Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
You are listening to Food for Thoughtwith Billy and Jenny, brought to you
by the Box Center. For morethan fifteen years, this dining duo has
been eating their way through New England, mixing it up with top chefs,
jumping behind the line of the hottestrestaurants and giving you the inside scoop on
where to wine, dine and spendyour time. So get ready, it's
Food for Thought giving you something tochew on. Hey, everybody, welcome
(00:22):
into Food for Thought, brought toyou by the Box Center. We are
in the full form of summer rightnow. New Englanders are enjoying this gorgeous
weather. We had a nice heatwave in there. Now that things are
a little cooler, we're just inthat prime time when we're ready for vacation,
when we're ready to be outdoors,when we're ready to travel. And
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one of the things that Billy andI like to do, both on our
TV show and on our radio showis take trips to the Cape in the
Island because the islands and Cape Codare just so special, so unique to
our area and scream summertime. I'mexcited this week because I have a guest
with us US who knows a lotabout the cape and is doing so much
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to secure some great experiences for folksthat are there on vacation. Our guest
is new to EO's Hospitality, whichis a big management company that has a
lot of different hotels and resorts throughoutthe country, and he has joined as
the managing director of the will QuasetResort and Golf Club, which Billy and
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I have been to a number oftimes. Extraordinary property, and he also
is overseeing the Red Jacket Resorts.We'll talk a lot about all of those
places, and it's a pleasure tointroduce you guys to Gary Thuland or Gary,
thanks so much for joining us.Thank you, thank you for having
me. So we love the wilQuasset. We have been going to the
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Quaset for years and showcasing it.Billy and I have been doing food television
together for twenty years, so we'veat least been down there ten times together
to support that magnificent property that alwaysseems to be evolving. There always seems
to be something new and exciting atthat area. So Gary, before we
talk about the two or I guessthe many properties, because Red Jacket has
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five different properties But before we talkabout either of those, I want to
sort of get to know you alittle bit about your background and how you
got to be able to oversee someof these extraordinary properties. So Gary,
give us a little bit of yourhistory. Where are you from and how'd
you get into hospitality? Oh?Thank you? Yeah, I have an
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interesting story. Actually. I grewup in New Hampshire in a small town
of nine hundred people called Francis Downand I went to the University of New
Hampshire and with the hospitality program thereand actually fell into the industry when I
came down to the Cape in college. Wanted to come to the beaches like
everyone else wanted to do, andfind a job to support myself, and
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I ended up getting a job ata wonderful ruslan called Yesteryear's and was one
of the top restaurants on the Cape, which I didn't really know at that
time, but I was. Istarted a potsher and dishwasher, worked for
our front chef. Worked there fora few weeks and then went to the
garmage, and then he moved meout to the dining room where I was
a bus boy and a cocktail server, and I just loved the energy.
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I love the people, I lovethe focus in providing a ultimate dining experience
and all coming together in a really, really wonderful way to a team.
So I went back to the Universityof New Hampshire and changed my major from
economics to hospitality and I've been init for thirty nine years now and I've
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loved you. That's incredible, AndI have to say I am also a
fellow Wildcat, so it's nice tonice to have that connection as well.
