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Bavaria rocks on at Hard Rock’s Oktoberfest
Elfi Seitz
“Rocktoberfest”, Hard Rock Cafe’s take on the traditional
Oktoberfest, got under way on October 15 in an atmosphere that was
uniquely Pattaya-Bavarian.
 Hard
Rock Hotel GM Andrew Khoo (right) welcomes Pol Col Ittipol
Ittisarnronnachai (left) to the party.
Amongst the local residents turning up to enjoy the food and fun were
former Chonburi MP Chanyuth Hengtrakul, Pol Col Ittipol
Ittisarnronnachai, superintendent at Pattaya Immigration, Chaiwat
Charoensuk, director of TAT Central Region 3, Nittaya Patimasongkroh,
Deborah and Paisan Bundityanond, Judy Hoppe, Alvi Sinthuvanik, and Peter
Malhotra.
Rocktoberfest will last until the end of this month, and all proceeds
from the sale of raffle tickets and Hard Rock pins will go towards
research into breast cancer.
Hard Rock Hotel general manager Andrew Khoo said in his address that
Rocktoberfest is being held in all Hard Rock Hotels over the world. He
asked all residents of Pattaya to participate and thereby support cancer
research.
 Andrew
Khoo, right, poses with Deborah and Paisan Bundityanond.
LTU, one of the lead sponsors, donated two round trips to either Berlin
or Munich that will be raffled on October 28.
Jarubhani “Pam” Palarit, sales manager, and Anupab Maesin, assistant
manager, both showed up in person to provide all kinds of information
concerning LTU, one of the safest airlines worldwide.
After Andrew had tapped the beer barrel with only three blows, the
rocking fun was ready to start. The Navy brass band played and sung
while a beautiful transsexual acted as Master/Mistress of Ceremonies.
Grilled suckling pig and German beer were served by attractive ladies
dressed in an original Bavarian “dirndl”.
As is right and proper for a Hard Rock Cafe, the in-house band later
performed on stage and kept up the great atmosphere until curfew.
Tony Malhotra (right)
interviews Jarubhani “Pam” Palarit, sales manager, and Anupab Maesin,
assistant manager of LTU about their new non-stop service to Berln,
Düsseldorf and Munich.
After the beer barrel was
tapped, the rocking fun was ready to start.
Prost! (L to R) Dr Raimund
Cerny, Andrew Khoo, Elfi Seitz, Chanyuth Hengtrakul and Peter Nordhues
raise a toast to another fun party.
(L to R) Peter Malhotra,
Andrew Khoo, Chaiwat Charoensuk, Chanyuth Hengtrakul and Almario
Villanueva Mungcal obviously enjoy the draught beer.
(L to R) Judy Hoppe, Peter
Malhotra, Nittaya Patimasongkroh, Alvi Sinthuvanik and Michael Albers
pause for a smile.
Beer and Bavarian style at
Singapore Chamber Oktoberfest
Elfi Seitz
Oktoberfest at Ina’s Bistro and Restaurant, located at Soi Potisarn,
was held on October 13. Organized primarily for the members of the
Thai-Singaporean Chamber of Commerce, it also attracted many local residents
who didn’t want to miss the music and jamboree an Oktoberfest stands for.
 Host
Ina poses with a man in original Bavarian lederhosen.
The Bavarian duo Uwe (also known as “Prince of Pattaya”) and Franz provided
for a great atmosphere. Richard and DK from the Philippines were the second
duo. They are renowned TV stars in their home country and captured the
audience’s attention with their great voices.
The decoration, truly Bavarian, reminded us of the giant tents of the
original Oktoberfest. Beer flowed like water, and the sensational buffet
offered everything hungry stomachs asked for. To stimulate the mood, Uwe and
Franz encouraged the raising the glasses several times for another “prost”.
The guests from Singapore appreciated the active participation of the
Pattayans and joined the entertaining competitions.
Before the bus to Bangkok departed late at night, all guests promised to
come to Pattaya more often from now. Locals, with a well-known Swiss group
amongst them, stayed on a bit longer. Rumor has it that some of them enjoyed
Ina’s hospitality until five o’clock in the morning.
The Filipino duet Richard & DK
stimulates the audience.
Uwe and Franz provide for a
great atmosphere with their music.
