MARRIOTT INDIANAPOLIS
DOWNTOWN
convn.org/marriott-indy
Meeting planner Patrice Bey gushes
when it comes to describing the F&B at
the Marriott Indianapolis Downtown,
which she nominated for Best in Show.
“I love working with them,” Bey said.
That could be because the hotel’s executive chef, Michael Vlasich, offers playful
and mouth-watering menu options for
planners, from themed lunches (think
“Andretti Italian Buffet” with antipasto
and cannoli) and savory break treats
( jumbo pretzels with mustard, anyone?) to dinner entrées that put a spin
on Midwestern cuisine, such as maple-leaf, pan-seared duck breast with a
coriander-sage crust.
GAYLORD OPRYLAND RESORT &
CONVEN TION CENTER (NASHVILLE)
gaylordopryland.com
With its massive commissary and 15
kitchens, the culinary operation at the
2,882-room Gaylord Opryland can feed
an enormous crowd — or even just a
handful of attendees — really well. It’s
second nature for the resort’s chefs to
customize menus for each event, and
many items are freshly made in-house, such as breads and pastries.
“We view each plate, each cocktail,
and each gesture,” said Michael
Hiltabidel, director of catering
operations, “as our signature difference from ordinary dining.”
LANGHAM PLACE, NEW YORK,
FIFTH AVENUE
langhamhotels.com/en/langham-place/
new-york
It’s no easy feat to distinguish your
F&B in the culinary jungle of New
York City — but that’s exactly what
Langham Place, New York, Fifth
Avenue does. While executive chef
David Vandenabeele relishes creat-
ing tailored menus for planners, “he
also finds inspiration in the events
themselves,” said Louise O’Brien,
Langham’s regional director of pub-
lic relations. For the recent launch
of the hotel’s redesigned meeting
rooms, Vandenabeele created
individual stations named for the
neighborhoods around the hotel —
fresh shellfish for Kips Bay; pretzels
to represent Broadway; and Middle
Eastern skewers to capture the diverse
culinary offerings of Murray Hill. “He
is also a master of the unexpected,”
O’Brien said. “Some of his most popular
menu items for banquets and private
‘Signature
Boston
experiences’
at BCEC.
Food &
Beverage
Langham
Place, New
York’s inspired
menus.