And so I think I sometimes thinkthat this idea of hospitality, because we've
been covering it for so long,we know so many folks in the industry,
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and it does seem like it's somethinginnate. Even though it wasn't something
that you necessarily sought out to do, it obviously was something that was part
of your personality that kind of madeit, you know, made it be
something that you spend decades doing.So, what is like, what is
one of your earliest memories of beingin some sort of hospitality situation where you
have sort of appreciation for what thatcraft means. Well, actually it was
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my first hotel coming out of youand Ah. I took a job as
an assistant hotel manager at the Williamsburgenn in Williamsburg, Virginia, and it
was one of twelve five star mobilefive star back then mobile five star in
the country. And so I wasable to cut my teeth on great Southern
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hospitality at very high level. Andit was about one hundred and twenty room
hotel by magnificent dining experiences and cocktailingexperiences wineless, et cetera. Beautiful rooms
that were appointed, but the cultureof service there was amazing in the personalized
service for every guest that came intothe hotel that we wanted to make sure
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that the ultimate experience at the WayasburyGims. We all pulled together and that
was the focus every day. AndI us a sort of as a baseline
for myself through my whole career.Actually, wow, that's incredible, and
I imagine, you know, he'sso young and first starting to get into
a space, but to be gettinginto it with such excellence really set sort
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of the course I imagine for yourcareer. Okay, so after being down
there, where was your next stop? Well? I had a person that
recommended me, of the executive chefthat the Waingsbury actually recommended me to the
president of Rock Resorts, which isLawrence Rockefeller's resorts. You know that you
created back to the nineteen sixties,and they're looking for a food and beverage
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director and I got the job,and I moved to Virgin Gordon, the
British Virgin Islands, with my wifeand two small children. And it was
an amazing It was an amazing experience, I have to tell you. That's
incredible. I mean, and Ithink, so different obviously than the property
I've been up before. And that'ssomething that Billy and I find so interesting
about folks who've spent their lives inhospitality is moving from one place to another,
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oftentimes with their families, really tosort of create such a fullness out
of you know, like create suchexpertise because you're learning things from different places,
different cultures. All right. Soafter you left the island, what
was next? Yeah, I wentI went to work for the Ritz Carlton
in Boston. Actually I call itthe original Rits right on Newberrier. It's
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the oldest, the Newbery Hotel isthere now. But I worked out under
Ziggi Brauer and Jim Beelee and MichelleBlanche and so I got that very high
end city hotel. And I lovethe Rits. I love the Rists.
They have a great they have agreat culture within the rests, you know,
ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen. However, after twelve months,
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I really realized I have my passionis resorts and in independence resorts, and
I worked directly with the owners.And I look at my not only as
a hotelier, but a person thatis a curator. I'm a curative experiences
and the curator of the accept thatthis family or this company owns. And
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I've worked for independent resorts since thenthroughout my career. I love that.
I think it's so interesting because maybeyou needed to have that experience in order
to find that that was really theplace that you felt most comfortable. We're
going to take a break. We'regoing to keep going with your pretty awesome
resume, and we'll be back withmore food for thought. In just a
minute. You're listening to Food forThought brought to you by the Box Center
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and Salem Waterfront Hotel, and Sweet, we're back with more food for thought
brought to you by the Box Center. Talking to EOS Hospitality Area Manager,
director of the Quoset Resort and GolfCourt Club and Red Jacket Resorts, which
we're going to get into more details, but first we're talking to Gary about
his background because Billy and I alwayssay, hearing the story of how one
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becomes the person that oversees an enormousand hugely popular, you know, resort
is always an interesting story of thebackstory. So Gary, you you went
to a lot of different places.They all happened to have sort of that
similar idea of excellence, right,not your run of the mill, you
know, hotel experience, resort experience. These were very very specialized throughout the
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country. So you left the writsand then you decided that resorts were more
for you. First of all,what was it about the resort experience that
was so different? And then wheredid you land after the writs? Well,
I love the reason why people cometo resorts, and whether it's families,
multi gen couples or companies coming toentertain their clients and the amenities and
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in where these the resources had,but also the destinations was these resources were
located. So you know, theone of my two favorite resorts of my
past one was the Boulders in careFree, Arizona, which was run by
care For Resorts and Dick Holtzmann,and that property had was just amazing.
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It was in the Heisnor Desert.It was it was built within the boulder
outcroppings in the in the desert itself. We had one hundred and sixty casita,
beautiful golf, beautiful, wonderful spaexperience, and that property just ran
so elegantly and so smoothly. Thatand I love the staff there. I
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loved the culture, like I saidbefore, but also loved the type of
clientele that it attracted. The nextone was that in the island of Anguilla,
and it was called Captualuca and oneof one of my favorites when I
worked outside the country, and we'rethere. We had about ninety five rooms
there on the probably the world's bestbeach, and the client sell there.
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I met more more interesting people fromcelebrities to investors to sports owners and that
property in my four years there thanmy entire career. It was an amazing
clientele. Wow, I have tosay I have been to capture Luca.
I not to say, but Iwas actually in Anguilla and died there,
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and it is certainly a memorable memorableon all accounts. So can you tell
us, like, give us somestory, give us some celebrity story of
someone in particular that that happened tobe interesting. I know you guys don't
necessarily share all of them, butI'm sure there's some you can share well.
