The Peninsula - Issue 4: 2018 by The Antithesis

Issue 4: 2018

Special 90th Anniversary Commermorative Issue

FROM THE CEO

s The Peninsula Hong Kong comes closer to a century of standing proud as an international icon of hospitality, the legendary ‘Grande Dame of the Far East’ continues to set hotel standards worldwide. This magnificent hotel offers an unsurpassed blend of the finest Eastern and Western hospitality in an environment that exudes classical grandeur and timeless elegance, combined with sophisticated proprietary in-room technology. This year, the flagship property of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited, celebrated its 90th anniversary in signature style. In this issue of The Peninsula magazine, we take you on a nostalgic journey through some of The Peninsula Hong Kong’s milestone achievements. As famed travel writer Jan Morris once wrote: “Of course it takes more than an elegant façade and tasteful deco to inspire the loyalty and affection that people feel for The Peninsula Hong Kong. The reassurance of the hotel’s continual presence is an important factor, but it is the people who are the heart and soul of the hotel, and it is they who infuse the place with a generous spirit and pride. “Whenever we come back, they say ‘Welcome home’,” said one long-time guest. “And they mean it.” In the words of a former staff member, “The Peninsula reaches out, grabs hold of you and hugs you.” Not only has The Peninsula brought unique and memorable experiences to its guests, but also to the people who have worked there over the years, proudly presenting the finest of Hong Kong to the world. In recognition of the exceptional service provided by the staff, we have taken the opportunity during 2018 to invite selected members of the team to tell their own personal stories through various media platforms, reflecting that this is not simply an iconic establishment, but a place where special moments are captured. We invite you to share in those stories in this special commemorative issue of our magazine. With Best Wishes,

Clement K M Kwok Chief Executive Officer

CONTENTS ISSUE 4: 2018

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FROM THE CEO EVERY STORY HAS A BEGINNING Every great lady has a history, and The Peninsula Hong Kong is no exception. Hers is a remarkable story of vision and evolution. From the moment The Peninsula opened, it was evident that the seeds of progress sown by the directors of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited had found fertile ground.

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HIGH SOCIETY The Peninsula has always loved a party. In the early days, when Hong Kong deserved its reputation as a colonial backwater, the rich and bored were attracted to its never-ending medley of balls, dances, teas and recitals like bees to honey…

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THE RITUAL OF AFTERNOON TEA The Peninsula’s afternoon tea ritual is rooted in British custom as The Duchess of Bedford is credited with launching the fashion of afternoon tea in 1830. Now an enduring tradition, the celebrated Peninsula Classic Afternoon Tea is served daily at Peninsula hotels in three continents.

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SILVER TREASURE Almost 80 per cent of the silverware at The Peninsula Hong Kong dates from the hotel’s opening in 1928. Today more than 48,000 pieces are in daily use at the hotel.

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PAGES THROUGH THE AGES The Peninsula was the first hotel in Asia to have pageboys, based on the young ‘grooms’ of Europe. The now iconic Peninsula page has come to personify The Peninsula’s personal approach to service.

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OPENING DOORS Joe Bau, Jeff Tang, Lee Chung Fai and Tsui Ka Kam have two things in common: they were all born deaf and today, they all don The Peninsula Hotels’ iconic pageboy uniform at The Peninsula Hong Kong, a testament to The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels’ commitment to providing equal opportunities in employment, regardless of disability.

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CHANGING WITH THE TIMES In the early days of The Peninsula, above The Lobby sat the Tea Lounge, with an outdoor terrace where people took the sun or smoked pipes at stone tables under large umbrellas. This terrace would eventually become The Verandah restaurant.

CONTENTS 2 ISSUE 4: 2018

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KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY Food and Beverage Concierge Lam Siu Ping and his son Security Officer Lam Tat Yeung (Nick), represent two generations of family working at The Peninsula Hong Kong. The pair is just one example of two or more family members employed at the hotel, also long known for placing emphasis on a sense of family within the workplace on a wider scale.

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A LIFELONG BOND Johnny Chung Kam Hung is something of a legend in his own lifetime. As The Peninsula’s longest living employee, he has loyally served the hotel for just over 60 years, since joining in 1957.

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DEFYING THE DECADES “The best restaurant East of Suez” is a mantra that rings true within the hallowed walls of Gaddi’s, a restaurant that even after six-and-a-half decades, brings together the glamour of yesteryear with a touch of refined gastronomic elegance and levity to the French culinary discipline.

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SWITZERLAND IN HONG KONG Due to its enduring popularity as one of Hong Kong’s most romantic dining spots, time has literally stood still at Chesa, and changing design trends have never altered its rustic, cosy feel - making it a true classic in the city.

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FAMILY TIES The Peninsula Hotels’ Group Executive Chef Florian Trento has been a part of The Peninsula Hong Kong for just over one-third of the hotel’s 90 years of operation, this year clocking up an impressive 31 years of service. Trento’s eldest son, Roberto, this year also joined The Peninsula ranks, although far away from the kitchen…

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A FULL MOON The economic boom of the 1980s brought with it the opening of The Peninsula’s first dedicated Cantonese restaurant, Spring Moon, in 1986.

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THE TANG DYNASTY Master Michelin-starred Cantonese Chef Tang Chi-Keung began his career with The Peninsula at the Group’s flagship hotel in Hong Kong, where he joined as founding chef at Spring Moon Chinese restaurant in 1986. It was there that his signature home-style, authentic Cantonese cuisine earned him a stellar reputation and fiercely loyal diners.

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A SHINING STAR One of the famed ‘Eight Culinary Traditions of China’, Cantonese cuisine is fêted around the globe for its distinctive flavours and skillful preparation techniques. For connoisseurs of the style, however, there are few places that can match the quality and elegance of the food at The Peninsula Hong Kong’s celebrated Cantonese restaurant, Spring Moon.

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CONTENTS 3 ISSUE 4: 2018

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THE PURSUIT OF PERFECTION The Peninsula Hong Kong has been at the pinnacle of culinary excellence for 90 years, forging its ongoing reputation as the ultimate gastronomic destination. For this reputation to be upheld, it takes both strong leadership and impeccable teamwork, as perfectly demonstrated by Food & Beverage Director Kevin Tsang.

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Beginning with only a few tenants in 1940, The Peninsula Arcade was Hong Kong's very first luxury shopping arcade. Today it houses more than 60 of the world's top brands.

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POURING PERFECTION 2018 marks 30 years of the association of Champagne Deutz with The Peninsula. Both names share a heritage of quality and refinement and as The Peninsula continues to pour Deutz as its private label champagne, Chairman & CEO of the prestigious champagne house Fabrice Rosset is in celebratory mode.

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IN THE DRIVING SEAT Driver Sue Chiou is the lady often found behind the wheel of one of The Peninsula Hong Kong’s extended wheelbase Rolls-Royce Phantoms, which to some may come as a surprise, but she holds her own as the only female driver among the hotel’s fleet staff, wearing her badge with visible pride.

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GROWING UP In 1987, The Peninsula came to the realisation that she had outgrown her existing structure and was looking for ingenious ways to move forward into the 21st Century. 24 years after its completion, The Peninsula Tower has never lost its lustre.

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SAFETY FIRST It’s a well-known fact that for many guests of The Peninsula Hong Kong and local residents alike, one of the most spectacular things to do when celebrating a special occasion is to take a helicopter ride over the dramatic cityscape and the expansive scenery that lies beyond. Helipad Controllerin-Charge, Paul Leigh has been witness to a multitude of moments, which have become the highlights of a career that he never imagined he might have as a young man.

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SIGNATURE STARCK

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PEN’S ANGELS Perhaps somewhat surprisingly to some, of the 50 or so full-time Security Officers at The Peninsula Hong Kong, around one-third are female, a reflection of the hotel’s parent company’s ethical and inclusive employment policy. Often perceived as a male-dominated field, Manki Wong, Macy Ma and Sum Tang are three female employees who are helping to break down this stereotype-based assumption.

DESTINED TO DAZZLE As well as being the year of the 90th anniversary of The Peninsula Hong Kong, 2018 marks the 50th year of Falconer Jewellers in the hotel’s famed shopping arcade. We look back over the company’s 163-year history.

