January 31, 2011 - Bedford, New York
- Bedford Post, the charming Relais
& Chateaux property located in Bedford, New York, is pleased to
announce
the appointment of Oscar Henquet as General Manager. Oscar brings
extensive
experience in the hospitality industry to Bedford Post, and previously
served
as General Manager of the trendy New York City restaurant Monkey Bar.
Bedford Post
General Manager Oscar Henquet discovered his passion for the
hospitality
industry at a very young age while working with his family’s hotel
business in
The Netherlands. One of two
children, Oscar grew up in the region where Belgium, Holland and
Germany
intersect, and as a result, quickly learned the importance and value of
understanding various cultures while becoming fluent in the English,
Dutch,
French and German languages. Oscar received a degree in Hotel
Management from
the Maastricht School of Hotel Management, founded by his
grandfather.
Upon graduation, Oscar pursued positions abroad, including an 8-month
project
in China where he was heavily involved with the opening of Crowne Plaza
Chengdu
in Chengdu, China. Oscar gained further experience and expertise
working at
esteemed properties located in Belgium, France and Israel, but it was a
trip to
New York with his family in 1997 that set his future course:
exhilarated by the
city’s energy and rhythm, he decided to relocate there.
Oscar’s first
job in New York was Maître d’Étage Teamleader and Private
Butler to Sir Elton
John at the Five-Star/Five-Diamond
St. Regis New York from March 1998 to July 1999, where he broadened his
knowledge of the hospitality industry. Subsequently, he was appointed
Supervisor of the Food & Beverage Department, overseeing operations
of
Lespinasse, Astor Court and King Cole Bar for one year, and ultimately
was
promoted to Assistant Restaurant Manager. In August 2000, Oscar
left the
St. Regis to first become
Restaurant Manager and soon
after that Room Service Manager at the Five-Star/Five-Diamond
Four Seasons Hotel. In 2001, after meeting David Bouley while
volunteering at
Ground Zero, Oscar decided to make a shift and moved on to open Bouley
as
Restaurant Manager from March 2002 to February 2003.
It was during
this period that Oscar decided his future would be spent in the private
hospitality sector, where he would apply his understanding of
organizational
protocols and internal structure, but maintain the level of attention
to detail
and personal interaction with guests that had attracted him to the
industry. In
2003, Oscar accepted a position as Director of Operations at Nicole
Farhi USA,
where he managed daily food and beverage operations for five
years. While
still at Farhi, Oscar opened 202 Restaurant in Chelsea Market, which
won New
York Magazine’s “Best Brunch” Award in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, Oscar
accepted
the role of General Manager at Rouge Tomate, where he coordinated the
restaurant’s $15 million 2008 opening. Oscar’s achievements and success
at
Rouge Tomate over the next two-and-a-half years attracted the
ever-watchful eye
of Graydon Carter and Jeff
Klein at Monkey Bar, and in August 2010, Oscar took on the position of
General Manager at the trendy midtown restaurant.
Under Oscar’s
direction, Monkey Bar achieved impressive success and he was able to
further
refine his experience as a leader while offering the finest level of
service
for his guests. Today, he brings the same passion to Bedford Post. “I
am
excited and honored to be appointed to this important position. Bedford
Post is
a beautiful property, and I’m greatly looking forward to working with
the team
here to create an unforgettable experience for all of our guests.” says
Oscar.
Oscar now lives
in Westchester with his
family.
Bedford
Post Inn, a Relais & Chateaux property, is set in the heart
of Westchester County, in Bedford, NY. It is home to an eight-room
luxury inn, a yoga studio, and two distinct restaurants: The Barn and
The Farmhouse.