Since opening in late 2019, the quality of the cuisine served at Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara, twin resorts in the upscale gated community of Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic, has become a point of pride for both properties.
“We’re really focusing on our food and beverage offerings,” General Manager Pedro Tomas told PAX, who visited the hotel from Dec. 5 to 7. “Having the Hyatt brand behind us has really helped us attract talented chefs that we might not have been able to attract with a more traditional brand. It’s been a big success.”
But despite its success, Thomas said the resort isn’t content to simply rest on its laurels.
“We knew we had to start something different, we had to offer the community something that travel agents and everyone would be excited about,” he said.
Introducing The Blind Butcher
The hotel’s newest restaurant, The Blind Butcher, is a multi-sensory dining experience two years in the making, designed to reimagine the culinary space in the Dominican Republic.
“We wanted to create a hybrid space where you could have entertainment and food in the same restaurant. We know that’s trending right now,” Thomas said. “There’s a demographic that wants that, and they not only want food, but they want music and entertainment. We had to jump on that trend.”
The Blind Butcher looks like your average butcher’s at first glance, but when the owner opens the doors of his large refrigerator and invites you inside, you’ll be treated to an evening that’s anything but ordinary.
“I would describe it as subversive, fun and sexy. Why can’t I say that?” Thomas said.
The menu, inspired by the land, water, soil and air, features entrees like pork arepas, sushi, prime rib empanadas, ceviche and beef tartare that’s prepared tableside, with servers literally grinding the meat right in front of you.
Main dishes include Creole barbecue with sea bass, octopus and chorizo, short ribs and Wagyu steak.
Sharpened senses
“The Blind Butcher” pays tribute to the legend of a celebrity South American chef who, after losing his sight in an accident, uses his remaining senses to create culinary masterpieces.
His eponymous restaurant caters to all the senses, with in-house music and dance performances throughout every meal.
But while The Blind Butcher serves up food that is a feast for the eyes and ears, the most important sense for this restaurant is taste.
After visiting other experiential restaurants around the world for inspiration, Thomas and his team were keen to place a premium on food quality.
“The common thread is that the food wasn’t great, but the atmosphere was great,” he said. “The food was underwhelming. It wasn’t bad, but for the price it was unreasonable.”
Thomas didn’t want Blind Butcher’s patrons to leave the establishment with the same feelings.
“We want our guests to say, ‘I had a great meal. The food was great, it was fresh, it tasted great, and on top of that, I had a good time,'” he told PAX. “You have to remember that this is a restaurant.”
Thomas said the Blind Butcher experience should be 70% food, 15% entertainment and the final 15% focused on cocktail flavoring.
Cooking Expansion
The Blind Butcher is currently open and will officially open on December 15th. It is located at the all-inclusive Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana (all ages) but does not include restaurant access as part of your stay.
Guests who want to indulge in this experience should prepare to pay US$149 (tax included) per person.
Thomas said he doesn’t think the extra cost will deter guests from coming.
“The Hyatt customer is a more upscale customer,” he explained, “so we saw an opportunity for people who are willing to pay the all-inclusive price, even if they’re already paying that price.”
Thomas believes the allure of a unique experience is what motivates guests to open up their purse strings.
“You won’t find this kind of service if you stay at an all-inclusive property,” he says. “And I want to put it as modestly as possible, you won’t get these options.”
Thomas sees The Blind Butcher as an extension of Ziva/Zilara Cap Cana’s already robust culinary options, which include French-Polynesian inspired Brandos, Italian trattoria Noodles & Threads and Peruvian and Caribbean fare at Shutters Beachside.
He said elevating the culinary experience at the all-inclusive resort has been his goal from day one.
“That was a challenge for us when we opened the hotel. It’s not well known in the Dominican Republic so a lot of people doubted if we could get there, but we did,” he said.
The concept restaurant is a new water park
The general manager wants travel agents to promote “The Blind Butcher” to their clients as a must-have add-on to their vacation packages.
“In the old days, if you had a waterpark you stood out. Now there are many hotels with waterparks, but how many have adopted this concept?,” he asks. “Experience a restaurant like you would find in a luxury metropolis abroad. This is something travel agents can use to close the deal.”
Travel operators are not currently set up to receive commission for bookings at the Blind Butcher, but Thomas said he is open to discussions.
“To be honest with you, we haven’t had a conversation about it yet, but it’s definitely something we’ll talk about,” he said.
You don’t have to be a guest of either Ziva/Zilara Cap Cana to experience The Blind Butcher, but priority will be given to guests of the venue, with 85 percent of seating reserved for guests.
Thomas said the hotel is already booked for 2024 and he expects interest in the Blind Butcher will only grow as word of mouth and guests start posting on social media.
“You want to take a photo and tell the world, ‘I’m here,'” he said.
“It’s disruptive, but the quality of the food is excellent. It’s different. We’re really proud to have a place like this in the Dominican Republic.”
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