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HOW MAY I HELP YOU? Chief Order Taker in the In Room Dining Department of The Peninsula, Antonia Rodriguez has seen more than her fair share of ups and downs in life. Antonia has now been at the hotel for an impressive 50 years, and like many staff, considers it to be her second home.

AN AUTOMOTIVE ODYSSEY While Rolls-Royce looks forward, its traditions, classic style and attention to detail have been behind its success, values that it shares with The Peninsula Hotels.

A FAMILY AFFAIR During the first few decades of the operation of The Peninsula Hong Kong, many employees had to be referred by a family member already working at the hotel in order to secure a job there, and as such, up to three generations of some families have been employed to this day.

THE FOOD OF THE GODS Since its opening in 1928, chocolate has always played an important role in The Peninsula’s culinary exploits.

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PIONEERING PEN

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50 YEARS OF SERVICE Simon Lo has been an employee of The Peninsula Hong Kong for five decades, making him one of the hotel’s longest serving members of staff. Having already exceeded the official retirement age, Lo still remains a fixture of The Peninsula.

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ALL ABOARD! Joining The Peninsula Hong Kong’s impressive transportation fleet of Rolls-Royces, MINI Cooper S Clubmans and a helicopter, is a 19-metre Sunseeker Manhattan 60 yacht which adds the sea to the land and air transport offerings available for guests of the hotel.

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INNOVATION WITH A HUMAN TOUCH Located in Aberdeen on Hong Kong island’s south side, Group General Manager of Research and Technology Christopher Chan and his team of engineers and technicians strive to provide user-friendly, intuitive technology for today’s increasingly demanding and sophisticated travellers to enhance comfort and the overall guest experience.

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ICONS OF TIME Rolex recently introduced the new generations of the Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31 and 36, both of which are at the forefront of watchmaking technology.

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THE PENULTIMATE Good Fortune

CONTRIBUTORS The Peninsula Hong Kong Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong Telephone: (852) 2920 2888 Facsimile: (852) 2722 4170 E-mail: phk@peninsula.com The Peninsula Shanghai No 32 The Bund, 32 Zhongshan Dong Yi Road Shanghai 200002, The People’s Republic of China Telephone: (86-21) 2327 2888 Facsimile: (86-21) 2327 2000 E-mail: psh@peninsula.com The Peninsula Beijing 8 Goldfish Lane, Wangfujing, Beijing 100006, The People’s Republic of China Telephone: (86-10) 8516 2888 Facsimile: (86-10) 6510 6311 E-mail: pbj@peninsula.com The Peninsula Tokyo 1-8-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo , 100-0006, Japan Telephone: (81-3) 6270 2888 Facsimile: (81-3) 6270 2000 E-mail: ptk@peninsula.com The Peninsula New York 700 Fifth Avenue at 55th Street, New York, NY 10019, U.S.A. Telephone: (1-212) 956 2888 Facsimile: (1-212) 903 3949 E-mail: pny@peninsula.com The Peninsula Chicago 108 East Superior Street (at North Michigan Avenue), Chicago, IL 60611, U.S.A. Telephone: (1-312) 337 2888 Facsimile: (1-312) 751 2888 E-mail: pch@peninsula.com The Peninsula Beverly Hills 9882 South Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90212, U.S.A. Telephone: (1-310) 551 2888 Facsimile: (1-310) 788 2319 E-mail: pbh@peninsula.com The Peninsula Paris 19 Avenue Kléber, Paris 75116, France Telephone: (33-1) 5812 2888 Facsimile: (33-1) 5812 2999 E-mail: ppr@peninsula.com The Peninsula Bangkok 333 Charoennakorn Road, Klongsan, Bangkok 10600, Thailand Telephone: (66-2) 861 2888 Facsimile: (66-2) 861 1112 E-mail: pbk@peninsula.com

CHEN MAN

SHEENA LIANG

Chen Man is a Chinese photographer, born and raised in Beijing. She graduated from the photography department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in 2005. But before she even graduated, she had already started collaborating with Shanghai-based fashion magazine Vision, which was one of the few, if not the only, progressive magazine around at that time. This led her into the world of heavyweights such as Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Esquire...and the list of magazines, and high-profile advertising campaigns goes on. Chen’s passion for beauty is obvious in each of her shots and this has made her one of China's most important fashion photographers today.

After graduating from the University of Southampton in the UK with a degree in particular and International Relations, Sheena Liang is now a freelance writer. Her particular passion lies in writing about what goes on in the food and beverage industry. For this issue of The Peninsula magazine, she looks back at the storied history of Gaddi’s restaurant at The Peninsula Hong Kong, which this year celebrates 65 years in operation.

WILLIAM FURNISS William Furniss was born in London in 1970. Initially taken with the idea of working as a portrait and fashion photographer, Furniss assisted luminaries of the London scene such Patrick Litchfield and Terry O’Neill. His work soulfully elevates the science of classic photography to an art - in particular through a hyper-repetitive approach to his subjects that makes being in the right place at the right time inevitable, given his extremes of patience. After the initial visualisation, some of his images take decades to achieve before the elements fall into place. Nature still plays an enormous role in shaping his work extremes of sun, wind, tides, rain - not to mention the vagaries of human behaviour.

CHRISTINE LAM Christine graduated from the Hong Kong Design Institute with a degree in animation but soon realised that her passion lay in graphic design. A creative of many talents – she bakes, hand makes clothes and accessories, and speaks fluent Japanese. Christine draws inspiration from music as well as movies and she is the Chief Designer for The Peninsula magazine.

The Peninsula Manila Corner of Ayala & Makati Avenues, 1226 Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines Telephone: (63-2) 887 2888 Facsimile: (63-2) 815 4825 E-mail: pmn@peninsula.com

COCO MARETT A Chinese-French hybrid, Coco has spent her life living between Hong Kong and Melbourne and travelling the spaces in between. She began chasing the dream of becoming a writer at a young age and her work has since been published in the US, Australia and Hong Kong. She credits her love of words to her father – also a writer – and finds inspiration in people, places and food.

ANTONIO SABA Born in Sardinia, Antonio spent his childhood in his hometown of Cagliari. After completing his studies at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan in 1987, where he specialised in advertising photography, Antonio began working professionally, mostly for Italian clients until 1996. In 1997 he set up his own studios in Milan and Cagliari shooting primarily for international clients and magazines. In 2013 Antonio began working in Dubai where he is now based fulltime, shooting more and more for the Middle East and the Far East markets. His projects today span across the world. In addition, he works as a personal photography consultant for one of the most important Royal Families in the United Arab Emirates.

ANN TSANG Ann Tsang is the Editor-In-Chief and Creative Director for The Peninsula Magazine, as well as several luxury custom publications in Asia and the United States. She began her career in television, working for many of the world’s biggest broadcasters, and also ran her own marketing consultancy before founding The Antithesis, a bespoke, luxury publishing venture in Hong Kong.

Reservations can also be made through: The Peninsula Global Customer Service Centre 5/F, The Peninsula Office Tower, 18 Middle Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong Telephone: (852) 2926 2888 Facsimile: (852) 2732 2933 E-mail: reservationgcsc@peninsula.com Toll Free from: Australasia • Australia: 1 800 116 888 • China: 4001 200 618 • India: 000 800 852 1388 • Japan: 0120 348 288 • Korea: 00798 8521 6388 • Singapore: 800 8526288 • Taiwan: 00801856908 • Thailand: 1800011888 Europe • France: 0800 915 980 • Germany: 0800 181 8418 • Italy: 800 789 365 • Russia: 810 800 2536 1012 • Spain: 900 937 652 • Switzerland: 0800 562923 • UK: 08007830388 Americas • Argentina: 0800 888 7227 • Brazil: 0800 891 9601 • Canada: 1866 308 8881 • Mexico: 01 800 123 4646 • USA: 1 866 382 8388 Middle East • Bahrain: 800 065 90 • Saudi Arabia*: 800 865 6047 • UAE: 800 065 0628 * Toll-free access number is only available through Saudi Telecom Company (STC). www.peninsula.com E-mail: info@peninsula.com

Published by: The Antithesis G/F, 1 Pak Tze Lane Central Hong Kong Tel: +852 2851 1150 Email: info@theantithesis.net Editor-in-Chief and Creative Director: Ann Tsang Graphic Designer: Christine Lam Cover Image: Christine Lam

