International - Les Roches Alumni

31th Edition - December 2005
Alumni Department
Layout and Printing by Schoechli, Sierre
Tel.: +41 27 485 96 00
Fax: +41 27 485 96 15
E-mail: alumni les-roches.ch
Web: http://alumni.lesroches.net
Educators and Vice Principals
from Singapore
Les Roches Swiss Hotel Association School of Hotel
Management was delighted to have the visit of a group of Vice
Principals from Singapore on 19th May 2005. This group of
educators are currently completing the ‘Executive Leaders
in Education Programme’. ELEP is a six-month training programme conducted by the National Institute of Education that
prepares school vice-principals for a future principalship.
They visited Les Roches and other Swiss Universities and
institutions – in Bern, Sion, Rolle, Lugano, St-Gallen – as their
programme requires a visit to international schools offering an
innovative programme in teaching to learn more about the
education system and its various practices. Specifically, the
group was interested in Les Roches to learn more about the
hotel training industry. Their short but intense visit allowed
them to learn about the various programmes now offered at
Les Roches, our best practices and know-how as well as to
appreciate the large professional opportunities offered in the
Hospitality industry.
It was a very enriching encounter and gave us too the opportunity to learn more about Singaporean Education.
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News
December 2005
PGDII PRESENT HALLOWEEN “R I P 13”
Well, we thought the last event tested us but this was a whole other ball game! This event was completely different
from the wedding reception.
You may have read our previous article on the wedding reception we had to organise as part of our first assessment. Wouldn’t
you know, we had to do exactly the same again but this time to transform the Market Place (the school dining room) into a
freaky venue for 140 staff and students. Our coaches (Mr. La Sala, Mr. Würsch and Mr Zupan) were there once again to pass
on their wise words of wisdom…and experience. Unlike before, this event was our event, we had help when we asked for it but
this time we were in the driver’s seat. Once we were given our theme to work with, Halloween, we had to decide on every
aspect of how the evening was to progress, from the menu to be served and cooked to the entertainment.
Being a class of 16 students, we
appointed an event co-ordinator
and an assistant co-ordinator,
just to make sure that we stuck
to our deadlines and were aware
of everything that was happening. We divided ourselves up
and appointed heads of departments. We had a Chef in the
Kitchen who had to decide on
the meal to be served on the
night and therefore had to come up with all the recipes.
Most importantly, he had to put together a team that would
be prepared for feeding 140 hungry mouths on the night.
We also had our own Maitre D’, who had to decide on the
layout of the room but also the setup of the tables and how
the meal was to be served. This person was closely working with our head of decorations on how the room was to be
transformed (believe it or not, this involved cutting out up to
2000 black bats!) This was one of the areas that the whole
class was involved in, showing our creative side and getting
stuck into the papier mâché. We also had our head of stewarding who was responsible for all the equipment needed to
serve a five course meal, from the glasses right down to the
little butters served with the bread. Then we had our head
barman to fill up the guests glasses for the duration of the
night - serving some fantastic cocktails. Our head accountant had a tough job handling our finances preparing for the
event, selling tickets and making sure on the night that all
drinks were accounted for. Our maintenance guys made
sure all our equipment was working for our entertainment
spectacular at 12 midnight. As well as having a “Dress-themummy” competition, a quiz, a short play on exorcism, a
prize draw and prizes for the best costume, we had our live
showdown of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”…but with a slight
twist. Our very own teacher, Mr Gamberoni, proved he
doesn’t just know about wines and à la carte service by
strutting his stuff on the dance floor with some of our classmates.
With some great marketing, we had built huge curiosity
amongst the other students about our event. Walking around
school with questions marks stuck on our backs caused a
few heads to turn. This we did for a couple weeks before the
mystery was revealed. Ticket sales started off slow which
worried us a little. We made our mark in the school lobby
every break and lunch time pushing for sales. To get the ball
rolling we offered free drinks and discount prices for the first
few tickets sold. Before we knew it, it was one week before
the big day and we were sold out. Preparations were hectic,
getting the decorations finished, rehearsing the entertainment, trying out the menu and making sure all the ingredients
were available.
For us the event was just like being in class. Everything we
had been taught was to be tested. It all started when the
majority of the guests arrived up to an hour late. What do you
do? Well, we waited. However, this disrupted the whole
evening and the timing of the events for the night. We dealt
with it and moved on. Kitchen learnt just how prepared you
have to be for any event such as this one.
As with everything, there is always a lesson to be learnt. We
made our mistakes but we carried on. The important thing is
that once again, PGD II lived up to their reputation and performed when the time came. The decorations and the table
set-up were stunning, mesmerising the students and making
them forget the dining they eat in everyday. The food was
delicious with wonderful presentation. The entertainment
was a huge success despite some reservations at the start of
planning the event. The event was enjoyed by everyone and
definitely will not be forgotten any time soon.
