The Check-In with LBA – Chef Chris Moore
As Corporate Director of Food & Beverage, Lifestyle and Full Service for LBA Hospitality, Chris Moore helps shape the strategy, operations, and identity behind some of the company’s most dynamic restaurant and bar concepts. From supporting property teams and developing menus to helping launch new lifestyle outlets, her focus goes far beyond the plate.
In this edition of The Check In, Chef Chris shares insights on concept development, community engagement, and the people behind LBA’s growing food and beverage portfolio.
CHEF CHRIS: It is important that hotel F&B outlets have a distinct, community-focused identity. The goal is to create something that feels authentic to the local market and offers experiences guests cannot find everywhere else.
That can include live music, tasting events, partnerships with local breweries or distributors, and participating in community events or culinary showcases.
Castillo Craft Bar + Kitchen [in St. Augustine, FL] has done that exceptionally well, and it helped create a playbook for future concepts. We carried many of those ideas into newer projects like Moxy Atlanta Downtown and Caption by Hyatt Chattanooga Downtown, and it shows.
Ultimately, that community engagement benefits hotel guests too. It creates an experience that feels much bigger than simply dining at a hotel restaurant or bar.
Digital visibility is also a major part of that strategy. The same digital tools that help us engage local audiences are also being used by travelers planning their trips, so optimizing that presence creates value on both sides.
Q: How do elevated dining and bar experiences help differentiate LBA-managed hotels from competitors?
CHEF CHRIS: Our people make the biggest difference.
Being able to consistently operate food and beverage outlets that are noteworthy, community-driven, and experience-focused helps separate our hotels from competitors. It creates memorable experiences for both travelers and locals, and that becomes a major differentiator for the property overall.
Q: As LBA continues to grow, what opportunities do you see for expanding the company’s reputation in food and beverage?
CHEF CHRIS: As the portfolio grows, I think there is tremendous opportunity in continuing to build specialized support around lifestyle and full-service food and beverage operations.
Having a focused team creates stronger synergy, consistency, and creativity across the portfolio. That kind of structure will continue strengthening LBA’s reputation in food and beverage while also supporting the development of future leaders within the company.
Q: Is there a particular project or moment over the past year that made you especially proud?
CHEF CHRIS: We have had some incredible accomplishments this past year. We transitioned a restaurant in Ashland, KY, in just 17 days, supported another successful Nights of Lights season at the Renaissance in St. Augustine, FL, opened Eggslut at Moxy Atlanta Downtown, and launched multiple food and beverage outlets at Caption by Hyatt Chattanooga Downtown.
But the common denominator in all of those successes has been the people.
Our larger LBA food and beverage team consistently stepped in to support those efforts. Leaders from properties including Hilton Garden Inn Lafayette, Hilton Garden Inn Charleston, Renaissance St. Augustine, Hyatt Place Wesley Chapel, and Caption Chattanooga all contributed to helping those projects succeed.
What makes me most proud is the bench strength we have built. These leaders are gaining experience across different brands and concepts, learning new skills, sharing ideas, and supporting each other beyond the day-to-day structure of their own hotels.
That kind of collaboration not only strengthens the portfolio today, but also prepares our teams to support future growth opportunities as LBA continues to expand.
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