Members of the Singaporean
Chamber of Commerce show plenty of spirit. Helmut Buchberger, far left,
joins in.
Chang Beer House opens at Diana Dragon Hotel
(L to R) Pratheep Malhotra,
Yanyong Thonto, Sopin Thappajug and Boonsueb Duantaweesuk say “Chai Yo!” to
officially open the new Dragon Chang Beer House.
Vimolrat Singnikorn
October 5 was an exciting, fun-filled night at the brand new Dragon
Chang Beer House on Soi Diana Inn. A large crowd of suitably festive punters
filled the new venue when the grand opening took place, headed by managing
director of the Diana Group Sopin Thappajug, Boonsueb Duantaweesuk, director
of marketing for the Eastern region of Thai Beverage (Public) Co Ltd, and
Pratheep Malhotra, managing director of Pattaya Mail Publishing Co Ltd.
 Ready,
set, guzzle!
The evening featured fun and games, lovely shows, a beer drinking contest,
and of course plenty of Chang beer.
The Dragon Chang Beer House is a joint venture with Chang Beer in
association with the Diana Group. It is located in the grounds of the Diana
Dragon Hotel on Soi Diana Inn.
Sopin said that the Diana Dragon Hotel has many foreign customers and that
they tended to drink Chang Beer in preference to other brands, so the
venture with Thai Beverage Co is an opportunity to form an alliance that
would help expand the market for both companies.
It was a magical, mystical night.
Dragon Chang Beer House can hold 150 customers, and uses the Chang Beer
symbol alongside the Diana Group symbol.
Boonsueb said the beer market in Pattaya City is growing, and that it is
ripe for further development. In the Eastern region the brand has excellent
distribution, and the launch of new products is extending the reach.
The latest product is the 4.2 degree Light Beer, which is enjoying a good
response from the younger consumers and from female customers, while the
production of 5 degree Chang Draft Beer has had a good response from Thai
and foreign consumers.
BCCT and WMS ‘clean up’ Garden Cliff
Dr. Iain Corness
The latest networking evening for the members of the British Chamber
of Commerce Thailand (BCCT) was held at the Garden Cliff Resort and Spa in
Naklua, with the principal sponsor being Waste Management Siam (WMS).
 Little
Spiderman networking with the adults.
Many of the BCCT members had never been to the new venue, but nobody left
unimpressed at the size and diversity of the resort. The function area set
aside for the networking evening was spectacularly glassed in with a view
over the garden cliff down to the garden beach 100 meters below.
The new executive chef, Adrian Lamb, who has only been in residence for six
weeks, turned on a wonderfully ‘British’ spread with Peter Smith (AA
Insurance Brokers) telling everyone to “Try the fish and chips. Try the fish
and chips. Real British chips!” Other items in the huge range of finger food
included some pork pies, Scottish salmon and some very ‘more-ish’ tomato
shots.
The Brits turned out in good numbers, with Michael Passmore, the new sales
and marketing manager from the Royal Cliff Beach Resort admitting to be a
Londoner, whilst Steve Coventry (the director of Meadows Freight Limited)
had a business card showing him still in residence in Green Lane, Hounslow,
Middlesex (which has nothing to do with katoeys).
 WMS
Director John Hamilton speaks to Dr. Iain Corness on PMTV.
Of course the regular Brits were all there (no free offer is ever
undersubscribed) with Big Kev Fisher (the crane man), Paul Wilkinson (AGS
Four Winds International) and Malcolm Scorer (AA Insurance Brokers) seen
chatting to BCCT Vice-Chairman Graham MacDonald and BCCT Executive Director
Greg Watkins.
Waste Management Siam had intended using the evening to introduce their new
GM, but he was sick. WMS Director John L Hamilton was seen talking to the
Bangkok Hospital Pattaya marketing people Sushil Koirala and the delightful
Ann with an impossible surname, probably trying to fix up a medical check-up
package for him. John also spoke to Pattaya Mail TV about the phenomenal
growth of WMS and even admitted that his mobile phone is never turned off,
24 hours a day, so that he can advise customers without delay.
