Omar Fathallah
Executive Chef, Loews Hotel Vogue, Montreal

“Loews Hotels prides itself on not only responding to our customer’s needs, but also exceeding them. And in order to do that, we need to have information on our client’s preferences. We get quite a number of families with children staying at our hotel and we keep a database on each family—listing the children’s names and ages and the toys they like to play with. At check-in time, we immediately bring cookies and milk to their room. The children feel special, and, of course, once you feed kids their favorite foods they are going to be happy.We have a special kids menu, which features kid-pleasing favorites such as macaroni and cheese, pizza, and a hamburger. We also have an inventory of toys—everything from toddler toys to computer games for the older kids. I have found, though, that most children are well behaved when they are away from home in an unfamiliar environment.”

Joel Steiger
General Manager, Silverleaf Tavern, 70 Park Avenue (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants)

“At Silverleaf Tavern it’s important to us to provide an environment where kids feel they can enjoy themselves and the parents are assured that they’re in a child-friendly establishment. To this end, we try to provide fun, engaging activities. At the previous Kimpton restaurants where I have worked, the kids got to make their own dinner at the dining room table. We brought out pizza dough and toppings and they created their own pizza, which was then taken back to the kitchen and baked. At the Silverleaf, we serve the kids meals on oversized, laminated placemats, which were designed by kids at a local school; on the back of the mats is the children’s menu. We change out this menu every six months for variety. Presently we feature macaroni and cheese; chicken tenders; hamburger; pizza; and grilled cheese. To occupy kids at the table, we have creative activities, such as an assortment of drawing games designed to hold their attention. We also offer a “Chef for a Day” option, which allows kids to spend a half-day in the kitchen cooking with the chef. They learn how a large kitchen works—from selecting the food in the morning to preparing it. It’s a popular program, and all proceeds from it go to local charities.”

Paul Ohm
Director of Operations, Fairmont Hotel, Washington, D.C.

“We’ve been very fortunate at the Fairmont because the children who stay here are pretty well-behaved. Like adults who become tired from traveling, kids can become fidgety. In these cases, some traditional distractions work just fine, such as crayons and a coloring book at the table. In addition, they also have the contents of the small, complementary backpack that all children receive upon check-in. The pack is filled with miniature board games and toys. Often the manager, after getting the parent’s permission, will take the children outside to our adjoining courtyard. There they can stretch their legs, take a walk around the courtyard, and explore the outdoors a bit. They come back refreshed and excited about their adventure and the parents get to eat their dinner in peace. A Fairmont standard is to serve the children a small appetizer, such as a fruit cup, as soon as they sit down. This gives them something to focus their attention on. The children’s meals are served soon thereafter, and before the adults receive theirs. Like most hotels, we have a children’s menu. We serve food that they really want and enjoy, not what we want them to want. For example, instead of the chef’s special soup, we give them Campbell’s chicken noodle; instead of a fancy French cheese sandwich, we serve a genuine grilled American cheese sandwich. For the older children, we offer staple menu items, such as grilled chicken, steamed broccoli, and mashed potatoes—food that’s similar to what their Mom cooks at home with no ‘weird sauces,’ as the kids would say!”

Pam Leigh is a frequent contributor to Hotel F&B Executive.