{"id":107161,"date":"2026-05-08T10:28:43","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T14:28:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/?p=107161"},"modified":"2026-05-08T11:26:46","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T15:26:46","slug":"prodigal-son","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2026\/05\/prodigal-son\/","title":{"rendered":"Prodigal Son"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\">[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20260509-prodigal-son\/laurent-lead.jpg\" alt=\"Laurent\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" \/><\/p>\n<h4>Tablet&#8217;s co-founder and former CEO is back to talk about wine, his worst hotel stay, where \u201cTablet\u201d came from, what he couldn&#8217;t say when he was in charge, and what he\u2019s been up to since he left.<\/h4>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator style=&#8221;dashed&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/12&#8243;]<aside class=\"gap cf\" style=\"height:10px;\"><\/aside><a class=\"image_link\" href=\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/author\/markfedeli\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"198\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/mark-small-circle-2.png\" class=\"thb_image  left  retina_size attachment-full\" alt=\"\" title=\"mark small circle\" \/><\/a><aside class=\"gap cf\" style=\"height:10px;\"><\/aside>[\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;11\/12&#8243;]<aside class=\"gap cf\" style=\"height:10px;\"><\/aside>[vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1720455088433{background-color: #ffffff !important;}&#8221;]\n<p style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><strong>By <a href=\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/author\/markfedeli\/\">Mark Fedeli<\/a><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Director of Marketing &#038; Editorial, Tablet Hotels<\/em><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text]<aside class=\"gap cf\" style=\"height:10px;\"><\/aside>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator style=&#8221;dashed&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;]<aside class=\"gap cf\" style=\"height:40px;\"><\/aside>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]\n<p style=\"color: #6f4685;\"><em>Tablet fans can enjoy a special offer from <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mva.wine\/landing\/tablet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MVA.wine<\/a>, Laurent\u2019s new wine club and subscription service. <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mva.wine\/landing\/tablet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Click here for $50 off<\/a> your first collection of six bottles.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The end of 2020 was the end of Laurent Vernhes\u2019 time at Tablet. He\u2019d co-founded the company 20 years earlier, and after guiding it through a pandemic that decimated the travel industry, he knew it was time to take a break. He toyed with the idea of moving to a remote location \u2014 maybe the wilds of Big Sur or maybe somewhere far more difficult to reach \u2014 before realizing that what he really needed was a new challenge. <\/p>\n<p>That new challenge is <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mva.wine\/landing\/tablet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MVA.wine<\/a>, for which Laurent took the skill that made Tablet so successful, curation, and applied it to another of his passions: wine. In simple terms, MVA.wine is a wine club and subscription service that features small-batch cuv\u00e9es from independent, artisanal winemakers. Each MVA bottle has survived a rigorous blind tasting by Laurent and his team of experts.<\/p>\n<p>Five years after he exited our offices for the final time, we thought we\u2019d bring him back for a discussion about wine, hotels, and hangovers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>So, where the hell have you been?<\/strong><br \/>\nHa! I still live in New York, still deepening my connection with the city, still playing in my punk rock dads\u2019 band. But I\u2019ve been spending a lot more time in Val d\u2019Orcia, a gorgeous corner of Tuscany. I bought a farmhouse there that actually used to be a beloved Tablet hotel. Now it\u2019s Maison Vernhes, the home of MVA.wine and where we conduct our blind tastings.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 970px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20260509-prodigal-son\/mv-farmhouse-1.jpg\" alt=\"The Maker Hotel\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Maison Vernhes in Val d\u2019Orcia, Tuscany<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>If it\u2019s anything like your relationship with hotels, I assume you have strong thoughts about wine?<\/strong><br \/>\nCorrect. A vast majority of what\u2019s on the shelves is not an honest representation of the grapes that are harvested. That\u2019s a shame. A lot of additives are being used to correct the \u201cflaws\u201d of the grapes because of shortcuts taken in the vineyard, or to match the perceived taste profile of a given region. There\u2019s no reason why any two wines should taste more or less the same. MVA is a way to navigate past that \u201cindustrial\u201d side of the wine industry.<br \/>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cNo need to add a layer of lecturing. I think men are more guilty of that than women. It seems easier for women to simply trust their own taste.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<br \/>\n<strong>Does that mean most of the wines you select are organic?<\/strong><br \/>\nTaste is the only thing that matters. In fact, I try to avoid using terms like \u201corganic,\u201d \u201cbiodynamic,\u201d or \u201cnatural.\u201d Those labels are not always indicative of taste. That said, all the wines we pick fall into at least one of those categories.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How would you like people to think differently about wine?