Kimpton, the boutique hotel brand within IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio, has launched a global food and beverage platform called The Curious Palate by Kimpton. The announcement was made on 22 October from Atlanta, according to IHG’s press release.
The company describes the platform as a way to celebrate the people, places and ideas behind the brand’s culinary culture. It is built around six areas: flavour, technique, locale, service, tabletop design and format.
Secret Menus and a Chef Network
IHG said the programme reaches beyond restaurants and bars. Examples listed include morning drinks under the Kimpton Kickstart banner, off-menu items marketed as IYKYK. Chefs and bartenders from locations such as Tokyo, Bangkok, Barcelona and Grand Cayman will share ideas, run one-off collaborations and host pop-ups, the company said.
The first event, The Table of Curiosity, was held at Kimpton Mirador Pacific Grove in Monterey, California. Dishes named in the release included a Hong Kong-inspired margarita, a Saudi camel fillet and a Tokyo-inspired sea urchin risotto. Participating chefs came from Kimpton hotels in Pacific Grove, Nashville, Riyadh, Barcelona, Tokyo and Bangkok, while bar specialists joined from Hong Kong, Edinburgh and Grand Cayman.
What Guests Can Order Now
The release lists several current offers, among them a martini with unlimited fries at The Lobby Cafe in Kimpton Fitzroy London after 4pm, a chef’s table at Kimpton KAFD Riyadh, a brandy flight at Bambara Bar in Boston, and a tasting menu at AVE in Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa. A seasonal cocktail called Gather ‘Round will be available at all Kimpton properties in North America and most elsewhere in the world from 27 November to 28 February 2027.
Vicki Poulos, IHG’s vice president of Luxury & Lifestyle brands, said great hospitality at Kimpton has always started at the table, and that the platform gives chefs and bartenders more room to experiment and show personality. IHG says Kimpton has 90 properties open and 67 more in the pipeline; the brand was founded in San Francisco in 1981.
Why It Matters
Food and drink have become a principal reason travellers choose one hotel over another, and independent-minded brands like Kimpton rely on distinctive dining to justify their positioning inside a large corporate group. By linking local kitchens into a global chef network, the brand is trying to keep each property individual while still giving guests and loyalty members a recognisable thread. The platform is a marketing programme announced by the company, so its impact on bookings and revenue remains to be shown.
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