You’ve been at the forefront of culinary innovation throughout your career. How are you incorporating emerging food trends, such as hyper-local sourcing or immersive dining experiences, into Playa Resorts’ F&B offerings?
As a leader in culinary innovation, I have always aimed to integrate emerging trends to elevate the food and beverage offerings at Playa Resorts. Since joining PLaya Hotels and Resorts, I’ve collaborated closely with the corporate purchasing team to incorporate high-quality local products in all regions. This approach supports local farmers, fishermen, and artisans, ensuring our products are fresh and boosting the local economy.
Additionally, we are promoting on-site gardens within our hotels to grow fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables. This initiative not only offers guests a unique culinary experience but also emphasizes our commitment to sustainability.
We also offer immersive culinary experiences such as our Jerk Hut in Jamaica, where chefs prepare traditional Jamaican-style Jerk chicken and pork right in front of our guests. The Chinola experience at Hilton La Romana combines local cuisine with folklore through traditional dances. Our upcoming project in Mexico, “Alquimia Mexicana,” will introduce guests to Mexican-made spirits like blue corn vodka, Yucatan orange liqueur, and various chili-infused gins.
These initiatives keep us at the forefront of culinary trends while enriching our guests’ experiences by connecting them with local culture and creating memorable moments. We continually strive to offer “sense of place” experiences that tell a unique story.
What is your position on talent retention and delivering exquisite performance?
In today’s hospitality industry, retaining talent is essential for maintaining high-quality operations. While it has always been important, it’s even more critical now given the mindset of our current associates. Some of us from older generations often say that today’s workforce isn’t like we were when we started in this industry. But guess what? They are the future leaders, and it’s our responsibility to inspire and train them. We must adapt to their needs and develop their talents using tools that are easy, quick, and readily accessible. Lengthy manuals on standards and service sequences are a thing of the past; they simply won’t read them. Training them the way we were trained will fail, leading to frustration and increased turnover.
At Playa, we believe our associates are our greatest asset and the key to our company’s success. That’s why we’re developing training plans tailored to their needs, both in the kitchen and in service. Our F&B Council, along with the Corporate Quality team, is creating educational materials through videos, reels, internal social media, images, and more. This way, our associates can easily and quickly find everything they need to develop their talents.
Feeling valued within the organization, being recognized, and having leaders who stand by them is also crucial for our associates. Therefore, we organize career plans, trainer programs, events, and extracurricular activities in collaboration with our Human Resources departments to foster a genuine sense of belonging and development within the organization.
It’s no coincidence that Playa is recognized as the 4th best “Super Empresa in Mexico”.
Sustainability is becoming a crucial aspect of luxury hospitality. Can you share some innovative initiatives you’re implementing to make Playa Resorts’ F&B operations more environmentally friendly without compromising on luxury?
Sustainability is as vital in hospitality as it is across many other sectors. At Playa, we prioritize becoming more sustainable and environmentally responsible each day.
Our goal is to eliminate all single-use plastic containers and replace them with biodegradable alternatives. We provide recyclable cups at beaches and pools, hydration stations at our resorts, and are introducing paper straws. Some of our hotels already have programs to control waste in dining areas, especially buffets.
One of our key initiatives is purchasing local products, which directly reduce our carbon footprint. We respect seasonal bans on certain products like lobster and some fish, and ensure that our coffee capsules are recyclable and part of a supplier-managed collection program. All our hotels rigorously separate waste.
We are also about to redesign our restaurant menus. These new menus will be balanced, indicate allergens and specific diets, and include information about responsible food consumption and the origins of some ingredients.
The concept of “bleisure” travel is on the rise. How are you adapting Playa Resorts’ dining venues and F&B services to cater to this growing segment of luxury business-leisure travelers?
At Playa Resorts, we recognize the growing trend of “bleisure” travel—where business meets leisure. While this segment might not be as common in resort settings, we know how to cater to these luxury travelers.
Our resorts feature spacious cafes where guests can connect to the internet while enjoying their coffee. Every restaurant is equipped with power outlets and offers high-quality, high-speed internet access to keep you connected.
We also understand the importance of wellness and dietary preferences for our guests. That’s why we provide fully-equipped gyms and diverse menu options, including vegetarian and vegan dishes, at all our resorts.
With your experience in multicultural settings, how do you balance incorporating local flavors and traditions with maintaining a consistent luxury brand identity across Playa Resorts’ global properties?
First and foremost, we need to define what luxury means to our guests. Today, for most people, luxury is about enjoying authentic products from the region they are visiting. Our guests are seeking opportunities to discover the unknown.
In Mexico, luxury means savoring freshly caught fish, grilled “a la talla,” right on the beach, like our guests do at Habaneros restaurant at Hyatt Ziva Cancun. It’s also about experiencing a rum tasting and explanation session at our Rum Factory restaurant at Hilton Rose Hall in Jamaica or enjoying a traditional breakfast of Mangu with salami and fried cheese at The Pier restaurant at Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana.
Across all our resorts, guests can find local cuisine prepared with the highest quality products and traditional techniques. Whether it’s cooking on a comal in Mexico, open grilling for jerk chicken in Jamaica, or fire cooking in the Dominican Republic, like at Chinola restaurant at Hilton La Romana, we offer a truly local dining experience.
Of course, we also have a diverse range of culinary concepts, such as Italian, Asian, and Steakhouse restaurants. Here, the menus and dishes are crafted to provide traditional recipes from those countries, using the finest local ingredients. In these cases, technique is paramount.
Exclusive experiences are at the heart of luxury hospitality. Can you tell us about a unique F&B concept or event you’ve recently introduced that offers guests an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind experience?
One of the most memorable experiences awaits you at The Blind Butcher, our flagship restaurant at Hyatt Ziva Zilara Cap Cana. Here, you’ll savor perfectly cooked dishes, enjoy delightful and unique cocktails, and experience table-side coffee service. The evening comes alive with folklore and entertainment.
From the moment you step through the refrigerator door of a butcher shop to enter, every detail—from the lighting and aromas to the décor—creates an atmosphere you won’t forget.
At all our resorts, we strive to offer unique and unforgettable experiences. Our dedicated associates, with their heartfelt service and warm smiles, make every moment special. Stay tuned, as we are constantly working on creating even more incredible experiences for you.
