Chef James Rigato teaming up with Hawthorn hotel suites

In an effort to make extended stay hotel guests feel more at home. Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham have teamed up with two nationally-known chefs – Metro Detroit’s own James Rigato and New York City’s Hari Nayak – to develop in-room cooking programs.

The two chefs lent their skills to help create a series of seasonal recipes that can be easily cooked inside one of Hawthorn’s extended stay suites.

Local foodies are likely familiar with Rigato, who owns Mabel Gray in Hazel Park and the Root Restaurant & Bar in White Lake. Recently Rigato, who was a contestant on Bravo’s “Top Chef,” was invited to cook at New York City’s James Beard House.

Nayak is a chef and restaurant consultant who has written six cookbooks.

The strategy is those traveling can grow weary of carry-out, fast food and room service. This way guests who are away from home for long periods of time can cook things like sloppy Joe tostadas, rigatoni with kale and pecorino or gourmet salads in their suite’s kitchen.

This idea came about after the hotel group conducted a survey that concluded that around two-thirds of Americans thought being able to cook in a hotel room would make them feel more at home while traveling.

Recipes from the two chefs are available to anyone via hawthorn.com/homemade.

mbaetens@detroitnews.com

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Twitter: @melodybaetens