Using Food Experiences as a PR Differentiator

Using Food Experiences as a PR Differentiator

Food tells a story. And in 2025, it’s one of the most powerful PR tools in the hospitality and travel arsenal.

Whether you’re launching a boutique hotel, opening a cultural festival, or refreshing a legacy resort, food can do what few other brand touchpoints can: engage the senses, create connection, and drive headlines. But it takes more than a good chef or a seasonal menu. It requires intent, originality, and strategic storytelling.

Why Food Experiences Work in PR

• Sensory storytelling: Food is visual, emotional, and shareable—three things the media loves.
• Culture conduit: Cuisine anchors a sense of place and identity, especially in travel.
• Influencer magnet: Culinary moments are tailor-made for creators, from chefs to lifestyle influencers.
• Ever-evolving angle: Menus shift with seasons, chefs rotate, ingredients inspire new pitches.

It’s Not Just the Restaurant—It’s the Experience

Don’t just pitch a new menu. Pitch a journey. Think:

• Foraging excursions that lead to a fire-cooked meal by a local chef
• Tasting menus designed around indigenous ingredients or local legends
• “Eat with the chef” series that lets guests dine in the kitchen or family-style in the garden
• Cooking classes that double as cultural immersion

The more specific and sensorial, the more pitchable.

Media Angles That Sell

• “The Destination Making [Ingredient] the New Truffle”
• “This Island Hotel Is Betting on Food Over Amenities”
• “Why Food-Centric Travel Is the New Wellness”

Food press, travel press, design press, even business outlets love culinary innovation when it connects to bigger cultural shifts.

Case Study: Culinary as Brand Identity

A small coastal resort struggling for differentiation created a “Salt to Soul” program: seaweed foraging in the morning, a salt-curing workshop in the afternoon, and a sunset dinner with locally caught seafood and house-cured pickles. Within months, they landed coverage in Condé Nast Traveler, Food & Wine, and several high-profile travel blogs—all anchored in that food story.

Collaborations Amplify the Moment

• Bring in guest chefs for pop-up events or co-curated menus
• Partner with local farms, wineries, or spice houses for immersive storytelling
• Launch limited-edition product tie-ins like hotel-branded spice blends or travel snack boxes

These initiatives create not only experiences—but assets. Visuals, interviews, recipes, and sharable content for media and social alike.

Tips for Success

• Train staff to tell the story: A server who knows the dish’s origin makes it 10x more memorable
• Document the journey: Behind-the-scenes content is media gold
• Be bold, not gimmicky: Authenticity beats novelty every time

Final Thought

In an industry where luxury is overused and service is expected, food becomes the differentiator. Not just as a perk—but as a portal to culture, care, and brand identity.

So the next time you’re thinking about what makes your property pitch-worthy, ask yourself: what’s on the plate? And more importantly—what story does it tell?