Sponsored by General Mills Foodservice
Every traveler knows the “breakfast included” option is a deciding lodging factor, and the on-site restaurant is a game-changer. General Mills Foodservice Lodging products allow operators to capture that built-in foot traffic, keeping resort and hotel customers satisfied on-site—from breakfast buffets and boardroom luncheons to early evening lobby socials and myriad dinner options.
In line with the FSR 2024 Culinary Efficiencies report, General Mills Foodservice creates efficiencies such as multitasking ingredients, utilizing leftovers, training staff on best practices, and enacting smart inventorying to alleviate back-of-house labor constraints. For example, Kevin Relf, a General Mills Foodservice chef, reimagined morning biscuits and gravy as a jerk fried chicken sandwich. Continental breakfast pastries can be transformed into a Cuban croissant panini, or lobster ceviche served atop a pressed-waffle tostada. Breakfast cereal packs become savory trail mixes or coatings for cod, and yogurt snacks can serve as a base for chicken salad, topped off with a dessert parfait. Even the dough for mocha cold brew muffins can be repurposed for a green pea and asparagus toast appetizer. These versatile products help chefs elevate menus with ease and creativity.
“Our products are customizable, versatile, and easy to use for any skill level to create tantalizing appetizers, mouth-watering entrées, and delectable desserts for your restaurant patrons,” Chef Kevin says, who offers training and customized solutions to help hotel, lodging, and commercial restaurant operators with menu development, product selection, and operational efficiency.
Other crowd-pleasing options are boards for any occasion—birthday cake boards, Mezze boards, and Southern fried chicken snack boards. Multitasking ingredients while elevating the aesthetic and brand image helps operators exceed guest expectations, leading to positive word-of-mouth and repeat business and thus higher profitability.
Using a trusted household name with an impeccable industry reputation instills confidence in operators and customers. Fabiana Torres-Murat, executive sous chef at Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, chose General Mills Foodservice for that reason, not to mention the benefit of reducing kitchen workload. “We primarily use muffin mixes, pastry mixes, flatbreads, and yogurt. These products offer us great versatility and consistency, essential for maintaining our quality standards,” Torres-Murat says. “Streamlined operations allow us to reduce costs, minimize errors, and maintain a smooth workflow. This translates into a better experience for customers and greater overall satisfaction.”
Tight margins and varying skill levels in the kitchen can lead to operational challenges. Ready-to-use products like freezer-to-oven croissants, place-and-bake frozen scone dough, pre-sliced croissants, pre-split biscuits, and cake, muffin, or brownie mixes—available in portion-controlled or bulk options—help address these issues. These convenient, easy-to-prepare options significantly reduce the need for highly skilled labor and decrease prep time, ensuring efficiency without compromising quality.
“General Mills Foodservice’s products allow for quick preparation and easy handling, which has enabled us to expand our menu without needing additional staff. We can offer a variety of dessert and bakery options with the same equipment and working time,” Torres-Murat says.
Simplifying back-of-house operations is crucial with rising labor and food costs, inconsistent product availability, and long lead times. General Mills Foodservice helps operators manage these challenges with strong distribution networks, flexible delivery options, and on-time arrivals. Their operator-specific forecasting minimizes disruptions, while training resources like recipe series and categorized prep guides make it easy for staff to maintain efficiency, regardless of skill level.
Explore a range of labor-saving solutions today and visit General Mills Foodservice.
