BLOOMINGTON, MN—“Food trends support the idea that travelers want authentic food and, along with it, authentic stories from the people who prepare the food about the heritage of the region,” shared Marilyn Miller, director of sales and marketing, Radisson Blu Mall of America. In an effort to capture the essence of Minnesota and its culinary offerings, the hotel has launched a new experiential dining program that is a veritable feast for guests.
The locally sourced food, or locavore, movement has gained traction among foodies and, now, the general public has caught up as more people crave to know where their food comes from and how it’s prepared. Radisson Blu Mall of America has tapped into that demand with its newest food and beverage service.
“It’s a farm-to-table concept that includes the best of local meats, freshwater fish, produce and dairy that our chefs can source from our region,” explained Miller. “Focused on bringing out the natural goodness of the food, you will find familiar Midwestern ingredients kissed by the flavor of the flame of a real wood fire and lightly touched with the straight-forward style and taste of our Minnesota heritage.”
The experiential dining encounter is available in the hotel’s onsite FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar, in the main dining room, private dining room and private event rooms that accommodate groups of 20 to 700. “Hotel guests can enjoy regional and local cuisine that has been prepared with Minnesota inspiration without having to leave our hotel. And during winter in Minnesota, that is a true comfort,” said Miller.
To spread the word about this new program, the hotel has partnered with Explore Minnesota, Meet Minneapolis, Visit St. Paul and the Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau to offer authentic local happenings to travelers. “This offers guests the opportunity to try real Minnesota and Midwestern cuisine,” she said. Miller also mentioned that the hotel’s sales, catering and concierge teams have experienced the dining program firsthand, so they can accurately describe the offering to guests.
Menu offerings include The Art of Brunch, where guests learn techniques to make hollandaise sauce, the perfect poached egg and healthy breakfast options; the Dinner on Tap option serves local foods enhanced by being cooked or infused with local beers; and Minnesota Taste of the Seasons offers a farm-to-table event highlighting seasonal ingredients.
“Our menus reflect the season during which they are served, offering the freshest ingredients possible. The unique feature is the addition of our culinary and mixology team members, who bring the preparation techniques to life by their real-life demonstrations,” she said.
It’s not just about the food—it’s about the people on the culinary journey and the chefs and mixologists who demonstrate and share their knowledge. Aimed at groups with a minimum of 20 people or more, guests are encouraged to get involved and learn about the menu. Recipe cards are given as souvenirs, so they can re-create the meals at home.
“Guests can literally interact with our culinary and mixology team members, as well as experience the same authentic cuisine our other guests experience in our onsite restaurant FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar,” she said. “Our guests will be able to learn about different cooking techniques and hear about the latest food trends, which they can then incorporate into their home from the experts themselves. Each group has our full attention from our team members.”
For the F&B team at Radisson Blu Mall of America, they’ve already seen signs of success. “When guests are happy, they return and our bottom-line notices,” she said. “Guests have felt very special because of the excellent service that our staff provided, and that our culinary team members were there and personally cooking and explaining each course in front of them. They were filled in on the latest trends in the food industry and learned a lot of useful tips that our culinary and mixology team members gladly shared with them.”
Fresh, local and sustainable food has been their mission since the hotel opened. “As we like to say, ‘Food tastes better when you know the history of the region, too.’ The dining public has supported us all the way with its loyalty.”
—Corris Little