This week we’ve been celebrating Pride in Food Service Week, giving us the perfect excuse to sing the praises of our fantastic food and beverage teams. We have a 249 strong team running our various food and beverage outlets, with each offering a different exceptional experience.
The team serve an incredible 450,000 covers a year at the resort. Being one of the UK’s leading meeting, conference, and event venues, this includes the multiple meetings and event spaces, with a total capacity of up to 1,600 delegates. We cater for a diverse range of events from large conferences, exhibitions, award ceremonies and banquets, as well as outdoor events including our newest space, Terrace on the 10th, the perfect place for BBQs and drinks receptions.
Our outlets include 2AA Rosette The Ryder Grill, offering a la carte dining and unforgettable Sunday lunches; sports bar Sam’s Club House; Italian family friendly restaurant Rocca’s; and award-winning The Brabazon Bar, celebrated for its outstanding afternoon tea. Brabazon Bar has a new look following the recent refurbishment revealing a rich and vibrant décor and new soft furnishings crafted by a local upholsterer.
The cost-of-living crisis means guests expect more for their money when dining out and this is where an exceptional guest experience is paramount. In fact, research from CGA’s Reputation Survey shows a quarter of guests now have higher expectations from hospitality experiences than they did just 12 months ago.
Our award-winning eateries are staffed by passionate, knowledgeable, and personable people. No request is ever too much for the team, each of whom prides themself on providing world-class hospitality that consistently exceeds guests’ expectations.
Here are just some of the awards and accolades the team have achieved recently:
- Winners of England’s Best Hotel Restaurant at the World Culinary Awards
- Achieved and retained The Ryder Grill’s two rosette AA accreditation.
- The Belfry’s hotel guest score is remarkably high with the F&B departments scoring on average 4.5 out of 5 in the last three months.
- Winners of Team of the Year at the Midlands Service Excellence Awards 2023
- Jacques Hobson, Director of Food & Beverage, was named one of Acorn’s 30 under 30
- Consistent five-star food safety and hygiene rating
We know that a happy, fulfilled team is crucial to delivering exceptional service, so we’ve partnered with Burnt Chef to ensure the wellbeing of our workforce. The charity supports hospitality workers who struggle with mental health or need extra, external support.
The team is always looking for ways to give back. They support Hospitality Action’s Invisible Chip scheme, providing guests with the opportunity to purchase invisible ‘chips’ for £2 to help support staff within the industry who are in crisis and in need of help.
The Ryder Grill breakfast team collected their tips and contributed them to The Belfry’s Salvation Army toy appeal and Hospitality Action fundraising. In addition, the Brabazon Bar’s Pink Afternoon Tea raised money for Breast Cancer and Teenage Cancer Trust.
We’re extremely proud of our food service and the brilliant teams we have both behind the scenes and front of house. Team members are merited on individual service so if you have a great experience with us, please do name drop them in your feedback – we’d love to hear about it!