Hospitality Design - August 2012 - 43

sketchbook

perspectives

ramsay redo
First he tackled issue-prone kitchens in Kitchen Nightmares, now Gordon Ramsay is taking on hotels with his new Fox show Hotel Hell, set to debut this month. First up: the Pinafarina-designed Keating Hotel in San Diego. Cameras started lming at 8 a.m. every morning and followed the managers throughout the day, asking them to switch positions after just a 10-minute tutorial of the role. To test the staff even further, Ramsay and his team checked into 20 rooms at the same time in an attempt to overload the front desk, and then ordered room service simultaneously for the same effect. In terms of design, the once-all red lobby is broken up with white walls featuring black and white photos of the staff’s hands making the different letters that spell out “Welcome to the Keating.” One of the Imperiale one-bedroom suites (now dubbed the Gordon Ramsay Victory suite) boasts more black and white photos, new furniture including a sofa and dining area, and touches of black and purple. Not surprisingly, Merk restaurant got the most updates—analyzing the competition, Ramsay turned the former Italian eatery into a bistro with a brand new menu; lined the patio with ower beds; and inside, added artwork, as well as red and white chairs and white linens. “Since the show we have taken Ramsay’s suggestions and changes to a new level,” says the hotel’s owner Edward Kaen. Each of the Imperiale suites is now decked out with its own personalized theme, including an upcoming Macallan suite, which will feature “the most expensive mini-bar in the world.” Next up, Kaen plans on renovating the hotel’s subterranean lounge. “The lobby and rooms still have the look of a Ferrari, but with the added comfort of a Maserati,” he says.

getting grilled
In the wake of the recession, Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group realized its guests were looking for something a bit more casual than the brand’s mainstay, business expenseprone steakhouses. Enter Del Frisco’s Grille. “[They wanted something] that was upscale yet affordable, a place that was casual yet offered rst-rate service with a lively bar and robust wine list,” says Bill Martens, vice president of development and brand’s Double Eagle Steak Houses, a smaller footprint that allows them to better t into neighborhood locations. In the past year, Grilles have opened in Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center, Dallas’ trendy Uptown district, the Esplanade in Phoenix, and on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC, conceived by the Johnson Studio, ID Studio 4, and Aria Group Architects, respectively. Each designed with location in mind,

construction for Del Frisco’s. “Aimed at attracting Millennials, Gen X-ers, and Baby Boomers, the Grille is designed for the everyday diner, who can be found grabbing impromptu appetizers and drinks with friends after work one day and indulging in a prime steak and a bottle of wine during a date the next night.” Measuring in at 7,500 square feet, the Grilles are one-third the size of the

highlights include an outdoor bar in Phoenix with views of Squaw Peak and Camelback mountains, leather banquettes in New York, and a bar embedded with pennies in DC. Says Martens: “All of our locations are landmarks within their respective cities and hotspots for both visitors and locals,” adding that another Grille is set to open in the Mandarin Oriental, Atlanta in October.

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