Caribbean resort Viceroy Anguilla is bringing in recognized chefs who have appeared on Bravo television network’s “Top Chef” food competition show for the first three-day Culinary Conclave event to tap experiential marketing and draw affluent travelers.
The Culinary Conclave takes place Feb. 15-17 and is offered as an all-inclusive package or a series of ticketed events. Proceeds will support a professional culinary education scholarship program in Anguilla.
“To target our luxury demographic, we partnered with well-known Top Chefs from New York, one of our top markets, to create programming that would resonate with our luxury guests,” said Diane Yost, director of sales and marketing at Viceroy Anguilla.
“The goal of this package is to highlight and capitalize on a new way that Viceroy Anguilla is attempting to reach its target audience,” she said.
“By offering exclusive culinary opportunities and events with these talented and well-known chefs, Viceroy Anguilla will tap further into the market of travelers looking for unique, exciting experiences.”
Good eats
Guests who purchase the Culinary Conclave package will interact with chefs and take part in exclusive culinary experiences.
The package is available for three, four or five nights at $2,775, $3,475 and $4,175, respectively. Daily breakfast for two and event reservations are included.
Guests can also buy a single ticket to one of the Culinary Conclave experiences.
The first event is the welcome reception during the evening of Feb. 15. The menu will be created by Viceroy Anguilla executive chef Cliff Denny and local island chefs.
On Feb. 16 is the “Let’s Talk Food” panel. Former Top Chef contestant Jonathan Waxman, head judge of “Top Chef: Just Desserts” Johnny Iuzzini and season-seven Top Chef winner Kevin Sbraga will share cooking tips and behind-the-scenes experiences from the TV show.
That night, guests will dine at on-site restaurant Cobà where they will be served a four-course meal by the chefs that they met earlier in the day. This event supports the Share Our Strength childhood hunger charity and is hosted by Billy Harris.
Cobà
The final event Feb. 17 is an interactive Sunday brunch where guests can visit culinary stations and the make-your-own island cocktail bar.
Viceroy Anguilla is promoting the program through aggressive email promotions, the resort’s Web site and social media updates, per Ms. Yost.
Web site
The resort is specifically targeting its Culinary Conclave at affluent consumers in its high-traffic markets.
Food for thought
High-end hotel brands often use culinary events that offer both education and experiences to draw affluent consumers.
Coming up, hotel brand Dorchester Collection is toasting women and its female sommeliers from three properties with the first “Women in Wine Road Trip” event to celebrate International Women’s Day March 8.
The Women in Wine Road Trip comprises events at three Dorchester Collection properties in Europe March 6-8. At each event the sommeliers will discuss wine topics and working in a male-dominated industry (see story).
Last year, InterContinental Hotels drew attention to its Times Square location in New York and on-site Ça Va Brasserie through a new dinner series, each partnered by a world-renowned vineyard, likely to drive traffic during the lull between summer and winter travel seasons.
There were three dinners scheduled lasting into November, with a Champagne toast to end the year (see story).
Luxury hotels likely limit these events so that affluent consumers feel that they are getting a one-off experience.
“This type of limited engagement works well for our property because it allows for guests already on-property to experience something new and exciting,” Ms. Yost said.
“Additionally, with the programming planned for weekend days, it allows for guests to take an extra day off and plan the perfect long weekend getaway,” she said.
Final Take
Tricia Carr, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York