From fears past, I will.I mean, we had Liam Neeson
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used to come to capture Luca andGuilla every holiday, every single year,
and the only year he missed wasthe year his wife passed away, and
then he came following all that.But he was a loyal guest. And
we usually bring another family, actressfamily. They rent the five bedroom villa
on the water and really took itall in. But I've met God,
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I've met so many people. GlennClose actually was there my first my first
week, so I met her andher husband. That was pretty interesting.
Paris Hilton. I picked up ParisHilton at the airport. I enjoyed.
I had Paul Pierce in the BostonCeltics there. I had the owners of
the Vikings and the Jets and andother teams and coaches too, and it
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was you know, we actually Imet Paul McCartney there too. Actually from
it was it was. It waspretty cool. It was pretty cool.
That's such a highlight. And andit's true, it like runs the gamut
because they're all there in a happytime, right, So they're not they're
not working, they're there to relax, so they're all feeling good and and
and a little bit more sort ofseparated from the hoopla of being a celebrity.
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So I bet it's a really niceexperience to meet them on that turf.
So okay, So that those arethose are some great stories, thank
you, okay. And so thenand then post Anguilla, where where did
you end up? Is this whenyou got to the k yess? When
I came back. I've worked inthe cape. I've worked at Chantam bars
in in the past. I've workedat Ocean Edge in the past, and
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I'm really happy to end up atmy current property, Lacusta. I came
to a Questa as a young manwhen my grandparents rented a cottage here years
and years ago. I still rememberswimming in the swimming pool and things like
that, and so I definitely havea connection not only for a quast,
but for the cape destination in general. Oh gosh, I mean Waquassa.
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It's funny that you said about yourgrandparents. So my grandmother had a place
in Brewster and our special occasion eveningtogether for years, at least ten years
all through my teens and twenties wasspent having our special dinner at least once
the summer. It will quast it. And I think one of the remarkable
things about that property is it hasstayed so tried and true to just like
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the beauty that it is. Butit keeps evolving. Like you guys are
able to add so many different thingsto the property and so many different experiences.
But God, is it such aspecial place. So talk about for
those who are listening and having beento the classet, tell us a little
bit about it. Well what classit is? Scott is almost one hundred
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years old and it started just asa sort of a cottage community that a
family owned for about thirty years andthen it evolved with that family with gentle
McCall mark Nevada, who is amanaging partner and it marks a friend of
mine and I think his vision,along with the family, has brought the
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property over the years to what itis today. Along with when EO's hospitality
investor and investors bought it two yearsago. They continued to invest more moneyes
into the experiences here at What classIt and What Classet has a very exciting
future and that's one of the mainreasons why I joined it. Only with
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Eos being here, but the visionthat they have for this really special property
is amazing. So we're in twentyseven acres. We have one hundred and
twenty guest rooms of different sizes anddifferent types. A lot of those are
all water view on Pleasant Bay,so right on Pleasant Bay here wonderful beach,
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and we have a great pool experience. Our dining is extraordinary. We
have an unbelievable executive chef, JamesHackney, that's been here for almost fourteen
years. We have the recross.It's rated five stars, so the first
got the first five stars for theresort in twenty sixteen and then added twenty
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eight Atlantic, which is our finedining room, also received as five stars,
so we're double five stars, andwe're the only six in the country
that have five star hotel in fivestar dining. It's only six in the
country now, so it's pretty amazing, extraordinary and so well deserved. James
is such a great ideas, sucha great job give us an idea of
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what people can expect on some ofthe menus that he oversees. Well.
He has a sort of a Frenchclassic background, but he really built used
that background to really give an upvery a contemporary plating style for twenty eight
Atlantic for dinner, and we havea wonderful we have a tasting menu of
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seven course tasting menu there, butalso a selection of items for four sections
of the of the of the menuthat you can self design your dining experience
for the evening and then are ourprofessional service walk you through all the ingredients
and how to pair the wines andcocktails with your food. It's really a
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truly amazing scenario looking over Pleasant Bay. That dining room is his second to
Nime. It just takes your breathaway and that's more of a fine dining
experience. But when you're there withthe kids, talk about some of those
options. Yeah. Yeah, wealso have Throws, which is a you
know, it is a wonderful authentictavern if you will, we have it's
about thirty five seets, small bar, very comfortable, sort of a tavern
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type menu that's comfortable for kids andfor the adults, really really comfortable and
cozy there. But we also havethe outer bar which is down near our
pool experiences, again looking over pleasantBay, great water views down there.
