I’m Steve Turk. You’ll be hearing from me on a monthly basis about what’s trending in hospitality, what I’m working on, and more.

Turk’s Thoughts will keep evolving based on your feedback, so be sure to let me know what you think in the comments!

🛎 What's Hot in Hospitality

Have you ever wished you could live at a hotel? A lot of hospitality companies are banking on it. The Standard is the latest brand getting into residential living, with the Standard Residences coming to Midtown Miami. The idea is to bring everything people love about the Standard – the programming, their legendary pools, the bars and restaurants – and turn them into residences where you can live with like-minded people.

And it’s not only hotels jumping in on the trend. I’m intrigued by companies that are creating branded properties where you can live, stay, and play, and I think you’re going to see more of these 360-degree lifestyle experiences in the future. Already beloved for its theme parks, resorts, and cruise line, Disney is developing master-planned communities called Storyliving by Disney so you can live in neighborhoods infused with Disney magic. No longer just a chain of restaurants, Margaritaville has hotels, casinos, cruises, and now there are Margaritaville residential communities, luxury condos, and cottages. Even Equinox gyms opened a hotel as a retreat for fitness enthusiasts to restore and recharge. People want to feel connected to the brands they love, and what better way to feel connected than by living it 24/7?

🍷 What I'm Sipping

Nothing says summer like sipping on a chilled glass of rosé, and I can’t get enough of Out East’s new Cru Classé Rosé, a sophisticated rosé that’s a blend of six varietals, giving it complex aromas and balanced acidity. “Cru classé” is the highest level certification for a rosé wine, and this is the first-ever cru classé rosé to be released by an American wine company, in partnership with Domaine de la Croix. It’s truly a best-in-class luxury rosé that sets itself apart from other day-to-day options.

You’ll also find me drinking from my collection of Obvious Wines, which focuses on sustainable and vegan wines from family-owned vineyards. True to their name, Obvious Wines makes things as simple as possible with straightforward wine labels that describe the taste and characteristics of what’s inside the bottle, like Nº02 BRIGHT AND CRISP. I love their mission of sharing great wines that you don’t need a PhD to understand.

If you’re interested in giving either a try or being introduced to the owners of the brands, send me a message and let’s talk!

📝 What I'm Working On

If you haven’t already heard, I just launched Biscayne Coffee, a coffee company with a giving spirit. For every coffee sold, we donate 10% of the proceeds to help preserve Biscayne Bay. I was inspired to do something after walking with my kids along the bay one morning and seeing thousands of dead fish washed ashore. The next morning, while looking out at Biscayne Bay from my balcony with a cup of coffee in hand, the idea for Biscayne Coffee was born. Our vision is simple: Drink good coffee. Create a good outcome.

We’ve partnered with a local roaster to roast Biscayne Coffee right here in Miami, and as a food & beverage guy, you can imagine I take pride in producing a high-quality roast. I’m grateful for the response we’ve received so far, including some awesome press coverage, like Forbes naming us a top gift for Father’s Day and these profiles in the Miami New Times and Ocean Drive. Thanks to everyone who’s ordered a bag or merch so far and sent me photos of Biscayne Coffee in your homes! We’ve already made several donations to Biscayne Bay Foundation and are looking forward to keeping them coming.

We’ve also made Biscayne Coffee the beans of choice at all of our Tangy Management vacation rentals. If you’re interested in offering it to your own guests, get in touch!

📚 What I'm Inspired By

Has anyone else seen “We Feed People” yet? The documentary spotlights chef José Andrés and his nonprofit World Central Kitchen, and it’s clear how sincerely he wants to help as many people in need as he can. In one scene, Andrés is in Puerto Rico to feed residents impacted by major flooding, and you watch him as he breaks down during an emotional moment when the Red Cross won’t support him with funds to help save more people after he runs out of using his own money. 

I thought back to when I saw him here in Miami for South Beach Wine & Food Festival, knowing the next day, he was flying out to a war zone to help with disaster relief. That really puts his commitment to humanitarian aid into perspective. Seeing how dedicated Chef José Andrés is to giving back, motivates me to want to do more for my community. I’m still working on how I can help do my part, but maybe we’ll plan a Biscayne Bay cleanup soon with Biscayne Coffee. Anyone else interested?

🎙 On the Podcast

I just wrapped up my first live broadcast of The Hospitality Mentor Podcast at HITEC (Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference) in Orlando, and I really enjoyed chatting with my guests and meeting with everyone there. (If we met at HITEC and you’re reading this, thanks for connecting and following!)

Next up on the Podcast we have Nobu Hotels General Manager Santi Rodriguez (episode out as of yesterday) and Fontainebleau Managing Director Patrick Fisher coming up next Tuesday, July 12. Tune in to hear about their hospitality journeys, and what it’s like leading truly iconic brands.

LISTEN HEREWelcome to the first edition of Turk’s Thoughts!

💼 Who's Hiring

I’ll be wrapping up each newsletter with job opportunities from our Guest Mentors on the Podcast. If you’re a listener and feel inspired by these hospitality leaders’ stories, what better way is there to follow in their footsteps than to be able to work directly for these mentors?

• Nobu Careers

• Fontainebleau Careers

👋 See you again in August

Did you get any value out of this newsletter? Leave a comment and let me know what you want to see more of. If you think there is someone or something in hospitality that should be featured do not be afraid to share.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you again next month! If you prefer having this emailed to you each month you can sign up right here.

Cheers,

Steve Turk, Managing Director