A group of particularly discerning hotel industry insiders is in town this week. About 200 members of Savoy Gastronomes, an association of hospitality professionals who have worked at the London Savoy for at least nine months, have gathered in Hong Kong for their annual black-tie dinner.
Every year, the group goes to a different destination for the event, and since its current president is Andrew Hirst, the Asia-Pacific operations director of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, he decided it was time the mostly Europe-based group saw how we do it in Asia.
'The standards set by hotels in the Far East are certainly the highest in the world,' said hotelier Julian Payne (above), who helped start Savoy Gastronomes in 1971. 'The service culture ... is very hard to emulate in Europe.'
The group's mentor, the late Nicholas St Brooks, would approve. Brooks was a renowned reception manager at the London Savoy and entry into the club initially required that you had trained under him.
'He was a very fine manager at the Savoy, who many of us looked up to as a mentor. The original idea of the club was to recognise him by holding a black-tie dinner to thank him for all that he did for us. You couldn't ask for a man who gave more to upholding the values of great hotel-keeping,' Payne said.
The group is having breakfast at The Peninsula today before an AGM at The Excelsior. Later, a Mandarin Oriental reception will be followed by the gala dinner at The China Club. Hirst is also hosting a buffet dinner for them tomorrow at the Jockey Club because his horse, Sevens Heaven, may be running.