Very good fun lunch and dinner menu. You know, we could do you
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know, one hundred and fifty totwo hundred people there and feel like it's
very seamless and again very comfortable menuthere, and then we go right down
to our whole pool experience. Wehave served cocktails and wonderful menus around the
pool in on the beach also,so we have quite a quite from fine
dining all the way down to supercasual. Well, I think the nice
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thing that you guys have done withthat property is, yes, you're on
the cape, so you can alsoleave the resort if you feel like you
need to. There's plenty of obviously, plenty of things to do, plenty
of tractions to be had, butif you don't like, if you're there
for a week and you don't feellike leaving, you don't have to.
You know, there's so many differentways to be able to experience and enjoy
it. It is quite sprawling,so it's not like you're going to the
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same place every day, and sometimeswhen you have kids, if you're doing
this with kids, it's just easierto have everything sort of under one roof.
I know that's certainly what I experienced, and I was there with kids,
and you're right sort of that thefive star piece is certainly felt.
But that's not to say that youdon't also feel like it's very approachable.
I think that's the thing that youguys do very well, is it's both
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extravagant and it's in exactly the waythat it should be, but cozy and
comfortable and welcoming and warm. Allright, we're going to take a break.
We're going to talk more with Garyall about will clost it, and
then also the Red Jacket Resource willbe back in just a minute. You're
listening to Food for Thought, broughtto you by It's the Box Center and
Sail and Waterfront Hotel and Swee.Gary got a great overview of that spectacular
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property of we'll cross it. Sofor folks who don't know where it is,
you're located in Harwich, which issort of central cape for how do
you describe where it is? Yes, we're right on Pleasant Bay in Harwich,
Massachusetts and rain the border of ChattelOkay awesome, And I want to
you mentioned EO's Hospitality. We talkedabout it a couple of times, which
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is sort of the parent company.Talk to us a little bit about this
this company as well, and whythe partnership has worked so well for will
Quasset and Red Jacket Resorts. Yes, thank you ye. EO's Hospitality is
the fastest growing management company in theUnited States right now. They're up they're
up to they've formed in twenty seventeenand now they're up to fifty two assets
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and looking to get to ninety toone hundred in the next five years.
So Jonathan Wang is our chairman incharge of our our investment arm, and
then we have Cimas who's actually ourCEO or the hospitality arm. So just
one of the reasons why I enjoyedwhat quast it is because those two gentlemen,
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but also the companies growing fast andthey're a big believer of Cape Cod
as a destination and that's why theyinvest in the Red Jacket Resorts and also
a Quasset. I love that,and I think Cape Cod is certainly something
to believe in because it is sucha unique destination, as is our region.
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So we wanted to sort of pointout again you and I were talking
in between the breaks, that isit is not typical, one would maybe
say, to have all of theextraordinary amenities that the Moquaset offers, but
also have this sense of fully welcomingfamilies, groups of different sizes with it
feeling warm and approachable. What doyou think you attribute that to? Well,
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I think well, first of all, I think as soon as you
drive through the main entrance of theresorts, your energy level relaxes as a
couple or family, a MultiGen whateverit may be. And I think we're
you know, we're again. We'respread out in twenty seven acres, so
you have your space, and it'svery serene here. So there's not a
lot of lines, there's not crowds, you don't have to worry about all
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those things like other resorts. Isthis this resort is really self contained and
with how how we're laid out onour campus here allows that serenity. I
love that and you feel it.You're totally right. You walk, you
sort of pull up and it islike your transported. Sure you're still on
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the cape and if you're you knowin New England or you're still in you
know, close to home, butyou do feel this sense of really being
separated from from the just the restof the hustle and bustle of life.
We're going to take a break.We'll be back with Gary to talk more.