A huge thank you to PGD I who cut the bats out for us, Mr
Gamberoni for being such a great sport and everyone else
who supported us with this event, their help was very much
appreciated.
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News
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A well deserved retirement!
How many students did Mrs Maes meet
while she was at Les Roches?! Difficult
to come up with a number, but certainly
an awful lot!
At her farewell party our Campus
Director, Clive Taylor, made a very nice
speech. He looked back over Mrs Maes’
time with the School and helped us
understand why she was such a Les
Roches family member: she had been
with Les Roches for 25 years!
Mrs Maes arrived from Belgium in
Switzerland with her husband JeanPierre and daughter Evelyne in 1969.
They joined Les Roches in 1972. Mr
Maes taught accounting while Mrs
Maes was first a French teacher then
took over the printing department. All
the exams you took and the printed
notes you received during your studies
at Les Roches came from the school
printers under Mrs Maes’ attentive
eyes.
We would like to take this opportunity to
thank Mrs Maes again for her dedication and loyalty to Les Roches as well
as for her professionalism.
All the best to you Mrs Maes; Les
Roches wishes you a very long and
pleasant retirement.
Ferrari Dreams Day
On August 13 and 14, the Ferrari Dreams Day took place in Crans Montana. About
100 Ferrari cars and their owners joined the event. The FDD had taken place in
Luxembourg since 2000. It was the first time it came over to Switzerland.
The members of the public who were interested in those amazing cars had the
chance to participate in various Ferrari Activities. Adults and children had the
opportunity to sit in a Ferrari and enjoy a ‘Ferrari Ride’ for SFr 20.-. This money was
donated to charity.
December 2005
Weddings
The wedding of Miguel Baltazar
(Bachelor degree lecturer) and Maria
was the 13th of June in Switzerland
and the celebration was a few days
later in San Juan (Puerto Rico), a very
romantic place indeed!
Ivan Teck Lin KHOR (BBA ’04) and
Grace Ye Qiping (BBA ’03) got married
on 30th September 2005 in Singapore.
They first met during an internship in
London while studying at Les Roches.
Grace worked in the new Sheraton
FourPoints in Shenzhen China until
August 2005 and Ivan worked as a
Theatre Manager in the biggest cinema
complex in Singapore.
Les Roches was a partner in this event by providing food stands with 4 different
cuisines: Italian, Mexican, Indonesian and Indian. Les Roches logos were stuck on
all the Ferraris and a Les Roches stand providing information about the school and
offering visits to the campus was set up for the week-end. Current students gained
experience in Food & Beverage as well as in Public Relations while carrying the
school flag in the tourist resort.
Thanks to our highly motivated and smiling students and F&B faculty, it was a great
success indeed!
Crystal Samuel (SHA ’99) married
Johan in Bali last summer. Many of her
Les Roches friends travelled from different parts of the world to be present
at the ceremony. Crystal left the hotel
industry and now works with the Red
Cross Society in Singapore carrying
out humanitarian and welfare projects.
Cythia Tsung (BBA ’00) and Philip
Wretman (BBA ’00) are getting married
in November in Brazil.
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International
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December 2005
Alumni gathering in Dubai
Despite their busy schedules our hoteliers managed to have a get-together at the Renaissance Hotel –
Dubai on May 27th. From Saudi Arabia to Qatar in the UAE 35 alumni managed to reunite. For those who
were not able to make it due to commitments at work, don’t worry there will be another time. Les Roches
and Glion, united, worked together to make this reunion a success. Thank you alumni. See you all soon.
Ritz Carlton recruiting at Les Roches
Among the 18 companies that came to Les Roches this semester to recruit our students, Ritz Carlton was
on the list. We were delighted to have Alyssa Palaganas to interview current students for the Ritz Carlton
Dubai, Doha and Bahrain properties.
After graduating from the Post
Graduate Diploma in ’99, Alyssa
was hired on Les Roches premises by Ritz Carlton Dubai as an
F&B Trainee for 6 months. She
was then moved to a three-meal
dining restaurant and worked as
a hostess for another 6 months
before being promoted as a
Quality Coordinator. She was in
charge of determining defects
and suggesting projects aiming to
improve the overall quality. At that
time, the hotel was aiming to
acquire the Dubai Quality Award.
A few months after her promotion, the Director of Quality left,
and Alyssa was then in charge of
the department. One year later,
as the hotel won the Dubai
Quality Award, she got promoted
as Quality Manager while also
acting as Executive Assistant
General Manager. Later she
became Director of Training &
Quality.
Six years after graduation, Alyssa
is Assistant Director H&R and
Training, covering mainly Ritz
On the move…
As of November 2005, Jay Welinkar
(SHA ’87) has been transferred with
the Intercontinental Hotels Group to
China as General Manager of the 300bedroom Holiday Inn Sea View,
Quinhuangdao (2 hours east of
Beijing, on the coast). He was previously the GM at the Holiday Inn,
London-Bexley, U.K.
