The Circular

Breakfast reservations are not accepted.
Dinner reservations are accepted by calling 717-534-8800 or online.

The dress code for The Circular is resort casual. Denim and dress shorts are permitted and jackets and ties are optional. Please wear appropriate footwear and be advised that children over the age of 11 must adhere to the dress code.

Please refrain from wearing:

• Hats
• Graphic t-shirts
• Tank tops for gentlemen
• Torn/faded denim

Celebrate elegantly at The Circular, book a unique space for your special event. There are two private dining spaces, the Alcove seats 12 guests and the Wine Room seats 10 guests. Rental is $250 per room.

Inquiries and reservations, please call 717-534-8800.

Private Dining

Milton Hershey was a man of reinvention and ingenuity, whose vision for the future serves as his greatest success and his lasting legacy. In this spirit, The Circular at The Hotel Hershey features the fresh, new flavors of an iconic American dining experience, reimagined.

Executive Chef
Bart Umidi oversees the culinary operation of The Hotel Hershey's entire Forbes Four-Star, AAA Four-Diamond property, including its three full-service restaurants, all-day cafe, lounge, room service, banquet and event space, spa restaurant, and seasonal poolside cafe. No stranger to The Sweetest Place On Earth, Umidi joined The Hotel Hershey culinary team in November 2021 following nine years as Executive Chef at Hershey Lodge.
Umidi brings extensive experience working at AAA Four- and Five-Diamond resorts to his role. Prior to his time in Hershey, he held Executive Chef positions at The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa (Hilton Head Island, S.C.) from 2010 to 2012, The Westin Maui Resort & Spa (Lahaina, Hawaii) from 2003 to 2010, and Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel (Bermuda) from 1999 to 2003. Umidi was educated at The Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park, N.Y.) and earned his degree in 1987. Since then, his more than 30 years of experience also include professional culinary leadership roles at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess (Scottsdale, Ariz.), The Broadmoor (Colorado Springs, Colo.), and The Greenbrier (White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.).
Embracing the regional influences of so many diverse destinations throughout his career has exposed Umidi to different cuisines and enriched his culinary perspective. Umidi looks forward to continuing to share that perspective with our guests in Hershey, PA.

Pastry Chef
Named Pastry Chef in February 2021, Van French oversees a team of dedicated pastry professionals at The Hotel Hershey that provide unique desserts and chocolate creations to hotel outlets, including the award-winning flagship restaurant The Circular. The pastry team's desserts are also featured throughout all banquets spaces, Trevi 5, Harvest and Chef's Market.
Specializing in high-end wedding cakes and gourmet desserts, French brings 30 years of professional culinary arts experience to his role, sharing his passion for form and flavor in everything he creates. Prior to joining The Hotel Hershey team as Assistant Pastry Chef in 2019, French was co-founder and owner of Van Earl's Cakes, a premier cake art and dessert boutique in Bucks County, Pa. After graduating from The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia, he also held culinary positions at resorts and restaurants, including The Ritz-Carlton (Philadelphia, Pa.), The Ritz-Carlton (Key Biscayne, Fla.), Fiorello's Restaurant (New York, N.Y.), Aureole Restaurant (New York, N.Y.) and Trump Taj Mahal (Atlantic City, N.J.).
French's love for cakes, art and design is evident in his work. He is a three-time Food Network competitor, appearing on “Cake Wars” in 2016 as well as “Wedding Cake Championship” and “Holiday Gingerbread Showdown” in 2018. His creative cake designs have also been featured in regional publications, including Philadelphia Wedding magazine, Modern Luxury Weddings Philadelphia magazine, and Philadelphia Style magazine.