Monthly GM Gang Dinner raises the bar of service and hospitality
Chatchawal greets Michael
Ganster and Thomas Koh.
Pratheep S.
Malhotra
Following on the tradition of monthly GM Gang
dinners, on July 22, hotel general managers and executives gathered at
one of the foremost and well established landmarks of Pattaya - the
Dusit Thani Pattaya.
Executive Chef Adrian W.
O’Herlihy, the star of the evening.
Chatchawal Supachayanont, GM of the host venue,
spared no expense in ensuring that his guests came not as a visiting
hotelier, but more as an honoured guest visiting their family homes, to
meet and mingle with their brothers and sisters and close relatives for
an evening of camaraderie and fine dining.
On welcoming his guests Chatchawal said, “In normal
circumstances, it would be you who would always be on hand to welcome
and cater to every wish and whim of your guests. But today I want you to
kick back, relax and be my guest. Ask for any service and it shall be
promptly afforded to you. This is my heartfelt wish for all of you this
evening.”
To prove his point, after the initial cocktail hour
held at the Lobby lounge, he led his guests to the Napalai Ballroom C.
At precisely the planned moment, the doors were thrown wide open, as
ushered his honoured guests into the elegantly appointed dining room, as
only befitting gatherings of visiting heads of state. The guests were
awed by the setup of the room replete with an ice carving stretching
across the length of the stage forming the words, ‘GM Gang Dinner’.
Chatchawal dotes on his
Dusit family, (l-r) Oranuch,
Thidsida, Pramot and Wacharee.
You would have thought that it was Christmas already
as a bevy of elegantly clad waitresses in their bright red dresses were
sprinkled around the dining table, ever ready to ensure that diners
received the intimate service that they are so accustomed to in 5 star
establishments.
Executive Chef Adrian W. O’Herlihy, last seen
greeting guests during cocktails, disappeared into his kitchen, not to
be seen again until at the end of the dinner. The only logical reason
being, he had to be close at hand to prepare and systematically release
his signature dishes to be served and savoured by the discriminate
diners.
Chatchawal takes care of
his special guests, Philippe Delaloye, Nicolas Lerat, Prayuth, Sanpech
and Vanjie.
Chef Adrian reached within the depths of his
knowledge and experience as master chef to conjure up creations for a
dining experience that will long remain the talk of the town, at least
amongst the hotel professionals.
Such was the perfection of every dish that I can’t
resist mentioning the 5 course feast here in this story.
We embarked on the culinary adventure with ‘Le
Premier Cours’ which was the Caraccio of Yellow Fin Tuna with Marinated
Fennel, followed by the exquisite Veloute of Corn and Fin de Clair
Oysters.
Keeping diners in the mood of anticipation of things
to come, we were served the Steamed Turban of Dover Sole and Hor Mok
Talay proving that Chef Adrian has that extraordinary flair of perfectly
fusing western cuisine with the traditional Thai.
“My heart is as a vast
ocean and somewhere in there is happiness,”
croons Tony Malhotra.
We were given a respite, cooling off with Iced
Pomegranate Granita to prepare our taste buds for the pi่ce de
r้sistance, the pan-roasted Supreme of mallard Duck and Confit of
Duck in Savoy Cabbage Leaf.
The finale was just as sweet, as those who still
could, topped off this superb 5 star banquet with the Valrhona Chocolate
and Mandarin Orange Terrine.
As Chef Adrian came on stage to receive accolades he
quipped, “It is tough enough cooking for hotel managers, but could you
imagine if I was cooking for a room full of chefs?”
“Bravo and congratulations Adrian” resounded around
the room as diners gave him a standing ovation.
The GM Gang gather for a
traditional photograph. (l-r) Oranuch Chantramala, (Hotel Dusit Club
Manager), Tony Malhotra (Pattaya Mail), Nopporn Kanchanamanee, (District
Sales Manager of Thai Airways, Pattaya), Michael Delargy (GM Sheraton
Pattaya), Philippe Delaloye, Sanpech Supabowornsthian (Long Beach Garden
Hotel), Peter Malhotra (MD Pattaya Mail), Harald Feurstein (GM Hilton
Pattaya), Chatchawal Supachayanont (GM Dusit Thani Pattaya), Michael
Procher (GM of Nova Suites, Nova Platinum & Nova Gold), Prayuth Thamdhum
(GM Monthien Pattaya), Clinton Lovell (GM Pullman Pattaya Aisawan),
Wacharee Pornchaiwisuthikul (Director of Sales & Marketing, Dusit Thani
Pattaya), Michael Ganster (GM dusitD2 baraquda Pattaya), Vanjie
Lauzon(PR & Marketing Communications Manager, Dusit Thani Pattaya),
Nicolas Lerat, Thidsida Shingrissiri(Director of Rooms, Dusit Thani
Pattaya), Aloysius Michael (RM of Dusit Thani Pattaya), Alex Chakrabarti
(GM Mercure Pattaya), Thomas Koh (GM Garden Cliff Pattaya) and Pramot
Sothana, (Front Office Manager Dusit Thani Pattaya).
Chatchawal, as thoughtful as he always is, went up on
stage to ask one and all to raise their glasses to toast the 18th
anniversary of the Pattaya Mail. He invited Peter and Tony
Malhotra onto the stage where he presented them with an exquisite orchid
plant as a sign of love, beauty, wisdom, continuity and prosperity.
Peter said, “Eighteen has been a long hard struggle. When we first
started, we weren’t even sure that we would survive through to the next
week, let alone one month, six months or one year. But here we are 18
years on and still going strong.
“Thank you Khun Chatchawal for the love and support
you have given us all these years. Through your kindness and generosity,
we celebrated our 7th anniversary right here in the Napalai ballroom
which saw more than one thousand guests attending.
“I am pleased to announce that Khun Chatchawal has
already invited Pattaya Mail to come back to the Dusit Thai to
celebrate our 20th anniversary in 2013.”
Bravo and congratulations Khun Chatchawal and the
Dusit Thani Pattaya. Thank you for a night to remember.
The next GM dinner will be held at the Aisawan
Pullman Pattaya on 26 August 2011.
Vanjie and Prayuth sing
the blues.
It was a joyous occasion
as everyone drank a toast to each other.
(l-r) Michael Jackson and
Vanjie Lauzon entertain
the guests in their inimitable style.
Andre Bruhlhart
anticipates his glass of wine as Michael Procher and Harald Feurstein
enjoy their meals.
Happy Birthday Pattaya
Mail. Chatchawal presents Peter and Tony with a magnificent Orchid
plant.