<\/strong><br \/>\nI wish people who enjoy wine would refrain from making it a status thing. Gratitude from others for introducing them to a great wine should be enough reward. No need to add a layer of lecturing. I think men are more guilty of that than women. It seems easier for women to simply trust their own taste.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 970px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20260509-prodigal-son\/lvj-wine-two.jpg\" alt=\"wine\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>The man in his element<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Is that part of MVA&#8217;s mission?<\/strong><br \/>\nAbsolutely. Wine is meant to be shared, and good wine doesn\u2019t have to be expensive. The core mission of MVA.wine is to create affordable conditions for curious people to come together and discover themselves through curated wine experiences. It\u2019s not much different from Tablet, which I always viewed as not just a website, but a community of connoisseurs who believe travel should be a shared cultural experience.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You always used to talk about the importance of meeting strangers.<\/strong><br \/>\nI wanted to do something with Tablet where we created situations that brought members together while traveling. We didn&#8217;t quite get there during my time, but it looks like <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/tablet-trips?noapp=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tablet Trips<\/a> will be a great opportunity to meet people with similar tastes. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Maybe we&#8217;ll do a Tablet Trip where people can meet <em>you<\/em>?<\/strong><br \/>\nA Tuscan wine adventure with some time at Maison Vernhes. I like it.<br \/>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cIt was mid-August and it was hot and the hotel was so bad we didn\u2019t sleep. That\u2019s the most I\u2019ve ever looked forward to a super-early flight.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<br \/>\n<strong>This is where I plug your MVA offer for Tablet fans\u2026<\/strong><br \/>\nThank you! Yes, the first 50 Tablet fans to sign up are welcome to enjoy $50 off their first collection of six bottles from MVA.wine. (<a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mva.wine\/landing\/tablet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Click here to activate the offer<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>On to hotels. You\u2019ve stayed in enough of them to fill a few lifetimes. What are your most lasting memories, good and bad?<\/strong><br \/>\nThe good: <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/naoshima-hotels\/benesse-house\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Benesse House<\/a> in Naoshima, Japan. Specifically, the oval building that was designed by Tadao Ando, on top of the hill. I woke up at 4am to watch the sunrise through floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the Inland Sea.<\/p>\n<p>The bad: Ibis Budget at Orly airport. I always made sure to mix up hotels so my kids wouldn\u2019t become entitled. But it was mid-August and it was hot and the hotel was so bad we didn\u2019t sleep. That\u2019s the most I\u2019ve ever looked forward to a super-early flight.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 970px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/naoshima-hotels\/benesse-house\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20260509-prodigal-son\/benesse.jpg\" alt=\"Benesse House\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Benesse House in Japan \u2014 one of Laurent&#8217;s all-time favorite hotel experiences<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Of all the hotels you added to the Tablet selection over the years, which ones epitomized what you were looking for?<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen I used to live in Asia (last century) and the first Aman resorts were more affordable, they were amongst the hotels that inspired me to start Tablet. Later, when Tablet was up and running in the aughts, Claska in Tokyo pioneered what has since become a trend: a hotel in a multipurpose building where guests mingle with creative locals and there are regular events to attend. It was the coolest hotel in the world for a while.<br \/>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cWith very few exceptions, the top 3 hotels in any major city are not part of chains.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<br \/>\n<strong>Is there something you couldn&#8217;t say while you were the CEO of Tablet that you&#8217;d like to say now?<\/strong><br \/>\nThere have been plenty of big luxury chain hotels in the Tablet selection. They can easily attract star creative talent, and sometimes that works out wonderfully. But with very few exceptions, the top 3 hotels in any major city are not part of chains. Independent hotels aren\u2019t all great, but they do have an individual point-of-view and a connection with their location that no multinational chain hotel can match.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You can be more controversial. We\u2019ll print it.<\/strong><br \/>\nAlright, then. I think hotel pricing is out of control. Listen, hotels love Tablet guests, so we\u2019ve always been able to secure <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/hotels-on-sale?noapp=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a lot of exclusively low rates<\/a>. I\u2019m grateful for that. But generally, I think travelers should favor hotels that maintain consistent prices across all booking platforms. It&#8217;s a reliable sign that they&#8217;re focused on their product and services rather than contributing to the prevailing price confusion \u2014 which is time-consuming for everyone, the hotels included. <\/p>\n<p>And then the guest is free to simply choose the booking and customer service experience they like best. Which, hopefully, is Tablet.