Taj City Centre Gurugram welcomes Thai Master-Chef Nisa Yimthong

In a constant endeavour to offer unique and memorable experiences to its patrons, the Thai Pavilion at Taj City Centre, Gurugram is pleased to welcome its Thai Master Chef, Nisa Yimthong. As India’s first Thai fine dining brand and as one of the best restaurants in Delhi-NCR, Thai Pavilion has earned an iconic status since its inception in the nineties.

Hailing from Bangkok – the Thai Capital, Chef Nisa is extremely passionate about the cuisine. She derives inspiration from her grandmother who she believes is the force behind her passion for curating mouth-watering, authentic Thai food. Chef Nisa started accompanying her grandmother in the kitchen from a very young age, displaying keen interest and a flair for learning the culinary arts and enthusiastically assimilating the rich history of her country’s local cuisine. These childhood memories have been instrumental in inspiring the master chef in her.

Nisa has a degree in Hotel Management from the Institute of Hotel Management, Bangkok, Thailand (2004-2008) and she did her industrial training from Blue Elephant Restaurant, in Bangkok. Nisa has worked with Thai restaurants in various renowned international hospitality brands in Bangkok. Keen on exploring new opportunities, Chef Nisa moved to India in 2012 and worked as a Thai Chef at various hotels across geographies and had significant learning on guest preferences and culinary trends in the country. What started out as a hobby, now ignites the fire that drives Chef Nisa to prepare the most scrumptious Thai meals for the patrons of Taj City Centre, Gurugram.

Commenting on this new assignment, Master Chef Nisa Yimthong said, “It is a privilege to join the IHCL family and to lead the culinary journey at the famed Thai Pavilion. I have been in India for 10 years and always loved my experience at IHCL Hotels. I am delighted with the opportunity of joining the wonderful team at Taj City Centre Gurugram and I look forward to contributing great flavours and memorable gastronomic experiences for our guests.”

For guests who would like to savour Chef Nisa’s exquisite epicurean creations, a specially curated signature menu, comprising of the chef’s personal favourite Thai dish, The Kanom Jeen (Thai Curry with Rice Noodles) is available to relish from at Thai Pavilion, Taj City Centre Gurugram.

Manish Dayya takes the reins as General Manager at Sofitel Mumbai BKC

A hospitality professional to the core, he looks forward to spearheading operations at Sofitel Mumbai BKC, introducing further growth through innovative strategies, and managing an effective and enthusiastic team

Sofitel Mumbai BKC, the elegant, luxury hotel in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex, is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr. Manish Dayya as the new General Manager. 

Mr. Dayya brings with him over two decades of experience in the trade and hospitality industries. A hospitality professional to the core, he looks forward to spearheading operations at Sofitel Mumbai BKC, introducing further growth through innovative strategies, and managing an effective and enthusiastic team. 

Knowing that hospitality would be his path of choice, Manish completed his Diploma in Hotel Management from the Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition Goa, before kickstarting his career. Notable appointments include stints as General Manager at properties across the country, including Lemon Tree, The Raintree Hotels in Chennai, and the Royal Orchid Hotels in Hyderabad, before joining Accor in 2013. Here, Manish reaped the benefits of hands-on experience at brands across the group, such as the Grand Mercure & Novotel Goa Shrem Resort, Mercure Hotel, and Lavasa International Convention Centre, followed by Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and Hyderabad International Convention Centre, as a complex general manager. 

At all the properties, Manish oversaw a mix of business and leisure guests, as well as a thriving events and MICE segment, thus allowing him to keep an active finger on the pulse of leisure and business travel trends. His wealth of experience in metro, leisure, and tier 2 cities allows for a multi-dimensional approach when welcoming guests, launching new offerings, and working with diverse teams. What’s more, his varied roles and expansive approach to hospitality, and a decade of Accor experience make him a perfect fit for Sofitel Mumbai BKC’s seamless blend of the French way of life and warm Indian hospitality.  

In his free time. Manish enjoys music, traveling, reading, and movies. 

Jatish Ghai takes over as the General Manager at Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Nashik

Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Nashik is extremely delighted to announce the appointment of Jatish Ghai as the new General Manager

Jatish brings in with him 2 decades of illustrious experience in luxury hotel operations with prestigious brands such The Leela palaces, Hotels and Resorts, Marriott International and Ananda In The Himalayas.

In his previous assignment as Director of Operations, he was instrumental in driving efficiencies in operations and technology transformation for Radisson Hotel Group, South Asia. Jatish is known for his strong analytical skills, astute business acumen along with the mindset of building long–term relationships. His revenue management expertise will play a significant role in establishing Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Nashik as a commercially successful luxury lifestyle Hotel in the Wine capital of India. 

As General Manager, Jatish will oversee the strategic and financial performance of the property, and curate bespoke experiences for its guests, with a key focus on creating value in the growth and success of our business across all segments by encouraging positive work culture and people development.

Amal El Ansari appointed general manager of Swissotel Al Ghurair

The international hotelier brings a wealth of experience and is a strong advocate of diversity and inclusion

Swissotel Al Ghurair and Swissotel Living Al Ghurair have appointed Amal El Ansari as the new general manager of the 620-room properties. She has been with Accor for 11 years and has held key positions and cluster roles of DOSM, hotel manager and general manager.