You're listening to Food for Thought broughtto you buy it's the Box Center
and stale in Waterfront Hotel and SweetWelcome back to Food for Thought brought you
(20:57):
by the Box Center. We're talkingCape cod which is exactly where everybody wants
to be this time of year ifyou are a New Englander. It's such
a short window of warmth and ofthis beautiful weather where we're able to take
hopefully a little bit more time off. We've been talking to Gary, who
oversees the Molequaset Resort and Golf Clubdown there in Harwich on the Cape,
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just a spectacular five star property.You guys have a ton going on Gary
this summer as it relates to programming, Can you share some of that with
us? Yeah, No, we'revery excited about this summer and guest starting
off with our Jazz and Arts Festival. It's our twentieth Anniverse rate and we
have and it's every Tuesday and Wednesdaysthroughout the summer, starting right after Sports
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of July weekend, and it's amazing. We have a great venue. Look
again, look your pleasant Day andthe event space is really conducive to wonderful
musicians that come in and provide ag at entertainment. But yeah, a
lot of our Cape residents and ourhotel guests really look forward to this wonderful
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program that we've been doing for twentyyears. So look at you know,
it's on our website to list allthe performers there and people can choose what
they'd like to come to. Yeah, I mean a sort of someone who
works alongside of you gave me therundown. I mean these are Tony Award
winning, Emmy Award, Woman GrammyAward. I mean, it's just like
an incredible performers and what better placeto do it than on the Cape.
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And it's pretty awesome that you guyshave been doing it for twenty years.
I didn't realize that, Okay,So that's one that people should definitely check
out on the website. What else, Yeah, and also we have Isaac
Boots coming in. He's a renownedcelebrity trainer. He's going to be in
residence for the summer for about fourweeks and he's teaming up with a Noteboll,
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which is a sort of Boston basedfootwear company. But he's all the
ladies know him and they all loveto take his his classes, and so
we do him. We call himour great lawn right here, right on
the Pleasant Bay, right next tothe main building here, and he's got
such high energy that the classes sellout quickly. So that's we had.
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We just Stategiza last year and wecontinue for the second year of this coming
year. So and then we haveand we're doing working with some designers and
things like that. As Boston base. We have Sister Paris that's doing some
of our beautiful poolside cabanas this year. They look spectacular. We have a
private cabanas there, and then we'reworking on our room product, all our
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guest rooms. So that's something that'suh that we'll be talking and announcing very
soon. It's gonna be big newsfor our resort. So that's a little
teaser for you. I love it, but yeah, but no, we
have lots of program from even forchildren's program. We have a lot of
good children's program that we have righthere on property for the families, but
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we do love to have find thesebrand partnerships that we're going to do.
One is working with Kenyan Ranch upin the Berkshire where our chef will go
up and work some events for theirclientele up in Lenox, and then we're
going to be creating some wellness weekendswith Kenya Ranch here at we'll cross it
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next year, so we're really lookingforward to that. What a brilliant idea
because you both properties certainly share suchsimilar ethos and and that also gives so
much excitement for you know, thefolks that you work with to be able
to experience something new. You know, like you told us early on your
resume, brought you to so manydifferent places which helped you hone your skill
in a way that you know hashas has made your career so successful and
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that can hopefully do the same forthem. That's awesome. Okay, Well,
plenty to do on the cape thissummer right there, or closet resort
and golf club, and of coursethere's fibulous golf that is available all the
time too. So I want tomove on to the Red Jacket Resorts,
because there are a lot of propertiesin the mid Cape area that you are
overseeing and these are like these havebeen reinvented and and sort of redesigned.
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Tell us about the property and whatpeople can expect. Yeah, this is
sort of really big news for ourdestination Cape Cod. You know, EO's
Hospitalities came in and bought the RedJackson about four years ago. There's five
properties and we've we reinvested into amajor investment, a forty million dollar investment
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actually in three of them, RedJacket Beach Resort, at the Riviera Beach
Resort and the Blue Water Resort.And they that just want to extensive renovation
from guest room, public areas,restroom bars, all all done and completed
and reopened now. So we justhad our ribbon cutting just last week.
We had a lot of press there, had a great event. And these
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these properties actually have a long historyof a repeat guests and families that come
back year after year. And we'renow we're opening them up to new a
sort of a new market, sorevitalizing them, lifting them up into a
mid market scenario, sort of alifestyle resort for families in multi gen and
couples that come to want to enjoythe cape. God, that's so so
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incredible. And and just the factthat these are you say, three hundred
and ninety seven newly designed spaces.Yes, yes, so actually eos.
