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Staff Who Become Legends, Celebrating the Art of Fine
Hospitality
Within Dorchester Collection
.
April
2009 (New York) – The Dorchester Collection includes seven of the world’s
most iconic five-star hotel properties each exuding their own style and
individuality through design, services, amenities and most notably,
their staff. The good ones last for years. The great ones last decades.
And the legends? They’re in it for life. They have dedicated histories
at each property and go above and beyond to deliver personalized
service, discretion, attention to detail, and consistent energy and
enthusiasm to their guests. Following are select legends whose
admirable abilities continue to be iconic in their own right:
Dennis
Milton, Painter and Decorator, The Dorchester
Dennis
Milton’s sole responsibility is to keep London’s premier property, The Dorchester, shining. After arriving at the
hotel as a painter in 1990, the Rochester, England native soon turned
his talents to gold leaf restoration. He now works primarily in the
high-style Silver and Gold rooms leading to the Grand Ballroom, as well
as in the Suri Suite on the 9th floor, which has its own
surfeit of shimmering leaf. “Add it up, and I’d estimate I’m
responsible for about a mile of the hotel,” says Milton of The
Dorchester’s extensive gold- and silver-leafed cornicing. Essentially
self-taught, Milton uses sticky sizing, a brush of “softest rabbit
hair,” his own natural skin oil, and a slightly damp cloth to apply the
impossibly delicate leaf as needed for maintenance and restoration. “It
takes enormous preparation and coordination with the rest of the hotel,
as the slightest breeze from an open door will blow the leaf out of my
hands.” Talk about a Midas touch.
Mario
Gambron, Chief Concierge, Principe di Savoia
Have
a desire? If you’re in Milan, Mario Gambron is the man to see. As Chief
Concierge for Principe di Savoia, Gambron oversees a staff of 20
whose cherished task is to make things happen for guests. Tickets for
the season opener at La Scala Theatre, a private viewing of “The Last
Supper” by Leonardo Da Vinci, last-minute seats on fully booked
flights, a premier table at one of the city’s most fashionable
restaurants – tonight! Gambron has done them all. And he’s been doing
them for 35 years. “The concierge must solve any of his guests’
problems, fulfill any desire, and welcome customers with his best
smile,” notes Gambron, who along with his duties at Principe di Savoia
is President of the Lombardy chapter of Le Chiavi D’Oro (“The Golden
Keys”), the international association of top concierges.
William
Oliveri, Bartender, Bar 228, Le Meurice
"It
feels like home", says William Oliveri of the muted décor,
leather armchairs and lovely Lavalley frescoes dating back from 1905 at
Bar 228 at Le Meurice, where he has tended bar for
over 30 years. Sicilian by birth, William earned his reputation in
Europe’s grandest palaces before taking his position at the historic
paneled bar, which has hosted crowned heads from all over the world.
Warm and talkative – he speaks several languages, including Russian.
William is only the fourth bartender over the past century at Bar 228.
When it comes to loyal clients, he practices discretion, alluding to
the eccentricities of "habitués" such as Salvador Dali and
Richard Burton as well as Elizabeth Taylor, Claudia Cardinale, and
Sofia Loren. Without going into detail: "I am a confidant, a
confessor and host all at once," he explains. He is also a true
professional who believes that each client deserves a personal welcome
– and a custom cocktail to go with it. Among his successful creations,
guests can enjoy his famous Bellini, well-known in Paris; The Starky
created in honor of the designer Philipe Starck who redesigned Bar 228
and the JCDC created for famous French designer Jean Charles de
Castelbajac.
Svend
Petersen, Hotel Ambassador, Beverly Hills Hotel
He’s
been hailed as “The Poolside Prince of the Pink Palace.” He calls
clients by their first names or even “Your Highness” when the moment
seems appropriate. He has given swimming lessons to Faye Dunaway,
spread towels for Princess Grace of Monaco, and tucked the Beatles into
their own private cabana. He’s been cast in more than a few movies. And
after making his legend as Pool Manager at The Beverly Hills Hotel for 43 years, Svend Petersen
remains an L.A. icon with no real compare. Even as the hotel’s
clientele has changed, with financiers and business big shots now as
much of a presence as the entertainment elite, Petersen continues to
dazzle with captivating stories of celebrities gone by. Though his pool
duties have evolved into a social status, Peterson cannot tear himself
away from his home-away-from-home, and he is equally famous as he touts
his new title of Hotel Ambassador.
