At JWU, hospitality professionals share stories of perseverance

A PANEL OF HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS discussed the state of Rhode Island's hospitality industry during a summit hosted by Johnson & Wales University on Wednesday. / PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE COREA
JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY in Providence is among a growing number of colleges planning to begin spring semester classes remotely. / PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE COHEA

PROVIDENCE – A panel of local hospitality professionals Wednesday discussed how they survived and, in some cases, thrived during the COVID-19 pandemic that has wracked their industry for the past 19 months.

The virtual talk, which also explored the permanent shifts in the sector’s strategy, procedure and policy, was part of Johnson & Wales University’s daylong Hospitality Summit: Paths to Prosperity.

Each panelist shared their lessons learned during the global crisis and how the challenges sparked fresh perspectives. The tone of the meeting was mostly positive, with panelists sharing opportunities and ideas about the future of their industry.

Michael Canini told of having to shift his duties while serving as the director of operations at the Newport Marriot Hotel & Spa during the pandemic. Canini — who is now general manager of the yet-to-be-completed Aloft Providence Hotel — said the Newport hotel was surprisingly busy but short-staffed as workers were afraid to return to work early on.

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“I went from director of operations to the front desk clerk in the morning, the bartender for lunch, and then the cook at night,” he said. “It was a lot of work, but customers were thankful that we were open.”

Canini’s new job as the general manager of the Aloft Providence Hotel in downtown Providence has brought different challenges. The hotel is scheduled to open on Nov. 11.

“Opening a hotel amid a pandemic really stretched the capabilities of not only me but my entire team,” he said.

There are labor shortages and supply chain delays, he said. Furniture for the hotel is still tied up in a California port.

Despite that, he is optimistic about the hotel’s future. The Aloft brand focus will be technology and music. “We’re going to host live music events, at a minimum, once a month,” he said.

“The future of hospitality is right now,” said Canini. “We’re starting from the ground up.”

Kristen Adamo, CEO and president of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the hotel is an example of persevering despite obstacles, although she acknowledged her rose-colored view had more than a few hints of darkness, too.

She said she projects that the local conventions segment suffered an $80 million loss in direct spending by visitors. But, despite that impact, Adamo said she is encouraged by new growth and the survival of the state’s attractions.

“I’m optimistic,” she said. “Mike is opening a brand new hotel. We spent a lot of time during the pandemic making sure that the things that make Providence, Providence, survived.”

She said that included ensuring the solvency of Rhode Island attractions, such as the Providence Performing Arts Center, WaterFire Providence and the Roger Williams Zoo.

“We made sure that the industry could live to see another day,” she said. “And right now is a pivotal time.”

As for the future, Adamo said the pandemic revealed the crucial role the state’s tourism industry plays in the local economy. Before the pandemic, many people were not aware of the funding required to draw in tourists and visitors.

“My organization, which is a destination marketing organization, saw our role change,” she said. “Now we’re a destination manager because we have such a bigger role in the community conversation. I think that’s great. We should be a part of that. That’s the silver lining.”

Eric Weiner, founder and CEO of FoodTrucksIn.com, said that he operated a limousine business for 20 years before selling it 10 years ago, and moving into the food truck industry. It was opportune, he said, because the food truck industry became popular during the pandemic.

His food truck business began operating in 2013 and sees more than 8,500 trucks operating in more than 1,800 cities nationwide.

“People were more comfortable being outdoors when the pandemic began,” he said. “That put food trucks at the forefront.”

Now there is demand for food trucks in nontraditional settings, such as at backyard weddings and outdoor events, he said. There has also been the benefits of curbside pickup and advance ordering using online delivery apps, as well as food truck owners evolving to fulfill their dreams of opening their own brick and mortar businesses.

Alan Chille, vice president of Professional Facilities Management and general manager of the Providence Performing Arts Center, said that PPAC has adapted by adhering to the rules used on New York’s Broadway when imposing COVID-19 safety precautions.

“The pandemic really changed us because we needed to close down for a little more than 18 months,” he said. “We were out of business because you can’t really social distance in our environment. So we had to furlough people and did work-sharing.”

Chille said that PPAC opened its venue with a national tour opening of “Pretty Woman” last week, and “successfully brought 20,000 people through the building at 84% of its capacity.” Entrance to the theater requires proof of full vaccination, or a negative COVID test, with mask-wearing.

Adapting PPAC’s business model has led to safety and cleaning protocols, and mobile ticketing and cashless concessions, he said.

Tobey Sanborn, senior general manager for the Newport Restaurant Group, a collection of 16 restaurants in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, said his group adapted by revamping its operation. The adaptation of the group involved downsizing, focusing on employee retention, its takeout operation and following safety policies.

“We had eight weeks of shutdowns back in 2020,” he said. “We had a slow rebuild into a new sense of normalcy.”

Sanborn said that he anticipates that the hospitality industry will change for the better from a workforce perspective.

“Our biggest concern right now is attracting and maintaining great employee-owners for our restaurants,” he said. “We have to be ahead of what is next.”

Sanborn said the Newport Restaurant Group is working on creating a more generous paid time off program for its employees, and a four-day work week.

“We’re trying to get ahead of our employment practices, and have a really good quality of life for our employees,” he said.

Cassius Shuman is a PBN staff writer. Contact him at Shuman@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter @CassiusShuman.

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