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 970px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20260509-prodigal-son\/claska.jpg\" alt=\"Claska\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>A groundbreaking boutique hotel that is sorely missed: Claska in Tokyo<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>As a segue back to wine, what are your five favorite Tablet hotels in wine regions?<\/strong><br \/>\nThis is so hard. There are so many. These immediately come to mind:<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/Esvres-sur-Indre-hotels\/loire-valley-lodges\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Loire Valley Lodges<\/a> in Loire Valley, France<br \/>\n\u2014 <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/franschhoek-hotels\/akademie-street\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Akademie Street<\/a> in Franschhoek, South Africa<br \/>\n\u2014 <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/santorini-hotels\/mystique-a-luxury-collection-hotel-santorini\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mystique<\/a> in Santorini, Greece (famous for its Assyrtiko grapes)<br \/>\n\u2014 <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/lisciano-niccone-hotels\/reschio-hotel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Reschio Hotel<\/a> in Umbria, Italy<br \/>\n\u2014 <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/elciego-hotels\/hotel-marques-de-riscal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Marques de Riscal<\/a> in Rioja, Spain<\/p>\n<p><strong>How about three of your favorite winemakers?<\/strong><br \/>\nAnother impossible challenge. There are a few wineries that have had more than one wine picked for MVA collections. Pretty much everything they produce is exceptional:<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mva.wine\/wine\/centauree-2022\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Christophe Bousquet<\/a><br \/>\n\u2014 <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mva.wine\/wine\/malvazija-2020\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sandra &#038; Matej Bizjak (SANTEI)<\/a><br \/>\n\u2014 <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mva.wine\/wine\/loriginal-2022\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pierre Talayrach<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/Esvres-sur-Indre-hotels\/loire-valley-lodges\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20260509-prodigal-son\/loire-1.jpg\" alt=\"Loire Valley Lodge\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/franschhoek-hotels\/akademie-street\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20260509-prodigal-son\/akademie.jpg\" alt=\"Akademie Street\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 970px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/lisciano-niccone-hotels\/reschio-hotel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20260509-prodigal-son\/castello-reschio-1.jpg\" alt=\"Reschio Hotel\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>From top to bottom: Loire Valley Lodges, Akademie Street, Reschio Hotel<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>What separates MVA.wine from other wine clubs and subscription boxes?<\/strong><br \/>\nThe existing wine clubs are either dependent on commercial relationships with importers or they\u2019re importers themselves. Neither is great for variety or objectivity. We have the ability to import wines directly from any producer that survives our blind tasting in Tuscany. But while our scouting universe is unlimited, these are artisanal wines, so our supply is limited. That&#8217;s why MVA.wine is capped at 600 members.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do members get an invite to Tuscany?<\/strong><br \/>\nMaybe! Members are invited to participate in the scouting and the selection process. If a member recommends a wine that makes it into a collection, they\u2019ll be invited to a tasting. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Any tips for how to pick a great wine at the store?<\/strong><br \/>\nYour best chance is a relationship with an owner whose taste you can trust. I don&#8217;t know any shortcut, just people. I can tell you what not to pick: the commercial brands \u2014 they&#8217;re literally industrial products. The only certainty is that you&#8217;re not going to be enchanted, you&#8217;re just capping your upside. A wine store has a commercial obligation to carry some of them. MVA doesn\u2019t. <\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 970px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20260509-prodigal-son\/lvj-var-wines.jpg\" alt=\"MVA Wines\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>A couple of recent collections \u2014 \u201cLift Off\u201d and \u201cGolden Hour\u201d \u2014 from MVA.wine<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Any tips for how not to get too drunk or hungover when drinking wine? Asking for a friend.<\/strong><br \/>\nGreat question. For me, it comes down to this:<\/p>\n<p>1. Do not drink wine you don&#8217;t actually like, or at least stop after the first glass if you&#8217;re a guest. Trust your taste to keep you safe!<br \/>\n2. Avoid overly oaky wines. Not only does it mask the quality of the grapes, but it also signals heavy intervention.<\/p>\n<p>The FDA should force labels to indicate everything that goes into the process, from synthetic pesticides to phosphates, enzymes, acidity adjustments, aromatic yeasts, etc. You\u2019d then know that one of these causes your headache. Ironically, the only thing mentioned on the label is sulfites, which occur naturally during winemaking. Although, some vineyards add too much, so knowing the amount would be helpful.<br \/>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThere\u2019s no need to romanticize handpicked grapes.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<br \/>\n<strong>\u201cOaky\u201d reminds me of a unique question in the FAQ on your site.<\/strong><br \/>\nYes! \u201cI love big cabs and oaky chardonnays. Will you send me some?\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Exactly. And the answer is essentially \u201cno.\u201d<\/strong><br \/>\nBasically. Oak isn\u2019t all bad. If you can distinctly taste it, though, it\u2019s a problem.