All in the finish

July 17, 2026

All in the finish

With upcoming international football tournaments set to draw global crowds to Morocco, the five-star Park Hyatt Marrakech needed to ensure quality across every department. In Alicontract, it found a foodservice partner with an eye for the perfect finish, reports Fran Cotton.

It’s a cliché, but 25 minutes’ drive southeast from the center of Marrakech, there’s an oasis in the desert. The five-star Park Hyatt Marrakech, with its 130 luxury rooms and suites, three restaurants, sprawling pool and spa complex and view of the Atlas Mountains, elevates Marrakech’s status as a luxury destination for international travelers. And it has opened just in time for Morocco’s hosting of the Africa Cup of Nations and jointhosting of the FIFA World Cup in 2030.

Eight years in the making, the hotel is a master class in thoughtful design and craftsmanship, and nowhere is that truer than in the kitchen and back-of-house setups. Alicontract was tasked with outfitting these areas with “high-quality equipment, and also an outstanding service throughout the duration of the works,” says Antonio Mongiardo, project manager at Alicontract. “The client and the general contractor were looking for an international kitchen contractor capable of meeting the technical requirements of a five-star hotel chain like Hyatt. They needed a partner capable of managing a highly complex project with multiple upscale food and beverage outlets from start to finish.”

The hotel offers three distinct dining experiences, all overseen by Moroccan-born executive chef Issam Rhachi. At TFAYA, “the focus is on authentic Moroccan flavors with a refined twist,” says Issam, whose style is “deeply rooted in Moroccan traditions… classic dishes with a modern, refined touch.” The Pavilion Terrace & Pool is Mediterranean-inspired, and the Living Room serves casual bites and elevated drinks.

Spacious, modern restaurant interior with round tables, brown and yellow chairs, chandeliers, and decorative lighting. Marble accents and minimalist décor are visible throughout the room.

A destination shaped by elegance and craftsmanship

Commercial kitchen with stainless steel appliances, counters, ovens, stovetops, and ventilation hoods arranged in a clean, organized layout.

Where precision meets culinary excellence

A hotel buffet setup displays a variety of pastries, breads, fruits, and desserts on tiered stands in a well-lit dining area.

From kitchen to guest experience, excellence in every detail

Building from the back, leading from the front

Operations start in the basement with the back-of-house area, preparation and cold-room areas, pastry and bakery sections, and staff canteen, as well as the laundry and ironing areas – all of which Alicontract was tasked with outfitting. On the ground floor are the dining areas, main kitchen, dishwashing stations, and a cold prep zone. There are also small pantry areas, dotted throughout the hotel, dedicated solely to room service.

“Each one features a Comenda dishwashing machine, Friulinox refrigerator, Egro coffee machine and other countertop equipment,” Mongiardo says. “That was designed at the scope to reduce the timing between the kitchen and the room, so that the customer can receive assistance as quickly as possible at any time.”

The scale of the operation and dedication to customer satisfaction may be impressive, but it’s the finishes and details that really set Park Hyatt Marrakech apart. “The kitchen consultant requested a unique steel countertop,” explains Mongiardo. “We used 1.5mm thickness, including the stainless-steel under-counter covering, sink covers on all tables with sinks, and a 150mm backsplash,” he adds. Specialist Italian welders welded on site to obtain a seamless surface – something which Mongiardo explains is “cleaner than an individual table, and also has a better look”.

The other star of the show in the kitchens is the Ambach System 900 modular cooking block, prized for its flexibility, reliability and energysaving features. Issam is certainly pleased with this decision. “The induction cooking stations are incredibly responsive, helping with precise temperature control, which is vital for many of our more delicate preparations,” he says.

Having multifunctional stations helps streamline operations and reduce movement within the kitchen, which is key for efficiency

Issam Rhachi Executive Chef, Park Hyatt Marrakech

Brands mentioned

Teamwork makes the dream work

Although the project got underway in 2016, it was affected by the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. Raw material prices and new building regulations in Morocco presented significant challenges, but thanks to some good oldfashioned teamwork, the original deadline for the project was met. “We can proudly say that the coordination between our team, the factory, the manufacturers, the general contractor, the interior design and local partner on site was carried out in the best possible way,” says Mongiardo.

Alicontract provided a full-service turnkey approach, says Mongiardo, “from MEP drawings, to our constant presence on site to monitor the work in progress, to supporting the purchase department so that all orders were placed with suppliers.” Equipment was shipped by sea from Alicontract’s Milan warehouse, with a year’s warranty granted for any breakdowns or damaged parts.

“After-sales service is incredibly fast, thanks to the contribution of our local [Moroccan] market partner,” Mongiardo explains. “That allows us to support the operation in the best possible way and to reduce the wait times.” It’s this devil-in-the-detail approach, from start to finish, front- to back-of-house, that’s made Park Hyatt Marrakech such a successful project. “Front-of-house we have something beautiful, but in the back-of-house, the kitchen consultant wanted to have something better than the competition,” says Mongiardo.

This means having a “clear and distant separation between the clean and the dirty path” and equipment that goes the extra mile. “Having multifunctional stations helps streamline operations and reduce movement within the kitchen, which is key for efficiency,” says Rhachi.

Quality makes the difference

Mongiardo recalls the reaction Rhachi and his team had when they saw the quality of equipment they would be working with. “I met Issam [and the team] for the first time in the bakery. They saw everything [static oven, rotary oven, blast chiller, retarder proofer, fixed bowl spiral mixer, and chiller] was Bongard and just said ‘Wow!’ – because a Bongard is like a Ferrari. So they are very happy with that.”

It’s a similar story for everything from refrigeration to the staff canteen areas. “We use Friulinox for refrigerators – all equipped with drawers, locks and wheels for easy cleaning,” Mongiardo explains. “We use Comenda for pot wash and hood-type dishwashers – and all the hood dishwashers have heat recovery. There’s Baron for staff canteen areas, and Lainox combi ovens.” It’s these combi ovens that have been gamechangers for Rhachi and his team. “They offer versatility, save space, and significantly reduce cooking times without compromising quality,” he says.

Elsewhere, there are Carpigiani ice cream machines and Scotsman ice makers. Even the laundry is high-quality, with dryers and washing machines from Grandimpianti I.L.E. For Mongiardo and Alicontract, Park Hyatt Marrakech is clearly a source of immense pride.

“We have completed one of the most prestigious five-star hotels in Marrakech, that will soon attract people from all over the world,” says Mongiardo. With the draw of Morocco’s upcoming football tournaments, that future is coming fast. And, just like in the beautiful game, it’s the finishing that makes the difference. “The equipment works well, but the finishing is another story,” says Mongiardo.

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