Media Agents: Hong Kong and Asia OMJ Media Jeremy Orritt Tel: +852 9188 6157 Email: jeremy@omjmedia.com The Media Representative Company Herb Moskowitz Tel: +852 9276 1011 Email: themediarep@gmail.com

THE PENINSULA is published by The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited. Incorporated in 1866 and listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (00045), HSH is the holding company of a Group which is engaged in the ownership, development and management of prestigious hotel, commercial and residential properties in key locations in Asia, the United States and Europe, as well as the provision of transport, club management and other services. The Peninsula Hotels portfolio comprises The Peninsula Hong Kong, The Peninsula Shanghai, The Peninsula Beijing, The Peninsula Tokyo, The Peninsula New York, The Peninsula Chicago, The Peninsula Beverly Hills, The Peninsula Paris, The Peninsula Bangkok, and The Peninsula Manila. Projects under development include The Peninsula Istanbul, The Peninsula London and The Peninsula Yangon. The property portfolio of the Group includes The Repulse Bay Complex, The Peak Tower and St. John’s Building in Hong Kong; The Landmark in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; 1-5 Grosvenor Place in London, UK, and 21 avenue Kléber in Paris, France. The clubs and services portfolio of the Group includes The Peak Tram in Hong Kong; Thai Country Club in Bangkok, Thailand; Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel, California; Peninsula Clubs and Consultancy Services, Peninsula Merchandising, and Tai Pan Laundry in Hong Kong.

Nexus Ltd 4th Floor Asia Standard Tower 59-65 Queens Road Central Central Hong Kong Tel: +852 3911 1288 Email: tak.man@nexusmediaasia.com Europe Jean-Charles Abeille infopac S.A. 83 Rue de Villiers 92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine France Tel: +33 (0) 1 46 43 00 66 Email: jcabeille@infopac.fr

ORDERING FROM ADVERTISERS: Advertisers warrant and represent that the descriptions of the products or services advertised are true in all respects. THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI HOTELS, LIMITED assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI HOTELS, LIMITED, its officers, directors, employees or agents make no recommendations as to the purchase or sale of any product, service or item. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI HOTELS, LIMITED. All content contained within this magazine is the sole property of THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI HOTELS, LIMITED and may not be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without authorisation. (c)Copyright 2018 by THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI HOTELS, LIMITED. All rights reserved. The Peninsula is a trademark of The Peninsula Intellectual Property Limited.

Keep things on your trip in perspective, and you'll be amazed at the perspective you gain on things back home while you're away... One's little world is put into perspective by the bigger world out there. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Gail Rubin Bereny 11

Twenty

years from now you will be more disappointed by the

things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. – Mark Twain

Every Story Has A Beginning Every great lady has a history, and The Peninsula Hong Kong is no exception. Hers is a remarkable story of vision and evolution. The architects who in the early 1920s drew up plans for “the finest hotel east of Suez” and did so at the behest of men whose foresight and confidence in Hong Kong, set them on what was considered an audacious path. But from the moment The Peninsula opened, it was evident that the seeds of progress sown by the directors of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH) had indeed found fertile ground. Almost immediately, The Peninsula transformed Kowloon from a sleepy backwater to the focal point of a vibrant local social life. The first HSH property to bear the signature Peninsula name has seen both her own fortunes, and that of her beloved Hong Kong, inextricably tied. Witnessing Hong Kong’s rise from a colonial trading port to a bustling manufacturing hub, to become one of the world’s most dynamic modern metropolises, has mirrored The Peninsula’s own evolution, maintaining her unique role in China’s history as the reigning embodiment of luxury hospitality, refined service and rarefied glamour. As luxury ocean liners began to steam into Victoria Harbour, The Peninsula welcomed the rich and famous, the titled and tycoons,

with an embrace of unsurpassed luxury and warmth. Over the years, the hotel has been witness to and a participant in the history of Hong Kong – celebrating its dramatic progress, weathering the turbulence of war and military occupation, and meeting the challenges posed by the changing needs of the international traveller. She has endured – and beautifully so – in a city that possesses precious few remnants of a rich and colourful past. Through her “wonderfully pukka” Lobby have strolled countless stars of stage and screen, renowned authors, musicians and political figures. Hong Kong dubbed her ‘The Pen’; and she is referred to in such venerated terms the world over. She lives on in the hearts and minds of guests across the continents, continuing to beguile her admirers by rejuvenating and reinventing facets of herself and staying “90 years young”; always remaining true to her beloved Hong Kong. When The Peninsula was officially opened to the public on December 11th 1928 by Sir Wilfrid Thomas Southorn CMG, Governor of Hong Kong, he remarked: “The success of this hotel is not a thing of today or tomorrow. The inspiration which gave rise to this building is the inspiration of the future; it stands as an outward and visible testimony of the faith which is in us all; that Hong Kong is in the future and not in the past.”

Illustration by Dan Sweeney

High Society The Peninsula has always loved a party. In the early days, when Hong Kong deserved its reputation as a colonial backwater, the rich and bored were attracted to its never-ending medley of balls, dances, teas and recitals like bees to honey. The hotel put on breathtaking Christmas and New Year programmes of dinner dances and buffet lunches, and invitations to the annual fête of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, the Fanling Hunt Club, the Hong Kong Automobile Association and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, among others, drew guests to the hotel. People flocked to St. Patrick’s nights, Chinese New Year carnivals, balls and galas for just about any occasion. Tea dances, held daily except Sunday from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm in the Rose Room, were “constantly filled to overflowing, being the scene of Hong Kong’s daily fashion parade”. On April 26th 1929, just months after The Peninsula had opened her doors, The Rose Room welcomed British royalty when it hosted a banquet in honour of the Duke of Gloucester, thus placing the hotel in the top echelons of Hong Kong’s social ladder. The room was appropriately decorated with roses and violets, and seating was arranged around a horseshoe table placed around three sides of the room. Not resting on her royal laurels, transitioning into 1930, the hotel hosted a spectacular New Year’s Eve ball, which was quite unlike anything that Hong Kong had ever seen before. The following year (1931), Sir Robert and Lady Hotung celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in the Rose Room at The Peninsula with over 1,000 guests in attendance, many of whom left the hotel with more than they arrived with! Sir Robert of course compensated for the losses, whilst the guilty parties no doubt displayed their secretly procured goods somewhere in their living rooms. In 1938, Chiang Kai-Shek’s personal pilot, Mr. Royal S. Leonard married Miss Maxine Carolyn Thayor in Hong Kong, with the reception being held at the Rose Room, many years prior to the establishment of The Peninsula’s close ties with the world of aviation. Following the end of the Second World War, in 1946 The Sunday Herald’s Christmas supplement listed a stunning line-up of festivities at The Peninsula, and with an invitation to reserve places at the hotel’s Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve dinner dances, the public knew that Hong Kong was back on its feet…

For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move. - Robert Louis Stevenson 15

The Ritual of Afternoon Tea The Peninsulaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rituals are rooted in British custom as The Duchess of Bedford is credited with launching the fashion of afternoon tea in 1830. Intended as a gathering for family and friends, it helped to fill the idle hours between lunch and dinner. As its popularity grew, so did the etiquette surrounding it. Delicate china, impressive cake stands, fine silverware and embroidered table linens all made for a very civilised affair. Afternoon tea was especially popular throughout the British Empire when families had lunch at midday, but waited until the cool of the evening before taking dinner. By the 1840s, wafer-thin slivers of bread encasing thinly sliced cucumber and platters of light sponge cakes were served in the new tea gardens of Vauxhall and Marylebone and by the later Victorian years, tea was a well-established meal with its own distinctive array of foods, including savoury sandwiches, hot teacakes, English muffins or scones. Tea was a time to share gossip and show off oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prettiest teapots and china, so hostesses vied with each other to produce the most refined sweetmeats and elegant table settings. Afternoon tea at The Peninsula begins with savoury finger sandwiches. Crusts are removed from freshly-baked white and brown bread, and the delicate slices are filled with smoked salmon, egg, chicken, prawns and cucumber. Warm, buttery scones arrive next, made from a recipe unchanged at The Peninsula for over half a century. They are served with glistening strawberry jam and satiny Devonshire clotted cream. Clotted cream is made from milk left sitting for over 24 hours, then scalded slowly over low heat to make a rich, sweet, buttery spread. There are also tea breads and biscuits including savouries such as warm Stilton and leek tart or scrambled egg and smoked salmon in addition to the sandwiches, tea breads and pastries. No matter what tea is served, it is always a result of the best product paired with professional handling, manufacturing and knowledge. The Peninsula Blend is a special blend of selected teas from Darjeeling. These teas are harvested in the summer season and have a distinct muscatel flavour. This blend was specially created for The Peninsula and consists of carefully selected teas from different plants of the camellia sinensis family grown up to 6,000 feet above sea level. An enduring tradition, the celebrated Peninsula Classic Afternoon Tea is served daily at Peninsula Hotels around the world.