“I was a student at Les Roches from
July 1983 to June 1987, and I take this
opportunity to say that the skills,
knowledge & degrees attained at the
school gave me the tools to succeed in
this profession. Merci beaucoup Ecole
des Roches!!!”
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Carlton Dubai property however
she also conducts specific projects in Ritz Carlton Bahrain and
Doha.
Thank you Alyssa for coming
back to Les Roches and for giving current students a chance to
join Ritz Carlton!
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International
December 2005
Alumni gathering in Hong Kong
A pool-side cocktail took place at the Grand Hyatt
Hong Kong Hotel on 29th June 2005. About 50
alumni joined that night.
We were delighted to have Mr. Frederick Wong ’89
(Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Director of Business
Development) and Mr. Peter Wong (Director,
Mission Hill golf club) to spend their time to come
and join our party. We would also like to thank Mr.
Phillippe Frey ’01 (Director, F&B Grand Hyatt Hong
Kong) and Mr. Michael Wu ’04 (Assistant Manager,
Grand Cafe, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong) to assist for
organizing such a great event.
A Brazilian in Hong Kong…
After graduating from Les Roches in 2001 I started a corporate training programme with Hyatt International
with the opening of the Park Hyatt Mendoza in Argentina. I stayed there for a year after which I was transferred to the opening of Grand Hyatt Sao Paulo in Brazil as Grand Café and Room Service Manager. One
year after the hotel opened its doors I was promoted to Banquet Manager in the hotel and one year later
was transferred to Grand Hyatt Hong Kong as Associate Director of Catering. In October 2004, I was promoted to Assistant Director Food and Beverage in Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, which is my current position.
What is amazing and great is ever since I graduated from Les Roches I have kept meeting Les Roches
friends, catching up with the latest gossip. Here in the hotel I work with 6 alumni from school, not mentioning living in the same residential complex as Chef Dominique Grandjean who decided to head back to Hong
Kong and of course my wife Melissa who graduated in BBA 2000. What a small world!
Life in Hong Kong is great, it is one of the most dynamic cities I ever encountered, business opportunities
are great and everything is very efficient. The way of life can be resumed to: “You Work Hard, You Play Hard”.
Melissa and I absolutely love the life here as do Mathew (3) and Maya (1) our children.
Hoping that I will have the opportunity to meet up with more Les Roches alumni in the near future and keep
the strong link going!
Philippe de Lavallaz Frey
BBA 2001
Melissa Frey (’00), Sabine Emberson (’87) and Philippe Frey (’01)
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December 2005
Alumni in Taiwan
We were so pleased to have Les Roches alumni come and visit us at the seminar held on 9th October 2005
at Howard Plaza Hotel, Taipei, Taiwan. It was great to have them with us and they shared their experience
with prospective students keen on joining the hospitality industry.
A big thank you to our Alumni for their pride and
support!
From left to right
Front line: Ryan Kuo (Les Roches Representative),
Shelly Lee (SHA '00), Karen Tang (BBA '02),
Joanne Kuo (HOII '02), Polly Liao (SHA Diploma
'01), Maggie Tsao (PGD '00), Mr. Yoik (Maggie
Tsao's boyfriend)
Back line: Janet Cheng Steiner (SHA '01), Cathy Lu
(GIHE Representative), Ms. Andy Tai (BBA '00),
Kevin Steiner (Janet's husband)
Les Roches colourful night rendez-vous in Bangkok
Alumni in Thailand met on 7th October 2005 at Bakerzin, Susanne and Widi’s restaurant. Check out who
was there:
At the front, from left to right:
Ekthana Faisaikram, Songpol Davoisin, Supot Kitayanon, Nuntavit Paomanaka, Priyachanan, Wilfred Fan
and son, Sumitra Wattanapigogvit
At the back, from left to right:
Dr.Jurgen Chopard, Nong Nu, Susanne, Attawan Sunmongkol, Yaowared Thongsima, Chandra Kiatsrichart,
Pornvadi Sriboonruang, Prapaporn Pankewjana, Lilly Visuthiwattanakorn, Raksaporn Pichitnorakarn,
Amara Verawat, Abson Na Nakorn, Nong na, Widi, Mattana Wongwisesnopakun, Nanathawalai Tejasen,
Supoj Lokunsombat, Chaitip Muangman, Pakawat Kietisasopon, Sukree Parinyapariwat
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December 2005
Helping needy children in Kenya
Katherine Mwikali Muthuka graduated from Les Roches with the bachelor degree in 2000. A year later, she
returned to her country and invested in a guesthouse, bar and restaurant in her hometown Malindi which is
one of the leading tourist resorts in Kenya. However while managing this operation she realised that
although the region hosted a major percentage of the country’s tourism, it lacked a training facility to provide
hotels with qualified staff. For this reason and with the skills and knowledge acquired at Le Roches, she
decided to expand the establishment and set up a Hotel school to cater for the training needs of the region.