Of course the British Chamber events all attract many other nationalities,
with the sartorially smart George Strampp (American via Italy the day
before), Alain Duerwarder (Belgium), Stuart Saunders (Australian floss
fairy), Brendan Richards (Australian looking after Katoen Natie Plastics)
and a very interesting Scandinavian Jan Rozendaal, a world expert on malaria
who checked all the mosquitoes at the event and declared the Garden Cliff
Resort and Spa as ‘malaria free’ for that evening.
Of course one should never omit the wonderful bevy of Thai ladies whose
presence brightened up many a tired lad at the end of the week. Piyanuch
from Pattaya Dot Com brought in the latest publication from her company,
complete with an interview with Pattaya’s newest author Dr. Iain, and Gap
Phookduang, resplendent in a red dress represented Thai Houghton. Mrs.
Mattaye Hamilton was seen ‘holding court’ in one corner, and all her ‘ladies
in waiting’ seemed to be enjoying the quality wines supplied for the
evening.
It was another very successful BCCT networking night, and details of the
next month’s event can be found in the Pattaya Mail.
Graham Macdonald ,Vice Chairman British chamber
of Commerce Thailand , Michael Passmore , Senior Sales and Marketing ,
Manager of Royal Cliff Beach Resort and Malcolm Scorer Director of AA
Insurance Brokers Co., Ltd.
Pattaravadee Wangviriyaphan , Marketing
Executive International Marketing Department of Bangkok Pattaya Hospital ,
U-Daporn Phookduang ,Secretary to regional Technical Director of Thai
Houghton 1993 Co., Ltd. and Jittikan Thongmalai Junior Sales Representative
of Waste Management Siam Ltd.
Kevin Fisher , Director S.E. Asia , Jitra
Wongjuan , Director of AA Insurance Brokers Co., Ltd. and Joe Grunwell
Managing , Director of Comcon Group
Malcolm Isteed, Director of Credenda Associates
and Sushil Kumar Koirala Head of Department of International Marketing of
Bangkok Hospital Pattaya.
Sheraton GM Cuddon departs for Bali
(L to R) David Cuddon, the now
former general manager of the Sheraton Pattaya Resort, and Andrew Khoo,
general manager of the Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya.
(L to R) Rine Cuddon, Lenny
Holden, security operations manager for European Safety Concepts (Thailand)
Co., Ltd., Gerry Germenis, general manager & director of European Safety
Concepts (Thailand) Co., Ltd., and David Cuddon.
(L to R) Stephan Winkler,
general manager of the Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa, Dominik Stamm, general
manager of the Amari Orchid Resort & Tower, Gavin Maloney, director of sales
and marketing at Sheraton Pattaya Resort, and Joseph K.C.Lo general manager,
Meyer Industries.
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
A farewell party was held on October 6 for David Cuddon, general
manager of Sheraton Pattaya Resort, who is leaving after a three-year term
to move to Bali.
Cuddon, who will take up the position of general manager at the Laguna Nua
Du in Bali, which is a member of the Sheraton group, is a hotel industry
veteran, having started his career in 1975.
He joined Sheraton in 1990, when he was manager of the Sheraton Breakwater
Casino Hotel Independent Business Unit. From 1993 to 1997 he was at the
Sheraton Bandung Hotel as director of food and beverage, and after that he
became general manager at the Sheraton Lampung Hotel and Towers Bandung.
From there he was general manager at the Rayavadee Krabi, before coming to
Pattaya in March 2004.
(L to R) Stuart Young,
director of Property Developments Co., Ltd., Melo Young and Colin Dawes.
(L to R) Poonam Pathela,
Rasina Uberoi and Anmol Pathela, executive director of Amburaya Resort.
(L to R) Dudi Hermanto,
purchasing director of the Global Purchasing and Supply Chain, David Cuddon,
the now former general manager of the Sheraton Pattaya Resort, and Bimo
Brahmanto.
(L to R) Paisan Bundityanond,
managing director of Rabbit Resort, Deborah Bundityanond, president of Skål
International of Pattaya and East Thailand, and Somkiet Ratanaopath,
managing director of A-One the Royal Cruise Hotel Pattaya.
(L to R) Alan Kirkland-Roath,
Rosanne Diamente, president of Pattaya International Ladies Club, Linda
Lyen, Chitra Chandrasiri and Bronwyn Carey.
