With a guest list dominated by children, the launch of JW Marriott's new kids' menu had activities, decor, and, of course, food geared toward keeping young ones entertained. The lively and colorful event, held last month at the JW Marriott Essex House, was hosted by nutritionist Keri Glassman, who created the menu of local, seasonal, and healthful foods and brought her own daughter to the event.
Marriott planned the event internally with Mitzi Gaskins, vice president and global brand manager for JW Marriott Hotels and Resorts, on hand to answer questions about the initiative, which is now available in the brand's North American properties.
The hotel's Gallery, a white-walled event space, served as the venue for the art-themed party. Children were given chefs' toques and child-size aprons with the "JW Kids" logo to wear and could pose for photos in a hand-drawn picture frame. A "Play" area had art activities such as coloring as well as stickers of fruits and vegetables, yarn, and stamps. Disney songs provided an age-appropriate soundtrack.
Taylor Creative provided the furniture rentals—a table with pint-size chairs in several bright colors and several angular chairs made of easy-to-clean plastic. Mirroring the emphasis on healthy foods, a tall centerpiece mixed sunflowers and daisies with fruits and vegetables.
The hotel catered the afternoon event with items from its new menu, including raspberry spritzers and strawberry smoothies, vegetable crudite with white bean dip and yogurt, salmon with brown rice and sugar snap peas, and turkey sandwiches on whole-wheat bread. Children could also create their own trail mixes from tall dispensers of granola, dried fruits, nuts, and other items, and they could eat fresh fruit molded to look like cake pops.
"We're not trying to serve kids truffled something or other," Glassman said. "And we want to present it in a fun way."
