Hua Hin and Cha-Am F & B Management Club – ‘Keeping up with What’s Going Down’!
It shouldn’t be assumed that everyone understands that F & B means Food and Beverage. It’s a common expression within the hotel and Resort community and great F & B often makes the difference between an ordinary and an exceptional stay or visit. This what many travellers will remember about their stay.
The recently formed Hua Hin and Cha-Am F&B Management Club represents the industry’s commitment to become more cooperative and effective in the delivery of F & B services in Hua Hin and Cha-Am.
Imagine a new supplier of products to improve F&B services visiting literally dozens of establishments and trying to make the right connections. Virtually mission impossible, with both the supplier and the establishments missing out and let’s not forget the consumer! Imagine instead an arrangement where potential suppliers can attend a monthly or at least regular forum where products can be displayed and tried by an audience of the region’s leading F & B decision makers. This is one of the strategies the new F&B Management Club is now facilitating.
Another purpose is to provide a friendly and cooperative network of individuals and Companies that can really benefit from the experiences and knowledge of those in the industry. Perhaps in competition in the market place but willing to learn and share in this environment.
On the 21st August the Club held a dinner/meeting at the Regent Beach Cha-Am Resort as a prelude of bigger and better things to come. The formalities included personal introductions and information about the attendees’ reasons for attending and what they may have to offer.
Mario Mendis from the Amari Resort Hua Hin also talked about that Resort’s success at a recent Gourmet Food Festival held in Pattaya with contestants from all over Thailand. The Amari won 5 bronze and 1 silver awards, a very pleasing result in very competitive company.
Additionally Mario, on behalf of the Club’s management committee, spoke about the prospect of the Club managing a similar event in Hua Hin in the near future to show the rest of the country that Hua Hin exceptional Chefs and cuisine which could be showcased for all to see.
The Hua Hin F&B Management Club is now effectively the Western Chapter of the Thai Hotels Association. It has been formalised with consultants/senior advisors, Vice Presidents (3) as well as a Secretary, Registrar, Treasurer and seven Directors. There’s still lots of work to be done and a spread of responsibility across the management of many of the best resorts and biggest suppliers in town augers well for the future. The newly appointed inaugural President Khun Vara Loima said that his hope is for the Club to become a very important part of improving the quality and range of F & B services in the region. Khun Vara commented that “We are already doing a good job, but there is always room for improvement. We can all learn in a very friendly and social way”.
But What About The Food and Beverages at this Occasion?
- 1. Food
On this occasion the Regent Beach Cha-Am Resort had the opportunity to display it’s fine cuisine to industry peers and set the bar very high. My best choices were Roasted Duck in Red Curry and Spicy Minced Prawn in Cucumber. Another highlight was ‘borrowed’ from the Resort’s Italian Restaurant. A ‘Pasta Live Station’ was set up with your individual choice of spaghetti or pasta delights cooked and prepared before your eyes by their expert Chef. There was also a choice of accompanying sauces such as carbonara, marinara, bolognaise. arabiata and tomato. Many of the guests were trying them all during more than one visit to the ‘Station’. Recognition by industry peers in this way may well be the best form of compliment that can be obtained.
Sweets for desert were also displayed in beautifully presented layers on the presentation displays; colourful and delicate in flavour and texture. My (unnamed) colleague was caught red handed with yet another plate full of the these ‘moor-ish’ sensations and protested that she had only brought them over to the table for me – I don’t think so!
We also had the opportunity to test Italian cold meats and cheese courtesy of the AroyItaly Co. Ltd. Just the best accompaniment to some fine red wine.
- 2. Beverages
We were able to sample a fine array of red and white wines, both still and sparkling by a variety of suppliers and producers.
Wines from many different wine producing areas both in Thailand and from countries such as Chile, Italy, France and Australia. Wine tasting is a hazardous business, so my apologies if I have failed to acknowledge all the fine wines on offer. However it is very obvious that the local F & B industry now has access to some of the best wines available worldwide. It seems that the development of a Thai wine appreciation culture is well underway!
Not only fine wine but fine beer with Miss Heineken attending (at least that’s what we ‘crowned her’!) with the Singha Corporation Marketting Manager on hand. I should also mention gourmet coffee and tea for those keeping their sobriety in check and enjoying this choice of the traditional after dinner beverage.
Final Comments
It’s apparent that the Food and Beverage side of Hua Hin and Cha-Am hospitality services is in good hands. Recognising the need to aspire to (and meet) international standards in a cooperative way means that customers can expect standards to continue to improve and the profile of the region as a gastronomes delight to be raised. Our congratulations to the Hua Hin & Cha-Am F&B Management Club for providing a platform to achieve this goal. It shouldn’t be too long before membership of the Club will be recognised by many more establishments and suppliers as a very practical and essential way of ‘keeping up with what’s going down’ in the restaurants around town!
Footnote: Our congratulations to the ‘birthday girl’ of the night, Khun Achara Manprajankit (Kib) from Nuboon Co. Ltd., suppliers of a variety of fruit and vegetable juices. She celebrated her birthday in style with a birthday cake complete with candles and rousing chorus of that traditional song; a fitting conclusion to the evening!