The Hospitality and Hotel Management Institute (HHMI) Malindi Kenya opened its doors in January 2004.
HHMI discovered God our Father
Centre for Needy Children in
December 2004 through the
Management
of
Robinson
Crusoe Island represented by
Mrs
Mariam
Bien
who
approached the institute to assist.
In addition to looking after
orphaned and semi-orphaned
children the centre houses those
who have been abandoned by
either ailing or unable parents. It
had 40 children and was lacking
in basic materials such as
mosquito nets, tables, chairs,
running water, electricity just to
mention a few.
Kate and her institute initially visited the children occasionally to
donate some food but after a
while they realized that much
more was needed as the living
conditions of the children were
appalling. For this reason HHMI
Management and students decided to hold a charity dinner for the
home. The objective of the dinner
was to raise funds to help provide
for some of the urgent needs as
well as create publicity to encourage further assistance.
The event was held on 12th
February 2005 and thanks to the
money raised, the centre has
now running water, beds, mat-
From left to right: The Institute Manager, Kate and Mariam Bien
tresses and mosquito nets. The
home still lacks a permanent
solution to major long-term problems such as education possibilities and a suitable compound and
house that would fit the centre
needs.
Mme Martine Bianco who lives
few miles away from Bluche had
met Kate before she even joined
Les Roches during her yearly trip
to Kenya. Since then their friendship grew and they became very
close. Early 2005, Kate introduced the Centre to Mrs Bianco
who decided straight away to
invest some of her time for these
underprivileged children. She
approached Les Roches in order
to seek some help and provide a
better exposure to the God our
Father Centre for needy Children.
Anyone interested in contributing
to Kate, Mariam and Martine’s
efforts to give these children a
better life and an independent
future are more than welcome to
contact Martine Bianco at [email protected] or
you can make donations to the
following account: BCVs à Sion,
CCP 19-81-6, Beneficiary’s account n° U0877.83.32, Foyer
pour enfants dans le besoin
Malindi /Kenya, 1964 Conthey,
Switzerland.
Mariam Bien (first on the left), Martine Bianco (first on the right) and the children of the Center.
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December 2005
Alumni meet in Kenya
Zahara Kurji and Nitin Kapoor organised the last
alumni gathering at the club & dinner place run by
alumni Clive and Harish on 30th September
2005.
Antony Wahome, Jacinta Kivindyo, Maina Muturi,
Alex Nyaga, Davinder Choda, Una Patel, Jeff
Mukolwe, Ken Mwangi, Harish, Clive and of course
Zahara and Nitin were there.
Dear family and friends,
It is time to share with you the events of my life. 2005 is almost gone and I am amazed
at how fast the time has flown.
I worked at the Washington Hilton and Towers Hotel, Washington D.C. for 18 months. In
order to maximize my time and ensure I got maximum exposure and experience, I
chose to divide my time between two departments, the Food & Beverage and the Front
Office. I started with the F&B and enjoyed my time immensely. My job was fun, challenging and enriching personally and professionally. Each day had its own sets of challenges and demanding
guests with specific tastes and requirements, but when I look back, I am glad I was right in there. Some of the
groups that came to the hotel really opened my eyes to American hospitality, culturally and professionally.
After returning back home, some job opportunities
in Dubai were discussed and therefore I packed my
bags again and left for Dubai. Unfortunately, the timing was bad for business; most people I had to see
for interviews were on vacation. All hope was not
lost however as I got a job as a Sales Manager with
a German company called Guenter Facility
Supplies, a major company supplying various hotel
amenities. During that time I visited several hotels
and met lots of people. I saw how the back of house
worked and I interacted with all kinds of people.
Dubai had lots to offer. I was totally blown away with
the entertainment scene and had a great time too.
Finally, my time in the U.A.E also came to a close
and I headed back home.
Once home, I helped my parents a bit with their
work. I got the chance to travel in India, Nepal and
Bhutan where I went to a friend’s wedding. The wedding was amazing and very traditional. As a hotelier
myself, I can tell you that every detail, regardless of
its significance, was taken into serious consideration. It was incredible how smoothly each event went
from one day to the next. Although both the bride
and the groom’s families were very busy, they took
the time to acknowledge and interact with each and
every guest, making them feel welcomed and
appreciated. During the entertainment part of the
wedding we went to the Om bar managed by alumnus Gama Namgyal. Even the crown prince of
Bhutan stopped by.
