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| Chef Ethan Smith |
So when the request came in for a filet mignon, he didn't
blink an eye - until he learned the steak was for a hotel guest who refused to
use utensils and lacked a few table manners, especially when it came to
slopping up his food. Yes, the high-end entrée was for a beloved dog that was
staying in the pet-friendly hotel.
Frequent guest Bo, the chocolate lab, loved getting his half
pounder every time he visited, and Truman, the Newfoundland, had a pretty
regular craving for bacon. Chef Ethan had all the inspiration he needed to
develop an in-room doggie dining menu.
While keeping the pets’ nutritional needs in mind, he began
making the meals by using the same ingredients found in some of the favorite
entrées among hotel guests. A pet owner himself, Chef Ethan tested his canine
creations on his dog Budias.
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| Doggie Dining options include Bo's Burger (left), Moses' Meatloaf, Fish Cakes, Steak à la Pooch and Scooter's Biscuits. |
Like any good local menu, he wanted to pay tribute to the "regulars" by naming dishes after them. Moses' meatloaf includes ground turkey, red rice, peas and carrots while Truman keeps it simple with Applewood Smoked Bacon. There's also fish cakes and the traditional doggie biscuit—homemade, of course.
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| Maddie enjoying the Chicken à la Pooch |
A Jack Russell rescue named Maddie was the first "official guest" to order up a bedside meal choosing the ;Chicken à la Pooch with grilled chicken east, pumpkin puree and fresh parsley (to aid in digestion). The gourmet entrée was a welcome surprise for the pooch who hadn't cared much for traditional dog food following an injury and mandatory cone collar. She had absolutely no problem licking this bowl clean and gave it a tail-wagging endorsement.
"We’re happy to offer this extension of our customer service to our four-legged friends,” said Smith. “In today’s world, pets are considered just like family in many households. When they go on vacation, the owners expect their pets to receive the same travel experience as they would.”
West Baden Springs Hotel features 15 pet-friendly rooms in its collection of 243 rooms. If you would like to book a stay for you and your canine companion, call our reservations specialists at (888) 936-9360.