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 970px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20260509-prodigal-son\/tasting-1.jpg\" alt=\"Tasting wines\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>More members of the MVA team, on the ground in Tuscany<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>To wrap things up, what are some common misconceptions about wine?<\/strong><br \/>\nI could go on and on. I\u2019ll start with cheese and red wine. Most cheeses pair better with white wines. Aged cheeses and blue cheeses pair better with sweet wines. <\/p>\n<p>Another is that the &#8220;Appellation&#8221; is no guarantee of quality. It really comes down to individual vineyards. Many wines from well-known appellations have become so market-driven and interventionist that little of the terroir&#8217;s originality remains.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s one you might not expect from me: there\u2019s no need to romanticize handpicked grapes. When the time is right, harvest must happen fast. Whether mechanical or by hand, the key is having experts sort the grapes when they reach the cellar. The right thing to romanticize is the year-round work in the vineyard to grow healthy, ripe grapes. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Final question: what\u2019s the real story behind the name Tablet Hotels?<\/strong><br \/>\nMichael (the other co-founder) and I had our backs against the wall to decide on a name for the company to register it. The lawyer essentially told us to stop wasting his time. We didn&#8217;t want anything descriptive. We both agreed that the substance of what a brand does is what gives meaning to its name. So, we pulled a page from a magazine and committed that the name would be a word found on that page. We each independently picked a few words, and we both had &#8220;Tablet.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #6f4685;\"><em>Tablet fans are welcome to enjoy a special offer from <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mva.wine\/landing\/tablet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MVA.wine<\/a>, Laurent\u2019s new wine club and subscription service. <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mva.wine\/landing\/tablet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Click here for $50 off<\/a> your first collection of six bottles.<\/em><\/p>\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;]<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"thb_image  left  retina_size \" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/mark-200x250.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"250\" alt=\"mark\" title=\"mark\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><aside class=\"gap cf\" style=\"height:20px;\"><\/aside>[\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;5\/6&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1676124357965{background-color: #ffffff !important;}&#8221;]Mark Fedeli is the marketing and editorial director for Tablet Hotels. He&#8217;s been with the company since 2006, and thinks you should <a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/cb.tablethotels.com\/join\/magazine-signup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">subscribe to our newsletter<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tablet&#8217;s co-founder and former CEO is back to talk about wine, his worst hotel stay, where \u201cTablet\u201d came from, what he couldn&#8217;t say when he was in charge, and what he\u2019s been up to since he left.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":107237,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3612],"tags":[3600,3684,3616,3429,3113,3802],"thb-sponsors":[],"class_list":["post-107161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tablet-talk","tag-food-drink","tag-tablet-ceo","tag-tablet-talk","tag-tuscany","tag-wine","tag-wine-hotels"],"acf":{"new_subtitle":"An Interview With Laurent Vernhes","property_id":null},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>An Interview With Laurent Vernhes \u2014 by Tablet Hotels<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2026\/05\/prodigal-son\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"An Interview With Laurent Vernhes \u2014 by Tablet Hotels\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Tablet&#039;s co-founder and former CEO is back to talk about wine, his worst hotel stay, where \u201cTablet\u201d came from, what he couldn&#039;t say when he was in charge, and what he\u2019s been up to since he left.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2026\/05\/prodigal-son\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Tablet Hotels | The Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tablethotels\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-08T14:28:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-08T15:26:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/featured-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1100\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1100\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mark Fedeli\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@tablethotels\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@tablethotels\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mark Fedeli\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2026\/05\/prodigal-son\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2026\/05\/prodigal-son\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Mark Fedeli\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/2b8c98ec08b02707555e08f9eb5b4343\"},\"headline\":\"Prodigal Son\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-08T14:28:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-08T15:26:46+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2026\/05\/prodigal-son\/\"},\"wordCount\":2325,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2026\/05\/prodigal-son\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/featured-1.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Food &amp; 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