El Ansari brings a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry and commercials and provides a strategic vision for the hotel, connected to the Al Ghurair Centre shopping mall.

Before this, she was the general manager of Novotel Sharjah Expo Centre and successfully led her team through the pandemic. An international hotelier with business acumen and strong communication skills, El Ansari has successfully managed Pullman, Novotel, Ibis, Rotana and Sheraton brands. She advocates innovation and strives to achieve great heights keeping the company’s mission, values, and strategy in mind.

She said: “We are in a people-centric industry, and it is of the utmost importance to value our people first and, in turn, create a happy and positive environment that leads to the hotel’s commercial success.”

Fairfield By Marriott, Mumbai Appoints Dipesh Sinha as Food and Beverage Manager

Dipesh Sinha

Food and Beverage Manager

Fairfield By Marriott, Mumbai

The newest Marriott property in Mumbai – Fairfield by Marriott, Mumbai International Airport announces the appointment of its Food and Beverage Manager, Dipesh Sinha. Dipesh comes with an extensive experience of 16 years across various luxury, lifestyle, and business hotels.

Prior to Joining FFM, Dipesh worked at Sahara Star, Mumbai as Asst Food and Beverage Manager where he was primarily responsible for uplifting the beverage portfolio of the hotel as well as increasing the visibility and market share of the hotel’s restaurants and bars.

In his current role at Fairfield by Marriott, Dipesh will be instrumental in processes such as restaurant operations, guest experience management, administration, restaurant revenue forecast, F&B strategy, concept promotions, cost control, and beverage initiatives.

THE WESTIN RISHIKESH RESORT & SPA APPOINTS ROHIT CHHOKAR AS DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING

National, December 2022: The Westin Rishikesh Resort & Spa, the first Westin branded property in the Himalayas, has announced the appointment of Rohit Chhokar as Director of Sales and Marketing. With over 14 years of expertise in innovating and implementing strategies in the hospitality industry, Rohit will be focusing on optimizing the resort’s revenue performance as well as establishing the brand’s positioning of being the most versatile and preferred resort in the Himalayas.

With the new position, Rohit will be instrumental in implementing strategies to enhance the brand reputation by driving innovative campaigns. Being a seasoned sales leader, he will spearhead business plans to deliver profitability and continue the successful growth trajectory for the hotel brand. Rohit is synonymous with being result oriented, with an analytical and passionate approach to marketing, sales, and revenue management.

Rohit has held key positions across renowned hospitality brands including Marriott International, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, JHM Interstate Hotels & Resorts, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

Apart from being passionate about wellness, Rohit enjoys playing basketball and exploring new

About Westin® Hotels & Resorts

Westin Hotels & Resorts, hospitality’s global leader in well-being for more than a decade, empowers guests to transcend the rigors of travel while on the road through the brand’s Six Pillars of well-being: Sleep Well, Eat Well, Move Well, Feel Well, Work Well, and Play Well. At more than 230 hotels and resorts in nearly 40 countries and territories, guests can experience wellness offerings that include the brand’s iconic and award-winning Heavenly® Bed, TRX fitness equipment in the signature WestinWORKOUT® Fitness Studios, delicious and nutritious menu offerings on their Eat Well menu, and more. Stay connected to Westin on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Westin is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy®, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit Marriott Bonvoy.

Novotel Guwahati GS Road strengthens its leadership team

Arnab Nath has been promoted to T&C Manager & Ashok Tripathy has been appointed as Chief Engineer at Novotel Guwahati GS Road

Arnab joined as Assistant Manager in Talent & Culture in 2018 and has been an integral part of the talent & Culture team since 2018. He has a total of 11 years of experience. Prior to Novotel Guwahati, he had worked with Lemon Tree Hotels, ITC welcome group & Radisson Blu. Arnab hails from Assam. He had completed his MBA in Human Resources from Panjab Technical University. As employee retention has become a challenge in Hospitality Industry, Arnab’s priority is to create a sustainable environment to retain employees. Guwahati is an emerging market for Hospitality Industry and Arnab is looking forward to connecting employee well-being with career growth for this market.

Ashok started his career in the Hospitality industry at Radisson White Sand Beach Resort in 2007. He worked with City Max hotel in Dubai, Phoenix Park Inn Resort Goa, Radisson Blu Nagpur, and Mayfair Bhubaneswar before joining Radisson Blu Guwahati in 2015. He had Joined there as an Asst. Manager- Engineering and later promoted as Chief Engineer in 2020. Ashok was born & brought up in Odisha and is currently settled in Guwahati with his family. Having a total of 17 years of experience and maximum tenure with different properties of Radisson, he is looking forward to working & grow in Accor. He has already started working on various sustainable related initiatives like less carbon emission, usage of recycled water, less usage of Electricity.

“Ashok needs to work on various sustainable initiatives as per Accor’s guidelines. Roles of chief engineer  & T&C Manager are critical ones. We are hoping that Arnab will be able to create a positive impact on the team & will bring various wellbeing initiatives for our employees and we wish both of them the best for their respective new roles” - GM, Mr. Nitin Pathak.