(L to R) Siribi, Kanokporn,
(Sheraton) Piyaporn Aroonsiriwat, business services officer of SCI Double
Impact, Preyanat Santhai, senior sales manager (Sheraton Pattaya), Suteeda
Kittiwattananon, human resources officer of SCI Double Impact and Jatuporn
(Sheraton).
Casa Pascal’s Chaine dinner sets new standards
Miss Terry Diner
The Chaine des Rotisseurs held their latest gourmet evening at Casa
Pascal, at which chef Pascal Schnyder set new standards for everyone to
aspire to in a spectacular evening of superb food and wines.
 Charge
de Mission Hugh Millar covers some of the finer points of the evening.
This was an ‘event’ on a grand scale, where nothing was left to chance, and
every small detail had been attended to. In an exclusive interview with
Pattaya Mail TV, Pascal revealed that the menu for the evening was the
result of six months of planning to end up with the final eight courses
presented to the Chaine des Rotisseurs members and guests. Even the way the
service staff brought the plates to the table, and the orientation of the
food on the plate was the result of one week’s intensive training. This was
attention to detail, the like of which is never usually seen. Small, but
still important items, included the Chaine des Rotisseurs logo placed
exactly at 12 o’clock on the plate, and even the food itself placed at
precisely the same position for everyone. This was six star F&B, and this
was in Pattaya at Casa Pascal.
 Bailli
Ranjith Chandrasiri begins the proceedings with a short address.
The portent for the evening was good, right from the reception where the
guests were plied with oyster shooters, Alaska king crab legs and Tzaziky
shrimp and an Italian Pinot Chardonnay Brut.
After being seated and a short address by the Bailli (president) Ranjith
Chandrasiri, the courses came rolling in, with the marble of goose liver,
sweetbread, artichokes and roasted tomatoes served with truffles and basil
first off, and accompanied by an exceptionally chilled Veuve Clicquot
champagne.
A porcini mushroom broth with eggplant and hand-made herb ravioli followed,
and the strong flavor to the essence was another of Pascal’s tours de force,
paired with a Fechy AOC Grand Cru Domaine du Martheray 2005, an interesting
Swiss wine, not known by many.
Dr Iain Corness (right) interviews Pascal Schnyder (center) and Ranjith
Chandrasiri for Pattaya Mail TV.
The next dish was probably my favorite. A lobster dariol with two succulent
rainbow trout fillets in a light creamy fish reduction. The natural taste of
the crustacean and the trout came through and the 2004 Sancerre les Baronnes
Henri Bourgeois just added to the enjoyment.
After a brief respite and sherbet, the roast of the evening was brought out.
An Australian lamb loin wrapped in a North African brique pastry and in a
northern Thailand Arabica coffee flavored reduction. Sticking with the
Antipodean connection, the wine was an Evans and Tate Margaret River 2002
Shiraz (a vineyard sampled in one of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort’s wine
dinners under Ranjith Chandrasiri). These two were wonderfully matched and
there was universal praise from the diners.
 Respected
gastronomes meet at Casa Pascal.
Just in case some were getting jaded by this stage, Pascal came out with
another superb dish. This was a St. Felicien cheese, melted over pan-fried
walnut bread and garnished with chopped scallion. To balance the strong
flavor, a sparkling Lambrusco Dell Emiglia was poured (making it the sixth
wine that evening). I really enjoyed this cheese dish.
If that were not enough, Pascal produced a Crepe Suzette with hot cherries
encased in a web of spun sugar. This was delightful, washed down with a
Porto Barros Colheita 1992 from Portugal.
But that was not the end. There were still the Swiss chocolates and coffee
or tea, and many glasses with some wine remaining, emptied quietly between
the conversation and enthusing discussion between the diners.
Pattaya had not seen a Chaine dinner like this one. It will be the benchmark
by which all future dinners will be judged. Pascal and Kim Schnyder, and all
the service and kitchen staff at Casa Pascal were congratulated, and rightly
so. This was truly a magnificent culinary event, masterminded by arguable
the most inventive chef in Pattaya - Pascal Schnyder.
A Chaine dinner is a special
occasion to wear your finest.
A family of Chaine members.
Lovely couples and friends add
flair and sophistication to the party.
Guests mingle before the big
event. All were in praise of Kim and Pascal’s continued excellence at Chaine
de Rotisseurs dinners, a true reflection of the quality of their restaurant.
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