What To Expect Of Hayman Island By InterContinental's New Dining Scene
The reopening this month of Hayman Island by InterContinental also brings with it a fresh take on the Whitsundays’ retreat’s dining experience. Hayman Island by InterContinental leaders, alongside IHG’s Director of Restaurants & Bars for Australasia & Japan, Alison Hulm, collaborated with Bullet Studios to craft innovative and distinct personalities for each of the resort’s five outlets – Pacific, Amici Trattoria, Aqua, Bam Bam and Bar Fifty – says Joshua Dows, Director of Restaurants & Bars at Hayman Island by InterContinental.
“InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has brought an incredibly fresh perspective to Hayman’s dining scene with an all-new culinary approach,” Dows said. “We’ve wound back the ‘white-glove style’ approach to deliver a more authentic service element, which we believe fits in with Australia’s concept of luxury and the market’s desire for approachable, personable experiences.”
And it’s that break away from “the traditional” that excites Dows the most: “We’re introducing guests to variety as they’ve never seen before while surprising returning guests with a taste of the new Hayman.”
He says the reborn ultra-luxury Queensland resort’s food vision is to “expect the unexpected”: “We want guests to arrive at Hayman Island and be surprised with the variety of restaurants and bars to choose from.
“There’s plenty that you wouldn’t usually see in a resort environment; we have a slick brasserie style in Pacific contrasted with a warm, inclusive Italian restaurant in Amici Trattoria. Then we have the very left-of-field Bam Bam product that serves up Pan-Asian flavour and zesty cocktails by Infinity Pool. Not to mention our chic poolside lounge bar Aqua – a complete rebuild in the epicentre of the iconic Hayman Pool.”
Dows says “immersive luxury” at Hayman Island by InterContinental celebrates the island’s history and culture and aspires to bring the landscape in: “You’ll see this in the contemporary interiors, the fresh seafood that comes through the menu. The light characteristics in a lot of our hero dishes, ideal for island temperatures. The flavour profile, in general, is designed with the environment in mind.”
The bar menu has been tailored to suit the Australian market, which according to Dows, is generally very conscious when it comes to their consumption of alcohol.
“We’ve thought that through with our mix of bold cocktails, light spritzes and our vast mocktail menu. We also have health-focused juices and smoothies in Aqua which I think will be very popular,” he added.
Regarding the philosophy of the dining experience, Erwin Joven, Director of Kitchens at Hayman Island by InterContinental said the resort is mindful of guests’ dietary needs, weaving local products into each dish.
Joven said guests will be spoilt for choice at Hayman Island’s five dining outlets: “It’s not all-day dining, long menus. It’s focused concepts with the talent behind it to deliver true experiences.”
“Immersive luxury to me means that we know our suppliers, we know where the ingredients come from and we know how the dishes connect with the island location that our guests are tasting them in,” Joven added.
The rebirth of Hayman Island by InterContinental has also seen the development of a three private dining experiences. Options include Private Cabana Dining by Hayman Pool, Bam Bam’s Infinity Poolside Cabanas and Gourmet Picnics for Island Escapades. The latter can see guests take a speedboat to either Hook Island, Bali Hai or Langford Island for a romantic setting.
First published in LATTE Luxury News on 19 July 2019.