LE MERIDIEN NEW DELHI PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE ÉCLAIR

Signature Éclairs at Le Méridien [New Delhi Unlock Local Flavours for an Elevated Guest Experience

Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts today announced the launch of its first-ever global éclair programme, Le Méridien Éclair, in partnership with award-winning pastry chef and new LM100 member, Johnny Iuzzini.  As a part of the brand’s newest culinary programme, Le Méridien New Delhi will offer guests the opportunity to indulge in a variety of modern twists on the chic Parisian pastry, with the hotel’s pastry chef, Chef Vikas Shrivastava at the helm. Beginning today, Le Méridien New Delhi will offer three signature flavours – coffee, chocolate and vanilla – as well as unique creations inspired by New Delhi and seasonal ingredients.

“The destination inspired éclairs is a novel take on the chic Parisian pastry and offers a new perspective to our creative guests and helps them to discover not only interesting aspects of a destination but also experience local cuisine and share the experience at their next stop”, said Tarun Thakral, Chief Operating Officer, Le Meridien New Delhi.

To celebrate the launch of Le Méridien Éclair, Le Méridien New Delhi will host ’A New Perspective on Eclairs’ and offer guests the opportunity to create their own éclair innovations guided by Chef Vikas Shrivastava. Guests of Le Méridien New Delhi throughout the months of June and July will also be encouraged to upload and share their experiences on social media using #LMeclairs.

Le Méridien hotels around the world will continue to feature a variety of destination-inspired éclairs, offering guests an authentic taste of the local cuisine and culture, from the Maple Bacon Éclair and Texas Honey Pecan Éclair at Le Méridien Dallas by the Galleria to the Dulce de Leche Éclair, infused with coconut, from Le Méridien Panama. Le Méridien New Delhi will feature the Jaggery Ginger Éclair, Rose Cardamom Éclair and Clotted Cream Kalakand Éclair to unlock the flavours of Delhi and Hazelnut Tamarind Éclair from Le Royal Meridien Chennai and Coconut Jaggery Cardamom from Le meridien Kochi. “Expect the unexpected with the destination inspired éclairs. It’s a great way of exploring the flavours of local cuisine,” says Chef Vikas Shrivastava, Executive Pastry Chef, Le Meridien New Delhi.

Johnny Iuzzini and ‘The Éclair Diaries’

Through Le Méridien’s unique culinary collaboration, Chef Iuzzini will create eight signature éclair recipes exclusively for Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts over the next 12 months, inspired by his global tour of select Le Méridien destinations.

The Le Méridien Éclair programme comes on the heels of the brand’s recent announcement of a new global partnership with French Bossa Nova collective Nouvelle Vague, who has curated a 24-hour soundtrack for Le Méridien hotels around the world, as well as a new global beverage programme, Le Méridien Sparkling, inspired by the European aperitif culture.  Together, these programmes elevate the guest experience via the brand’s signature Hub experience, encouraging visitors to unlock their destination through coordinates, culture and cuisine.

Launched in 2011, the signature Le Méridien Hub™ re-interprets the traditional hotel lobby into a social gathering place, building on the brand’s award-winning Arrival experience and coffee culture. Le Méridien arrival consists of four elements: large-scale artwork in high impact areas; sensory experience, illustrated through the LM01 signature scent, sound and use of light; UNLOCK ART™ programme, featuring artist designed key card collections that offer access to Le Méridien affiliated contemporary cultural centers in the destination; and a 24-hour soundtrack, now curated by Nouvelle Vague. Each Hub also features a Master Barista, a recently launched initiative to meet the growing demands of coffee lovers at every Le Méridien hotel worldwide. Master Baristas lead coffee-related initiatives at each hotel, serve as a coffee cultural ambassador, and maintain knowledge of current coffee trends within the destination.

About Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts

Le Méridien, the Paris-born hotel brand currently represented by nearly 100 properties in more than 40 countries, was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) in November 2005.  With more than 80 of its properties located in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Le Méridien provided a strong international complement to Starwood’s then primarily North American holdings at the time of purchase. Since then, Le Méridien has gone through a brand re-launch, which included a large scale hotels product consolidation and redefined brand strategy. Through creation of the LM100 artist community, Le Méridien has transformed numerous guest touch points, thus bringing unique, interactive and curated experiences to its guests. Plans call for dynamic expansion of Le Méridien Hotels and Resorts within the next five years, concentrating on markets in Asia-Pacific and the Americas. Le Méridien recently opened new hotels in Cairo, Bali, Atlanta, Dallas, Istanbul, Oran (Algeria), Zhengzhou (China), Arlington (Virginia, USA) and Santa Monica, (California, USA), and will open in the next 12 months in Bangkok, Chicago, New Orleans, Mahabaleshwar (India), Gandhinagar (India), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Tampa (Florida, USA), Charlotte (North Carolina, USA) and Indianapolis (Indiana, USA).