Detroit Foundation Hotel offers in-person dining using private suites

DETROIT (FOX 2) - "It is desperate times for the restaurant industry," said Chef Tom Lents.

It is a story all too common with restaurants and 12 more days of no in-person dining due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the Detroit Foundation Hotel, you can get a private dining suite room experience. So with the hotel's hundred rooms at a fraction of its normal capacity and an empty restaurant, they hatched the idea of combining the two? 

"(We said) what if we remove the beds, we put in a table, really make this something where people can come in and have an individual experience that is safe, which is really our primary focus," said Tom Lents, executive chef.

And for a $50 room fee, you can order off the menu which features some gourmet food by Chef Tom - a two-star Michelin chef.  

"This is our bacon-wrapped trout Michigan brook trout stuffed with wild rice, with seasonal brussels sprouts," Chef Tom said, bringing out some menu items. "This is our glazed salmon, with autumn squash underneath, roasted green curry cauliflower grapes and almonds on this, these are my wife's Rebecca's chocolate chip cookies."

But some may be wondering, are they skirting the law?

"Not at all, In fact, it's safer than delivering pizza to your door," said manager Phil Salud, manager, Apparatus Room at the Foundation Hotel.

They only have 10 rooms available and a six-person maximum - and they're only open Thursday through Sunday.

Reservations are a must. To learn more: detroitfoundationhotel.com/apparatus-room/