Peter
Komma, Chief of Reception, Hotel Plaza Athénée
Peter
Komma might not be the first employee guests see when they enter the
doors of Hotel Plaza Athénée, but he makes sure he’s the one
they remember. The hotel’s Chief of Reception with a tenure going back
37 years, Komma assures his guests are satisfied with their
accommodations and secures them other quarters if they are not. Over
the years he has greeted many celebrity bright lights, including
various Kennedys and Rockefellers, as well as Frank Sinatra, Sarah
Jessica Parker, Jennifer Connelly, Jay Z, Salma Hayek and Beyonce
Knowles. “It is very important to keep in contact and create a
relationship with guests,” says Komma. “The only way to assure their
satisfaction is to put yourself in their shoes.”
Jaime
Garcia, Server, Hotel Bel-Air
Don’t
be misled by Jaime Garcia’s sweet demeanor as he arrays your table with
California-style Mediterranean entrees at The Restaurant at Hotel Bel-Air. Inside, he’s even sweeter –
and a recognized talent at that. A server at The Restaurant for 35 of
the 42 years he’s been at the Bel-Air, Garcia has outlasted six chefs,
many menu revisions and at least a couple of uniform changes to bring
top-drawer service to the hotel’s celebrated clientele. “Robert Wagner
was a regular here at lunch and dinner when his mom lived at the
hotel,” he recalls and “Jaclyn Smith still comes around a lot.” After
initially signing on as a dishwasher, Garcia skipped from busboy to
waiter within a few short years. He knows his way around the dining
room, as evidenced by two “Server of Year” awards bestowed upon by Table,
a restaurant trade magazine, and the honor of “Ambassador of the Year”
in 2004 and 2007 by Hotel Bel-Air, and most recently the 2009 award for
“Outstanding Employee” by Leading Quality Assurance. Asked for
recommendations, he insists it’s hard to play favorites with Chef Dan
Olson’s menu, but assures one can’t go wrong with Line-caught Dover
sole meuniere or Huckleberry braised short rib with potato
confit and leek fondue – “So easy to slice with a fork.” Sounds
delicious.
James
Staiano, Executive Chef, The New York Palace Hotel
Culinary
trends come and go, but Executive Chef James Staiano keeps working his
magic at The New York Palace Hotel. During 21 years at the Madison
Avenue address, Chef Staiano has reinvented the hotel’s cuisine using
freshest ingredients to impress palates of even the most particular
food connoisseurs and can whip up bespoke menus or dishes upon request.
Staiano who is known for his expertise in creating culinary specialties
from around the world, has recently unveiled a traditional Japanese
breakfast menuitem catering to the hotels savvy international
clientele. Trained in the culinary arts at Atlantic Community College
in Mays Landing, New Jersey, Staiano has traveled the world gathering
inspiration, and has recently partnered with Executive Chef Billy
Strynkowski of Cooking Light to offer an exclusive room-service
menu of lighter fare. Like everything Staiano seems to create in the
kitchen, it was well received.
Dorchester Collection
With seven of the world’s
foremost five-star addresses, the Dorchester Collection celebrates
luxury with hotels of original character and the most modern amenities.
Established as the Dorchester Group by the Brunei Investment Agency in
1996, Dorchester Collection was rebranded in 2006 to develop an
impeccable portfolio of traditional and contemporary properties in
Europe and the United States. The current portfolio of owned and
managed properties includes The Dorchester, a 244-room hotel
long favored by the cream of society in the heart of Mayfair in London;
The Beverly Hills Hotel, a glamorous and celebrity-friendly
204-room property on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles; the elegant Le
Meurice, a centuries-old, 160-room property located
between Place de la Concorde and the Louvre on rue de Rivoli in Paris; Hôtel
Plaza Athénée, a 191-room embodiment of Parisian
luxury set between Avenue des Champs Elysées and the Eiffel
Tower; and Hotel Principe di Savoia, a cosmopolitan, 401-room
property on the Piazza della Repubblica in Milan. The Dorchester
Collection’s newest properties joined in August 2008, including The
New York Palace, an icon of Manhattan with the landmark
Villard Mansion and a contemporary 55-story tower; and Hotel Bel-Air,
a shining star of Los Angeles set on 12 acres in Stone Canyon with 91
guest rooms and the renowned “Swan Lake” inhabited by its own resident
swans. With unrivaled experience and capability, cross-property values
of the highest order, and strong company branding that expresses
universally high regard for its portfolio, Dorchester Collection
assures a consistently exceptional guest experience at all of its
hotels. U.S. reservations: 800.650.1842; www.dorchestercollection.com
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Contact:
Hawkins International PRAmy Newcomb (212) 255-6541 [email protected] |