Chefs vs. City is one of those Food Network shows people have a hard time turning off. The show stars two chefs, Aaron Sanchez and Chris Cosentino, who travel to different cities across the US and essentially battle local chefs to a variety of food-related challenges. Unlike other chef-focused shows, Chefs vs. City isn’t just about who cooks the better meal. It’s more like a free-for-all, sudden-death match testing skills… like who can eat a bowl filled with the spiciest food… and who can eye the weight of food more accurately.
The show’s stars are checking into The Mayflower Renaissance in DC. At 10pm tonight, the series will cap its second season with an episode dedicated to DC and a contest at The Mayflower. Since the show’s general structure is that of a scavenger hunt, each episode winds up being, more or less, an insider’s culinary tour of the city at hand.
“While we are not at liberty to discuss either the nature of the challenge or its outcome prior to its screening,” said General Manager Satinder Palta, “I can promise that the excitement begins from the moment the teams pull up to our grand entrance on Connecticut Avenue.”
Sounds delicious. Tune into the Food Network tonight to catch this bound-to-be-great season finale.
If you’re sick of tipping back cocktails that bring on unwanted images of Sex on the Beach to mind, why not try a cocktail that brings music to your ears instead? Pearl at Renaissance Chancery Court in London has really outdone itself with a symphony of five music-themed drinks. We think Mozart and Chopin would be smitten by Pearl’s newest cocktails.
And you don’t have to be a classical music aficionado for these drinks to go down smoothly. Each is made with either Mozart chocolate liqueur or Chopin vodka. Show your allegiance to your favorite composers while unwinding.
Still curious? Well, the Nocturne 252, for example, features Chopin vodka, strawberry liqueur, Mozart dark chocolate liqueur, and lemon juice. Savor that.
If you’re in the Chicago area, we may have an event for you tonight. It all depends on one thing: whether you like wine and food. We’re guessing you like at least one of the two.
Renaissance Schaumburg will be hosting a special dinner for wine lovers tonight from 6pm-9pm. Sam & Harry’s, located inside the hotel, will be showcasing Terlato Family Vineyards wine with the dinner, which will be held inside the convention center at Renaissance Schaumburg. Beginning with a Champagne reception, the evening will consist of five courses—each course paired with the perfect Terlato wine. Check out the menu. If it makes you hungry (or thirsty), make a reservation while you still can.
One of our new favorite spots is a lounge in Renaissance Long Beach that serves delicious drinks. Aptly named SIP, the bar has launched a Happy Hour that’s drawing in drink-appreciators from the area, as well as guests from the hotel.
Every Sunday through Thursday, 4pm-7pm, SIPpresents the 123456 Happy Hour—also aptly named. Featured drinks during this time range from $1-$6… and we’re not talking about the average beers on tap you’ll find at other bars.
SIP, although newly opened, has already earned a reputation for having some of the coolest cocktails in town—from the classics you count on, to the modern drinks with descriptions so unique you just have to try them. An excellent beer and wine selection is also part of the Happy Hour. Or, shall we say, the three happiest hours of your day, five days a week?
Germany: a place where you can get really tasty beer. Germany: a place where you can also get really tasty wine—and bike along the Mosel River trekking through vineyards as you pass them by.
The steepest vineyard in Europe isn’t all that far from Renaissance Karlsruhe. Bremmer Calmont, a vineyard boasting a 65 degree angle, is steep with history and rich with grapes that make some of the reportedly best Riesling out there. A couple hours on the road from Renaissance Karlsruhe will lead you to this world renowned wine destination that sits atop the sparkling Mosel River, which makes for a biker’s dream ride.
