TAMPA, FL— The food and beverage outlets at the Tampa Airport Marriott are very busy these days. In fact, CK’s, a revolving rooftop restaurant, is frequently filled to capacity. “For special occasions, we sell out. On Valentine’s Day, we had 280 people booked for dinner, and for our holiday buffets on Thanksgiving and Christmas when we can accommodate 700 people, we are always full,” said Abeer Kronawetter, food and beverage director for the 296-room hotel, located inside Tampa International Airport. Along with CK’s, where dinner is served, the hotel offers Café Elise, which is open for breakfast and lunch; a bar called the Flight Lounge; and the Fidalgo Bay Coffee Bar in the lobby. These outlets make up for about 50% of the total $6.2 million annual food and beverage revenues at the hotel, according to Kronawetter. The other 50% of revenues come from events held in the hotel’s 18,000 square feet of meeting space, she noted. Much of the success of the food and beverage outlets stems from the fact that they are unique, Kronawetter indicated. People are drawn to CK’s, which she called a “destination” restaurant, in part because it is one of only a few revolving restaurants in the U.S., and to Café Elise because of its appealing décor. “Marriott is now pushing destination restaurants with chefs who are very creative. There is an emphasis on culinary skills,” Kronawetter said. The Tampa Airport Marriott’s executive chef is Henry Nagel and Gabe Duffy is the restaurant chef in charge of CK’s. At CK’s, “everything is high quality. It has a modern American menu with a Florida twist and a lot of fresh seafood,” Kronawetter said. A variety of meats are also offered, she said, “and we don’t serve starch with meals, only vegetables. There is also a choice of two salads and desserts, all of which are made fresh,” she said. In addition to fresh food, the décor is kept fresh at CK’s, Kronawetter noted, explaining that the restaurant was renovated in 2001 and another renovation is planned for 2006. The average check at CK’s is $33 to $34 per person without a beverage, and $45 with a drink. A big attraction at Café Elise is the décor, according to Kronawetter. “It looks like a French bistro. It is done in black with some yellow, burgundy and green, and it has artwork from France,” she said. The café was named for Elise Raymonde Deroche, the first woman to receive a pilot’s license, Kronawetter noted. Along with the décor, people frequent Café Elise for its breakfast buffet with its made-to-order omelettes and waffles, and lunch, which offers a soup and salad bar, sandwiches and hot entrees. At Café Elise, the average check is $13 at breakfast and lunch, according to Kronawetter. About half the customers at Café Elise and CK’s are local people, she indicated. “Although we have competitors in the airport— TGI Fridays, for example— most of the staff from the airport comes here to eat. It’s a gathering place,” she said. Rounding out the food and beverage outlets at the Tampa Airport Marriott are the Fidalgo Bay Coffee Bar in the lobby, which starts serving at 5:30 a.m., and the Flight Lounge, which is scheduled for “reconcepting,” according to Kronawetter. “It will be renovated but will keep the aeronautical theme,” she said. The hotel is also extending room service hours and this month will be available 24 hours a day, Kronawetter added. “Room service is very busy for dinner and breakfast,” she noted. The average room service check for breakfast is $16; for dinner, it averages $18 without a beverage and $25 with a drink. Along with offering quality food, the Tampa Airport Marriott wants to make sure its menu selections are healthy, Kronawetter said. “We participate in the Marriott ‘Fit For You’ program,” she noted. Launched in December 2003, the “Fit For You” culinary program includes menu offerings in three categories— high protein/low carbohydrate, low fat and low cholesterol. There are also low-fat options for kids’