Image: William Furniss

“If silver is used and gold is hoarded, then how can gold be of higher monetary value?” - Willi Way

Silver Treasure Almost 80 per cent of the silverware at The Peninsula Hong Kong dates from the hotel’s opening in 1928 and was made by the South Yorkshire firm of Roberts & Belk, which has been reproducing the same design of silverware and cutlery for the hotel since 1925. 48,000 pieces of silverware are in daily use in the hotel. The fancy bon-bon dishes grace buffet tables, decorated with truffles and chocolates, while ornate cake stands, three to four feet in diameter, lend an old world grace to weddings and anniversaries. A 2006 assessment valued the silverware at HK$7.2 million (almost US$900,000) for the whole collection. In 1981, the number of items in the silver storeroom increased by one, with the return of an ornately decorated cake stand – 40 years after it was hired out. Wilfred Tyson’s 10th birthday had been celebrated in the usual fashion, with a cake and stand delivered to his home in Kowloon Tong by The Peninsula. The stand would have been picked up the following Monday (December 8, 1941), but the staff at the hotel were too occupied by the Japanese invasion to think about the retrieval of a cake stand, so it was put into storage by the Tyson family and forgotten about. Almost 40 years later, as Mr Tyson was sorting through his storeroom, he discovered the cake stand and returned it.

Pages Through The Ages The Peninsula Hong Kong was the first hotel in Asia to have pageboys, based on the young ‘grooms’ of Europe. The now iconic Peninsula page, as much a hallmark of the hotel group as the ornate Lobbies, Chinese door lions and celebrated afternoon tea – has come to personify The Peninsula’s personal approach to service. The art of hospitality is a Peninsula signature, and today – as in years gone by – pages are at the ready at all Peninsula hotels, their sole function being to respond to guests’ every need. A page will be at the entrance to open the large glass doors at every Peninsula location around the world, to extend a warm welcome, and whether it be running errands or picking up packages, they are there to please. Every Peninsula hotel has a team of pageboys – and girls. Consistent with luxury and refinement, the page uniform comprises a crisp clean white suit and a traditional pillbox cap. The classic uniform design is based on late-Victorian British military uniform, with the most notable feature being the cap, often worn at a rakish angle and held on with a chin strap.

Opening DOORS TEXT: ANN TSANG

IMAGES: KONGSTORIES.COM COURTESY OF

THE PENINSULA HONG KONG

According to the World Health Organisation, over five percent of the world’s population – or 466 million people – has disabling hearing loss. According to the Organisation’s website: “Exclusion from communication can have a significant impact on everyday life, causing feelings of loneliness, isolation, and frustration…Improving access to education and vocational rehabilitation services, and raising awareness especially among employers about the needs of people with hearing loss, will decrease unemployment rates for those people.”

oe Bau, Jeff Tang, Lee Chung Fai and Tsui Ka Kam have two things in common: they were all born deaf and today, they all don The Peninsula Hotels’ iconic pageboy uniform at The Peninsula Hong Kong, a testament to The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels’ commitment to providing equal opportunities in employment, with all job applicants and employees receiving equal treatment in all aspects of their employment (including recruitment and promotion), regardless of disability. Loneliness, isolation, and frustration are for these four young men, a thing of the past. Although it appears they may have known each other for years, prior to coming to work at The Peninsula, the four had never met before – they are of varying ages, and each arrived at a different time – now having been under the hotel’s employment for three years, one year, and seven months respectively. As we chat and joke, the four present a picture of happiness and through a sign language translator, they communicate the gratitude that they have for being where they are today. “I worked in a bank for 20 years prior to coming here,” says Joe, the eldest of the four. “When they [the bank] had to lay off some employees, the deaf centre helped me to find an opportunity to work at The Peninsula. It was actually very boring working at the bank, and I also felt quite isolated and lonely. My life is now so much more fun, as there is a lot more to learn and to see.” Before arriving at The Peninsula, Jeff worked in a car detailing shop for six years, routinely performing the same tasks day-in, dayout, so that no-one would have to try to explain to him how to take on new responsibilities, even though he is fully able to lip-read. “I feel so much more comfortable working here; it’s a stress-free

workplace. Through the training that the company has provided to us, we know that we need to provide a service that lives up to high standards of The Peninsula.” For Fai, the youngest of the four, this is his first job, and he wears his uniform with a great deal of pride. “As pageboys, we are usually the first people that a guest may encounter upon arrival, so we must give a good first impression. Although we cannot speak, we know how to smile, and that is often more expressive than words.” This leads onto the question of whether being deaf creates any specific difficulties for them, particularly if a guest asks questions. “We try to use body language to communicate, and we can lip read Chinese-speaking guests, but it’s much more difficult for English,” responds Kam. “The most important thing is to be able to point the way to certain locations like the Front Desk, certain restaurants, and of course the washrooms!” he adds with a cheeky smile. “If we really have a problem, we will point them towards the Concierge Desk which is just nearby, and we are very fortunate to have the back-up of other staff in The Lobby.” “Our colleagues and supervisors are very supportive,” chimes in Fai. “There is no bullying or discrimination towards us; unfortunately this often happens in other workplaces.” “When each of us started working here, the hotel provided a foundation course in basic hospitality – how to receive guests, how to handle their luggage in the correct way, and what to do in situations that we may not be able to handle alone,” adds Joe, who is the joker of the four. When I ask how he feels wearing the famous Peninsula page uniform, he responds by drawing an invisible circle around his head before replying through the translator, “I feel like an angel wearing this all-white uniform!”

Changing With The Times In the early days of The Peninsula, above The Lobby sat the Tea Lounge, an oasis featuring elaborate plaster work: bows, swags, garlands and medallions covering the walls, pillars and beams. The Tea Lounge opened onto a terrace where people took the sun or smoked pipes at stone tables under large umbrellas. This terrace would eventually become The Verandah restaurant. In 1933, The Peninsula magazine Tavern Topics reported that: “The new canopy over the first floor verandah is now completed. With the warmer weather to come, we look to find this cool situation for the ‘sundowner’ more and more appreciated.” In 1950, the terrace was enclosed for the then princely sum of HK$16,000, to form a restaurant. The striped canopy was not too different from today’s one, but the tiny lattice window panes gave it a very different look. Originally called ‘The Playpen’, the restaurant was later renamed simply ‘The Verandah’, a name which has resisted change, despite a number of new looks given to it over the years. A guest, Mr. Joseph Stuart Sykes once wrote of the pre-enclosed location: “I think one of the most delightful aspects of staying at The Pen in those days was coming down to breakfast on the Verandah, then open to the elements. The ‘elements’ in those days was usually a nice, soft early morning breeze off the harbour, and there was always a mango and a kipper for breakfast.” By 1965, advertisements invited the public to enjoy “European and Chinese food served in this portico-style restaurant which overlooks the harbour and Hong Kong’s famous Peak. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, serving à la carte or table d’ hôte.”

Lam Siu Ping (see page 31 for interview) began working at The Peninsula in 1976, as a busboy attending to three mealtime shifts a day in The Verandah. “There were yellow tablecloths, the room was very open, and there was the view…” he remembers. Later that year, the restaurant underwent another metamorphosis, emerging as the Verandah Grill. “At that time, we did a lot of gueridon service; the captains would make black pepper steak, flambé dishes, slice chicken and duck and make Crêpes Suzette. Standards were very strict. The coffee cup handle had to be at a 90 degree angle to the saucer, with the spoon parallel to the handle. Regular training sessions addressed the still prevalent lack of awareness of Western food. “We would learn what cheese was, and how and when it should be served,” recalls Lam. The 1990s renovation returned a pleasing measure of old-style grace to The Verandah, restoring the fans which used to soothe the diners of the 1950s. The dress code was relaxed somewhat as was the ambience. “But we still maintained certain standards,” Lam adds. Over the years, The Verandah has adopted and cast off different personas, changing names, menus and ambience, but one constant is that it has remained the favourite restaurant of countless guests and local residents. “The Verandah is my favourite restaurant in the world,” once proclaimed a regular guest by the name of Mrs. Trust.

