This week it was announced in the US News & World Report Best Hotels Awards 2026 recognized The Ritz-Carlton New York NoMad as #4 in Best in New York City Hotels, #4 in Best New York Hotels, and #32 in Best USA Hotels – Gold Badge.
Now this seems like something that belongs in the Shoutout section, right?
Not so fast young grasshopper. Not so fast.
This is most definitely deserving of being in The Deal Room b/c when F&B stops being an amenity and starts being an asset, recognition from the likes of US News & World is what you get.
The “deal” I’m highlighting this week is about the collaboration between the José Andrés Group and The Ritz-Carlton. And this isn’t just about hotel and a chef collaboration; it’s about a balance-sheet strategy.
Luxury hotels used to treat restaurants as necessary components and something to service guests and fill space.
Today, for hotels, the right culinary partner can lift average daily rates, drive local traffic, strengthen event revenue, and modernize brand perception.
And for the restaurant group, the right hotel partner can deliver global distribution, lower lease risk, offer an affluent built-in audience, and signal prestige.
This is NOT a vendor relationship, it’s aligned IP.
The lesson for operators and investors, if your restaurant inside a hotel is just covering labor and food costs, you’re thinking too small.
The real question, is your F&B driving room revenue? Is it strengthening brand equity? Is it increasing asset value?
B/c in luxury hospitality, the restaurant isn’t the side show, it’s the rate card!
Bringing this back to Branded, as I often like to do (😊), our friends and partners at LDV Hospitality are creating a similar strategic value proposition for hotel partners as the José Andrés Group model by turning food and beverage from a commodity into a destination experience, forging culinary identity that boosts the hotel brand, guest engagement, and long-term profitability.
The José Andrés Group trades on global chef prestige, while LDV Hospitality trades on curated concept creation and boutique lifestyle appeal that aligns with each hotel’s vision.
Both generate value, they just use different IP levers. Respect!
LDV doesn’t just open a hotel restaurant, it works with hotels to design tailor-made F&B ecosystems that align with the property’s ethos and destination positioning. This isn’t merely leasing a kitchen; it’s co-creating a bespoke F&B identity for the property.
To learn more about LDV Hospitality or to discuss opportunities with their Hospitality Studio, please click here.