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I then got a job at The Grand Hotel, New Delhi as
F&B Manager. As we do not have an F&B Director
or even an Asst F&B Director, I am overlooking the
entire department under the General Manager's
guidance. We have 4 restaurants (multicuisine,
Japanese, Italian and Indian), 1 lobby lounge bar, 1
in-house bar, club floor, room service, pool bar and
banquets. My work is very challenging and my
department keeps me very busy for sure. I am also
learning the ropes of Indian hospitality and its share
of politics and people management. It is a great
learning experience and I am definitely learning
something new each day. And it is totally different
from the US or European style of management. As
for my plans about moving to Japan, it is still in the
process and I should be hearing from them around
first week of January 2006. I plan to be here at The
Grand New Delhi until Jan 2006 if my Japan plans
come through. If not, let's see what life has in store
for me after that time frame.
Well, I guess I have updated you on the events of
my life. I wish you all the best life has to offer. To all
those who are engaged, married and with kids, congratulations and best wishes. For those who are
interested in keeping in touch, my contact details
are on the website. Your emails don't have to be as
long as mine, but I would love to hear from you.
Take care and until our paths cross again,
Johnny C. Mendies BBA ‘02
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International
December 2005
A beautiful Boutique Hotel in Kerala
Rose and Jacob Kuruvinakunnel (SHA ’87) have
been running the Old Courtyard Hotel for few years
already. It is an Indian Government certified and
recognised Heritage Hotel as the building is about
200 years old. Being a Portuguese Colonial House,
Rose and Jacob have kept a colonial style in furnishing as well. It probably falls under the category
of boutique hotels.
quite a few Swiss. Four years ago, the Swiss Consul
stayed with them and they even had someone from
Bluche! Rose told us “I must say that our success is
thanks to the work ethics and professionalism we
have learnt from Les Roches. Of late, Old Courtyard
Hotel, Fort Cochin, Kerala, has been featured by
three Indian national circulation magazines. All this
success is thanks to Les Roches.”
Their hotel is also very well written up in the Lonely
Planet for its accommodation and food. Their guests
are 95% Europeans with about 70% British and
The Old Courtyard Hotel - Princess Street,
Fort Cochin, Kerala, India 682001
http://www.oldcourtyard.com
An alumna recruiting from Les Roches
Francine Stantina who graduated from the Bachelor
degree in 2001 is back in Valais. She is now working
at the Palladium de Champéry, a sport and convention centre located in the famous skiing area of Les
Portes du Soleil.
After graduating from les Roches, Francine joined
Four Seasons Hawai for an 18-month management
training programme. She was then transferred to
Georges V, a Four Season property in Paris, where
she worked in the Food & Beverage Department for
another 18 months. Her passion for skiing and love of
the Les Roches area persuaded Francine to leave the
hotel industry for a while and spend a year in Crans
Montana as a ski instructor. After that healthy break,
she decided to get back into the industry and joined
the young team of The Palladium de Champéry while
remaining in the Alps she loves so much.
Looking for two trainees, she came back to Les
Roches to interview our students. Her experience
seams to have gone beyond her expectations and
the choice of two candidates from the 12 interviewed promises to be difficult!
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December 2005
Mother and daughter visiting Les Roches
Since graduating in 1998, Davina Palmer has not
left Switzerland. She returned to Les Roches last
October and guess what… some familiar faces
where there: Madame Pagano, Chef Bider, Mr La
Sala, Mme Favre and others.
After completing the last semester of the SHA
Diplôme, Davina was hired at the Hotel Capitole
Minotel in Geneva to complete her management
internship. It seems that she liked the place, and
perhaps was happy to find her Swiss roots after
having spent most of her life in Singapore. Be that
as it may, the hotel certainly liked her and she was
asked to stay. Davina gradually went up the ladders
and now holds the position of Front Office Manager.
“Palmer” is definitely a known name at Les Roches!
Some of you may remember Davina’s father, Alan
Palmer, who used to teach at Les Roches in the
early 80s. And of course Arlette Palmer who worked
at the school and carried Les Roches name for
years in Singapore and Malaysia. Except for Davina,
the whole Palmer Family is now settled in Sri Lanka,
Arlette being very active with Les Roches and Alan
organising the MLA Black Box Culinary
Competitions through out the world.
It was nice having Davina and her mother back at
Bluche! If you want to contact Davina, you may
reach her by email at [email protected].
Chicago – personal and professional success!
Hello guys!
It’s been a long time! It is great to
have this opportunity to catch up
with you again. For those who
doesn’t know us… My name is
Andrea and I spent 4 wonderful
years of my life at Les Roches.
During my service internship, I
met Richard for the first time. He
ended up doing the MBA in
Bluche and (woohoo) being my
husband!
After graduating in summer 2004,
we packed our bags again and
now here we are: Chicago! We
were lucky enough to get a job in
the same city. I am at the Park
Hyatt Chicago on the 18-month
management training program
and Richard is F&B Assistant
Manager at the Peninsula Hotel.
