Media Contact: Fred Tibbitts, Jr.

17 November 2011

 

FRED TIBBITTS & ASSOCIATES TWENTIETH ANNUAL

“A Fall Evening in New York with Very Special Friends”

The MetLife Building in The Vanderbilt Suites

New York City, 15 November 2011

 

New York City – The Twentieth Annual FTA “A Fall Evening in New York with Very Special Friends” at The MetLife Building in The Vanderbilt Suites proved to be another memorable event for the one hundred-ten guests, who included the FTA 2011 North America Award Recipients, hotel and restaurant senior executives, presidents, vice presidents, managing directors, industry VIP’s, industry press and sponsors.

 

All guests were formally announced at the reception by veteran Broadway actor, Osborn Focht, which was trade show style, showcasing the products and services of the sponsors. Phillips Foods featured many of their seafood specialties, while Albert Ulster Imports featured many of their international specialties; FIJI Water offered individual bottles of their water; DonQ Rums prepared their most popular cocktails; the wines of Trinchero Family Estates; Gerard Bertrand; Diego Zamora and Wines of Chile (Los Vascos and Koyie) were poured as well as the craft beers of local favorite, Brooklyn Brewery.  Informative displays with company representatives included Harney & Sons Fine Teas; CLK CLK, Inc.; Dining Alliance; Zieher Germany; Stolzle glassware; Luzerne Chinaware; Agilysys; and Concierge by Foodbuy.

 

The four-course gala dinner brought Fred Tibbitts, Jr., President & CEO of Fred Tibbitts & Associates, Inc. to the podium, who welcomed the guests and within his opening remarks, urged one and all to do more for those less fortunate.  Tibbitts then called for prayers by the Venerable Khenpo Lama Pema Wangdak, who chanted in Tibetan with deep abiding serenity.  Robert Thurman, President, Tibet House US and the Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Studies at Columbia University assisted with an English translation and elaboration on the subtle meanings of the prayer.

 

The eleven Loyalty Toasts with Valdo Rose followed by several of the dinner’s VIP’s, including Cecilia Martinez, Director – New York Office, United Nations Human Settlements Program; Ronald Robinson, Career Development Officer for Senior Officers, United States Department; Denise Coll, President, North America, Starwood Hotels & Resorts; Dick Cattani, CEO, Premier Hospitality Group, Compass N.A.; Max Pine, President, Aries Associates; Nicholas Hadgis, Past President, I-CHRIE & Dean, School of Hospitality Management, Widener University; Grady Colin, Director of Food & Beverage, Hilton Hotel New York; Humphry Rolleston, External Relations Manager, McKinsey & Company; Williamson-Noble, Prudential Douglas Elliman; Richard Xu, Editor-in-Chief, New Western Cuisine (China) Magazine; Jonathan Lek, Managing Director, Luzerne UK Ltd.

 

Tibbitts next asked Cecilia Martinez, Director – New York Office, United Nations Human Settlements

Programme to come forward to be presented with a donation of $500.00 from a portion of the dinner proceeds to benefit UN-HABITAT.

 

Tibbitts then asked the Venerable Khenpo Pema Wangdak, Director of the Vikramasila Foundation and Robert Thurman, President, Tibet House US to both come forward to be presented by Tibbitts with a donation of $500.00 from a portion of the dinner proceeds for the benefit of Khenpo Pema’s work with Tibetan refugee youths in Nepal and India through Tibet House U.S.

The 2011 FTA Hospitality Awards for Excellence were next announced and presented as follows:

 

2011 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as an Operator – Asia Pacific

Andreas Stalder, Senior Vice President, Product & Brand Development – Asia Pacific,

Hyatt International – Asia Pacific

(Previously presented at the 2011 FTA Fall Awards Dinner at Hong Kong)

 

2011 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as an IT Innovator

Presented by Fred Tibbitts, Jr.

President & CEO, Fred Tibbitts & Associates, Inc.

MICROS Systems, Inc.

Accepted by Peter Rogers

Executive Vice President, Officer

Scholarship in the name of Micros Systems, Inc. to benefit

The School of Hospitality Management at Penn State University

Presented by John O’Neil, Director, School of Hospitality Management

at Penn State University

 

2011 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as a Humanitarian

Presented by Fred Tibbitts, Jr.

Accepted by Robert Thurman

President, Tibet House US & Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of

Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies, Columbia University

Scholarship in the name of Thurman to benefit

The Tibetan Children’s Villages School at Dharmasala, India

 

2011 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as an Operator – North America

Presented by Joe McInerney, President & CEO, American Hotel & Lodging Association

Brian Abel

Vice President, Food & Beverage, North America

Starwood Hotels & Resorts

Scholarship in the name of Abel to benefit

The School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University

Presented by Meg Hardie Keilbach, Director of Alumni Affairs &

Development at the School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University

Benefitting Student: Gerard (Jerry) McCall

 

2011 FTA Hospitality Award for Lifetime Excellence

Presented by Joe McInerney

Eric O. Long

General Manager, The Waldorf = Astoria

Scholarship in the name of Long to benefit

The School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University

Presented by Ron Cichy, Director & Professor

The School of Hospitality Business, Michigan State University

Benefiting Student: Jake Dondzila

 

The menu was superbly crafted and the dinner skillfully prepared under the supervision of Director, Executive Chef Franck Deletrain, Patina Restaurant Group.  The First Course was Phillips Crabmeat and Pumpkin Chowder; followed by a Main of Colorado Rack of Lamb, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Sun Chokes, Au Jus; a Cheese Course of Tete de Moine, Raclette and Pierre Robert; and a very special treat for Dessert of Ronnefeldt Earl Grey Infused Crème Caramel, Crisp Tuille, Almond Brittle.

The wines were artfully paired by New York wine educator, Harriet Lembeck, CEO, Wine & Spirits Program, who was called to the podium following the Cheese Course to educate the guests on her wine pairing reasoning as the dinner wound to a close.

To insure the guests an exciting finish, a Lucky Draw was held that gifted the fortunate many with large and limited release bottles of fine wines and specialty releases of craft beer; super premium spirits; specialty teas; limited edition porcelain artwork; limited release wine glassware; silver serving pieces; and two Apple iPod Touch.  And as each guest approached the dining room exit, they were wished a fond farewell by Luzerne with a take-home gift of their beautiful cover plates from the dinner tables.

Fred Tibbitts & Associates is a social entrepreneurship and the leading global wine, spirits and hospitality services consulting agency for National Account chain hotels, restaurants and event management, based at Menands, New York and Bangkok, Thailand.

.

_______________________________________

Download high-resolutions versions of the photos below by
downloading the full set here: 11nyfall_mediapics.zip


Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Undefined constant "username" in /home/fredfol8/public_html/11nyfall/login_lang/en.php:3 Stack trace: #0 /home/fredfol8/public_html/11nyfall/config.php(8): include() #1 /home/fredfol8/public_html/11nyfall/press.php(268): include('/home/fredfol8/...') #2 {main} thrown in /home/fredfol8/public_html/11nyfall/login_lang/en.php on line 3