Single-Concept Hospitality : Fairmont Century Plaza ’ s Lumiere Brasserie and Bar pg . 10 Multi-Concept Hospitality :

Princess Cruises pg . 11 Single-Concept Restaurant : Firebirds Wood Fired Grill pg . 12 Multi-Concept Restaurant : Culinary Institute of America pg . 13 Single-Concept Entertainment : AMC Theatres pg . 14

Innovative Independent : Cavaña pg . 15 Raising the Bar Award : Kira Webster pg . 16

Single-Concept Hospitality :

FAIRMONT CENTURY PLAZA ’ S LUMIERE BRASSERIE AND BAR

A LOS ANGELES LOCATION can make it difficult for any business to stand out among the competition . As a new property trying to make it in LA , Lumière restaurant and bar in the Fairmont Century Plaza hotel , decided it was time for a bar refresh .

Lumière partnered with Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen to develop and implement a new beverage program . Keeping the diverse guest profile in mind was paramount , as well as adding a local flair . The menu launched at the end of July 2023 , which immediately boosted cocktail sales 15 %.

“ To mark a place for us and to create an identity is very important . We ’ re a new property and we have very ritzy clientele who frequent us on a daily basis — some of them being big names in the movie and entertainment world ,” says Andrew Noone , director of food and beverage at Lumière Brasserie and Bar .

To entice these guests , he says , “ we needed to create something that was worthy to sit across all markets . I think we pretty much accomplished that across the board with the really cool touches and delivery methods of our cocktails and ingredients .”

INSTAGRAM WORTHY COCKTAILS

The restaurant added a new “# BrunchDrinking ” small but impactful selection of cocktails to the breakfast , brunch and lunch menus , increasing beverage sales before Happy Hour and dinner time . A savory , sun-dried-tomato-infused vodka makes the Bloody Mary a standout , and an in-house blend of California prickly pear puree , orange juice and guava mixes with prosecco for a uniquely local Mimosa offering .

Lumière created a standalone cocktail menu with unique hand drawn illustrations for dinner and late-night guests . Cocktails were designed to be easily executable , such as the “ Apothecary Bottled Cocktails ,” the Vesper and Smoky Old Fashioned . These bottled cocktails are pre-batched and held in the freezer to be crisp and cold and then poured at the table , creating an Instagramable presentation . The company sources glass apothecary bottles from a scientific company to add a unique experience .

Other menu standouts include a tableside Martini service with a selection of " garni ," such as brilliant , beet-pickled cocktail onions , cornichons , peppadew pepper and castelvetrano olives — served with a metal pick for garnishing and nibbling . Servers mist the Martini in front of the guest with a lemon-peel and black pepper-infused blanco vermouth , adding a sensory element .

The French Spritz is the most popular cocktail on the menu . Featuring Grey

Lumière ’ s Dragon ’ Rita , with silver tequila , Cointreau , dragonfruit and lime .

10 Cheers • Winter 2023 www . cheersonline . com