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ruth Reichl

Keeping IT In The FAMILY TEXT: ANN TSANG

IMAGES: KONGSTORIES.COM COURTESY OF

THE PENINSULA HONG KONG

Food and Beverage Concierge Lam Siu Ping and his son Security Officer Lam Tat Yeung (Nick), represent two generations of family working at The Peninsula Hong Kong. The pair is just one example of two or more family members employed at the hotel, also long known for placing emphasis on a sense of family within the workplace on a wider scale.

hen Lam Siu Ping walked in through the staff entrance of The Peninsula Hong Kong for the first time back in 1977 to take up his new job as a busboy at the hotel’s famed Verandah restaurant, he confesses that he had absolutely no experience of working in the food & beverage industry. “I knew nothing; I didn’t even know how to boil or fry an egg!” he says with a chuckle. ”Before joining The Peninsula, I worked as a goods inspector in a factory – nothing to do with food at all…” As with most long-serving members of staff who took up employment at The Peninsula in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, in order to enter through the hallowed doors of the hotel, their rite of passage was usually facilitated by a family member or relative who was already working there, and in the case of Siu Ping, it was his cousin, who was a Head Waiter, also at The Verandah. 41 years later, despite his thoughts of retirement in 2015, Siu Ping is still in residence, having been persuaded by his supervisor to continue to work on a part-time basis. “We eventually agreed on three days a week,” says Siu Ping, whose title now is Food and Beverage Concierge. “My job these days is to chat with our regular customers and to pass on my experience and things I have learned from The Peninsula to my fellow colleagues; I tell them how different is it to work here as opposed to other hotels or restaurants.” Coincidentally, six months prior to this conversation, Siu Ping was joined by his son, Lam Tat Yeung (Nick), who took up a position as a Security Officer at The Peninsula in October 2017. “Prior to this job, I worked for a luxury residential security company,” says Hon Sze, who unlike his father, did have the necessary experience required for his position. “My last job wasn’t a particularly pleasant experience, as the management made no investment in its employees. The only thing they wanted was for the staff to be punctual and just do the job without any thanks or recognition. It’s so different here; I have discovered that there is another way of working, and I get more than simply just money from the job.” “The Peninsula is special because it has a long history, and we have so many regular customers who come back to us again and again. Some of our guests now are the third generation in the families who have been coming here for years,” adds Siu Ping. “The newer

hotels don’t have the heritage that The Peninsula has; we are an important part of Hong Kong culture, and as such, we contribute to the local community. My former boss, Mr. Paul Tchen, is part of a charity in Shanghai which has been set up to train young people who could not otherwise afford specialist education, to be part of the next generation of the F&B industry, which I think is such a meaningful and important thing to do.” Siu Ping says that his F&B education has come purely from what he refers to as “The University of The Peninsula”. “Here I have learned a lot about life, the right way to treat people, and about the correct way of doing things. When I was a waiter, we prepared coffee and a croissant for our supervisor every morning. He taught me that I should always try the coffee before serving it to a guest, to make sure that it was good, so I did that for 40 years.” When Hon Sze was growing up, his father worked long hours at the hotel, so the two didn’t have the opportunity to talk much. “I spent all my time working and didn’t have much time to see my family, which is why I wanted to retire earlier,” notes Siu Ping. “As I grew older, I began to realise the importance of work-life balance. The Peninsula really cares about its employees, so now most staff work a five-day week; the company has grown in tandem with society and the need for this kind of balance.” “Through working at the same company, I have learned more about my father,” adds Hon Sze. “I never knew before that he was such a respected figure at work, and I’m really proud of him for that.” Lam Snr. believes that his son is fortunate to have secured a place within ‘The Peninsula University”, where he too will learn about the history of the hotel and be able to fully explore the concept and importance of service. “Things were different back then; working in the same company for four to five years is considered as a long time these days,” he notes. “People around me find it hard to believe that I have worked at The Peninsula for 41 years. I wish my son could somehow experience my past days of working here, and although this is not possible, I truly hope that he will be able to continue to pass on the traditions, passion and social responsibility in the same way that I have been able to do.”

A LIFELONG Bond TEXT: ANN TSANG IMAGES: KONGSTORIES.COM COURTESY OF

THE PENINSULA HONG KONG

Johnny Chung Kam Hung is something of a legend in his own lifetime. As The Peninsula Hong Kong’s longest living employee, he has loyally served the hotel for just over 60 years, since joining in 1957 at the tender age of 15 as a messenger boy in the catering department, whilst his father worked for eight years as a Captain in The Peninsula’s famed Lobby.

“He

[Clark Gable] asked me to fetch him ‘a screwdriver’, and so I brought him

the tool. He said ‘No, a screwdriver is a cocktail’ and I said I’d never heard of it. He asked for paper and pen, and wrote the recipe down. Vodka and fresh orange juice. I went and got the drink for him and he said ‘Perfect. Wonderful.’"

ohnny Chung’s story has been well documented, most notably for his encounter with Hollywood screen legend Clark Gable, who taught him how to make a ‘Screwdriver’, but that tale has already frequently been told… In the early 1950s, Johnny attended primary school in Mongkok’s Sai Yee Street, and as such was life for most Hong Kongers back then, he hung up his schoolbag and went to work at the age of 15, having been brought into The Peninsula fold by his father. “In those days, the hotel only hired family and friends of existing employees, as that was a form of reference and recommendation,” recalls Johnny as he brings glasses of his own personally freshly-squeezed orange juice to the table – served with the same panache that he has consistently displayed for more than six decades. Even though his father was attending to guests in The Lobby almost every day of the week, Johnny saw little of him, as he was busy running back-and-forth, to and from the hotel, fulfilling his tasks of doing errands – picking up and delivering items required by the catering department – most of which were done either on foot or via the Star Ferry. Back in those days, The Peninsula was one of just two hotels in Kowloon that offered private catering and banqueting services. After four years of treading the pavements of Hong Kong and burning a great deal of shoe leather, by the age of 19, Johnny had earned his training stripes and was given the opportunity to be inducted into the hallowed true schooling ground that lay within the walls of the glamorous Peninsula hotel. This was to be Johnny’s University of Life. Donning an impeccably tailored and pristine white jacket, an updated version of which he still proudly wears to this day, and a black bowtie, Johnny was promoted to the position of busboy in The Lobby Cocktail Bar. With just 10 seats along the S-shaped bar area and six cocktail tables, this small and intimate venue became one of Hong Kong's most fashionable places to be seen, with its constant stream of high profile guests and regular local residents– it was a veritable representation of Colonial life.

“As a busboy, I was able to watch the bartenders and learn how to make drinks and as a result, I was promoted to be able to do the same,” recalls Johnny. “My salary back then was HK$30 per month. I could get a good breakfast for 10 cents; 30 dollars was a lot.” As much as love became a many spendoured thing (with the film of a slmilar name filmed against the backdrop of Hong Kong and released in 1955), The Bar at The Peninsula became a very storied thing, as it went through a number of transformations and relocations within the hotel, each chapter of which Johnny was a part. “From its first incarnation in The Lobby, it became The Bamboo Bar, where all of the tables and chairs were made of rattan,” he recalls. “In 1964, we moved up to the first floor of the hotel, where Chesa restaurant is now located, and then we relocated next to The Verandah; our regular guests would always still come back to us wherever we were.” Indeed William Holden, a leading star of ‘Love Is A Many Splendored Thing’ came back whilst filming ‘The World of Suzie Wong’ (released in 1960), to have his cocktail mixed by Johnny, with other notable visitors including Jack Hawkins (‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’) , Rex Harrison (‘A Countess from Hong Kong’), Ferdinand Marcos, former President of the Philippines, Jimmy Carter, former US President, and of course, Clark Gable. “They just chatted with me like a normal person,” Johnny remembers. “It was the service that kept them coming back, not just the drinks.” Johnny has not only worked at The Peninsula for most of his life, he has also lived there for the same duration, beginning in 1957 when almost 200 employees resided in the staff quarters on the 6th floor of the hotel. “I still live here to this day,” he recalls, “but now it’s just me and a long-serving chef.” Now aged 76, Johnny still puts in his hours at the place he calls home. Arising at 4:00 am each day, he works at the hotel’s service bar from 6:00 am until 12 noon, dutifully squeezing fresh juices for The Bar and room service, as well as preparing specific drinks for guests. “The Peninsula has always held a special place in my heart; and even though a number of hotels tried to poach me, especially during the 1960s, I chose to stay, as this has always been my home, and the people who work here are my family.”

