W Shanghai – The Bund The other day I mentioned to Jerry J. John, Area General Manager of W Shanghai – The Bund if he liked the idea of interviewing his chefs, as many readers would love to read more about W, more about the chefs. Jerry quickly recommended his Read more…
“As the General Manager of the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund, I oversee various aspects of hotel operations to ensure an exceptional experience for our guests.” Waldorf Astoria The last time I interviewed Brian was over 5 years ago when he was the General Manager of Waldorf Astoria Beijing. Read more…
The Interview Kicking off the New Year with my first GM interview, featuring Kevin Cheah, General Manager of Iconic Marjorie Hotel, Penang, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel. 1. What do you do at Iconic Marjorie Hotel? I am the General Manager. 2. Tell us about your journey, how did it all Read more…
Four Seasons Hotel Suzhou General Manager German-born hotel executive Michael Branham has been with the Four Seasons since 1997 and held management positions all around the region including Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and Thailand and China. His first Four Seasons assignment was Director of Food and Beverage at the Four Seasons Read more…
At the Fairmont Beijing Englishman Carl Duggan has been with Fairmont Beijing since December 2023. Carl first ventured into Hong Kong’s hospitality scene in 1991, progressed through F&B management in different hotels later in mainland China and Singapore, and in 2014 advanced to his inaugural General Manager role at Centara Read more…
The Interview While on a trip in Beijing, I took the opportunity to interview Mr. Orona. I thanked him for his time. What do you do at the Ritz-Carlton, Beijing? I am the hotel general manager since 2021. I came from a restaurant family in Mexico. My mother was the Read more…
The Sanchaya is located on Indonesia’s Bintan Island, a 50-minute ferry ride from Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. The taxi ride from the ferry terminal to Changi Airport takes no longer than 15 minutes. Bintan is also easily accessible from Jakarta by plane. The immigration and customs clearance from Singapore’s Read more…
The Interview Growing up on the south side of Berlin in Germany Stephan went through an apprenticeship to become a Chef. At 19 years old he began his career working abroad. A highflyer he moved into management when he was 24. Promotion followed swiftly to Assistant Director of Food and Read more…
Regent Hong Kong Executive Pastry Chef Andy Yeung, a skilled craftsman of exquisite confections with modern flair and creativity, has refined his craft, working up the ranks in the pastry kitchens at the Excelsior Hotel, Venetian Macau and Marriott Hotels in Hong Kong (JW Marriott, Sheraton and St. Regis). His Read more…
