Rotana, a leading hotel management company in the Middle East and Africa, has announced the appointment of James Wierzelewski as its new corporate vice president for food & beverages operations.

One of the key factors in Rotana’s recognised success has been its ability to redefine what gastronomy means in the Middle East and Africa and Wierzelewski’s appointment will help to consolidate the culinary path the brand has forged, away from clichéd attitudes towards regional food, and towards a quality and diversity of offering unparalleled by any hospitality group, a statement from the company said.

Wierzelweski brings with him more than 20 years of top-notch experience in the food and beverage divisions of the elite groups in the global hospitality industry, having worked across the globe and headed operations for accomplished names.

He also has an extensive experience of the F&B industry at such diverse institutions as Norwegian Cruise Lines, Harrods of London and Disney Corporation, the statement said.

Some of Wierzelweski’s key achievements include appearing on the Food Network cooking show, being named ‘Best Chef in Malaysia’ for Lafite Restaurant and winning the Bonlac Great Chefs of Asia Award as one of the top chefs in Asia.

He has launched, directed and been associated with numerous culinary establishments across North America, Europe and Asia that have become iconic for their offerings and have been honoured with the highest awards in the industry.

At Rotana, Wierzelweski’s main duties will include developing new concepts of service methods to achieve organisational objectives as well as maintaining its food & beverage standards in terms of quality of product and service.

He will also identify and recommend new products, equipment and amenities to enhance product quality, and analyse and monitor the annual food & beverage operational audit, setting new benchmarks for future years.

Overall, Wierzelweski will be responsible for not only maintaining Rotana’s position as one of the leading hotel chains in the F&B industry, but also enhancing it further by developing new concepts of outlets in the region to enhance the Rotana restaurants portfolio.

Omer Kaddouri, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Rotana, said: “At Rotana, the creations and achievements of our F&B team have not only made for great culinary experiences, throughout our signature restaurants, but also helped create memories to keep long after the meal is over.”

“Perhaps that is why, as a hotelier, I believe the quality and diversity of our restaurants is a major recipe of our success. With Wierzelweski joining our team, we aim to improve this quality even further and bring about an even more diverse portfolio of offerings.”

“He has been the force behind several award-winning concepts in the global F&B industry and we are confident that his flair for innovation will drive Rotana forward to a new plane of excellence in F&B offerings,” Kaddouri concluded. – TradeArabia News Service