming up with a innovative idea if the food and drink lets you down”.

Quarantine adds: “Getting the food offering right in hospitality is about creating memorable experiences for guests. Venues have a massive part to play in this, be they constructed from new, added to an existing build or placed within an existing structure. The Natural History Museum has become one of the UK’s foremost events spaces because it can create an unforgettable experience and one that is totally unique”.

Finally, it’s worth remembering that with alfresco dining comes great responsibility, at least in terms of the weather! Unfortunately we cannot always rely on the British summer so be prepared for the elements with flexible covering from the sun and rain, and don’t neglect the indoor dining experience. Make sure you have a back up plan like Newbury Racecourse, who use their indoor facilities overlooking the course, and QHotels Hellidon lakes who know the importance of creating that summer feeling for guests dining inside or out.