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Media Contact: Fred Tibbitts, Jr.
10 October 2010
Fred Tibbitts & Associates Tenth Annual
“A Fall Evening at
Hong Kong with Very Special Friends”
Hyatt Regency Hong
Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui
Thursday 7 October 2010
Hong Kong – The Tenth Annual FTA “A Fall Evening at Hong
Kong with Very Special Friends” proved to be another memorable event for the
eighty-six guests, who included hotel and restaurant executives, managing
directors, regional vice presidents, GM’s, industry VIP’s, the entertainment
press and our valued sponsors.
The reception was hosted by Pernod Ricard Hong Kong and
Diageo Hong Kong with a variety of their most popular luxury cocktails, prepared
to perfection by their celebrity mixologists and presented by their stylish
hostesses; Caviar by Caviale provided the finest Caviar for many of the hors
d’ouvres; Ronnefeldt Selected Teas offered delicious iced teas; and Acqua Panna
& S. Pellegrino waters quenched the thirst of most everyone.
All guests were formally announced and chimed by the Hyatt Regency Hong
Kong staff.
The opening of the dinner brought Fred Tibbitts to the
podium, who welcomed the guests and spoke on “Service is the highest calling…”
in these challenging economic times.
Fred then called for the Sixteen Loyalty Toasts by several of the dinner VIP’s,
including Xavier Pech, General Manager, Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui;
Romain Chan, Group General Manager, The Miramar Hotel Group; James Lu, Executive
Director, Hong Kong Hotels Association; Paul Chandler, Director of Food &
Beverage Operations, Hong Kong Disneyland; Andreas Muller, President, The Hong
Kong Chefs Association; Nicholas Seaver, CEO, Phuket International Academy;
Kjell Adstedt, Managing Partner, The Americas, DB&S Capital; Kam-hon Lee,
Professor & Director, School of Hotel & Tourism Management, The Chinese
University of Hong Kong; Christophe Megel, Chief Operating Officer, At-Sunrice
GlobalChef Academy; Tommy Lam, President, Asia Wine Institute; Cathy Hsu,
Professor & Associate Director, School of Hotel & Tourism Management, The Hong
Kong Polytechnic University; A.J. Bellarosa, Partner, International Hospitality
Management and The Culinary Institute of America graduate; Henry Phua, Marketing
Consultant, Caviale Manufaktur; Jenny To, Managing Director, Pernod Ricard Hong
Kong; Xavier Beysecker, Vice President of Marketing, Pernod Ricard Asia; Jon
Good, General Manager, Diageo Hong Kong and Leo Ip, Area Vice President,
Corporate Accounts, Ecolab.
Fred Tibbitts then called forward Xavier Pech, General
Manager, Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui to accept a donation from a
portion of the dinner proceeds on behalf of Madame Annie S.C. Wu for her China
Tibetan Children Health and Education Fund, based at Hong
Kong.
Fred Tibbitts next called forward Nicholas Seaver, CEO,
Phuket International Academy to tell the story of their amazing three centres at
beautiful Phuket, Thailand; their international school, mind sanctuary, and
athletic & sports facilities and club.
Then it was time for centerpiece of the evening: The
presentation 2010 FTA Hospitality Awards for Excellence and the scholarships in
the name of those being recognized.
The 2010 FTA Hospitality Award for Literary Excellence was announced as going to
Richard Xu, Editor-in-Chief, New Western Cuisine (China) Magazine.
Xu took the podium to accept his crystal Award trophy and to express his
sincere appreciation for the recognition, saying that his most gifted and
dedicated team at New Western Cuisine makes possible the excellence that is
every issue of his magazine. Xu was
then presented by A.J. Bellarosa, CIA graduate with a certificate officially
inducting Xu as a Fellow of The Culinary Institute of America.
Xu will be presented with a scholarship certificate in his name in the
amount of $5,000.00 USD for worthy students at The Culinary Institute of America
at the 2010 FTA NYC Fall Awards Dinner on 16 November.
The 2010 FTA Hospitality Awards for Excellence as a
Humanitarian were announced as going to Otto Weibel, Director of Kitchens,
Swissotel the Stamford and
Fairmont
Singapore
and also to Rudolf Muller, Executive Chef, Hong Kong Disneyland.
Weibel was the first to take the podium to accept his crystal Award
trophy and to express his gratitude for the recognition, looking back over his
career of serving the culinary community and making a difference in the lives of
many young culinarians. Weibel was
then presented by Christophe Megel, CEO, At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy
with a scholarship certificate in his name for $5,000.00 USD to benefit worthy
students at the At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy
at Singapore.
He was followed by Rudolf Muller taking the podium to accept his crystal
Award trophy and to express his gratitude on being recognized, saying that
dedicating his life to serving the culinary community and especially the young
apprentices has been an honor.
Muller was then presented by Christophe Megel, CEO, At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy
with a scholarship certificate in his name for $5,000.00 USD to benefit worthy
students at the At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy
at Singapore.
Megel then told the assembled dinner guests of the important work being
accomplished at his school to teach and train the next generation of young
culinarians and the importance of these scholarships to the success of their
mission at Singapore.
The 2010 Hospitality Award for Excellence as an
Operator-Asia Pacific was announced as going to Martin Rinck, President – Asia
Pacific, Hilton Worldwide. Rinck
took the podium to accept his crystal Award trophy and to express his deep
appreciation for the honor; that he was proud to be an industry leader making a
difference for the thousands of hard-working Hilton associates and the thirty
thousand more over the coming years who will join their team as Hilton expands
in Greater China. Rinck was then
presented by Kam-hon Lee, Professor & Director, School of Hotel & Tourism
Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
with a scholarship in his name for $5,000.00 USD. Professor Lee then called to
the stage the two Chinese University of Hong Kong students who will be
benefitting from the scholarship, Dan-dan Gui and Dominic Lalk, each of whom
addressed the dinner guests, telling of their love of the hospitality industry
and saying that without the scholarship proceeds, they would not otherwise be
able to complete their education.
As the dinner drew to a close, Tibbitts called Xavier Pech,
General Manager, Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui to the podium to “Summon
the Brigade”. Pech brought to the
stage twenty-five of the kitchen and banquet service staff that prepared and
served the dinner for a well-deserved standing ovation, including Hyatt Regency
Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui Executive Chef Michael Donleavy and Banquet Service
Manager, Samuel Wong.
The dinner menu, which was paired with the FTA dinner’s
thirteen wines from around the world, opened with “Phillips Lump Crab Meat
Tartlet with Basil; followed by Grilled US Sirloin, Crepes and Spinach; then a
selection of Cantal de Salers, Cheddar and Comte cheeses; the dessert was Orange
Chocolate Terrine, Ronnefeldt Earl Grey Tea Macaroon and Earl Grey Tea Ice Cream
with several flavors of Michael’s Cookies. The Glenlivet 18 Year Old was served
after the dessert wine. As with the
reception that preceded the dinner, the guests enjoyed their choice of Acqua
Panna and S. Pellegrino waters all evening long.
Fred Tibbitts & Associates is the leading global wine &
spirits and foodservice products and services consulting agency for National
Account chain hotels & restaurants with offices at Menands, New York for the
United States and Bangkok,
Thailand
for Asia Pacific.
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