If you combine, we'll cross youin in the Red Jacket collection. Altogether,
ViOS has the largest portfolio of hotelrooms on Cape Cotton the Islands now
and Red Jackets have three hundred andninety seven of those for those three products,
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right wow, OK, And Iwant to talk more. I want
to talk more about some of thefood and beverage and events that are happening
at any of these other outlets.And I love that. I love this
idea that the property offers hose inthe sand ceremonies. I want to talk
about those because I know they've beenvery popular. We're going to take a
break. We will talk more withGary about all of the properties that he's
(27:08):
overseeing on the cape, and he'llgive us an idea of what some great
ways are to spend your cape vacation, even if you're only going to the
whle closet for dinner or something likethat. So we'll take a brank and
be back with more Food for Thought. You're listening to Food for Thought brought
to you by the Box Center andSale and Waterfront Hotel and Suite. So
the reality is here with the propertiesthat you're overseeing, there's no shortage of
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things to do. But we talkeda little bit about the Red Jacket resort
properties right there at mid Cape andthis you know, kind of major,
major renovation and reinvention of some ofthese properties, really creating some memorable spaces
for people to stay. But there'salso a lot of memorable experiences that you've
created. So tell us a littlebit more about some of the food and
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beverage things that are going on withinRed Jacket and then some of the things
like the sea service that I readabout. Yeah, well we have we
updated seven food and beverage outlets andlobby spaces and meeting rooms with this renovation.
So the bars and restaurants are readyto go and very exciting, full
of energy. But you know thatsome things are really fun. Is that
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the sea service that we're doing isgonna be a lot of fun. There
the three resorts that we mentioned earlier, the Red Jacket DA Resorts, the
River Ever Beach Resort, and bluewater resorts or all on all the water
right there in Nantucket sound beautiful beaches, good walking and things like that.
So a lot of our guests enjoythe pool experience but also really the beach
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experience, and so we really wantedto bring you know, more experiences to
the beach. So we have areally offered sea service, which is a
food and bever service, so wecan have wonderful cocktail menus and food and
bever services delivered right to your chair. You don't have to get out of
your chase to go get something.You can order right from your your smartphone,
through the through the website or anapp and uh and then be delivered
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to your right for your chase.So something unique for us, I think,
and I think that what the customerreally is looking for, because no
one wants to leave the beach duringthe day, right definitely not, and
and they want all the things tocome to them so it can be full
relaxation and you're definitely making that possible. The ceremonies, so weddings, the
toes in the sand. Do youguys do a lot of weddings throughout the
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year and can you also do themat Red jackets. Yes, absolutely again
situated right on Nantucket's sound, perfectplace to have a great wedding, and
we can do ceremonies, so everyoneis uh, we have we can do
a little shoe ballet if you willcheck your shoes in and uh and and
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down down to the beach and uhand and take the wedding ceremony in.
It's It's really magical, very simple, very genuine and unique on kid cat
so Toes in the Sand is takingoff for us and I think it's gonna
be a great, great hit forus for the future for sure. I
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love that. And obviously having thefamily friendly suites is great for those kind
of things too, to be ableto have, you know, to get
everybody together to be something together likethat for some special event. I know
that that you can accommodate up totwelve gas in some of those family suites,
which is great. You have alot of partnerships that are sort of
making the guest experience at Red JacketResorts or second to none, and I
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know that involves some baseballs, somebrewing, So tell us about some of
those partnerships. Well. First ofall, the caps Hydranger Festival is the
hydrange of blooming is happening right nowand it's amazing this year. Last year
was a little offes because of justwhether. This year it's the best et
ever seen. So the Cave HydragenFestival is gonna be amazing for people to
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come. Also, we have CiscoBrewing, so we're trying to bring that
really famous brewer from the area intoour bars here. Also, we have
the Llo Being Summer Shack, whichis going to be right on right on
the beach, sort of a placewhere we can get all ll beam products
that are beach related with the withumbrellas and beach chairs and beach games and
(31:22):
things like that that the families canall enjoy. So very easy access.
So we'll bring us all to ourguests very seamlessly. So great Now does
is does Chef Hackney oversee the foodhere or do you have someone else on
staff? Uh? There's there's there'sindividual chefs at each of the Red Jacket
reshorts, and Chef Hackney does havesome influence down there, so you'll see
you'll see his touches here and therethroughout the Red Checking foot folio for sure.