“Being part of Marriott enables me to drive excellence in service, create memorable experiences for guests, and contribute to a brand that sets the standard for luxury and hospitality around the world, all while championing the well-being of our associates.” Vana Belle, A Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui General Manager Read more…
“What we created at Rissai Valley, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve is truly a new level of hospitality in China and will help others to pursue higher standards in luxury and guest experience.” Rissai Valley, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve Luxury hotel group Ritz-Carlton unveiled Rissai Valley, their first Reserve in China, in June Read more…
“I’m very friendly and motivated. I believe in creating a happy environment where Team Members can envision spending a life in the business.” Hilton Sofia General Manager In 2018 I had a business trip in Beijing where I met Boni Mansi who was then the hotel general manager of Hilton Read more…
“Training colleagues is at the base of retention, it gives staff a sense of being valued and looked after, that is key to retention.” Interviewing Regent Shanghai Pudong General Manager Swiss hotelier Michael Gnaegi, Regent’s general manager is a graduate of École Hôtelière de Lausanne, the prestigious hotel school in Read more…
“I am thrilled by my team’s passion to bring the Regent back to Hong Kong. I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead this iconic hotel and contribute to the vibrant hospitality landscape in Hong Kong. It’s a privilege I don’t take lightly.” Regent Hong Kong Michel Chertouh, an accomplished and Read more…
“I would advise youngsters joining the field to develop good communication skills because hospitality is a people industry. Also, have positive mindset and always be customer-centric..” The Langham, Shanghai, Xintiandi Mark Wouters has been Managing Director of The Langham, Shanghai, Xintiandi, since November 2022. The hotel is the flagship Langham Read more…
“..We’re seeing a surge in visitors from Taipei and Taichung city, Taiwan, as well as from Poland, Czech Republic, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Shanghai, China. “ JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay general manager John Woolley has been appointed general manger JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay in October 2023. A Read more…
“..We have a lot of very interesting offers at the hotel because Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh is one of the greatest hotels in the area and is situated right in the middle of the city.” Hyatt is blazed new ground in Southeast Asia with the opening of Hyatt Regency Phnom Read more…
