Marriott International experiments with new F&B concepts in European markets with its Canvas projects. These incubator labs dedicated to startups involved in F&B, unlock the potential of unused spaces in Marriott Hotels while granting funding for innovative concepts. After receiving much praise last year, the program has returned to London's Park Lane Hotel.

Launched in 2015, the Canvas program is a worldwide competition dedicated to entrepreneurs in the F&B industry. The concept allows Marriott hotels to unlock the potential of underused spaces, fostering the creativity of young local talents - sometimes Marriott employees themselves - who can benefit from the group's experience and financial support. The winner typically receives a £35,000 budget per project to build and develop a restaurant or bar at the chosen hotel location.

The Marriott Park Lane will be hosting Ashley Dawes' latest concept. A former F&B manager, he developed a first project formerly known as Roofnic, taking the hotel's unused roof terrace and transforming it into a rustic summer garden with affordable prices. Last year, the project turned over more than £500,000 in revenue over the Summer.

His new idea revolves around Japanese street food and pop cans of homemade cocktails. Taking advantage of the terrace's views of the London skyline and designed as a sky-high industrial playground, "Notch" features a mix of reclaimed school tables, scaffolding and swings alongside a bar and open kitchen named Fudo Shack. It can be accessed via a separate entrance off Oxford Street.

Jeremy Dodson, Vice President, Food and Beverage, Marriott International Europe, comments: "By combining the creativity and passion of entrepreneurs with the scope and resources available in our hotels, we can create some truly extraordinary restaurant and bar experiences. Our goal is to empower fresh-thinking, passionate F&B professionals to test out their ideas using dead space within our hotel, inspiring those who visit our hotels but also challenging us to constantly re-think and innovate our F&B offering." 

The program is in line with the current trend aiming to redefine F&B concepts in the hospitality industry [read our report]. Through its F&B talent incubator, Marriott relies on the diversification of the customer experience, in an effort to reach a broader audience through more affordable services. The group announced it will continue to expand the program across Europe in 2016 (Canvas currently exists in Berlin, Budapest and London), while experimenting with the concept in Singapore.





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