Food Network star Alex Guarnaschelli developed a trio of Italian comfort food favorites for Hilton Garden Inn’s restaurants. | Photos courtesy of Hilton Garden Inn.
Four out of five travelers say that favorite foods and snacks are a source of comfort when they’re on the road, according to the 2026 Hilton Trends Report.
That spurred the folks at Hilton Garden Inn to collaborate with celebrity chef and restaurateur Alex Guarnaschelli on a limited-time menu of her favorite Italian comfort foods. Her take on three traditional dishes—Cheesy Garlic Bread, Italian Meatballs and Italian Chopped Salad—will be offered at the hotel brand’s Garden Grille & Bar restaurants through Dec. 31.
“Food and beverage is a revenue driver for the hotels, and by elevating the perception of the Garden Grille menu, we build credibility as a food and beverage destination and can capture more guests for dinner,” said Alan Roberts, brand leader, Hilton Garden Inn.
Putting a celebrity chef’s dishes on the menu can instantly raise a restaurant’s perception, but it has to be the right chef. Hilton has a relationship with the Food Network, and Roberts explored partnerships with several of its stars, but Guarnaschelli was the perfect fit. “She is a frequent traveler and actually stays at Hilton Garden Inns and understands the brand,” he said. “She immediately saw how she could help, taking costs, labor challenges and skill sets into consideration.”
Guarnaschelli began by working with the F&B team at a test property in Long Island, N.Y., to familiarize herself with the kitchen. This allowed her to design a menu that could be consistently executed across 600 Garden Grille & Bar restaurants in the system. She also collaborated with Sysco reps on sourcing products that would facilitate menu development and ensure consistency. The testing period took close to a year.
Cheesy Garlic Bread, Italian Meatballs and Italian Chopped Salad are offered on the limited-time chef-driven menu.
The resulting menu items showcase Guarnaschelli’s commitment to quality ingredients and bold flavors. Although the dishes can all be made from scratch at each location, Sysco products like salad dressing and meatballs, which Guarnaschelli tweaked to more closely resemble her own Italian comfort food recipes, make them easier to execute. “The three items are designed to pair with a simple side or pasta so guests can create complete meals, and each of the dishes is modifiable,” said Roberts.
The hotel is building awareness of the celebrity chef-driven menu through on-site marketing at the properties, including table tents in the restaurants and promotions in the elevators, as well as social media. So far, guests are giving it a thumbs up. A survey revealed that 80% feel more positive about Hilton Garden Inn as a result of the chef partnership, said Roberts.
This is the first time the brand has collaborated with a Food Network star and well-known chef/restaurateur, but he sees the elevated but approachable menu building an identity for the brand around food and beverage while delivering profitability to franchisees. “It’s a big win for the brand and guests,” said Roberts, “bringing about a food and beverage experience that puts Hilton Garden Inn above other hotels in its category.”
And there may be more culinary surprises for guests in the near future. As Guarnaschelli was working on the menu over the past year, she developed a number of other items that may soon be coming to Garden Grille & Bar restaurants, he added. “We’re still exploring doing more with Alex,” said Roberts.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.
