Buffet a winner for hotel restaurant

190814bf10 Justin Milne, executive chef at Chapmans Restaurant 19 August 2014 Rotorua Daily Post Photograph by Ben Fraser RGP 21Aug14 - WINNING: Chapmans executive chef Justin Milne (picture

Chapmans restaurant at the Holiday Inn was named Outstanding Hotel Restaurant at the recent Rotorua Hospitality Awards. Holiday Inn general manager Kent Breeze tells us the secrets to its success.

What did it mean to you to win the hospitality award for Outstanding Hotel Restaurant?

It is great to be a winner, and winning this award is a great reflection of the hard work that the team who work in Chapmans, both in the restaurant and in the kitchen, do on a daily basis. The team were and still are really excited at being recognised for the efforts they put into the restaurant every day.

What do you think sets Chapmans apart from your competitors?

Chapmans has a great reputation in the market, which has been formed over many years of consistently great dining experiences and memories of family events. Today Chapmans is known for its vast range of fresh seafood, including half shell oysters and home smoked salmon, family favourite hot dishes, roast of the day carvery and a selection of desserts made in the hotel by Patrick Rattigan. It is also important that we offer the buffet daily, not just on certain days, so our guests know that whatever day it is we are open for business.

Do you think businesses should "give back" to their community?

Absolutely, it is important that as a business within the community that we support our local community. The Holiday Inn Rotorua is committed to supporting the environment and local charities and organisations. Over the past 12 months alone we have sponsored/donated/helped many different organisations, to help fundraise, or raise community profile, and in doing this have donated over $50,000 in prizes or sponsorship. Some of these sponsorships are to do with schools fundraising to go on a trip overseas for education, or helping local events like the 3D or Tarawera Ultra Marathon with a space to do their registration or prizegiving, or supporting the Rotorua Sustainable Tourism Charter to ensure that our environment remains clean and green.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity for Chapmans in the year ahead?

There are a couple of opportunities we see ahead. We are thinking of introducing a Sunday lunch buffet next winter. We are also re-launching our IHG Asia Pacific dining club programme, IHG Dining Rewards, which includes discounts off food and beverage in Chapmans and other great restaurants around the region in over 50 locations, along with accommodation discounts and privileges in New Zealand, Australia, China and Fiji.

What proportion of Chapmans diners are hotel guests? Has this changed over time?

The proportions seem to remain reasonably constant. We have about 65 per cent from the community and 35 per cent from in-house guests. Without the support of our locals, we would not be able to have the buffet daily. The Rotorua community is a very important part of our business and we are very grateful for this ongoing support.

How long has Chapmans been going and what have been some of the biggest changes/developments over that time?

I didn't really know the answer to this, so I have consulted with Audrey Savage who recently had her 40th anniversary of working at this hotel. It seems that the restaurant has always been called Chapmans, since 1967, and has always had a great buffet. Over the years the cuisine has changed to meet the market trends, and there have been a couple of refurbishments along the way, the most recent being in 2006.

What's the most popular dish in the buffet?

There are many popular dishes. I would say that everyone says they come for the seafood, but secretly I think many come for the dessert, the creme brulee is fantastic.

And finally, what's the best thing about being in business in Rotorua?

Rotorua is a great place to live and a really fun place to do business. There are a number of terrific people that work in the hotel and the restaurant. To be able to work alongside the very talented team members we have here, and see them grow and develop over time is fantastic and a really important part of my role in the hotel.