Hawaii Hospitality - March/April 2013 - (Page 9)
Outstanding F&B Professionals
By Aimee Harris
Food and beverage (F&B) professionals organize, direct, control and
evaluate the operations of restaurants, bars and events. Although
the job is technical, we’ve found two extraordinary examples of F&B
professionals who know how to balance business and hospitality.
Served With Aloha
W
J
oann PerreiraMachiguchi
Catering Sales
Manager
Hawaii Prince
Hotel Waikiki
hen Joann Perreira-Machiguchi, 50, was
hired as a front office agent at the new
Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki in 1990, she thought
H
she
s had landed her dream job. “Earlier, as a lei
greeter at a variety of properties, I used to watch
g
the
t front office clerks greet guests during check
in,” she recalls. “That’s when I decided that
i
I wanted to work in the hospitality industry.
I liked the idea of welcoming visitors to a
property—and to the Islands.”
Unbeknownst to Joann, her “dream job”
would just be one of many at the Prince. Over
a 22-year career at the hotel, she has held three
additional positions.
Today as catering sales manager, “Jojo” (as she
is affectionately called by staff) leads a team of five
in planning memorable events, such as graduations
parties, weddings, company retreats and birthdays.
The hotel’s management notes that clients
know they can trust Joann in all aspects of
planning and organizing a function. “Her
ultimate goal is to ensure each event is
memorable and runs flawlessly,” the hotel
Diver scallops,
Turtle Bay Resort
says. “She has spent countless hours of her
own time—including dancing hula for special
events—to help hotel guests make their events
personal and special.”
Although Joann didn’t start off with an F&B
background, she was encouraged by a former
director to consider management. I was told,
Joann, there is so much potential to learn and grow, but
you have to be willing to take that step. “So, I took it,”
she says. “I’ve been in catering now for 17 years! I
amaze myself,” she laughs.
So, what keeps her motivated?
“I love the wow-factor on the day of the
event when everything comes together,” Joann
says. “When you open the doors to a wedding
ballroom, for example, and you get that feeling
from the couple … and the bride’s eyes start to
well up …”
It’s also the thank-you’s from happy clients
that give Joann and her catering family the
energy to plan the next big event. “It’s such
a simple thing, but it’s our reward. It means
everything to us,” she says.
F&B Renewal
A
B
ryan Ashlock
Hotel Manager
Turtle Bay Resort
fter working 36 years at 11 different
Sheraton properties, former executive chef
Bryan Ashlock, 56, moved back home to Oahu
from Maui to join the Turtle Bay Resort as hotel
manager. Ashlock, along with a fresh F&B team,
are part of the resort’s current restaurant and room
renovation. He has been charged with overseeing
Turtle Bay’s outlets, catering/conference services,
culinary team and room service. “My focus has
been to revitalize the hotel’s overall culinary
program, from the quality of food and service to
team building and moral,” he says.
According to Turtle Bay, Ashlock has infused
the resort’s culinary program with new life,
flavors and a sense of place. “He’s updated
the resort’s recipe catalogue to be on point
with international culinary trends, but reflect
a purely North Shore point of view,” the hotel
says. He was also instrumental in the launch
of two new outlets—Surfer, The Bar and the
Lobby Lounge. “As a result, our 2012 outlet
F&B revenues increased by 10 percent and our
overall F&B revenues are up 17 percent over
the previous year,” says Danna Holck, vice
Ahi tartare, Turtle Bay Resort
president and general manager.
Ashlock says his favorite part of the job is
“seeing people happy when they eat.” To ensure
quality and happy customers, he renewed the
in-house culinary education program with
regular training classes, from the basics to more
advanced culinary practices.
Ashlock is also excited that he was able to
recruit executive chef Conrad Aquino from the
Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa. “He’s got energy,”
Ashlock says. “He’s a beautiful person—a local
boy who understands our food culture, and
that’s what we needed out here at Turtle Bay.”
Perhaps the best example of the resort’s
renewal is Kula Grille, a new farm-to-table
restaurant opening this spring. “It’s a simple
concept,” Ashlock says. “We’ll be taking
advantage of the seasonality of fruits and
vegetables, while showcasing Hawaii’s farmers
and the local produce they grow.”
“On the whole," he says, “our food
philosophy is to provide healthy alternatives and
nutritional food for longevity. Since I’ve been
here, I’ve lost 20 pounds myself!”
www.hawaiihospitalityonline.com
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hawaii Hospitality - March/April 2013
Talk Story with George Szigeti
Point-of-Sale Software
Farm to Table
Outstanding Food & Beverage Professionals
News Briefs
Associations
New Restaurants
Clean Talk with Rose
Hawaii Hospitality - March/April 2013
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