International Food and Beverage Forum
Restaurateur of the Year Award
2008 Restaurant of the Year
WALTER WAGNER
EXECUTIVE GENERAL MANAGER
FOOD & BEVERAGE
CROWN LIMITED
As Executive General Manager, Food & Beverage at Crown, Walter is responsible for the Food & Beverage Division consisting of 48 outlets. These include restaurants, bars and snack bars located on the gaming floor and retail area, as well as for the entertainment in the complex, The Palms theatre, 2 nightclubs, 1 retail shop as well as the banqueting department, which includes the prestigious Palladium at Crown and Studio 3. The division employs a total of over 1700 full-time and part-time employees.
Joining Crown in January 1996 as Executive Chef, Walter was responsible for the day to day operation of the temporary Casino at Galleria and for the planning of the opening of the F&B in the new Crown Entertainment Complex. This included the setting up of the entire kitchen operation, the co-ordination of the recruitment of all kitchen employees for the opening (including 460 chefs), developing the food concepts for over 20 restaurants and banqueting, and the purchasing of all operating equipment and chinaware required. In 1997, Walter was promoted to the position of Director of Food & Beverage Operations at Crown and then to Executive General Manager, Food & Beverage in June 1998 and received additional responsibilities in 2007 with the inclusion of the entertainment department.
Walter began his culinary career at Hotel Reber au Lac in Locarno Switzerland in 1968 and gained experience as Commis de Cuisine and Chef de Partie in various five-star establishments throughout Switzerland, Iran and Turkey. In 1977 Walter was promoted to Executive Chef at the Taif Intercontinental in Saudi Arabia followed by positions in Afghanistan and Port Vila.
From 1982 to 1986, Walter held the position of Regional Executive Chef for East Africa and Executive Chef at the Hotel Intercontinental in Nairobi, Kenya. As Regional Executive Chef, Walter was also responsible for the co-ordination of the opening of Mount Kenya Safari Club in Nairobi and the Hotel Intercontinental Mombasa.
Following this, Walter was transferred to the 800 room Hotel Intercontinental in Frankfurt, Germany as Executive Chef. During this period, the Rotisserie restaurant was recognised in the 1986-87 edition of the famous French Food Guide “Gault et Millau” and awarded one hat.
In 1988, Walter moved to Japan as the Executive Chef for the opening of the Hotel Tokyo Bay Hilton in Urayasu-Shi, Chiba. This hotel consisted of 750 rooms and 12 Food & Beverage outlets, room service and large banqueting facilities. Walter remained at Hotel Tokyo Bay Hilton until 1993 when he accepted the position of Executive Chef at the Hotel Hyatt Regency in Osaka.
As the Executive Chef for the Hotel Hyatt Regency, Walter was the opening chef responsible for setting up the entire kitchen operation, including the development of food concepts for all outlets and the preparation of a la carte menus for all outlets and banquets.
During his tenure in Osaka, Walter was appointed a Director of the All Japan Cooks Association in Osaka. He also co-authored the cookbook “The Food of Japan”, published in the Periplus World Cookbook Series in August 1995.
Walter is a member of the following organisations:
• President Bocuse d’Or Australia
• Honorary Vice Chancelier Culinaire of the Victorian Chapter of the Chaine de Rotisseurs
• Member of the Board of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival
• Member of the Academie Culinaire de France
• Honorary Board member of the International Ice Sculpture Association in Tokyo
Walter is also a recipient of the following awards:
• “Chevalier de l’Ordre du Merit Agricole, given by the French Ministry of Agriculture in recognition of his contribution to the development of the French Culinary Arts
• Manager of the Year (Director Food & Beverage) awarded by the Australian Institute of Hospitality Management Inc in 1998.
2007 Restaurant of the Year
Patrick Willis
Born in the USA, Patrick received his initial introduction to hospitality in Frankfurt, Germany, during summer assignments while attending high school. He later obtained degrees from The American University in Paris, France, and Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts.
During nearly three decades of exposure and research, Patrick has been responsible for hotels and restaurants on five continents.
As one of the youngest Corporate Food and Beverage Directors in America at the time of his appointment at Rosewood Hotels, he was instrumental in developing and promoting the American Food movements in California, the Pacific Rim, and the Southwestern regions of the United States.
