“Make It Matter”: Jamie Kerr on Building Hotel Food and Beverage that People Actually Choose

Hotel restaurants are rarely short on investment. But too often, they still struggle to connect.

For Jamie Kerr - formerly Vice President of Restaurants & Bars at PPHE Hotel Group, and now working in a consulting capacity - the difference comes down to something less tangible, and far more powerful.

“It starts with emotional buy-in,” he says. “Not just from guests - but from the people creating and running the venue.”

Drawing on experience leading F&B strategy across PPHE’s portfolio, Kerr’s role has spanned concept development through to long-term performance - with a strong focus on protecting the integrity of each idea.

“A lot of what I do is safeguarding the concept - because it’s very easy for it to drift.”

The Problem with the Hotel Mindset

In Kerr’s view, many hotel groups are not set up to make strong F&B decisions.

Senior stakeholders often come from rooms or finance backgrounds. Processes are layered. Decisions slow down. And because bedrooms and events drive revenue, underperforming restaurants can go unnoticed for too long.

The result is dilution.

Good ideas get softened. Commercial pressure compromises quality. And over time, the concept loses clarity.

“For example, people say set menus don’t work,” he notes. “But the reality is - bad set menus don’t work.”

Start with the Guest, Not the Format

Kerr’s approach to concept creation is deliberately simple.

Who are the customers?
What’s missing in this market?

That thinking shaped the decision to open a high-end Asian restaurant at art’otel Rome - a move that went against the obvious choice of Italian cuisine, but responded directly to demand in the local market.

It’s not something you find in a spreadsheet.

And when it comes to long-term success, Kerr is clear that execution alone is not enough.

“You can spend millions on a fit-out, but if the food and service don’t have soul, guests come twice - and never again.”

Creating Something People Care About

Independent restaurants often succeed because they are driven by founders with real emotional investment.

Hotels, by contrast, operate through layers of structure and approval - which can make it harder to create that same energy.

Kerr believes the answer lies in clarity and ownership.

A strong concept.
One person responsible for protecting it.
And the discipline to say no to anything that dilutes it.

“If you try to be everything to everyone, you end up being average to everyone.”

Build with Purpose

For Kerr, the most successful hotel F&B concepts are not driven by trends, but by people who genuinely believe in what they are creating.

“There’s always a market for passion,” he says.

When that belief is present - in the chef, the operator, or the leadership team - it translates into something guests can feel.

And that, ultimately, is what makes them choose it.

This article is an extract from our wider report, Hotel F&B Insights 2026. You can download the full guide here.