Media Contact: Fred Tibbitts, Jr.
fredbev@fredtibbitts.com
4 June 2011

The Eighth Annual Fred Tibbitts & Associates
“A Summer Evening in Beijing with Very Special Friends”
The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing
Thursday 2 June 2011

Beijing, P.R.C.-The Eighth Annual Fred Tibbitts & Associates “A Summer Evening in Beijing with Very Special Friends” proved to be another memorable event for the one hundred-sixty guests, who included hotel executives, ceo’s, presidents, managing directors, regional vice presidents, general managers, hotel managers, directors of food & beverage and executive chefs, industry VIP’s, the press and valued sponsors.
 
The reception was hosted by Pernod Ricard China, FIJI Water, Ronnefeldt Tea, Distilleria Bottega, Vina Valdivieso and Stoelzle glassware.  Phillips Foods Asia provided their finest crab meat for many of Executive Chef Andreas Krampl’s marvelous canapés and hors d’ouvres.  All guests were formally announced with style by Yvonne Liu, Sales Executive, The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing; and gonged with distinction by Audrey Zhang, Events Assistant, The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing.
 
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 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 nine “Loyalty Toasts” with Champagne Moet & Chandon Imperial by some of the dinner personalities, including David C. Wilson, General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing; Tina Gao, Sales Manager, Moet Hennessy Diageo China; Jamie FlorCruz, Bureau Chief-China, CNN; Michael Wu, Vice President of Operations-North China, InterContinental Hotels Group Asia Pacific; GP Yeow, Area Director of Operations-North East Asia, Marriott International; Siqing Lu, Concert Violinist; Wenjun Wang, Dean, TUC-FIU Cooperative School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Tianjin University of Commerce; Richard Xu, Editor-in-Chief, New Western Cuisine Magazine; Antoine Bruneel, Vice General Manager, LifeStyle Magazine.
 
After the guests enjoyed their elegant First Course of Phillips Lump Crab Meat Tian, Avocado, Tomato, Saffron, Organic Micro Sprouts and Monini Gran Fruttato Olive Oil paired with four delightful white wines from Italy, China and the South of France, Tibbitts announced a donation of $500.00 USD from a portion of the dinner proceeds to UNICEF China, which was gratefully accepted by William Bikales, Chief, Social Policy and Reform for Children. 
 
In addition, it was explained that John Northen, Area Vice President-South East Asia, Marriott International and others at the recent 5 May FTA Spring Dinner at Kuala Lumpur rose to the occasion and pledged a total of $2,500.00 USD to be donated to the China Children Health & Education Fund, founded by Madame Annie SC Wu.  Richard Xu, Editor-in-Chief of New Western Cuisine Magazine, who also attended the Kuala Lumpur dinner, was asked to take the cash donation back to Beijing to present to Madame Wu.  As Madame Wu could not be present at the FTA Beijing dinner, she was represented by Niki Shishido, Executive Director, World Trade Professional Education Institute Ltd. and Niymaphuntsok, Concert Pianist at the Central Conservatory of Music Beijing.  Joining Xu on stage at Beijing for the presentation, representing Northern and Marriott International was GP Yeow, Area Director of Operations-North East Asia, Marriott International with Fred Tibbitts, Jr., President & CEO, Fred Tibbitts & Associates, Inc.

Tibbitts returned to the podium after the Main Course of Grilled Angus Beef Tenderloin & Seared Foie Gras, Caramelized Garlic and Shallot Tart, Ratatouille Vegetable, Monini Classico Olive Oil, Natural Jus, Hollandaise, Morel Mushroom with four great red wines from Italy, Chile and China to announce the Recipients of the 2011 FTA Hospitality Awards for Excellence, which will be presented at the 2011 FTA Fall Awards Dinners at the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Sha Tin on 11 October and the Vanderbilt Suites in The MetLife Building at New York City on 15 November.
 
The Recipient of the 2011 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as an Operator-North America was announced as being Brian Abel, Vice President, Food & Beverage, North America, Starwood Hotels & Resorts.  The recognition was accepted on behalf of Abel by Charlie Dang, General Manager, The Westin Beijing Financial Street & Area Managing Director for Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
 
The Recipient of the 2011 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as an Operator-Asia Pacific was announced as being Andreas Stalder, Senior Vice President, Product & Brand Development, Hyatt International-Asia Pacific.  The recognition was accepted on behalf of Stalder by Ronald Kang, General Manager, Park Hyatt Beijing.
 
The Recipient of the 2011 FTA Hospitality Award for Lifetime Excellence was announced as being Eric Long, General Manager, The Waldorf=Astoria.  The recognition was accepted by on behalf of Long by Nils-Arne
Schroeder, General Manager, Hilton Beijing Wangfujing.
 
The Recipient of the 2011 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as an IT Innovator was announced as being MICROS Systems, Inc.  Stefan Piringer, President, Micros-Fidelio Asia Pacific accepted the recognition.
 
The Recipient of the 2011 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as a Humanitarian was announced as being Robert Thurman, President, Tibet House US & Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies, Columbia University.
 
The Cheese Course followed, a trio of Truffled Camembert Prairie Normand, Tete de Moie and Onion Ash-Coated Goat Cheese with Walnut Bread and Dry Fig & Date Terrine, accompanied by four premium wines from California, the South of France and South Africa.
 
Following the Dessert Course of a Selection of Flavours and Textures: Tea-Ramisu, Ronnefeldt Jasmine Gold Tea Infused-18 Karat Gold Leaf – Brown Sugar Biscotti, Milk Froth, Warm Chocolate Cake – Flamed Marshmallows, Monini Gran Fruttato Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Ronnefeldt Vanilla Tea Sorbet, Tibbitts asked David C. Wilson to return to the podium to “Summon the Brigade”.  Wilson’s summons was answered by a resplendent parade of the kitchen seniors who prepared the dinner, led by Executive Chef Andreas Krampl as well as the service staff led by Raghu Menon, Executive Assistant Manager – Food & Beverage.  Wilson and his team of 46 seniors then posed on stage for several group pictures to commemorate the occasion.
 
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.

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