Isai Xolalpa, director of bars and lounges at the W Philadelphia, traveled all over the world to study hospitality, with a particular focus on how food and beverage contribute to the guest experience.
Xolalpa was born in Mexico City to a family that encouraged him to be both mindful of and helpful to people around him. “That was my first encounter with hospitality,” he recalled. In his early 20s, while studying International Relations and Affairs at the Universidad del Valle de México, Xolalpa worked for a company that developed corporate events. In that capacity, he learned about upscale hotels and how they work with their corporate clients, and his interest was sparked. He joined the team at the JW Marriott in Mexico City, learning all about banquets—and about innovation in the food-and-beverage side of the industry.
Finding his niche, Xolalpa went to Australia to earn his degree in hospitality management with a focus in mixology from Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School in Sydney. He chose the school because he wanted to be close to the rapidly growing Asia Pacific market, where he knew there would be great opportunities for up-and-coming hotel workers. “They had the hunger to teach. I had the hunger to learn, so it was a perfect match.”
And while he loved cooking, Xolalpa also saw opportunities for growth in mixology. A basic cocktail could be made into something special by adding a few additional elements, or it could be reinvented entirely through molecular mixology. “It blew my mind,” he said.
Continuing his education, Xolalpa spent several years as general manager at the Hostal Belisario in Mexico City, learning about different departments within hotels and how to be an effective leader. “I used my expertise in food and beverage and I lent it to hotel rooms,” he said. In this role, he learned how to analyze the market and determine what the hotel needed, manage revenue and market the hotel itself to potential guests. “At the end of the day, 80 percent of any company, any property, is based on sales,” he said, adding that the skills he learned there would help him at different properties down the road.
Thinking Ahead
As food and beverage manager at the InterContinental Cleveland, Xolalpa learned about a different type of hospitality. The hotel is on the campus of the Cleveland Clinic, and many guests there were under inordinate stress, especially if they or someone they loved were a patient at the clinic. Xolalpa estimated that 70 percent of guests at the hotel were there because of the clinic. “The stress level that the hotel guests handle is so high that you need to think not one step ahead, but up to three, four steps ahead,” he said. “To make them feel comfortable and make them feel at home, it's a challenge.”
Dealing with all that stress also required Xolalpa and his team to stay cool under pressure and to determine when guests wanted to talk or needed help. In addition to overseeing and helping out in the hotel’s food and beverage venues, Xolalpa also had to make sure his teams were coping with the stress as well.
Overseeing a restaurant at a hotel next to a clinic also meant being aware of unique dietary restrictions guests might have. Notably, salt and pepper were not added to any dishes in the kitchen, and team members were trained to inform guests of this policy while taking orders. An unexpected result of this unusual communication, he added, was that guests felt increasingly comfortable opening up to the staff. “People will trust you and they will open up to you,” he said, noting that he remains friendly with several regular guests from the hotel.
The W Experience
From Cleveland, Xolalpa moved west to be manager of beverage and food for the W Aspen, eager to learn about resorts. During the nearly two years that he spent at the property, he not only reopened the venue’s bar and restaurant but learned about catering to the next generation of millionaires and billionaires the city attracts. “You cannot be the traditional luxury anymore,” he said. “You need to be the ‘remix’ luxury. That's what Aspen brings to the table.”
In March, Xolalpa moved across the country to oversee F&B operations at the W Philadelphia. “My challenge here was [to] revamp this food and beverage culture,” he said. “I like to be a rock star, so we are here to make W Philadelphia noticeable.” To that end, he is experimenting with local liquors and wines as well as international options. He also is experimenting with “super juices” that enhance citrus flavors and create different tastes than one would get with fresh-squeezed juices in their drinks. The process of making the super juices also reduces food waste by using almost all of the citrus instead of tossing the peel after juicing the fruit.
Over the course of his career, Xolalpa has learned the value of building relationships with not only his immediate team but with everyone who works at the hotel. “Whoever works around me is important, so I treat them the same way that I like to be treated—with respect,” he said. “Whoever asks for help, I will help out, no matter what. Doesn’t matter what department, doesn't matter what you do—help is help.” Ultimately, he said, he wants to be a “leader of leaders” in hospitality.
Isai Xolalpa's...
Secrets to Success
Be Disciplined: “You need to be always on top of things, you need to be knocking out projects [and] you need to plan out your day.”
Have a Good Attitude: “Never let things affect you because if it affects you, then you're going to be in a bad mood and you're gonna lose. You're gonna lose your coolness. You're gonna lose your vision, you're gonna lose that target that you are trying to aim [at].”
Be Humble: “Listen to understand. Don't listen to reply.”
Advice
“You could fail. You could lose. But you never, never give up.”
W Philadelphia
Owner: Chestlen Development | Operator: Marriott International | Rooms: 295 | Opening Year: 2021
This article was originally published in the September edition of Hotel Management magazine. Subscribe here.