Media Contact: James Follette

19 March 2010

 

The Seventh Annual Fred Tibbitts & Associates

“A Spring Evening in Singapore with Very Special Friends”

St. Regis Singapore

Thursday 18 March 2010

 

Singapore-The Seventh Annual Fred Tibbitts & Associates “A Spring Evening in Singapore with Very Special Friends” proved to be another memorable event for the seventy-two guests, who included hotel executives, ceo’s, presidents, managing directors, regional vice presidents, general managers, industry VIP’s and sponsors.

 

The reception was hosted by Diageo serving many of their top luxury cocktails prepared by a team of eight senior mixologists; Moet Hennessy with Moet & Chandon Imperial; FIJI Water; Ronnefeldt Selected Teas, serving a variety of their most popular flavors and Phillips Foods Asia providing their finest crab meat for many of Executive Chef Frederic Colin’s marvelous canapés and hors d’ouvres.  All guests were formally announced and gonged.

 

The four-course gala dinner brought Fred Tibbitts to the podium, who welcomed the guests and asked that they consider “Service as the Highest Calling”.  Tibbitts explained that the primary purposes of the of the FTA dinners are to recognize hospitality excellence, provide scholarships in the names of those whom are honored and to make charitable contributions to benefit those less fortunate.  Tibbitts promptly called for the evening’s ten “Loyalty Toasts” by some of the dinner personalities, including Oscar Postma, Executive Assistant Manager-Rooms, St. Regis Singapore; Michael Sengol, CEO, Meritus Hotels & Resorts; Jean-Marc Busato, Managing Director-Asia Pacific, Carlson Hotels Worldwide; Jean-Luc Fourrier, Vice President Restaurant Concepts, Luxury Brands & Full Service, Asia Pacific-Middle East-Africa, Hilton Worldwide; Ian Wilson, Regional Vice President Asia & General Manager, The Fairmont Singapore; Ivan Lee, Area Vice President & General Manager, Pan Pacific Singapore and Caren Lim, Heard of Horeca, Moet Hennessy Singapore.

 

After the guests enjoyed their elegant First Course of “Club” Lime Scented Phillips Crab Cakes with Chipotle Aioli and Pineapple Crab Ravioli paired expertly with Chinese and New Zealand reserve wines of precisely the optimal vintages, Tibbitts announced a donation from a portion of the dinner proceeds to the China Tibetan Children Health & Education Fund, based at Hong Kong.  Rudolf Muller, Executive Chef, Hong Kong Disneyland accepted the donation on behalf of Madame Annie S.C. Wu, Fund Founder who was unable to be present.

 

Tibbitts returned to the podium after the Main Course of Pan Roasted Supreme of Chicken Stuffed with Truffle, sautéed Mosaic of Vegetable with Chorizo and Perigourdine Sauce paired with super premium, vintage French and Australian wines to announce the 2010 FTA Asia Pacific Hospitality Awards for Excellence, which will be presented at the 2010 FTA Fall Dinner at the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong,

Tsim Sha Tsui on 7 October.

 

The 2010 FTA Hospitality Award for Literary Excellence was announced as going to New Western Cuisine magazine (China).  Tibbitts detailed the achievements of the magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Richard Xu, though he was not able to be present, as well as the increasing recognition the publication is receiving in and outside of China.  He announced that Xu had selected The Culinary Institute of America to benefit from his scholarship.

 

The 2010 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as an Operator-Asia Pacific was announced as going to Martin Rinck, President – Asia Pacific, Hilton Worldwide.  Tibbitts asked Jean-Luc Fourrier, Vice President Restaurant Concepts, Luxury Brands & Full Service, Asia Pacific-Middle East-Africa, Hilton Worldwide to say a few personal words about Rinck.  Rinck was then invited to the podium to express his thoughts and appreciation on being recognized.  He amusingly made an analogy to Obama’s observation on receiving the Nobel Peace Prize that it had come too soon, as he had been President of Hilton Asia Pacific for but one year.  And, also, like Obama, Rinck observed that the recognition would encourage him to redouble his efforts to do an even better job in grooming the future leaders of our industry and “…adding value by living the values”.  Rinck has requested that The Chinese University of Hong Kong benefit from his scholarship.

 

The 2010 FTA Hospitality Awards for Excellence as a Humanitarian were announced as going to both Otto Weibel, Director of Kitchens, Swissotel The Stamford & The Fairmont Singapore and Rudolf Muller, Executive Chef, Hong Kong Disneyland.  Tibbitts asked Aiden McAuley, Regional Vice President, Asia Pacific, Swissotel Hotels & Resorts & General Manager, Swissotel The Stamford, Singapore and then Ian Wilson, Regional Vice President, Asia & General Manager, The Fairmont Singapore to each say a few personal words about Weibel.  Tibbitts next asked Eric Teo, Executive Chef, Mandarin Oriental, Singapore to say a few personal words about Muller.  Muller was then invited to the podium to express his thoughts and appreciation on being recognized and as Weibel was not able to be present, to as well express the feelings of his long time friend, Otto Weibel.  This he did most eloquently and from the heart.  Both Otto Weibel and Rudolf Muller have asked that their scholarships go to benefit at-sunrice GlobalChef Academy.

 

Following the service of the Cheese Course, a Trilogy of Kapiti Cheese and mini French Baguette paired beautifully with reserve wines of Argentina and Australia, Tibbitts asked Oscar Postma to return to the podium to “Summon the Brigade”.  Postma’s summons was answered by a resplendent parade of the kitchen seniors who prepared the dinner, led by St. Regis Singapore Executive Chef, Frederic Colin.

 

With the service of the Dessert Course, being “Ronnefeldt” Black Tea Cream Brulee with Fresh Rhinestone, Marinated with Herbal Infused Tea & Lemon Rose Tea Sorbet, Tibbitts returned to the stage to thank everyone for coming, inviting one and all to return to the St. Regis Singapore one year hence for the Eighth Annual FTA Spring Dinner and to wish the assembled guests a safe journey home.

 

Fred Tibbitts & Associates is the leading global wine, spirits and foodservice products and services consulting agency for National Account chain hotels and restaurants with offices at Bangkok, Thailand and Menands, New York, the United States.