(31:47):
Well that's great, that's great tohave, all right, so you've
spent a solid amount of time,in the case, you've spent decades in
hospitality, creating and crafting memorable weeksand weekends and experiences for you know,
probably thousands and thousands of families.So if somebody is coming down to the
Cape, stay at the at acloset or staying at you know, any
of the other Red Jacket resort properties. What are some of the things outside
(32:12):
of the property that you suggest folksdo while they visit the Cape. Well,
there's some great destinations that you canwithin the Cape. Great the rail
trail, the bike trail is amazing, so definitely bring your bikes. We
also provide bikes each all the properties, but the rail trail you can go
for a five mile bike ride ora forty mile bike ride and you can
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go almost all the way down toPetown now, so that's amazing. There's
great hiking and walking in the NationalSeashore down in east Ham and Wellfleet.
There's the Peak Pink Cheep tour downin Peatown and do tours on the dunes
down there. But just just alot of great walking towns from Chatham for
(32:55):
retail to Peatown, which is amazing. High up is amazing also, and
then if you want to take atrip off off the Cape and go to
Niatuck and a Moss's Injury, youcan do a day trip out there.
So there's lots lots to do,from fine dining to super casual dining,
to waterfront bars, to lots ofactivities and things for the kids to do
(33:19):
from family. So it's a greatdestination. I've been coming here for fifty
years and that's one of the reasonswhy keep Constant so successful. I mean,
so many families have been exposed tothis over the years. I love
it so much. I mean oneof the things that we talk about is
sort of the industry as a whole. And I think certainly this time of
year the Cape, there is nofiner place to be and the quietly no
(33:43):
busier place to be, just becausepeople are you making the most out of
what they can for their summers.But as sort of more of a state
of the industry question, like howdo you see our area, how do
you see the hospitality and in generalsort of faring. You know, we
billion and I I sit on theboard of the Masters, the Restaurant Association.
I do a lot with Masters's lodgingassociations. I'm I'm sort of privy
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to some of these conversations, andthere's you know, different things happening at
different times. But I always liketo get the take of of a of
a you know, of a hotelhere and a manager who's overseen so many
different things over the course of hiscareer. How how do things look in
our area right now? Well,for this summer compared to last. I
mean remember coming out of out ofthe pandemic, there was so much pent
(34:27):
up demand for the drive mark.It was amazing that the Cape and Islands
did extremely well. And what's niceis that when that when that happened,
it exposed our destination to two newguests because they canceled the other plans to
travel around the world to come tokick Cod So they discovered us. And
what's nice about that they stuck withus now. So our business levels now
(34:51):
has been sustaining post post pandemic tohistoric levels and I think I think the
Cape and Islands has a really greatfuture now. But just for this summer,
obviously, when the rest of thecountry is on the warmer side,
let's say the Cape and Islands isusually ten to fifteen ten to fifteen degrees
(35:13):
cooler. And that's why you know, people look at the weather report say
okay, where are we going,and their first top of mind is Cape
cod So phones have been ringing verywell. Reservations are coming in strong.
We are up considerably to last yearfor reservations, so we're very excited for
a very successful year at the crossIt end at Red Jackets so awesome.
(35:36):
Okay, So for folks who arelike learning about your properties for the first
time, what are the best waysfor them to get in touch with you?
The best thing is do your researchonline. I think that's what most
travelers do right now. So goto our websites. Our websites are wonderful
both for Red Jacket and Wok Closet. And then if you want some some
more personal touch and more information andplease call the properties directly. We're happy
(36:01):
to guide you to to really createa great experience as cater to you and
your family or you and your yoursniff and other your travel partner before you
come to the cape. So we'rehere. We're here to make sure that
our guests don't have to think toomuch and just come and enjoy. It's
incredible. Well, I want willquofit is such a beautiful you know,
(36:22):
if you but if you don't knowhow to spell it, I'm going to
give it to you. It's WE q U A S S E T
T dot com and uh and you'llget all of so many of what we
shared with you. You'll see youknow, all of your you know,
like the Forbes you know, fivestar hotel, you know, just like
there's so much about it that isso special. And if you haven't been,
(36:44):
even if it's for a meal,if it's for a weekend, if
it's for a whole week, ifit's for all of your vacation time this
summer, you are surely going toexperience a sort of a very memorable travel
experience. So so Gary, thankyou so much. It's been I really
appreciate you taking the time. Iknow you're very busy, certainly this time
of year, but it's been greatto chat with you. Great to know
(37:06):
a little bit about your history,and great to know that that beautiful property
is being overseen by someone who hassuch a storied past and hospitality. Well,
thank you so much. I've reallyenjoyed our conversation today, and come
down and visit soon. Oh,we definitely look forward to it. So
again, this is well Closset Resortand Golf Club right there in Harwich on
the Cape. And then you canalso check out all of the five mid
(37:30):
Cape properties that are underneath the umbrellaof Red Jacket Resorts, all part of
EO's hospitality. Gary, thank youso much, and we'll be back in
just a minute with more Food forThought. You're listening to Food for Thought
brought to you by the Box Centerand Sale and Waterfront Hotel and sweet O.
