Kimpton Launches Global Food and Beverage Platform: The Curious Palate
November 5, 2026
ATLANTA — Kimpton, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ luxury and lifestyle portfolio, has launched The Curious Palate, a global food and beverage platform designed to encourage culinary experimentation and locally inspired dining experiences across its hotels.
The initiative brings together Kimpton chefs and bartenders worldwide to develop new dining concepts, secret menus, chef-led experiences and collaborations. While the platform establishes common themes around flavor, technique, service and presentation, individual properties will interpret those concepts according to their destinations and culinary teams.
The Curious Palate also extends beyond traditional restaurant and bar offerings, incorporating experiences such as Kimpton Kickstart morning beverages, off-menu selections and social gatherings.
A global collective of chefs and bartenders will help develop the program, sharing culinary influences and exploring opportunities for visiting chef events, bartender pop-ups and other collaborations across Kimpton properties.
“The Curious Palate celebrates the incredible chefs, bartenders and creative minds who make Kimpton what it is, and gives them even more room to experiment, surprise and bring a little personality to the table,” said Vicki Poulos, vice president of luxury and lifestyle brands at IHG.
The initiative was introduced through the inaugural Table of Curiosity dinner at Kimpton Mirador Pacific Grove in California. Chefs and beverage specialists from properties in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East collaborated on a menu combining international culinary influences with ingredients from California’s Central Coast. Offerings included a Hong Kong-inspired margarita, Saudi Arabian camel filet and sea urchin risotto inspired by Tokyo.
Several properties have introduced experiences reflecting the platform’s approach. At Kimpton KAFD Riyadh, The Vinyl by Embers offers a chef’s table experience with menus developed around individual guest preferences and available seasonal ingredients. Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa in Grand Cayman offers a multicourse tasting experience overlooking its wood-fire kitchen, while Kimpton Sawyer Hotel in Sacramento, Calif., has partnered with local bookstore Capital Books to incorporate a literary element into its morning beverage service.
The platform also includes seasonal programming, with participating Kimpton hotels offering a globally developed holiday cocktail from Nov. 27 through Feb. 28.
Founded in 1981, Kimpton operates 90 hotels and hundreds of restaurants, bars and lounges worldwide. The brand said The Curious Palate will continue to evolve through contributions from its culinary teams and participating properties.