The Bamboo Bar was originally in the space where Chesa is now located, and featured rattan furniture with striped cushions, chandeliers, and potted plants.

In 1977 Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Aperitif bar was extensively remodelled to somewhat resemble a gentlemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s club with large, green leather buttoned armchairs; an old private telephone booth; 35 antique Chinese gouache paintings on darkly stained wood panelled walls, and windows draped in dark velvet.

I like on the table, when we're speaking, the light of a bottle of intelligent wine. Drink it, and remember in every drop of gold, in every topaz glass, in every purple ladle, that autumn labored to fill the vessel with wine; and in the ritual of his office, let the simple man remember to think of the soil and of his duty, to propagate the canticle of the wine.

- Pablo Neruda 36

The Bar today

Just like becoming an expert in wine–you learn by drinking it, the best you can afford– you learn about great food by finding the best there is, whether simply or luxurious. Then you savour it, analyse it, and discuss it with your companions, and you compare it with other experiences.” – Julia Child

Defying The Decades “The best restaurant East of Suez” is a mantra that rings true within the hallowed walls of Gaddi’s, a restaurant that even after six-and-a-half decades, brings together the glamour of yesteryear with a touch of refined gastronomic elegance and levity to the French culinary discipline.

The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of the human race than the discovery of a star. - Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin 40

Hong Kong and the rest of the world has been wining and dining at Gaddi’s for 65 years; from its early days with a menu that included bortsch along with sardines on toast, all the way through its evolution to the gourmet French fare served today. Through the ages, even as wars have waged and economies have boomed and crashed, Gaddi’s has aspired to be the very best. “It’s difficult to explain to people who haven’t been to Gaddi’s how it isn’t just another restaurant serving fine French food,” muses Florian Trento, Executive Chef of The Peninsula Hotels. “It’s about the generations of families, the owners, as well as the managers’ commitment to the restaurant. People underestimate the emotional attachment to the place. That first dance, the proposals. After all, how many other fine dining restaurants can claim they have been around for 65 years?” When Gaddis opened in 1953, the expression “worlds apart” would have probably been an apt one. Interrupted by war and strife, Hong Kong was shaking off its post-war stupor, and Leo Gaddi had just been welcomed into the folds of The Peninsula in 1948. Still shining from success fresh off a posting at a grand palace hotel in Switzerland, Gaddi dove straight into putting his stamp on the hotel. Under his leadership, new discipline was instilled and standards of service were raised to the impeccable, but perhaps the single most defining facet immortalising the hotelier was a Peninsula signature restaurant named after him. Calling the restaurant ‘Gaddi’s’ was Sir Horace Kadoorie’s inspiration. “He advised Leo Gaddi that the restaurant would take his surname,” recalls Sir Michael Kadoorie. “Thus, the rise or fall of its fortunes would be tied to his name and Sir Horace was confident about its future success.” Indeed, the restaurant’s reputation developed straight away. Aside from talented European chefs, Gaddi, being mindful of the hotel’s two Russian chefs from North China, ensured that the menu carried a range of Russian dishes, from Bortsch, available for an economical HK$3.50 (US4 cents) or a Zakuska for two to share at HK$16.00 (US$2.00). The priciest item on the menu was a Châteaubriand Sauce Bearnaise for two, at HK$21.00 (US$2.69). By the late 1950s, Gaddi had unwittingly set a benchmark for The Peninsula, endowing it with a sterling reputation for inspired food. Doing two seatings in the evening and often full to the brim

when cruise ships were docked, the restaurant was consistently booked solid for months in advance. The 1960s saw the dispensing of the Russian, Italian and Chinese dishes on the menu, and they were replaced with such classic culinary creations of the decade like pan-fried foie gras, steak Diane and cherries jubilee. Tableside serving on silver platters was also the norm, and the Maitre‘d would carve with a flourish. Soufflés and flambé dishes were also a huge hit, and it’s little wonder that flaming Baked Alaska was a staple during banquets. “I spent a lot of time cooking at the table: prawns au sherry, crêpes suzette ...” recalls Rolf Heiniger, who remained in his position as Maitre d’ for 32 years before retiring in 1998. In honour of The Peninsula’s 50th Anniversary in 1978 and Gaddi’s 25th year in operation, the restaurant was relocated to the first floor, taking over the former ballroom space. The much-accoladed fine dining restaurant still retained the elegance, style and charm that had seen it welcome the great and the good, from Presidents to Hollywood royalty. Michael Todd danced with Elizabeth Taylor, as did Clarke Gable with Ava Gardner; and Danny Kaye donned a tie to dine there, as did Richard Nixon. Towards the end of the 1980s, the arrival of nouvelle cuisine heralded a paradigm shift in the world of fine dining. Rich food and heavy sauces were eschewed by smaller portions and a distinct focus on aesthetics as well as taste, and in keeping with the times, the emphasis at Gaddi’s switched towards craftsmanship in the kitchen and not so much at the table. “At Gaddi’s, everything is perfection and it’s very, very rewarding,” said Heiniger during his 30th year of service in 1997. “When I arrived in 1966, meats were frozen and everything came by ship. Now there are no seasons; we can get what we want from various places at different times.” Beyond the embellishments and the sumptuous décor, Gaddi’s has always aspired to feed its patrons well. Through the decades, looking back through the development of the menus and how the dining experience has changed, is as Chef Trento says, “not only a fascinating glimpse at how culinary trends have changed over the years, but also Hong Kong’s social history throughout the decades.”

Food is a gift and should be treated reverentially â&#x20AC;&#x201C; romanced and ritualized and seasoned with memory. - Chris Bohjalian, Secrets of Eden

Switzerland in Hong Kong Due to its enduring popularity as one of Hong Kong’s most romantic dining spots, time has literally stood still at Chesa, and changing design trends have never altered its rustic, cosy feel. With the exception of changing carpets and repainting walls, the décor has not changed since the restaurant’s opening – making it a true classic in the city.

ucked away in a corner on the first floor of The Peninsula Hong Kong, Chesa, a small restaurant reminiscent of a cosy Alpine chalet, has been serving authentic Swiss food and wines in a relaxed setting unaltered since 1965. Following the unexpected runaway success of a Swiss food promotion held in conjunction with Swissair in 1963, plans for a Swiss restaurant at The Peninsula Hong Kong took shape. The hotel’s Food and Beverage Manager at the time, Bruno Dedual, had been an apprentice at a top Klosters hotel and restaurant, Chesa Grischuna, and thus a link was forged between the two hotels on opposite sides of the world. And so in August 1965, a tiny rustic pocket of Switzerland in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui opened at The Peninsula, bringing the best of Swiss cuisine to the city for the first time. Cosy and warm, Chesa’s décor reflects the personal efforts of former General Manager Peter Gautschi and Hong Kong interior designer Dexter Yeh to achieve an authentic ambience. The pair toured Switzerland on a mission to source appropriate antiques and decorations, with Gautschi conducting a running lecture on Swiss culture to Yeh. The pair scoured Swiss villages and antique shops for the new venue and they had little trouble finding the roughly-hewn poppy seed grinder, a perpetual motion one-handed clock, a painted wedding chest presumed to be fashioned by a farmer in 1723, and several old pewter spoons. But Mr. Gautschi particularly had his heart set on buying one of the old, round wooden wine casks which people used to use for carrying wine with them into the mountains, but these

proved to be particularly elusive. However, one day whilst dining in Zurich, he mentioned his quest to the restaurant owner, who, as it happened, had several of the old containers stored in her basement. Within a matter of days, two of the casks were dusted off, packed up, and shipped off to Hong Kong, where they still sit to this day on a shelf at Chesa. Chesa (which means “house” or “inn” in the Romansh dialect of certain areas of Switzerland) features a décor of knotted pine beams, wood panelling and textured plaster, typical in the design of houses in the eastern part of Switzerland. Verses from different chesas in Switzerland adorn the walls, one of which translates as “A juicy sausage and a glass of Deltiner wine – not even a pretty girl can keep me from this.” Close to the heart of Hong Kong diners for over 55 years, Chesa boasts three generations of loyal customers and is a haven for lovers of raclette and cheese fondue. “Some guests have come every Sunday for 20 years or more,” recalled a former manager of the restaurant. Diners at Chesa can enjoy a selection of rare and exclusive Swiss wines. The wine list includes such rarities as the Gatenbein 2011 Pinot Noir, rated 91 Parker points, and a selection of Swiss white wines from the hills surrounding Lake Geneva, all of which are known for their refreshing and crisp taste. Chesa celebrates various Swiss traditions throughout the year, including Swiss National Day on August 1, with special menus and decorations, and every Christmas, a huge wreath is showcased in the cosy restaurant throughout the Advent period.

