PUNTA PACIFICA, PANAMA – February 06, 2013 – Panama City’s award-winning hotel, Trump® Ocean Club® International Hotel & Tower® Panama, announces the appointments of Javier Salcedo Gomez as food and beverage director and Patrick Maurin as executive chef. The hotel’s opening executive chef and food & beverage director, Daniel Bausá Peris, has been promoted to food and beverage director at Trump Panama’s sister hotel, Trump International Hotel™ Las Vegas.

As food and beverage director, Gomez is responsible for maintaining all aspects of the resort’s food and beverage operations, including banquets and in-room dining. Additionally, he oversees the operations, management and promotion of Trump Panama’s unmatched dining options that include Tejas Restaurant & Bar, Barcelona Tapas Restaurant & Bar, Cava 15 Wine Bar and Azul Pool Bar & Grill.

Before his promotion, Gomez served as the resort’s banquet director. Boasting an impressive background in the luxury hospitality industry, he has held significant positions in food and beverage at renowned hotels and restaurants throughout Europe and Panama. Prior to Trump Panama, he was food and beverage director at Le Meridien Panama.

A native of Spain, Gomez holds a Bachelor in Hotel Management from Les Roches Swiss School of Hotel Management Marbella-Spain.

Complementing Gomez’s vision to offer the ultimate culinary experience through impeccable and imaginative cuisine, talented Chef Maurin is now at the helm of Trump Panama’s signature restaurants and catering services. He brings Northern Italian and Southern French flavors to Tejas Restaurant, exalting this city love for seafood to the next level. Having studied at the acclaimed L’Ecole Tain L’hermitage in France, Chef Maurin has extensive experience in five-star hotels; fine dining restaurants, brasserie and catering.  His culinary artistry of French gastronomy and passion for great food make him perfect to be at the helm of the hotel’s restaurants.

Before joining Trump Panama, Chef Maurin was executive chef at Meritus Surabaya City Center in Indonesia, where he managed the daily operations of the kitchen and the hotel’s banquet events with a staff of nearly 60. Prior to that, he served as the role of corporate executive chef for an American-Russian company, opening contemporary American cafes in Russia.

“We are very excited to have two seasoned culinary professionals like Javier and Patrick be part of the Trump Panama family,” said Mark Stevenson, Vice President and Managing Director at Trump Panama. “Bringing years of experience in luxury hospitality, they will further enhance the guests experience in an already world-class dining destination, known for its acclaimed restaurants, inviting ambiance and finest and freshest ingredients. Through the seamless integration of Panamanians flavors into Western European-inspired cuisine, they envision elevating the restaurants’ fine dining menu options to an exquisite culinary journey that blends both cultural traditions and becomes synonym for Panama.”

About Trump Ocean Club® International Hotel & Tower® Panama
Perched above Panama Bay in Punta Pacifica, Trump Ocean Club® International Hotel & Tower® Panama was the first international venture for THE TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION™. Developed by Newland International Properties Corp., it is the largest hotel in Latin America.  Its 369 handsomely appointed hotel rooms, including 47 suites, serve as a home away from home for travelers. Amenities include a floor of elite boutiques and shops, multiple restaurants reflective of the region’s best fare, two phenomenal pool decks with 5 pools overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and over 45,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space. Additionally, a 75,000 square foot casino is slated to open in 2014. Signature services of the TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION™, including The Trump Attaché, are also a part of the Trump Ocean Club® International Hotel & Tower® Panama experience.  The hotel has also received the sought-after Condé Nast Traveler Award "#2 Top Hotel in Central America" 2012, the TripAdvisor "Certificate of Excellence" 2012 and the TripAdvisor’s Traveler's Choice 2013:  Top 20 Hotels in Panama. Connect with Trump Ocean Club® International Hotel & Tower® Panama on Facebook and Twitter. Reservations can be made by visiting www.TrumpPanamaHotel.com or calling (877) 898-7867.

About TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION™
Launched in October 2007, TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION™ is the next generation of luxury hospitality – one that is raising the bar in the top-tier travel experience with a level of customized service unrivaled in the market today.  Presided over by internationally renowned developer Donald J. Trump and his three grown children, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric, the prestigious portfolio includes the highly acclaimed Trump International Hotel & Tower® New York, Trump International Hotel & Tower® Chicago, Trump International Hotel™ Las Vegas, Trump International Hotel™ Waikiki Beach Walk®, Trump SoHo® New York, Trump Ocean Club® International Hotel & Tower® Panama, and the newly opened Trump International Hotel & Tower® Toronto. TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION™ recently acquired and assumed operations of Miami’s iconic Doral® Golf Resort & Spa. Trump International Hotel™ Washington, D.C., a redevelopment of the historic Old Post Office building, is slated to open in 2016.  Reservations can be made at www.TRUMPHOTELCOLLECTION.com or by calling (855) TRUMP-00 (878-6700). TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION™ is headquartered at Trump Tower, 725 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10022.  Connect with TRUMP HOTEL COLLECTION™ on its social media pages.