News for the Hospitality Executive |
Bartender Fernand Petiot Created the Bloody Mary 75 Years
Ago at the
King Cole Bar at the St Regis Hotel In New York City
NEW YORK - October 5, 2009 - St. Regis Hotels & Resorts today celebrates the 75th anniversary of the iconic Bloody Mary with a series of initiatives and special offerings available at St. Regis hotels and resorts around the world. Invented in the King Cole Bar at the St. Regis landmark hotel in New York, the �Red Snapper,� or Bloody Mary as it has come to be known, has been imitated and adapted endlessly by others throughout the years, but the original St. Regis recipe still stands as one of the most beloved cocktails ever created. To further underscore the celebration, New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, has issued an official proclamation, naming today, October 5th Bloody Mary Day in New York and Starwood CEO, Frits van Paasschen, will ring the closing bell of the New York Stock Exchange to end the work day and kick off the anniversary in true St. Regis fashion. The Bloody Mary has been a part of St. Regis history since 1934 when
bartender Fernand Petiot introduced the �Red Snapper,� which would later
be renamed the Bloody Mary, at the King Cole Bar in The St. Regis New York.
The famed cocktail was created when Serge Obolensky, a well known man about
town whose penchant for vodka was in keeping with his aristocratic Russian
background, asked Petiot to make the vodka cocktail he had in Paris. The
formula was spiced up with salt, pepper, lemon and Worcestershire Sauce,
but since �Bloody Mary� was deemed too vulgar for the hotel�s elegant King
Cole Bar, it was rechristened the �Red Snapper.� While the name may not
have caught on, the spicy drink most certainly did, and over the years
it has become the signature cocktail of the St. Regis brand.
King Cole Bar. Maxfield Parrish�s masterpiece King Cole mural keeps watch on hotel guests and knowledgeable New Yorkers. Honoring the regional influences of St. Regis destinations worldwide, the brand has created a special World Collection Bloody Mary menu that combines local flavors with Mr. Petiot�s original recipe. In addition to serving the traditional Bloody Mary cocktail, each of St. Regis� 18 properties offer guests a unique version of the Bloody Mary using locally inspired ingredients such as:
Combining classic sophistication and modern luxury, the St. Regis brand remains faithful to its commitment to excellence. Founded by John Jacob Astor IV, with the opening of the first St. Regis Hotel in New York City over a century ago, The St. Regis brand of hotels is known for its unique luxury, customized service and refined elegance in the best destinations worldwide. Plans for the brand to globally continue its legacy include long-awaited St. Regis properties in Bahia Beach, Puerto Rico, Bal Harbour, and Deer Crest in the US and on the exclusive island of Bermuda. In Latin America, St. Regis will unveil new hotels and resorts in Buenos Aires, and Kanai Riviera. In Asia, St. Regis has also announced plans to open properties in Bangkok, Chengdu, Kuala Lumpur, Lhasa, Nanjing, Osaka, Sanya Yalong Bay and Tianjin. In Africa and the Middle East, the St. Regis brand will continue to expand in Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Doha and Mauritius. The distinctive trait of the St. Regis experience is customized service and attention, coveted locations and luxurious design. |
Contact:
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts
Daniella Weinberg, 914-640-6823
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