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes. 43 – Marcel Proust

“A juicy sausage and a glass of Deltiner wine – not even a pretty girl can keep me from this.”

Probably one of the most private things in the world is an egg before it is broken. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; M.F.K. Fisher

FAMILY Ties TEXT: ANN TSANG

IMAGES: KONGSTORIES.COM COURTESY OF

THE PENINSULA HONG KONG

There

is absolutely no substitute for the best. Good food cannot be

made of inferior ingredients masked with high f lavour. It is true thrift to use the best ingredients available and to waste nothing. – James Beard

The Peninsula Hotels’ Group Executive Chef Florian Trento has been a part of The Peninsula Hong Kong for just over one-third of the hotel’s 90 years of operation, this year clocking up an impressive 31 years of service. Trento’s eldest son, Roberto, this year also joined The Peninsula ranks, although far away from the kitchen…

rmed with a degree in Sports Science, Roberto Trento (22) earlier this year embarked on his career path as a receptionist at The Peninsula Hong Kong’s Fitness Centre, a position he says is enabling him to utilise his own skills and knowledge whilst embarking on a new learning curve in the field of hospitality. “I never had any inclination to become a chef, as my Dad’s achievements – especially at The Peninsula – are so impressive,” says Trento Jnr. “His shoes are just way too big to step into; just being Florian Trento’s son creates pressure in itself,” he adds with a laugh. Indeed Chef Trento’s achievements are impressive. A Swiss national, Trento completed his training in Switzerland, and later worked at several leading Swiss hotels. In 1985, he moved to Jeddah, where he worked at The Red Sea Palace Hotel, before arriving in Hong Kong to take up the position of Sous Chef at The Peninsula in 1987. He was promoted to Executive Chef in 1991, and earned his current title of Group Executive Chef in 2012, becoming responsible for overseeing the creative and culinary development of The Peninsula’s global dining themes and promotions. Among Chef Trento’s most notable achievements have been contributing to the removal of shark’s fin from The Peninsula Hotels’ menus in 2011 and working on The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels’ Sustainable Luxury Vision 2020, which places sustainability at the heart of the Company’s business model. “My main role in Vision 2020 is to ensure that all of our food and beverage products are certified as sustainable,” says Trento. “For example, it was my suggestion that we remove the Humphead/Napoleon Wrasse from the menu in Spring Moon at The Peninsula, as I noticed over a period of years that they were becoming smaller and smaller because they were being caught without even reaching full maturity. It also goes without saying that sustainably sourced food is better, not just for the environment but also for the local communities where the products come from,” he asserts.

One of the most significant lifestyle trends to emerge, particularly over the last decade or so, is that of a healthier way of eating, which The Peninsula Hotels has fully embraced through its Naturally Peninsula cuisine, a concept pioneered by Trento and first introduced in 2006. Naturally Peninsula cuisine offers dining options for guests who are health-aware, yet don’t want to compromise on culinary finesse. “A strong emphasis is placed on locally harvested fruits and vegetables, sustainably sourced seafood, grass-fed meats, nutritious whole grains, organic spices and marketfresh herbs, while avoiding artificial flavourings, refined sugars and preservatives,” explains Trento. “We are continuously evolving the concept and how to implement it in the many culturally diverse locations in which we operate.” Staying on the subject of healthy eating, I turn the spotlight back on Trento Jnr., and ask him if he’s a stereotypical, avocadoobsessed Millennial. “I don’t think I really fall into that category,” he responds with a laugh. “I enjoy eating and trying different types of cuisine, as I have always been influenced by my Dad in that respect. But that being said, being in the fitness industry, I do need to look the part, so I am now more conscious about what I eat.” “In today’s world, people are becoming increasingly impatient – nobody has time – and the days of long lunches are over,” adds Trento Snr. “The whole lifestyle has changed, and so everyone has to move with the times and meet expectations.” As our meeting draws to a close, I am curious as to what Chef Trento would like to further achieve before he retires. “Right now we are working on the culinary offerings for the next three Peninsula hotels – in London, Myanmar and Istanbul – a very exciting mix of locations. And closer to home, of course I would love to see Gaddi’s earning a Michelin star. But I think the most important focus for me is the environment and its sustainability. I want to be able to look back and say that we truly made a difference, and then ride off into the sunset…”

A branch of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank once stood on the site of Spring Moon

A Full Moon The economic boom of the 1980s brought with it the opening of The Peninsula’s first dedicated Cantonese restaurant, Spring Moon in 1986, first headed by now-veteran Chef Tang Chi-Keung, who set a precedent by cooking and presenting Chinese cuisine at its absolute finest. Chef Tang’s signature home-style, authentic Cantonese cuisine rapidly earned him a stellar reputation and fiercely loyal diners. Since its establishment, Spring Moon has placed The Peninsula on the map for its devotion to Chinese culinary excellence, world-class hospitality, and an outstanding showcase of 1920s charm and vintage opulence. The location of Spring Moon is known to have formerly housed a bank, and designer Kenneth Ko’s aesthetic vision for the transformation of the space was based on a traditional 1920s Shanghainese dining room with dark wood interiors and Art Deco elements, representing how the restaurant might have looked in 1928. The unabashed decadence of the 1980s was all-pervasive, and dining out was highly reflective of this. Expense accounts were seemingly bottomless, and wheelers, dealers and entrepreneurs, vying to woo new business, brought luxury to the Chinese dining table like there was to be no tomorrow, and the ultimate symbol of success was the appearance of at least one bottle of XO cognac on the table. The term ‘XO’– standing for ‘Extra Old’ – was created more than half a century ago by Hennessy to describe its oldest cognacs, which back in those times usually meant those with an average age of around 25 years. At Spring Moon, ‘XO’ describes the restaurant’s unique dipping sauce, made to a secret recipe to coincide with the establishment’s opening in 1986. The only thing known about this coveted sauce are its basic ingredients: dried scallops, dried shrimps and Yunnan ham, all of which are considered to be delicacies. The signature X.O. sauce was initially served as a complimentary appetiser, but following great demand from diners, it was made available for purchase by the jar in 1987. During its first year of operation, Spring Moon also gave birth to what would become a Hong Kong culinary phenomenon – its pioneering mini egg custard mooncakes, which made history by becoming one of the most popular flavours in the world, with its Western-inspired filling. These mooncakes have become so popular that every year, they sell out months in advance of the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday. Prior to the arrival of Spring Moon, Chinese food had in fact always been available at The Peninsula, albeit in a much simpler form, geared more towards the Western palate. Once served at Gaddi’s and also in the former Marco Polo fine dining restaurant, archival menus show the availability of such dishes as sweet and sour pork, beef chow min, and sliced meat and beansprouts, a far cry from the Michelin-starred cuisine on offer at Spring Moon today. In another notable development, Spring Moon was also the first to introduce a Chinese Chef ’s Table to Hong Kong in 2001. The glowing accolades of a Michelin star for two consecutive years are a true testament to the culinary prowess of the restaurant’s talented kitchen team and the dining experience itself, which combine in the triumphant continuation of Spring Moon’s illustrious history.