At Turnberry Isle Resort and Country Club in Florida, he was an active participant in the New World Food Movement, which continues to enjoy a great reputation to date.
Other companies that Patrick has been associated with were Hotels of Distinction, Hyatt Hotels, The Rafael Group, Sun International, Regent International, and The Oberoi Group.
He has been credited by leading Chefs for his contributions to their careers and cookbooks they wrote.
His direct involvement in the planing, opening, overseeing, and in various management positions for more than 40 hotels and countless restaurants through out the world have taught Patrick to always pursue quality, simplicity as a guest experience, and listen closely to what Mr. And Ms. Customer have to say.
Some of his favorite assignments have been The Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles, The Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas, The Regent Hong Kong, The Regent New York (now named The Four Season New York), and Rajvilas in Jaipur.
As the Principal Partner of The Global Food and Beverage Network, his objective is to network hotel and restaurant professionals on call.
Patrick has been appointed C.O.O. of the newly created Marlon Abela Restaurant Corporation ( MARC ). His mandate is to establish a profitable organization of highly visible restaurants and other food-related businesses in the USA and in Europe that will emphasize outstanding food, extensive wine selections, great service, and wonderful environments.
He is a member of numerous food and beverage organizations, received recognition from The Kennedy Performing Arts Center for his contributions, and has written many articles for leading publications regarding international Food and Beverage issues.
2006 Restaurant of the Year
GUSTAV E. MAULER, Certified Master Chef
A native Austrian, Gustav E. Mauler is President and CEO of Gustav International Chartered, a restaurant, hospitality, management and consulting company specializing in multi, themed designs based in Las Vegas, Nevada, that operates three restaurants, Spiedini, Sazio, Gustav’s Cigar Bar and a full-service, culturally diverse Catering division.
Gustav Mauler joined the gaming industry in 1980 with the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In 1987, he moved to the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, Nevada. During his tenure as Senior Vice President with Mirage Resorts, Mauler oversaw the development of a myriad of restaurants and lounges. He was responsible for planning and design of all food and beverage areas within Mirage Resorts. The culinary genius behind Mirage Resorts, Gustav’s skills and knowledge influenced the changes of the hospitality industry in Las Vegas, paving the way for independent restaurateurs and celebrity chefs to come to Las Vegas. Working with local authorities he recommended food standards now in effect for the county. He has mentored numerous aspiring chefs who have gone on to become executive chefs at some of Vegas’ top properties and restaurants.
Gustav is a graduate of the Innkeeper School in Vienna and received his certification as one of only fifty-four certified Master Chefs in the United States from the American Culinary Federation. In May 1993, he was presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. He is also a member of the Chaine de Rotisseirs Gourmet Society, The American Culinary Federation, and The Order of the Golden Togue. And in 1997, Mauler was named one of the NRN fifty-new players by Nation’s Restaurant News Magazine was recognized as Nevada’s Restaurateur of the Year in 1991, and presented with the 2000 Culinarian of The Year Award from the Food and Beverage Assn., who’s previous award recipients include Emeril Lagasse and Wolfgang Puck.
A highly sought after personality, Gustav makes appearances across the globe; performing cooking demonstrations or guest chefing on luxury cruise liners, at private estates, national food & wine events, educational & health institutions, major conventions and for charities. A flamboyant personality, Gustav is a favorite on TV talk shows and news segments. Whether in-studio or on-site at his restaurants, Gustav’s regular appearances have made him the most televised local celebrity chef of Las Vegas! KVVU-Fox-5 AM LIVE named Gustav their celebrity guest Chef, where he appeared at least twice monthly and he is booked regularly on KVBC TV-3.
The award-winning chef is also an international design consultant for commercial and residential kitchens and dining rooms, as well as delivery, storage and preparation areas. He has consulted and designed over one hundred facilities worldwide with seventy percent of those being here in Las Vegas: including kitchens in the Treasure Island, The Mirage, The Bellagio and The Aladdin. Gustav has designed a variety of facilities from intimate “show kitchens” that allow dining guests to observe the chefs cooking and to smell the aromas from the kitchen, to mass production kitchens that cater to convention groups and cafeteria style service.