“.. I had the privilege of working with some incredible leaders who not only supported me but also had faith in my abilities and helped me advance in my career. Now it is my turn to mentor and give back to the team who is working with me. “ Le Read more…
“As with any GM, the goal is always to continue to grow the business, despite the challenges and competition, while ensuring that W Shanghai remains the go-to place for new and exciting experiences.” Meet Jerry John, the general manger of W Shanghai – The Bund. Jerry hails from Melbourne, Australia, Read more…
“Other than popular scenic spots in Shanghai, I would recommend our guests to visit nearby cities like Suzhou, Hangzhou and Nanjing.” InterContinental Shanghai Pudong general manager Roy was appointed General Manager of InterContinental Shanghai Pudong in November last year. The esteemed hotel is IHG Hotels & Resorts’ first luxury brand Read more…
“My philosophy on food is pretty simple: ‘You have to make the food tasty before making it pretty’.” Apurva Kempinski Bali Executive Chef Chef Yoann has now been in Asia for 20 years. He was used to the ingredients which he accessed to while working in Europe, but his own Read more…
“在我上大学选专业的年代，酒店旅游是一个非常热门的行业，前景非常的广阔。当时的想法很简单，从事这个行业就可以有机会出去玩，住好的酒店。” Unbound Collection by Hyatt general manager 李皓 （Howard Li）历任国际酒店集团要职，曾任职万豪，洲际，凯悦，在酒店业至今累计超过15年经验，备受赏识。2021年从天津凯悦酒店，调任江西景德镇凯悦臻选和凯悦嘉轩 （Unbound Collection by Hyatt and Hyatt Place） 双品牌陶溪川酒店。我最近走访一趟 Howard, 了解他的最新大计。 答：我在酒店担任总经理一职。 答：我于2021年初在凯悦集团内部调任至江西景德镇，负责凯悦臻选和凯悦嘉轩双品牌酒店项目，从酒店筹备开业一直工作至今。 答：在我上大学选专业的年代，酒店旅游是一个非常热门的行业，前景非常的广阔。当时的想法很简单，从事这个行业就可以有机会出去玩，住好的酒店。 答：工程部助理秘书。当时我所在的一家国际酒店进行工程改造，我有机会参与其中。 答 ：酒店是一个为人们创造快乐的行业。客人吃好，住好，玩好就是我们工作的成功。 答：我毕业于苏格兰历史最悠久的大学——圣安德鲁斯大学并获得了市场学硕士学位。拥有超过15年的酒店管理及市场营销工作经验。工作轨迹遍布国内和国际主要的城市，包括伦敦，上海，天津等。 答：首先景德镇这个城市吸引了我，这座城市有着非常丰厚的历史文化底蕴，而且陶溪川酒店（凯悦臻选品牌）是凯悦集团在中国的第七家凯悦臻选酒店。也是一家非常有特色的酒店。从他的设计师就注定了这家酒店的与众不同。 酒店是由英国建筑设计师戴卫奇普菲尔德和他的团队进行的建筑设计。他也在2023年获得了建筑界的最高奖项——普利兹克奖。酒店极具特色和标识度的外观吸引了众多客人前来打卡体验。 同时我们酒店坐落在千年瓷都-景德镇这一座拥有丰富悠久陶瓷历史的城市里。建筑本身的特色和所在地文化的完美融合，使得这家酒店给客人留下非常深刻的第一印象。 酒店很多的细节也都体现了陶瓷的文化和艺术，比如说酒店大堂入口处如同烧制瓷器窑炉的设计，以青花瓷的蓝色而命名的钴蓝餐厅，酒店大堂红砖的装饰设计灵感也来自于景德镇最具特色的窑炉和窑厂。 8. 你将在这家酒店中尝试完成什么？ 在这家酒店我们尝试将为每一位住店提供一个丰富的入住体验。客人在入住酒店的同时，能够获得艺术的感染。比如我们和陶瓷艺术大师合作的艺术长廊展览，每月一次和青年陶艺师的艺术对话沙龙，每个季度的艺术市集，都是将艺术体验引入到酒店的公共空间，让客人足不出户，就可以和艺术近距离接触。 9. 你接待的是哪一类房客？休闲、商务、家庭？ 答：我们酒店吸引了很多对艺术向往以及对美好事物有鉴赏能力的年轻客户群体，越来越多以休闲旅行，亲子度假为目的的客人到酒店体验入住。 10. 你会向酒店客人推荐哪些景点？ 答：我们酒店一街之隔的陶溪川文创街区，御窑厂历史文化旅游区，三宝国际瓷谷。 11. 你酒店的USP（独特销售主张）是什么？酒店如何在这个竞争激烈的市场中定位自己？ 答：我们在服务细节创新方面注重突出本地化特色。比如每个周末我们会为客人安排免费参观和讲解服务，员工带客人参观讲解酒店的建筑设计，夜游与酒店一路之隔的陶溪川文化创意园区。我们也定期举办特色陶瓷艺术下午茶，客人可以享用五星级酒店下午茶的同时，体验陶瓷绘画艺术。 酒店还为客人制作了艺术指南，将景德镇最新的活动推荐给客人，让客人到景德镇有不同去处选择，还会定期推出艺术长廊展和艺术集市等活动，让到店可客人可以在到店体验一段不可描述的艺术之旅。 12. 你能告诉我们酒店最近推出的一些新举措吗？ 答：我们每个月都会举办的艺术周末活动，我们定期邀请本地不同的艺术家举办沙龙来畅谈陶瓷艺术，同时也会邀请住店客人参加。通过打造成一个开放式的沙龙，让更多人走进陶艺家的生活和创作。 我们还将酒店的一处公共空间与本地陶瓷艺术馆合作，打造一个艺术长廊，供客人参观和欣赏。我们希望客人在酒店享受五星级的产品和服务的同时，有更加丰富难忘的艺术享受。 13. Read more…