Well, that was a great focuson the Cape this week. I
(37:50):
hope that everybody has the opportunity toat least head to the Cape for the
Islands at least once, even fora day trip if you're listening anywhere in
the New England area. We're solucky to have just the waterfront in so
many different places. And I thinkone of the really nice things about a
lot of different businesses is they've reallytried to create, you know, restaurants
and resorts and experiences that make themso memorable because they're also so beautiful.
(38:16):
I mean, oftentimes sometimes you seebeauty in the way that we do on
Cape and the islands, and youdon't always get matched with great hospitality.
I will say that's one thing thatNew England has paid really close attention to
not missing is not only are yougetting the beauty, but you're getting the
quality. You're getting just like allcomponents of great service that hospitality has to
(38:38):
offer. So definitely check out acouple of those properties and now seeing all
the things that they have to offerfor the summer, I'm gonna chat about
a couple other things that I thinkare worth noting for the summertime, more
so back in Boston, but alsoon the waterfront. Billy and I on
our television shows Dining, Playbook andMe Boston with Billy and Jenny's been a
(38:59):
fair amount of time in this greatcity, and certainly this time yere a
fair amount of time on the water, at least Billy does on his boat.
But we recently did a program thatshowcased Charlestown, which is a great
waterfront neighborhood in Boston and very accessibleif you're staying in Boston or if you're
just visiting. So sometimes it's nicenot to be right in downtown, but
(39:20):
if you happen to be, youcan also take a water taxi to so
many of the spots right there inCharlestown. There's a tall Ship which is
actually a historic tall ship that hasbeen converted into sort of a restaurant and
great outdoor experience that's right there inactually in East Boston, all but all
available through the water taxi service.In Charlestown, there's great restaurants like Pier
(39:43):
six. There's a great spot namedDovetail. There's a great restaurant group that
was kind of responsible for changing Southeafrom a restaurant perspective, Broadway Hospitality Group,
and they have a bunch of greatproperties in Charlestown that are worth checking
out. We're also going to EastBoston where there's so many new ones.
If you're a fan of Nita Douglas. Chef Douglas is so talented. He
(40:04):
at his first restaurant in the SouthEnd, and now he has one in
East Boston, which is also rightacross from our buddy Andy Husbands, who
has the smoke shop right there.And again, hop on a water taxi
if you're coming from the city,or if you're wanting to start there,
hop in the water taxi and headinto the city right across from the gorgeous
Boston Harbor. We always suggest thistime of year going to the Boston Harbor
(40:28):
Hotel. They do something every singlenight, which includes jazz dance nights,
that includes movie nights, it includesjust gorgeous dining experiences right out there on
the Harbor. There's a new restaurantinside the Intercontinental Hotel, which is right
down the road from the Boston HarborHotel. Also a beautiful space there overlooking
the gorgeous just the view of Boston. Then we also love the seaport,
(40:53):
which has transformed in so many magicalways over the past ten years. Woods
Hill Peer four is a restaurant thatwe always suggest. Kristin Knty is just
doing so much to create a sortof really honest and true farm to table
movement. She actually has a manyhundred acre farm up in New Hampshire where
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you'll be able to experience all ofthe produce and all of the animal products
that she actually has on the farm. So it is true, true,
true farm to table and she's notusing any of the things that some people
will hear some people talking about thatthey have concerns with, like seed oils
or sort of inexpensive things that aren'tthat great for our bellies. She's taking
sort of what happens to be themore expensive route to owning a restaurant,
(41:36):
but the one that keeps us healthy. So I can certainly say I very
much appreciate that. So those aresome of the ones that are on my
dining playbook right now, to takeadvantage of the warm weather, to take
advantage of the waterfront that we allare so lucky to be close to.
And anyway, I hope everyone ishaving a good start to their summer.
And that is all for food forthought, brought to you by the Buck
(41:58):
Center. We will see you now, Cleek, thanks so much,