According to BizBash, he idea behind the Man vs. Chef tour—which stopped in Atlanta, Washington, New York, and finally, Chicago on October 15—was to show off the culinary offerings in an ultra-creative way after the massive renovation. In each city, a chef from Marco Island went head-to-head with the show's host and West Hollywood-based comedian, Pete Giovine (the “man”) to prepare a dish inspired by the host city. For the challenge, Giovine cooked from a food trailer that had driven up from the southwest Florida resort and had help from a local chef who served as his mentor.
The trailer―usually a spot for beach fare at the resort―was a big hit on the road. Its fully equipped kitchen includes a six-burner stove, grill, salamander oven, a flat top, a kegerator system, fryers, and a freezer and cooler. For the tour kickoff in Atlanta, Giovine made Atlanta-style fried chicken with a chili honey glaze under the direction of Westin Peachtree Plaza chef Chris Chadwick. In Washington, the featured dish was Maryland-style crab cakes and in New York, a hearty lasagna was the entrée. All in all, the “man” won the culinary challenges in Atlanta and D.C., while JW Marriott chefs won in New York and Chicago.
In Chicago, the resort invited meeting planners and other V.I.P.s to an indoor/outdoor event at Soldier Field. Guests took in the final competition, were a part of the live filming of the reality show (a first during the tour), and sampled the winning dish. Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile’s executive chef Frank Sanchez mentored Giovine in the competition vs. Ario’s chef de cuisine Gerald Sombright. As judged by celebrity chef Kevin Hickey, Sombright's winning dish was a variation on the classic Italian beef sandwich. Chicago-style hotdogs and potato wedges with truffle aioli, gold-dusted bonito flakes topped with caviar, chives, and sea salt was also served.
Past episodes of the reality show played on several screens during the event which is also displayed through the JW Marriott’s social media channels, expanding the message further through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. This gave viewers the opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at their culinary team. Fans that follow the show had the chance to vote on ManvsChef.com from October 21 to 23 for their favorite chef and dish.
The event ultimately showed how planners can elevate their own food and beverage experiences when planning their own functions and showcases how the brand works together across the network of hotels.
Man vs. Chef culminated at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort on October 25 with a ticketed event that was open to the public. The $85-per-person dinner included a cocktail reception, samples of the winning dishes, highlights from the reality show, a chance to meet the chefs, and a concert by country music artist Phil Vassar. Giovine also was on hand to crown the winning chef based on the votes. All proceeds benefited the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida whose food supply was diminished after sending supplies to the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian.
What a unique way to promote new offerings and get both chefs and meeting planners together outside of work. We're inspired! Let's all learn from the JW Marriott and devour the details of master chefs and master meeting planners joining forces to hold epic events.
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