Work is very demanding (physically and mentally) and definitely
there is so much to learn once
school is over! We meet very
interesting people everyday and
the knowledge acquired at school
truly gives us an advantage when
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it comes to problem-solving and
stress management!
more than happy to hear from you.
Good luck and have fun, always!
I am sure that many of you will
also end up in America and it
would be great to hear from you.
Feel free to drop me a line, I will be
Andrea Frixione Garduno BBA
’04 & Richard Pfander MBA ‘04
[email protected]
[email protected]
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International
December 2005
The start of a large alumni gathering
While many alumni voices in the U.S.A. have shown a lot of interest in a big reunion somewhere in the
States, a small and casual gathering took place in Las Vegas on 29th July 2005. Jacob, Regina, Jennifer,
Kari, Neel and Yasmine were part of the reunion and sent us a few words about themselves. Natalia
Bertrand, Regional Admissions Director, as well as Ron Carpenter who is currently working at Les Roches
campus in Shanghai were part of the event too.
Jacob K. Kipyegon, ‘98
After graduating from Les Roches, I did my internship in the U.K. with Initial Style Conferences and then
enrolled for my bachelor degree at UNLV (Las Vegas). I graduated in 2002 and worked for the celebrity Chef
Emeril Lagasse then joined the MGM Mirage where I am currently holding the position of Assistant Room
Service Manager.
Regina Gathaiya, ‘97
After graduating from Les Roches, I worked for Walt Disney World for a year before moving to Las Vegas in
1999. I did my undergraduate degree in Hotel Administration and I am currently completing my MBA at
UNLV. I have a job offer to start working with Starwood Hotels and Resorts in September in the Revenue
Management Department.
Jennifer Gachui, ‘97
I went to the USA in 1999 to work for Walt Disney World for a year. I then moved to Las Vegas and joined
UNLV to complete my bachelor in hotel administration. After graduating from UNLV I worked at the Venetian
Hotel Resort & Casino at the Front Office and as an Executive Meeting Manager for four years. I am now a
Sales Manager for Caesars Palace in Convention Sales.
Kari Koskela, ‘92
After completing the diploma at Les Roches, I worked in various Food & Beverage positions with Four
Seasons Hotels & Resorts in Canada, West Indies, Japand and the U.S. I am currently the Food and
Beverage Director with Four Seasons in Las Vegas. I am married with two kids – Anika 4 and a half years
and Taina three years. I met my wife during my service internship in Zurich!
Neel M. Lund, ‘04
I am currently completing my Management Trainee Programme at Four Seasons Las Vegas, rotating
through Rooms Division and Accounting Departments.
Yasmine Tandjung-Larsen, ‘98
After graduating from Les Roches I moved to Las Vegas and enrolled at UNLV and completed my bachelors
in hotel administration in May 2001. I joined Stratosphere Hotel & Casino as a Housekeeping Manager and
joined Venetian Resort as Concierge. I am currently working as Concierge at Wynn Las Vegas.
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International
December 2005
News from San Francisco
During her visit to San Francisco, Natalia Bertran, Regional Admissions Director, met with some alumni.
They all kindly wrote a few lines for The Link telling us what they are up to. Here you go…
Fideles Manikis Healy, SHA ’92
I am currently working at the Ritz Carlton San
Francisco as Group Coordinator. I have been working with the company for 10 years. I began working
with the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel as Front Office
Receptionist, then transferred to San Francisco
and worked in the Sales Department (Business
travel). In 2001, I transferred to the Ritz in
Philadelphia as Business Travel Coordinator, I
returned to the Ritz San Francisco as Guest
Recognition Coordinator (guest relations). I am
enjoying my career which is so enhanced and
enlivened by working with such wonderful employees!
Cynthia Tsung, BBA ’00
I was part of the opening team of Hudson Hotel in
New York City as Assistant Front Office Manager.
After 6 months I moved to Chief Concierge. In
summer 2002, I took over the Assistant Front
Office Manager position at the Shore Club Hotel in
Miami. In 2003, I moved to San Francisco and work
for Himpton Group Hotel Monaco as Sales
Manager. Filip and I are getting married in Brazil in
November 2005!
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Filip Wretman, BBA ’00
After graduating I joined the opening team of
Hudson Hotel in NY. In Summer 2000 I then joined
the Opening team of the Ritz Carlton NY Batery
Park. For both properties I oversaw various bar
operations as well as the “water sommelier” project
for the Ritz: a bar where all kinds of water would be
served. I started my MBA in 2003 at The University
of the Pacific in California. I graduated in May and
getting married in November 2005!