Have you ever woken up after a night of drinking and just wanted a Bloody Mary? (Of course you have.) Andy Spade did. He woke up in a Renaissance Hotel under these circumstances not too long ago and took Renaissance to task with a Bloody Mary program. Spade is a designer (a very well recognized)—one who loves this vodka cocktail, and he has now partnered with ABSOLUT to create the ABSOLUT BLOODY experience for Renaissance Hotels. The experience includes:
•Carafe of ABSOLUT BLOODY MARYS
•Rocks Glasses
•Spice Shakers
•Swing Top Bottles
•1 Bottle of The Bitter Truth Celery Bitters
An ABSOLUT BLOODY kit in a leather bound carrying case will also be available for purchase in select Renaissance locations throughout the duration of this program.
A big thank you to Andy Spade and ABSOLUT for improving the quality of hangovers for Renaissance guests, one Bloody Mary at a time.
The only thing better than eating a tasty meal is eating a tasty meal under the summer sun or warm night sky. You can do that now at Renaissance Columbus. Latitude 41, the praised restaurant inside the Renaissance Columbus Hotel, recently opened its patio doors to diners and guests. The restaurant is known for whipping up fresh local ingredients.
The menu is impressive (Lobster Mac ‘n’ Cheese, anyone?) and the drinks are refreshing (we suggest the Grilled Pineapple Mojito). Even if you aren’t staying at Renaissance Columbus, you’re bound to improve any Columbus summer night by kicking it at Latitude 41. (And if you have one too many of those Mojitos, of course you can crash with us).
Check out the video above of Chef Dean James Max showing us how the restaurant’s signature Flatbread Pizza is made!
A celebrity chef is kind of like a rockstar. A rockstar who can make delicious things. While bands spend a good part of their career on the road, it’s no surprise that chefs have taken to touring, as well. The Celebrity Chef Tour, benefiting the James Beard Foundation, is making its way across the USA and Canada right now.
The tour stopped in DC on May 6th to set up shop at Renaissance Mayflower DC where 150 guests had the unique opportunity to dine in the Grand Ballroom where Mayflower’s chef, Abdellah Aguenaou, helped make the night a success alongside celebrity chefs Richard Blais, Carla Hall, and CJ Jacobsen.
Who doesn’t like some strong margaritas and Mexican food? People who don’t celebrate Cinco de Mayo, that’s who. So let’s take a moment and forget about those people because they bring us no joy on this day filled with tasty celebrations. Cinco de Mayo has always been one of favorite holidays, but do you know the holiday’s background? A lot of people don’t. It goes something like this:
The Mexican army wasn’t expected to win the war against the French in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. But they won anyway! They were the underdogs turned champions and who doesn’t like a good ol’ triumphant war story? Cinco de Mayo is commonly confused with Mexico’s Independence Day, which is September 16. Cinco de Mayo has become a holiday that celebrates all of Mexico’s heritage and pride and often times that celebration manifests itself with tasty drinks.
Did you ever wake up on Saturday mornings to the sweet smell of your mother making pancakes? Yeah? Well, here’s a way to say, “Thanks, Mom. I really loved your pancakes. Have some on me this time!” Some of our Renaissance Hotels are giving you and your kids the opportunity to do this on Mother’s Day—Sunday, May 9th.
“Mother’s Day Pancake Play Date” was designed especially for kids and whipping up towering stacks of customized pancake bliss is what’s goin’ down. Children who come in with their mothers on the day can walk straight up to the chef themselves and order up the craziest combo for mom they can think of. Talk about a pancake feast.
Prices for the brunch start at $25. Not sold yet? Check out the sample menu below:
• The “New England Johnnycake” at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel includes seasoned bacon greases baked into the batter served to compliment the Lobster Benedict New England favorite.
• The “Organic Buckwheat Short Stack Pancake” at the Renaissance Washington D.C. Downtown Hotel features local Tuscarora Farm apple compote and McCutcheon’s wildflower honey.
R Life is about your life. It's about bold style. Authentic experience. Real travel (even if it's right near your home). And inspired discussion, peppered with wit and joie de vivre. It's about looking to see what's around the corner, and savoring what's new and different once you're there. Learn More
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