“I hold no credence in the notion of a ‘difficult customer.’ More often than not, it entails attentive listening and a deeper comprehension of their desires and concerns..” InterContinental Singapore general manager Since June 2020 Andreas has been with InterContinental Singapore, the flagship hotel of IHG Hotels & Resorts in Read more…
“To work in this industry and be successful is all about caring for those people whom you come into contact with and serving their needs whatever that may be. “ Grand Hyatt Shanghai general manager Alex Willats is General Manager of the Grand Hyatt Shanghai, responsible for the hotel’s day-to-day Read more…
“You are only as good as your last service, which instills in me a constant drive for improvement to make it even better the next time. “ Andaz Singapore F&B Director Moritz Kam is the new Director of Food and Beverage at Andaz Singapore. He brings a wealth of knowledge Read more…
“I like people, and I like different cultures. Combined with the opportunity to manage a hotel with its challenges and opportunities, it was always a clear goal of mine.” Hotel Éclat Beijing general manager Recently I met Swiss hotelier Danny Luetzel for an interview at Hotel Éclat Beijing, the renowned Read more…
“..those guests to-date have become loyal fans who would follow me wherever I work. They know they will be in good hands.” Mandala Group Managing Director Indonesia Jack, Mandala’s chief in Indonesia. I met Jack 6 years ago at the time he was general manager of the beautiful Alila Anji Read more…
“Serve the right food to the customer with a heart.” InterContinental Century City Chengdu Exec Chef Meet the InterContinental chef. A lot of readers are interested to know the job of a hotel executive chef, what they do, what they think, and how the heck they can make so delicious Read more…
“Hospitality is about people and communication. I enjoy meeting and communicating with people from different backgrounds in different places every day.” Radisson Collection Yangtze Shanghai general manager Last week I had an interview with Mr. Magdy Halim, general manager of the famed Radisson Collection Hotel, Yangtze Shanghai. Magdy has 27 Read more…
“..Our industry is very diverse and can offer various career paths for everyone. Take the time to experiment as much as possible early on; all those experiences will contribute to build you stronger..” Le Meridien Hong Kong general manager Four years ago I had this trip back to Hong Kong Read more…
“From the beginning, I envisaged Mondrian as the beating heart of this extraordinary city and the new home of art-forward cool, a catalyst to forge connections with like-minded people. “ Accor and Ennismore’s Mondrian brand debuted in Singapore this March with the opening of Mondrian Singapore Duxton. Recently I had an Read more…