Alexander Von Pachelbel, BBA ’99
After Les Roches I worked at the Royalton in NYC
for one year. I then moved to Paris to work for the
Hilton International, then the Hotel Lutetia
Concorde on the Rive Gauche for about three
years. I went back to Les Roches and worked in
the Marketing Department for three years and also
did my Bachelor degree there. I left Les Roches for
Miami where I opened a boutique hotel the
Townhouse and was the GM there for two years. In
summer 2002, I moved to San Francisco to start
my MA in Somatic Psychology, which I finished in
Dec 2004. I will start my Doctor in Clinical psychology in fall 2005.
the link
International
Marcia Viana, SHA ’96
So, I am beginning to write this as the waiter
serves me a delightful Fumé Blanc. I arrived yesterday in San Francisco on a business trip and had
no idea I was going to be asked to write about my
whereabouts. Well, I am in San Francisco to do
sales calls as I am now the Director of Sales for
Acqulina, a Rosewood Resort scheduled to open
mid October 2005. I have been with Rosewood
Hotels & Resorts for almost a year now and can’t
wait to see “my” luxury resort open!
voice to legendary artists such as Bob Marley and
U2. I left Island 3 years later as a Sales Manager
handling the Entertainment Industry for Mandarin
Oriental Miami. Needless to say that it was an
incredible opportunity to work for such a prestigious company. Two and a half fantastic years
later, I was recruited by Rosewood to open
Acqulina. It has been almost 10 years (wow) since
I left Les Roches and it has all been such an
enriching and fast ride.
After I graduated from Les Roches I did a year
internship at the Marriott Orland World Center and
a year later moved to Miami. Despite all temptations to get off track in South Florida, I did complete my bachelor degree at Florida International
University. I started an internship at Island Outpost
which was founded by Chris Blackwell who gave
A better bottle of Napa’s finest Sauvignon Blanc
has just arrived and I should pay more attention to
it now. Well, God knows when I am going to be
asked to write about me again (without) spell
check and over a few bottles of wine. Maybe I got a
little carried away, but I still get inspired when the
subject “Les Roches” life and after comes up!
December 2005
Joined Alumni Gathering in London
The Alumni of Les Roches and Glion met again in
London on Wednesday 3 August 2005 for their second alumni event so far this year. Mylene Valencia
(Les Roches SHA ‘95) most kindly offered to host
the event at the Four Seasons Park Lane where she
works as a Sales Manager: an excellent setting to
meet.
Approximately 45 people attended the meeting, representing alumni from both Glion and Les Roches
who graduated between 1987 and 2004! Plenty of
opportunities to share experiences, meet old friends
and make new ones.
To spice up the event, Mr John Stauss, Regional
Vice President and General Manager Four Seasons
London, spoke to Alumni about what makes you
successful in your career, and underlined the importance of networking. In other words, a very successful evening again, appreciated by all the alumni, and
to be repeated in the near future for sure! "It was
truly enjoyable and hopefully set the stage for establishing a good foundation for a strong and thriving
alumni network." Commented Mylene. A big thank
you to both Mylene and Nuno (Glion Alumnus) for
organizing the event!
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International
December 2005
A winning awards restaurant
In a recent on-line survey conducted by virtualvallarta.com, one of Vallarta’s
most celebrated restaurants – El Arrayán – was selected by tourists and residents alike as “The Best Mexican Restaurant,” “The Best Tacos” and “The Best
Moderately priced Restaurant” in all of Banderas Bay. This year's “Reader’s
Choice” winners were selected by people who filled in an online voting form at
virtualvallarta.com between February 1 and June 15, 2005. Overall, more than
11,000 votes were submitted — almost three times as many as last time — in
45 categories. 31% of the voters said they were locals while 66% identified
themselves as visitors.
El Arrayán has won the hearts and taste buds of
Vallarta. “The entire team at El Arrayán go all out to
prepare the best traditional Mexican cuisine in
Puerto Vallarta,” says Carmen Porras (SHA ’93)
owner of El Arrayán. “Along with the creations of
Chef Juan Manuel Cruz, this young team delivers
the best quality food with efficient, friendly service
along the highest international standards. We love
to make people feel at home, in our home. Our
guest’s satisfaction and enjoyment is our utmost
goal.”
Puerto Vallarta, and the entire Banderas Bay,
includes some of the finest restaurants found in
Mexico, so the competition was fierce. Forget about
fajitas, brush aside burritos and chimmichangas. At
El Arrayán there is a real search for authentic
Mexican food. The atmosphere is contemporary
Mexican with accents reminiscent of times passed.
The walls are colours traditionally used in haciendas
of the La Sierra region in Jalisco: washed-down terracottas, brown and lively Mexican pink. The menu
is diverse and celebrates the traditions of Mexico by
employing authentic ingredients while preserving
traditional regional recipes. Sample the “crispy duck
carnitas” or you may find that they are serving their
special award-winning juicy beef tenderloin tacos
made with top quality Mexican beef with spring
onions and chilli peppers complete with freshly
made corn tortillas, de la olla beans and pico de
gallo. Something on the copious menu is sure to fulfil your wishes for authentic Mexican food.
If you pass by Banderas Bay, don’t forget to visit
Carmen!