Gustav has just signed an agreement with national homebuilder Pulte Homes to develop a line of upgrade kitchens for their Las Vegas market featuring the Gustav Mauler, CMC Seal of Approval and his is developing the Gustav Signature Certified Master Kitchens™ line. He is also reviewing several scripts for his own TV cooking show and cookbook. Gustav contributes regularly to local, regional and national publications and is a contributing writer for Finishing Touches Magazine, and formally the Food Editor for Las Vegas Magazine.
A community spirited business executive, Mauler and his staff regularly supports non-profit events and educational activities throughout Nevada. He was awarded the prestigious 2002 Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Community Achievement Award in the category of Tourism and presented the 2002 Star Award from the Shade Tree Shelter
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CAMELLIA PANJABI
2005 |
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Camellia Panjabi was born in Bombay, and studied economics at Cambridge University U.K.. She joined as a Management Trainee at Unilever London, and then as a member of the Tata Administrative service in Bombay. Tata being the largest industrial conglomerate in India.
She was assigned by Tatas to be the first Sales and Marketing Manager of the Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay in 1969 – when it was adding a new tower and doubling its capacity.
She was part of the team that set up 5 new restaurants at the Taj, which became legendary over time.
In a career with the Taj Group spanning 30 years, the Taj grew from one hotel with 240 room keys to one with 70 hotels and over 7,000 rooms by the year 2000. Many of the hotels that the Taj opened virtually created the destinations they were in. These included the Lake Palace- Udaipur, the Rambagh Palace-Jaipur, The Fort Aguada-Goa and so on. It was the pioneering hotels in cities like Madras, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow and in Kerala that Camellia spearheaded the creation of regional Indian restaurants.
She is credited in India for introducing Szechwan and Thai cuisine to the sub-continent. She persuaded the Taj to making its first Chinese restaurant in 1971 as a Szechwan one and brought in the Chefs and Managers for that. From the 1980’s she set up in Taj hotels several Thai restaurants in Bangalore, Goa, Bombay and Cochin, accompanied by Thai herbal gardens because Thai herbs were not available in India. India is now dominated by Szechwan cuisine among all Chinese cuisines and Thai has also naturally become popular.
She introduced the first Italian coffee shop in a hotel in India – called Trattoria at the Taj President in Bombay, which remains Bombay’s favourite Italian eatery.
She set up the Bombay Brasserie for the Taj Group in 1982, which continues to be a landmark Indian restaurant in London, because it changed the way Indian food was viewed till then.
In 2001, Camellia left the Taj and joined her family restaurant business in London.
She re-launched Chutney Mary, which was named the best Indian restaurant in London in 2004 at the Tio Pepe ITV Restaurant Awards. In 2005, their restaurant Amaya was voted the Best Restaurant in London.
She is currently working on the renovation of Veeraswamy in London, which is the world’s oldest surviving Indian restaurant, which will be 80 years old in 2006.
Camellia is author of a book on the “50 Great Curries of India”, which has sold over half a million copies world wide.
Michael Mina
Aqua
2004
Hans-Henrik Välimäki
Chef de Cuisine/Restaurateur
Chez Dominique
Helsinki, Finland
2003
Alfonso A. Contrisciani
CMC, AAC
2003 J&W Alumni Restaurateur of the Year Award
Gérard Vié
A L'Ensiegne Des Trois Marches - Trianon Palace
Versailles, France
2002
Alain Ducasse
Directeur Des Cuisines, Plaza Athénée - Paris, France
2001
François Delahaye
General Manager, Plaza Athénée - Paris, France
2001
Anton Mosimann OBE
President, Mosimann's, London, England
November 10, 2000
Otto Weibel
Director of Kitchen Operation
Raffles The Plaza Hotel &
The Swissôtel The Stamford
Singapore
1999
Bernard & Jean Coussau
Maître Cuisiniers et Propriétaires, Relais de la poste
Magescq, France
1998
Michael P. Berry
Vice President-Food Operations and Concept Development,
Walt Disney Co, Los Angeles, CA
United States
1997
Roland Burtsche
Executive Chef & Owner, Hotel Colombi,
Freiburg i. Breisgau, Germany
1996
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