Airport Experience® News - Food & Beverage Issue 2026

ADVERTORIAL

Airport dining has entered a period where operational excellence and hospitality are no longer competing priorities. The strongest programs combine both while giving travelers meaningful choices that reflect the communities they’re visiting. For Leigh Allan, Senior Vice President of Dining at Paradies Lagardère , that future is driven by partnerships, disciplined execution and investment in people—

Investing in the Next Chapter of Airport Dining

principles that helped earn the company AXN’s 2026 Best Overall Restaurateur and contributed to SF Eats Food Hall in San Francisco International Airport being named Airport Food Hall of the Year at the 2026 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Conference and Awards. To Allan, the recognition is validation rather than a finish line. “Our business has always been about hospitality first,” he says. “Concepts, technology and trends all matter, but they only succeed when you have the right people bringing them to life every day.” That philosophy guides the Dining Division as it expands its leadership team, evolves its concept strategy and strengthens relationships with industry brands.

Building a Team for What’s Next As airport food and beverage programs grow more sophisticated, the demands on operators have expanded. Delivering consistency across multiple airports, meeting rising guest expectations and managing complex operations require specialized leadership. Recent additions Annabelle Richalet, Director of Training, and Chef Richard Wiggins, Senior Director of Culinary, underscore that commitment. Richalet brings two decades of international hospitality experience centered on leadership development and scalable training, while Wiggins adds 25 years of culinary expertise across hotels, restaurants and luxury dining, along with a reputation for building strong, guest-focused teams and programs.

“Exceptional guest experiences don’t happen by accident. They come from disciplined training, strong culinary leadership and teams that understand both hospitality and the unique demands of operating inside an airport.” – Leigh Allan