Mandarin Oriental beefs up its dining chops with new venues and concepts

• A new brand-wide Restaurants, Bars & Experiences approach encourages dining experiences that guests can 'feel'

• More emphasis will be placed on original concept and distinctive venue identities

• Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong welcomes three new RB&E venues this month and next

Guests enjoy a kitchen experience at Amber, Mandarin Oriental The Landmark, Hong Kong

Mandarin Oriental is jazzing up its dining offerings with a new ‘Restaurants, Bars & Experiences’ approach.

Injecting life into the staid old ‘F&B’ moniker, the new RB&E concept plans to beef up the dining experience in Mandarin Oriental hotels with collaborations, cultural programming and storytelling, transforming restaurants and bars into destinations in their own right rather than simply somewhere to eat and drink. 

Venues across the brand will be expected to place more emphasis on original concept creation and distinctive venue identities with chefs, pastry chefs, sommeliers, bartenders, hosts, designers, operators and service teams asked to contribute to an experience that guests can ‘feel’.

According to Christian Gradnitzer, group director RB&E, every restaurant and bar needs “an audience and a reason to visit – and, importantly, a reason to return. Our ambition is to create places that people seek out because they are relevant to their city… By evolving Food & Beverage into Restaurants, Bars & Experiences, we are recognising that guests increasingly choose experiences, communities and cultural connection alongside exceptional dining.”

Hong Kong will be one of the first cities to benefit from this new chapter, with the current hotel upgrade being used as an opportunity to introduce the new RB&E concept. Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong’s 14 restaurant, bar and experience venues will combine existing venues with new concepts, including The Pizza Bar by Daniele and The Thistle & The Jade whiskey bar, both of which opened this week, as well as Blake Foyer tea salon that's slated for opening on December 4.  

Across the Mandarin Oriental Group, RB&E venues currently hold 33 Michelin stars, cementing Mandarin Oriental’s position as one of the world’s leading luxury hospitality brands for culinary excellence.