American chef Charlie Palmer joined forces with hotel industry veteran Christopher Hunsberger to launch Appellation, a hotel brand born from merging culinary and hospitality. Appellation means “to give a name a place” and the brand aims to build community around food with approachable luxury in accommodations and service. The first new-build hotels will debut in Idaho, with Appellation Sun Valley, 2023; and two locations in California, Appellation Healdsburg, 2023; and Appellation Pacific Grove, 2024.

© Appellation

“We’re flipping the traditional ‘hotel first, restaurant second’ notion on its head and setting a new standard for immersion in local culture and community through food. With Appellation, the intersection of culinary and hospitality is seamless. It is the hotel experience both of us have always wanted,” said Christopher Hunsberger, chief operating officer. Hunsberger’s previous experience includes several roles at Four Seasons Resorts and Hotels, including global head of product and president of the Americas.

© Appellation

Food and beverage are at the core of Appellation, which will feature elements like lobbies with interactive prep stations, culinary demonstrations, pantries on each guestroom floor and curated cookbook libraries. The hotels will range in size, about 72 to 225 rooms, and all will feature a signature Charlie Palmer restaurant and bar, as well as meeting and event space, pool, spa and fitness centers.

© Appellation

“Appellations were created as a promise of authenticity — an earned designation that could exist nowhere else but here. The first appellations centered on food, just as we do today. That name felt appropriate as we create what we saw lacking for today’s luxury traveler — hotels specifically built around a destination’s distinct culinary experiences,” said Charlie Palmer, chief executive officer. Palmer has received more than 20 Michelin stars and James Beard Foundation accolades.