Media Contact: Fred Tibbitts, Jr.
fredbev@fredtibbitts.com
12 April 2013
"A Spring Evening in Shenzhen with Very Special Friends"
The St. Regis Shenzhen
Thursday 11 April 2013
Shenzhen-The Second Annual Fred Tibbitts & Associates "A Spring Evening in
Shenzhen with Very Special Friends" proved to be another memorable event for the
fifty-four guests, who included area general managers, managing directors,
general managers, hotel managers, directors of food & beverage, executive chefs,
the press, industry VIP's and our valued sponsors.
The reception was hosted by Pernod Ricard China, St. Francis Winery & Vineyards,
FIJI Water, Stoelzle, Equip Asia (Hong Kong) Limited and Luzerne. (Shanghai)
Co., Ltd.
All guests were received and were presented their name badges by Rebecca Qu,
Food & Beverage Manager; The St. Regis Shenzhen; and then announced by Vanessa
Ng, Sales Specialist, The St. Regis Shenzhen; and gonged by Annie Chen, Elba
Manager, The St. Regis Shenzhen.
The four-course gala dinner was beautifully created and supervised by The St.
Regis Shenzhen Executive Chef, Ingo Oldenburg; while the wines were artfully
paired and ordered by Harriet Lembeck, CWE. The dinner began when Fred Tibbitts
took the podium to welcome the guests and ask 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 continued with his company's most recent and
ambitious to date direct humanitarian mission, rescuing a very poor Cambodian
family from the street, which continues with much success at Phnom Penh.
Tibbitts then called for the evening's fourteen "Loyalty Toasts" by some of the
dinner personalities, including Duke Nam, Area Managing Director, South China,
Starwood Hotels & Resorts; Louis Lv, Sales Manager, Pernod Ricard China; Paul
Hugentobler, Area General Manager, South China, InterContinental Hotels Group;
Michael Gaehler, Group General Manager - Pre Opening, FIH Regent Group; Philip
Dewar, General Manager, Shangri-La Hotel, Shenzhen; Emil Leung, General Manager,
Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen; Colin Young, General Manager, JW Marriott Shenzhen;
Tom Humayoon, General Manager, Grand Mercure Shenzhen Oriental Ginza by Accor;
Bryan Cheong, General Manager, Four Points by Sheraton Shenzhen; Darlene Brady,
Director of Food & Beverage, Hong Kong Disneyland; Jasper Wen, Business
Development Manager, New Western Cuisine Magazine; Sunny Du, Sales Director,
South China, LifeStyle Magazine; Michael Lau, Corporate Accounts Director,
Ecolab; and Christopher Silva, President & CEO, St. Francis Winery & Vineyards.
And having come the farthest to attend the FTA Shenzhen Spring Dinner, Tibbitts
asked Silva to tell the guests a little about his background and the winery.
Following the dinner toasts, Tibbitts announced a donation of $500.00 from a
portion of the dinner proceeds to UNICEF China. Tibbitts continued, calling to
the podium, Kester Yim, National Director, Habitat for Humanity China to accept
a donation of $500.00 from a portion of the dinner proceeds. Yim then spoke
about the important work accomplished by Habitat for Humanity China in building
"homes", not simply "dwellings".
Tibbitts returned to the podium after the Main Course to announce the Recipients
of the 2013 FTA Hospitality Awards for Excellence, each of whom will be
presented with both his or her award trophy and scholarship in his or her name
at the 2013 FTA Fall Awards Dinners at for Asia Pacific at the W Hong Kong on 30
September; and for North America at Lincoln Center in New York on 12 November:
The 2013 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as a Humanitarian:
Matthieu Ricard, Buddhist Monk
Scholarship to benefit: Shechen Monastery in Nepal
The 2013 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as an Executive Recruiter & Human
Resources Leader:
Alice Elliot, Chief Executive Officer, The Elliot Group
Scholarship to benefit: The Culinary Institute of America
The 2013 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as an IT Innovator:
Apriva
Scholarship to benefit: Hotel, Restaurant & Institutional Management,
Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics, University of Delaware
Recognition to be Accepted by: Des Docherty, Vice President, Business
Development Strategic Markets
The 2013 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as a Hospitality Educator
Rocco Angelo, Associate Dean & E.M. Statler Professor
Chapin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Florida International
University
Scholarship to benefit: Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management
The 2013 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as an Operator-North America:
Frank Sickelsmith, Vice President of Adult Beverage & Restaurant Development,
HMSHost
Scholarship to benefit: The Culinary Institute of America
The 2013 FTA Hospitality Award for Lifetime Excellence:
Lothar Pehl, Senior Vice President Operations & Global Initiatives
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Asia Pacific
Scholarship to benefit: The School of Hotel & Tourism Management,
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Recognition Accepted by: Duke Nam, Area Managing Director, South China, Starwood
Hotels & Resorts
The 2013 FTA Hospitality Award for Excellence as an Operator-Asia Pacific:
Amadeo Zarzosa, Director of Operations, Resorts Asia Australasia
InterContinental Hotels Group
Scholarship to benefit: At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy (Singapore)
Recognition Accepted by: Paul Hugentobler, Area General Manager, South China
InterContinental Hotels Group
At the conclusion of the evening, Tibbitts took the stage to ask Duke Nam to
"Summon the Brigade". Nam's Summons was promptly and smartly answered by The
Parade of the eight members of the Kitchen Brigade, led by Executive Chef, Ingo
Oldenburg and The Parade of the eleven members of the Service Brigade, led by
Yap Jtawen, Director of Food & Beverage. The Brigades then assembled around Nam
for multiple, group photos of The Assembled Brigade with their General Manager.
Dinner Menu
Pan-Fried Salmon Cake,
Garden Greens, Pommery Mustard Sauce
1 - Domaine Helan Mountain Special Reserve Chardonnay 2011, Ningxia Helan
Mountain East Region, China
2 - St. Francis Chardonnay 2010, Sonoma County, CA, USA
Grilled Angus Rib Eye Beef, Red Onion Marmalade,
Sautéed Vegetables and Potato Gratin
3 - Domaine Helan Mountain Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Ningxia
Helan Mountain East Region, China
4 - St. Francis Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Sonoma County, CA, USA
Italian DOP Cheeses:
Gorgonzola Dolce, Fontina, Taleggio,
Walnut Bread, Grape Compote and Dried Figs
5- Domaine Helan Mountain Special Reserve Merlot 2010, Ningxia Helan Mountain
East Region, China
6 - St. Francis Zinfandel "Old Vines" Zinfandel 2009, Sonoma County, CA, USA
Lemon Cheese Cake with Blueberries
Raspberry Mousseline Cream Choux
Mango Crème Brûlée
Coffee or Tea
Food and Wine Pairing: Harriet Lembeck, CWE
Fred Tibbitts & Associates or "FTA" is a global social entrepreneurship,
operating as an "NGO", minimizing all expenses; and giving all profits to those
less fortunate via UNICEF, Habitat for Humanity International and direct
humanitarian relief assistance for desperate families in Thailand and Cambodia.
FTA has offices at Bangkok, Thailand, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Menands, New
York, USA.
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