Spotted in Nashville

On a recent familiarization trip to Nashville as a guest of Hilton for the Art of the Hilton Brand, Catersource was able to experience the full spectrum of southern hospitality that calls Nashville home. Here's a look. 

All photos courtesy Catersource staff

Family dinners 

Throughout the trip, Hilton's guests (comprised of meetings and events writers) dined together family-style, thus encouraging networking, comraderie, and a shared experience. 

Buffalo burrata/chicory/Bob Woods ham/salsa verde/squash

KanPachi Crudo/aleppo oil/tahini yogurt/cara cara/mint

Yard Bird (chicken)/green tomato conserva/salsa verde

Bucksnort Trout/fermented tomato/castelvetrano's/sweet anise

During the FAM trip, attendees were treated to a preview sample of Tempo by Hilton's newest F&B concept: Moonsong Bar & Cafe. Shown: Burrata & Crostini

Red Beet Hummus

Duel entree: blackened salmon tacos; double decker beef burger and Impossible burger; roasted cauliflower and roasted carrots

It's all in the details 

At the Conrad Nashville's signature restaurant, Blue Aster, eclectic plates came out with each course, thus adding a bit of beauty to each course. 

Hilton's properties have done away with in-room dining menus, instead opting for QR codes. 

Hotel Fraye Nashville embraced the biophilic design trend with a living wall. 

A popular item at the Hotel Fraye Nashville is its individual cinnamon rolls served in miniature cast iron skillets. 

A growing trend among diners and event goers are sensory experiences, and one way that Hilton brought this trend to life in its meeting spaces was to display coffee beans within its coffee station setup, thus encouraging attendees to touch, smell, and experience their coffee in a unique way. 

Sustainability is top of mind for many corporate and social clients, which is why recyclable options like aluminum or glass are replacing plastic. 

Theming is increasingly in demand among event attendees. Here, a corporate client uses miniature cowboy hats and guitars to illustrate the meeting's Nashville locale. 

Fire and smoke is one of the hottest trrends in 2024, which can include smoked Manhattans. 

This adorable centerpiece utilized books as props, which would be perfect for something like a library event. 

Ice carvings continue to be a beautiful way to adorn a bar or buffet. 

These simple floral arrangements accomplished the task of dressing up the table, but they're delicate nature and small size still allowed for conversation across the table. 

During the pandmic, insulated igloos became all the rage, but now they aren't needed quite as often. Instead of letting the igloos you invested in sit dormant in your warehouse, take out the plastic lining and instead dress it up as a beautiful outdoor gazebo. 

Playing up the FAM trip's name, The Art of the Hilton Brand, favors included colored pencils, paint-brush shaped pens, and instead of a standard place cards, the Hilton team customized each attendee's name into a brush stroke. 

Cheers to that 

A unique spin on the classic espresso martini: a Pecan Espresso Martini. 

In May, Embassy Suites by Hilton celebrated its 40 year anniversary, and as a way to mark the milestone all locations in the United States offered two limited time only beverages (one alcoholic and one non-alcoholic) designed by team members. All Embassy Suites by Hilton team members had the chance to flex their creative talent and craft a signature cocktail or spirit-free mocktail that embodies the brand’s signature hospitality and dedicated service. Team members submitted an array of beverages that aimed to excite taste buds while commemorating the brand’s anniversary. In the end, two drink recipes - one alcoholic and one non-alcoholic - were chosen. Harrison Hobbs, who has tended bar at Rhum Bar at Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort designed the winning cocktail, the La Flor (a botanical gin-based drink inspired by nature’s beauty featuring a floral gin, enhanced with citrus and elderflower). 

During a pop up experience, attendees sipped on cocktails while learning more about each of Hilton's various brands. The bar that was setup during the pop up experience displayed all of the day's libations: an Aperol Spritz; The Sky High (gin, peach schnapps, Creme de Violette, lemon juice, and egg white); The Farmer (apple juice, lime juice, and cinnamon clove anise syrup); and La Fresquita (mezcal, Campari, pineapple juice, tahini, lime juice, hibiscus syrup, and tonic water). 

The Lavender Haze featured citadelle jardin gin, house-made lavender infused limoncello, lemon, cherry bitters, and was garnished with dried flower petals. 

Snack attack

One of the evenings, the FAM attendees experienced a "tour of appetizers", where they sampled appetizers at three different Hilton properties. This experience was very in line with the current "snackification trend" where meals are increasingly being replaced by snacks (keep an eye out for our upcoming article on this trend). 

Miniature crab cakes

Mac & Cheese Fritters with Spicy Blue Cheese Sauce

Beef empanadas with cilantro aioli

Cowboy hat cookies

Guitar cookies

Shrimp cocktail shooter

Bourbon BBQ Brisket Sliders and Local Beef and Cheese Burger Slider

Black eyed pea hummus, whipped feta, pickled and local vegetables, and house made naan

Although not part of the "tour of appetizers", attendees to the FAM trip were surprised back in their rooms with a charcuterie board during an afternoon break as a way to tide them over before dinner.

Fusion fare

Fusion? That’s so 2000. With a new definition of authenticity that encompasses background, heritage, and experience, we see a reinvention of regional-traditional cooking. These conscious cultural combinations pay homage and respect to both roots and backgrounds – celebrating flavor, experience, and cuisine.

Where southern fare meets Thai cuisine: Shrimp & Grits featuring stone ground grits, coconut milk, lemon gras fume, rock shrimp, Thai chili sauce, and garnished with a chili thread