DALLAS & SPRINGFIELD, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Greater Dallas area is a melting pot of ethnically diverse cultures, and the 335-room/suite Renaissance Dallas Richardson Hotel, in Richardson, Texas, north of downtown Dallas, has established a distinctive niche in the last year for catering to the specialized needs of the region’s burgeoning population. Led by innovative Executive Chef Burak Ozcan, a native of Turkey, the hotel’s passionate culinary team has honed a reputation for delivering some of the area’s best ethnic and religious catered events. These customized culinary experiences include kosher affairs that meet the approval of Dallas Kosher (VAAD), the oldest kosher certification in the Southwest. Reflecting demand, the hotel has realized an approximately 10 percent lift in catering revenue from off-peak days since the initiative launched. The AAA Four Diamond hotel is owned and operated by Springfield, Mo.-based John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts (JQH) under license from Marriott International, Inc. or one of its affiliates. JQH is a leading private, independent owner and manager of hotels in the United States.
“Establishing a viable kosher and halal catering offering as a part of our comprehensive hotel banquet operations makes good business sense,” said Executive Chef Ozcan, who joined Renaissance Dallas Richardson in 2014 and helped to spearhead the specialized culinary venture. “Although not a simple opportunity to pursue, by following our three kitchen rules of leadership, teamwork and consistency, the unique initiative has proven to be one worth the hard work, while also bringing much joy to the community.”
A repeat client of Renaissance Dallas Richardson’s kosher banquet services is Texas Torah Institute, a premier private school in Dallas, that has been on the forefront of Torah education in Texas since its founding in 2004. Sarah Broderick, administrator for Texas Torah Institute, commented on her confidence in Renaissance Dallas Richardson’s ability to deliver on an exceptional kosher event.
“Our event is especially challenging as it is a ‘kosher’ event. We have been so thrilled with every single person on the Renaissance Dallas Richardson Hotel staff, from sales to the kitchen, and their willingness to embrace the challenge of conquering new frontiers with a ‘can-do’ attitude,” Broderick said. “The hotel team is attentive, creative and patient and always goes the extra mile to make our experience outstanding.”
Local Sourced, Customized Menus
Renaissance Dallas Richardson can accommodate 800 guests comfortably and offers custom menu planning. Collaborating with the hotel’s professional event planners for weddings, galas, corporate events and bar/bat mitzvahs, guests can select from an array of cuisines including Asian, Indian, Mediterranean, Mexican, Middle Eastern and Pakistani, among others. The specially prepared hotel kitchen is stocked with fresh ingredients locally sourced in Texas. Made-from-scratch dishes feature chicken from Wylie, pecans from Taylor, cheese from Austin, shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico, and beef from the Fort Worth Stockyards, in addition to other tasty items from local farms and fisheries. Events at Renaissance Dallas Richardson also qualify for double Marriott Rewards points.
Diverse Roots
Besides from the United States, Renaissance Dallas Richardson management also hail from Hungary, Romania, South Africa, Turkey and Vietnam, lending a cultural diversity that positively contributes to the creative process for addressing each specialized event.
A key inspiration for Executive Chef Ozcan’s creative recipes, like smoked tapas, is his childhood in Turkey, where he regularly helped his mother with meal preparation prior to his formal culinary training in Europe in his teens. His accelerated success as a top chef in the Dallas market is backed by his stint as Stephan Pyles’ executive sous chef at Pyles’ Samar restaurant in downtown Dallas. The restaurant was named one of the top 20 restaurants in the United States by Esquire Magazine in 2010 during Ozcan’s time there. Ozcan also honed his skills in food preparation and overall hospitality operations while consulting for establishments in Houston and Dallas, where he worked closely with restaurateurs to develop menus and to assist with overall operations.
Hall of Fame Status
In addition, Renaissance Dallas Richardson recently was included in the TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame. The special designation recognizes businesses that have been awarded a Certificate of Excellence for five consecutive years from TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site*. TripAdvisor awards the Certificate of Excellence to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn outstanding traveler reviews. To qualify for the award, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews, and have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months.
About Renaissance Dallas Richardson Hotel
The 12-story Renaissance Dallas Richardson Hotel at 900 E. Lookout Drive in Richardson, Texas, is conveniently located off U.S. Highway 75 and is central to downtown Dallas and just south of the new 186-acre CityLine master-planned, mixed-use development of business, urban residential, retail, restaurants and entertainment, including 2.6 million square feet of office space. The hotel’s location on the DART Rail Galatyn Park Station allows for convenient and fast transit options. The pet-friendly, non-smoking hotel welcomes guests with a stunning atrium-style garden and expansive 30,000 square feet of flexible event facilities, including 19 meeting rooms. The hotel’s 335 rooms/suites offer luxurious bedding, bathrobes, premium cable, microwave oven, and wireless and wired Internet access. Guests can enjoy a swimming pool, whirlpool and complimentary 24-hour business and fitness centers. Plenty of on-site dining options are available with the eclectic Maestro’s restaurant, Caffeina’s coffee house, and the Take 5 Lounge. For more information, call (972) 367-2000, go to www.marriott.com/DALRD, or connect with the hotel on Facebook.
About John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts
Springfield, Mo.-based John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts (JQH) is a leading private, independent owner and manager of hotels in the United States, representing brands such as: Marriott, Hilton, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Sheraton, IHG, Chateau on the Lake Resort / Spa & Convention Center, and Plaza Hotels Collection. With a portfolio of nearly 70 hotels representing approximately 16,500 guest rooms/suites in 24 states, JQH’s properties are dominant in their markets. Founded on the extraordinary vision of John Q. Hammons and built on his continued legacy of excellence spanning more than 50 years, JQH has become one of the most recognized and award-winning companies in the hospitality industry. Built to be the best, John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts continues to set the standard in hospitality management and hotel development. Go to www.jqhhotels.com for more information, or connect with JQH on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.
*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, December 2014