“I am always happy to receive reviews as it affirms if how you feel about your hotel is true… or not. “ Recently I had a trip to Hunan Province in the middle of China. I made an interview with the Swiss hotelier Aref Sayegh at the InterContinental Changsha. Aref Read more…
”一位常居海外的女士品尝过我的菜式后，想起小时候她爸爸做那道菜的味道，想起儿时家的温暖。“ InterContinental Century City Chengdu Exec Chef Chinese 许多读者都有兴趣了解酒店行政总厨的工作，他们做什么，他们想什么，以及他们到底是如何做出如此美味的菜肴。 有一天，我请教 InterContinental 洲际酒店集团成都及重庆地区，区域总经理，成都世纪城天堂洲际大饭店总经理金金先生，他就提名了他两位非常能干的总厨，Chew Chen Shiong 和 Steven Wong 分别接受我采访。 以下为 Chef Steven 访问内容。 行政总厨—中餐 1998年我在香港“利苑”入行当厨师，至今有近25年奢华酒店从业经验，精通粤菜，擅长传统中式烹饪结合意境创意表达。2011年到内地发展至今。 我接受过专业技能及食品卫生安全的培训，印象最深刻的是参与2019年世界中餐名厨委员会举办的艺技能提升高级研修班，并取得证书。 我是炉头出身，负责所有菜品的直接烹制，根据炒炉人员的多少，站第一炒炉的叫头灶。我经常和我的团队说，炉头就好比是厨房里的守门员，作为最后一道防线，严格把控出品质量。 严格筛选食材状态，在新鲜的的基础上发挥出原有的味道；同时与不同的元素搭配融合, 产出不同的风味特色。 将所有厨师凝聚在一起，将标准和技艺发挥出来。 保持良好的心态，与时俱进，尊重同行，永远保持一个学习的心态看待这个行业。 一位常居海外的女士品尝过我的菜式后，想起小时候她爸爸做那道菜的味道，想起儿时家的温暖。 10. 当你雇用新员工时，你着重潜在员工的什么？ 是否对厨师这个行业有兴趣。 11. 你的管理风格是怎样的？ 尊重每位同事对菜品的理解和意见。工作中保持严谨作风，对于标准不妥协。和团队在面对困难时站在一起。抱开放豁达的学习心态。 12. 作为一名厨师，你最喜欢的部分是什么？ 客人对菜品的喜爱以及满足。 13. 不喜欢的部分是？ 厨师对食材不尊重；客人对于我们的不理解。 14. 五年后的你会是怎样？ 我希望得到更多同行的认可；希望能够代表粤菜获得更多的荣誉；我的师傅能看到我有更强大的团队；消费者对粤菜理解更多，更期待我们有新菜品能够流传。 15. 你如何让自己跟上烹饪潮流？ 通过主流社交媒体看别人都在做什么；经常去好的餐厅体验；和主厨交流，听大咖分享；在成都我经常去地道馆子探索，取长补短。 16. Read more…
“这行业充满变数，往往带给人惊喜与挑战” Pullman Kaifeng Jianye general manager 我第一次见面现在 铂尔曼 的 Billy 是5年前北京费尔蒙酒店。 他刚从助理行政经理升为酒店经理。 此后，Billy 调任北京东方美爵出任总经理，直至22年6月离开家乡北京，前往中部城市河南开封的建业铂尔曼酒店工作。 我最近约了 Billy 并做了一个采访。以下是访问内容。 你在做什么工作呢？ 我目前效力于法国雅高酒店管理集团，担任开封建业铂尔曼酒店的总经理。 你将在这家酒店完成什么？ 我希望通过努力，带领团队，把时尚潮流的元素与开封的古韵和酒店独有的特色相结合，让大家对于这家充满“宋风菊韵”的酒店有着更深刻的了解，来开封旅游的时候选择下榻这里。 是什么让你决定从事酒店业？ 酒店看似是一种重复性工作，迎来送往来自各地宾客，但其实这行业充满变数，往往带给人惊喜与挑战。 你在酒店业的第一份工作是哪里？ 十几年的职业旅程从香格里拉开始，先后效力文华东方、希尔顿、费尔蒙、太古酒店、雅高等数家酒店管理集团。 你为什么想成为这家连锁酒店的经理？ 开封和我的家乡北京都是历史文化非常厚重的城市。这家铂尔曼隐藏在城市里，位置优越，还有优美景观。 在你看来，哪些因素有助于提供出色的客户服务？ 我始终相信以人为本，从员工的切身着想，提供专业技能的培训、帮助规划职业目标、策划多姿多彩的员工活动和福利，使员工获得物质和精神上满足，这是第一步。 其次，在酒店体验和产品的打造上，贴合时下最流行、最符合市场需求的元素进行包装推广，达到宾客的期望。 第三，从预订这一步骤开始，我们通过预订信息以及交流中宾客透露出的细节，站在他们的角度考虑：“酒店还能为我做些什么”。 你的领导风格和个人最大的优势是什么？ 在工作上坚持“快” “准”、“严谨“ 的原则，这能给团队成员带来积极影响；给予员工认可，这能激发他们工作热情和敢于承担。 在你看来，酒店经理工作最具挑战性是什么？ 酒店一共8个部门，各部门每天向我汇报工作计划、进度、状态，忙起来时一眨眼功夫半天就过去了。之外还须处理突发事件。 你如何激励这家酒店员工每天工作尽力而为？ “以身作则，身体力行“永远是我带领团队的最好实践方法。 你在酒店业和管理方面接受过哪些教育？ 我曾留学英国伯明翰大学，并获得酒店管理硕士学位，之后成为伦敦文华东方酒店管理培训生。 你能阅读财务报表吗？ 我能。过往工作让我累积了市场营销、收益管理和运营管理的经验。 你在营销和促销方面有什么经验？ 我通常从销售、市场、收益这三方面着手。 通过销售人员的拜访，不断地收集客户乃至市场的情况，针对客户需求提供个性化解决方案。 结合当地特色、酒店优势、品牌跨界，开展多种类型的市场活动进行精准的人群定位宣传，同时更可以通过品牌跨界合作达到1+1＞2的宣传效果，互相引流受众群体。 在收益方面则参考历史数据、热词搜索等方法，通过灵活价格调控达到最大收益。 你有处理过预算吗？你是如何分配资金的？ 每天早上的晨会，我会根据截止到前一晚的数据，考虑是否调整、如何调整正在进行的策略。保证酒店正常运营、能源费用支出，以及员工工资为首要，同时更要考虑业主方的需求和要求，进行资金的分配使用。 Read more…
Mentor/Coach Leadership Style Recently I interviewed Manuel Lang, the General Manager at Garrya Tong Sai Bay Samui, Thailand. Manuel tells me about his approach to hospitality and motivating staff. 1. Can you tell me about your first job in the hospitality industry? I was a Porter (Bellman) in one of Read more…