El Arrayán - allende #344, el centro,
puerto vallarta, jalisco, méxico
Tel: 222.7195 - www.elarrayan.com.mx
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the link
International
December 2005
CHING N’ LING launching
its second restaurant soon!
Since August 2003, The Parisian district of Marché Saint Honoré has a
healthy Asian fast food outlet: CHING N’ LING. Alumnus Carlo Seroussi
(BBA ’99) launched his restaurant with the idea of creating a fast food
concept serving a cross section of Asian cuisine without the use of
chemicals, additives or preservatives commonly associated with fast
food cuisine. All the food and beverage items are packet ready to go,
either in refrigerated or heated cabinets, depending on the nature of the
product. Consumers have the choice of eating in, taking away or dialling
in for a home delivery within a defined
proximity to the outlet. The objectives of
the concept are to serve good Asian food
at a reasonable price in a hip and trendy
environment.
Further to its growing success, Carlo
plans to open a second restaurant in the
business district of La Défence in April
2006. The second outlet will be in an
extension of a shopping complex where,
for the first time, CHING N’ LING will be
alongside international chains such as Yo
Sushi, McDonald’s and Starbucks. In parallel, CHING N’ LING is seeking to open
a third store before the end of 2006 with
the objective of establishing the guide
lines for a long term expansion in franchising.
Carlo kindly offered to have a monthly
gathering at his place. So, alumni in
France, get on your agendas!
CHING N' LING - 6 rue Gomboust
75001 Paris France
Tel: +33 1 42 61 02 08
[email protected]
www.chingnling.com
From the Islands
to the Top
easily, always smiling and running around. For his
wife Sabine (also an alumnus) the best part is to be
so close to her family in Montevideo. She is developing her own business there – which will undoubtedly
be a success as she is very special.
Everyone in Brazil misses Carl Emberson (SHA ’87)
after the successful opening of the Grand Hyatt Sao
Paulo in 2002. He left many friends and fans there.
By the way, the restaurant EAU at the Grand Hyatt
has just been appointed as the best French cuisine
in Sao Paulo. A couple of months ago he went to the
beautiful Mendoza (Argentina) as the new GM of the
spectacular Park Hyatt. Carl certainly feels at home,
as if he was in Valais. Mendoza is the largest
Argentinean wine producer (and what a wine!),
strong tourism, a casino in the hotel, mountains and
snow slopes close around. He is a very special person able to combine his strong hotel business talent
with his enormous ability to make friends. Success
has always been with him in Fiji, Australia, England,
Mexico, and Brazil, among other countries.
Well Carl, it seems that Mendoza is pretty close to
Sao Paulo, many of your friends are planning on visiting you – prepare the wine – cheers!
His lovely girls are still adjusting to the new country
and colleagues, but they also make friends very
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International
the link
December 2005
Entrepreneurs going
international!
Eduardo Ourivio (SHA ’89) is a special person and a
good friend. When he decided to leave his successful hotel business career to start his own, many people thought he was crazy. He was not! As a great
entrepreneur he could see new business opportunities in Brazil way ahead. He started the Spoleto –
Italian Cuisine business, and with Felipe Campos
(an alumnus as well who opened the Friday’s restaurants in Brazil) they went much further than expected. They have 130 restaurants in Brazil and just a
couple of months ago opened their first international
franchise, in Mexico City, which will be the first of
many, for sure! Also, at the same time, they acquired
50% of Domino’s Pizza business in Brazil. Ain’t that a
great success? Yes, we are proud of them!
It is good to remember the little Spoleto booth inside
Estacao Ipanema in the late 90’s, the dream was
just beginning at that point. Success is just a matter
of time if you are from Les Roches and work hard to
achieve it.
I had a chance of seeing him on my last visit to Rio,
during the vernisage of the new Spoleto plates’
design (pre-Colombian), at one of their spots. All the
best to you all!
Special Family
Being an outstanding executive of the InterContinental group is not something new in Alvaro’s career. He
has been with the group for quite some time. After a great success and several prizes won while at the
InterContinental Sao Paulo, he had to move to another site. He chose the glamorous city of Buenos Aires.
This could be a normal transfer for any executive in our industry, but he was transferred a few weeks before
the big crash in Argentina (2001).
Alvaro was not expecting such a challenging situation but somehow he managed to use his know-how to
overcome the difficulties. It is unbelievable how he has always kept the hotel busy and, as usual, it has
received several awards. During his career nothing has ever been impossible: this was only another market
and another crisis to overcome.
It would not be true to say that he did all of this on his own. Alvaro Rey has a terrific family with him. His lovely wife Rosa, always supporting him, has a fantastic smile that captivates everyone around. His son Camilo
(great soccer player) moves around the hotel as if he was the GM (for sure a future student in Bluche) and
now, his little girl, Isabella – a very lively and precious little jewel who loves crisps!
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