We had the opportunity to interview Giovanni Le Mura, Resort Food and Beverage Manager at Grand Palladium Hotels & Resorts. With years of experience in the industry, he shared the daily challenges, technological innovations, and strategic approaches that drive the success of F&B operations in a highly competitive environment.

The Main Challenges in Food & Beverage Management

The daily challenges are truly numerous. The property operates on an all-inclusive basis with 469 rooms and includes 4 restaurants (3 themed and 1 Grand Buffet), 7 bars, Room Service, plus the MICE & Wedding sector. On a daily basis, we strive to monitor and manage the maintenance of high-quality standards across the board, both in terms of products and services, as well as staff management.

For us, staff is the foundation of everything—the key element in the chain. A happy and motivated team, in a complex system like ours, is the secret to achieving our primary objectives. Finally, cost and revenue management are constantly monitored to ensure everything proceeds as planned or to identify whether adjustments (e.g., menu changes) are necessary.

The Importance of Technological Innovation

Technological innovation is revolutionizing the food and beverage sector, and as a manager, I believe it is crucial to embrace it in order to stay competitive and meet the increasingly demanding expectations of consumers.

We use technology daily for several purposes, including:

Personalizing the guest experience: Technology enables us to collect and analyze vast amounts of data about our customers, both in-house to manage their preferences and for regular guests by analyzing their history, or during the pre-stay phase to accommodate specific requests. This allows us to offer personalized and tailored experiences. For instance, if we know that a guest loves red wine and a specific label, we make sure to consistently provide the service and anticipate their requests. Operational efficiency: From inventory management to supply handling through specific applications, technology allows us to reduce costs, optimize time, and minimize errors while providing better control.

Innovations and Operational Improvements

The key innovations should focus on two main aspects, which are the foundation of most daily operations in this department:

Customer Experience: Systems that increasingly allow for the personalization of guest experiences, both during their stay and in the pre-stay phase. The post-stay phase is also crucial to understand what to change or modify in the future.

Management control systems: These systems must provide increasingly precise control, enabling the F&B Manager to understand the daily/weekly performance of the department. Having a clear vision of what is happening is now essential to make informed decisions.

Future Innovations in F&B Management

My company strongly believes in and invests heavily in technological innovation within the F&B department. Recently, for example, we have been integrating the option within the guest menu app to order drinks or snacks. While it may initially seem like it creates a distance between guests and dining/bar staff, it will actually allow the staff to have more time to provide details about the outlets or, more generally, engage in cross-selling.

We implement innovations and improvements not only in customer care but also across all controlling phases, striving to have clearer daily data that helps us understand the 'heartbeat' of the department.

Empowering Your Operations with Real-Time Insights

Our innovative web app provides real-time visibility into the performance of every department, helping you stay ahead of the curve.With precise, data-driven insights, you can monitor each department's progress and make proactive decisions that enhance efficiency and service delivery.Real-time alerts and notifications ensure you're always in control, enabling you to quickly address any issues and maintain seamless operations across all areas.