InterContinental Hotels & Resorts Launches Exclusive "Kitchen Passport" Culinary Experience For Influential Bloggers

ATLANTA, Oct. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- This fall InterContinental Hotels & Resorts will issue an exclusive "Kitchen Passport" to a carefully curated group of influential bloggers who will work alongside the brand's top restaurant chefs and mixologists to craft new food and drink recipes for the InterContinental Kitchen Cookbook iPad app. The all-new program, which will be hosted at InterContinental Hotels in Atlanta, San Francisco and Miami, is yet another way the hotel brand continues to elevate its world-class food and beverage program, while offering users of its popular iPad app access to fresh and inspiring recipes created by InterContinental Hotels' executive chefs from around the world.

"InterContinental Hotels' world class food and beverage program features signature bars and restaurants with exceptional menus that reflect the local destination," said Jean-Pierre Etcheberrigaray, vice president of food and beverage at IHG for the Americas. "Our new Kitchen Passport program will allow a niche group of influencers to step behind our food and beverage curtain to experience it firsthand and become 'In the Know' about the rich culinary tradition of our hotels. The innovative recipes conceptualized during their visits will not only be shared with their readers but also with other food enthusiasts through our InterContinental's Kitchen Cookbook iPad app."

The InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta is the first of the four InterContinental Hotels to host this experience. The property recently invited Anne Dolce, cook editor of The Daily Meal to venture into the kitchen of its restaurant Southern Art to develop new dishes with acclaimed chef and restaurateur Art Smith. The culinary duo worked together to create an appetizer, entrée and dessert. These new dishes reflect the Southern-inspired cuisine of the restaurant's menu, which is a blend of Smith's Southern cooking heritage, true love for Southern comfort food and strong commitment to serving traditional classics prepared with his light, modern approach. Dolce also worked with resident mixologist Arianne Fielder at the InterContinental Buckhead's Bourbon Bar to craft two specialty bourbon cocktails to complement the dishes. The savory dishes and bourbon cocktails will be unveiled this evening at an intimate tasting event and served as part of a special menu in celebration of the one year anniversary of Southern Art and Bourbon Bar. The recipes will be available for all to download and enjoy on the InterContinental's Kitchen Cookbook iPad app mid-October.

In November, the InterContinental San Francisco will invite an influential blogger to explore the culinary creations of its Michelin star recognized restaurant Luce and libations at Bar 888, a grappa bar featuring a collection of more than 140 bottles. While in San Francisco, this blogger will also work with one of the esteemed mixologists at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco's Top of the Mark Lounge to learn about the art of the martini by handcrafting a specialty cocktail for the occasion. The Kitchen Passport program will culminate in December at the InterContinental Miami's Toro Toro, the latest edition to the InterContinental Hotels' repertoire of innovative restaurant concepts. Set to open in late October, it is award-winning chef Richard Sandoval's newest restaurant and will offer a menu of creative small plates informed by Hispanic cultures spanning the globe and an array of meats cooked rodizio-style. It will also feature a buzz-worthy bar that specializes in craft cocktails made with ultra-premium Latin spirits, as well as a special bar menu.

About InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has 169 hotels located in more than 60 countries with local insight that comes from over 60 years of experience. At InterContinental Hotels, we believe that superior, understated service and outstanding facilities are important, but what makes us truly different is the genuine interest we show in our guests. Our desire is to help guests make the most of their time. We connect our well-traveled guests to what's special about a destination, by sharing our knowledge so they enjoy authentic experiences that will enrich their lives and broaden their outlook. For more information, visit www.intercontinental.com, https://twitter.com/InterConHotels or http://www.facebook.com/intercontinental.

Notes to Editors:
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organization with nine hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites®, as well as our two newest brands, EVEN™ Hotels and HUALUXE™ Hotels & Resorts. IHG also manages Priority Club® Rewards, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty program with over 67 million members worldwide.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,500 hotels and more than 666,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories. With more than 1,000 hotels in its development pipeline, IHG expects to recruit around 90,000 people into additional roles across its estate over the next few years.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.priorityclub.com for more on Priority Club Rewards. For our latest news, visit www.ihg.com/media, www.twitter.com/ihgplc, www.facebook.com/ihg or www.youtube.com/ihgplc.

SOURCE InterContinental Hotels & Resorts