The preparation of good food is merely another expression of art, one of the joys of civilized livingâ&#x20AC;Ś 51 - Dione Lucas

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I

had no idea what a Michelin star was before I won it. I

just work with my heart and my team.â&#x20AC;? 52

Image: Antonio Saba

The TANG Dynasty Master Michelin-starred Cantonese Chef Tang Chi-Keung began his career with The Peninsula at the Group’s flagship hotel in Hong Kong, where he joined as founding chef at Spring Moon Chinese restaurant in 1986. It was there that his signature home-style, authentic Cantonese cuisine earned him a stellar reputation and fiercely loyal diners.

“I

have a Hong Kong style of Cantonese cooking,” pronounces veteran Chef Tang Chi-Keung. “Cantonese cooking in Guangdong is different. There is a strong emphasis on pork, beef and poultry, as most fish and shrimp in the Mainland comes from the river and not from the sea.” Chef Tang began his career with The Peninsula at the Group’s flagship hotel in Hong Kong, where he joined as founding chef at Spring Moon Chinese restaurant in 1986. In 2007, Chef Tang was relocated to The Peninsula Tokyo to head the kitchen at Hei Fung Terrace where, alongside friend and then Manager Teddy Leung, the restaurant earned a Michelin star, becoming the first Michelin award for the Group and one of only seven Chinese restaurants in all of Japan to receive the prestigious honour. “The Michelin star represented team work, not only on the kitchen side, but also in terms of service. There are many Chinese restaurants in Tokyo but their style is different; it’s more modern.

My style of cooking is traditional Hong Kong food,” says Chef Tang, who fondly likens his relationship with The Peninsula to working in a big family. “The star is not only for me but the whole team and for the style of the restaurant. I had no idea what a Michelin star was before I won it. I just work with my heart and my team.” Chef Tang has also been at the helm of Yi Long Court at The Peninsula Shanghai when the hotel opened in 2010 and LiLi, the Cantonese restaurant at The Peninsula Paris Though he has a deep passion for traditional Hong Kong style Cantonese cooking and cuisine, Chef Tang always leaves plenty of room for creativity and enjoys experimenting with unique local produce. “Even though I’m a Cantonese chef, I believe it’s important to learn about other cuisines, be it French or Italian or even regional Chinese cuisine, from cooking techniques to the ways we can use ingredients from different provinces. I love Szechuan food and that style of cooking, but I take that as inspiration and modify it to be more Cantonese.”

Image: Courtesy of Peninsula Merchandising Limited

57 Image: Courtesy of Peninsula Merchandising Limited

A Shining STAR One of the famed ‘Eight Culinary Traditions of China’, Cantonese cuisine is fêted around the globe for its distinctive flavours and skillful preparation techniques. For connoisseurs of the style, however, there are few places that can match the quality and elegance of the food at The Peninsula Hong Kong’s celebrated Cantonese fine-dining restaurant, Spring Moon.

aking the culinary institution that is Spring Moon to fresh heights of gastronomic excellence is The Peninsula’s Chinese Cuisine Executive Chef, Gordon Leung, who joined the hotel’s kitchen team in June 2016. One of the most accomplished Cantonese chefs in Hong Kong, Leung brings with him close to 30 years of experience, including a 21-year tenure as Head Chef at the one-Michelin-starred Fook Lam Moon. A man who can count some of Hong Kong’s most powerful tycoons among his biggest fans, Chef Leung combines an encyclopedic knowledge of Chinese cooking techniques and ingredients with his meticulous attention to detail that elevates each dish to an art form. Chef Leung’s cooking expertly balances tradition and innovation, and he places great emphasis on the authenticity, freshness and flavours of each ingredient, a culinary philosophy that is exemplified by his show-stopping ‘Eight Treasures Duck’. Few restaurants still serve this dish due to the complexity of the preparation work and the large number of ingredients involved, which include the ‘Eight Treasures’ of mushrooms, chestnuts, Chinese salted ham, lotus seeds, salted eggs, lean pork, lily bulbs and barley. To make the dish, each ‘treasure’ must be prepared separately, while the duck is braised with abalone sauce for over an hour so that the meat fully absorbs the flavours of the sauce.

According to Chef Leung, there are two particularly challenging aspects of the preparation process. “The first is getting the timing right when braising the duck, so that the meat is tender without falling apart. The second is balancing the different flavours of each ‘treasure’ to create the perfect harmony with no one taste dominating. These skills can only be perfected through painstaking trial and error,” says Chef Leung. Another highlight on Chef Leung’s menu at Spring Moon is scrambled eggs with shredded shrimps, crabmeat and sprouts, to which he adds his own twist to a Cantonese classic by replacing the traditional shark’s fin with shredded shrimps. A seemingly simple dish, it in fact requires expert wok skills from the chef as the egg has to be continuously fried and stirred until the moisture evaporates, leaving uniform morsels with minimal oil. Perfectly capturing the atmosphere of the Art Deco period, the restaurant space is as intricately wrought as the exquisite dishes conjured up in the kitchen. Subtle decorative details such as stylised wood panelling and stained glass motifs add to the Jazz Age ambience, creating a compelling setting in which to enjoy the sumptuous Cantonese classics and expertly crafted dim sum for which Spring Moon is renowned.

THE Pursuit OF Perfection TEXT: ANN TSANG IMAGES: KONGSTORIES.COM COURTESY OF

THE PENINSULA HONG KONG

The Peninsula Hong Kong has been at the pinnacle of culinar y excellence for 90 years, forging its ongoing reputation as the ultimate gastronomic destination. For this reputation to be upheld, it takes both strong leadership and impeccable teamwork.

The following year, Tsang applied for a job at The Verandah, but he was rejected. However, a few years later in 1990, he landed the position of Head Sommelier at The Repulse Bay, a sister property of The Peninsula, owned and operated by The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH), where he remained for a year, before finally being able to fulfil his dream of entering through the hallowed portals of The Peninsula as an employee; specifically as Wine Captain at Gaddi’s. With ambition constantly fuelling his drive to reach greater realms, Tsang was rapidly promoted to successively higher positions: Captain of Gaddi’s, Executive Trainee, Assistant Catering Manager, Banquet Manager and Assistant Food and Beverage Manager, before being transferred to Thailand in 2009 as Director of Food and Beverage at The Peninsula Bangkok. “I was sent to Bangkok to gain international experience and it was my first time working overseas,” recalls the soft-spoken Tsang. “After 15 months, they asked me to come back, but I didn’t want to as I felt that I still hadn’t learned enough.” Despite his wish to remain in Bangkok, in August 2010 Tsang returned to Hong Kong to take up the coveted position of Director of Food and Beverage at the Company’s flagship property, a post traditionally held by highly experienced Europeans, usually graduates of the prestigious École hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland. “The position was full of challenges but I received a great deal of support, especially from Peter Borer (a former General Manager of The Peninsula Hong Kong before being appointed Chief Operating Officer of HSH). “Mr. Borer really believes in giving opportunities to local Chinese people, and I am so incredibly grateful to him for that,” says Tsang as he visibly holds back tears. Through his extensive years of experience in food and beverage, Tsang believes that hardware, software and communication are of equal importance in ensuring success. “The design of restaurants should be unique and impeccable, and the staff should be passionate about service with a keen attention to detail as a key to ensuring customer loyalty.” I ask Tsang how he sees The Peninsula as being different from other hotels, especially as new properties continue to spring up in Hong Kong. “Every hotel has a different culture; yes there are new hotels appearing around us, but I am not concerned – we have our strengths, and we should continue to focus on those. I am also looking at what can draw the next generation to The Peninsula; as we evolve our product, our traditions will always remain. Whilst the younger generation may now tend to follow trends, The Peninsula should always be aspirational for them, and it is my job to help in making that a reality.”

ousing a total of nine restaurants and bars, and hosting countless numbers of weddings, banquets, special events and meetings every year, the Food and Beverage Department at The Peninsula Hong Kong must run like a well-oiled machine every single day of the year in order to ensure an exceptional level of service, outstanding culinary offerings, and precision of delivery, whilst always maintaining the unsurpassed Peninsula standards that have been part of the hotel’s DNA since its doors first opened 90 years ago in 1928. The formidable task of making sure all of the above seamlessly comes together on a daily basis lies in the hands of Hong Kong-born and raised Kevin Tsang, who has been The Peninsula’s Director of Food and Beverage since 2010, having originally started working at the hotel in 1991 as Wine Captain at Gaddi’s fine dining restaurant. A graduate of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University with a degree in Hotel and Catering Management, a young and ambitious Tsang went straight to work, landing successive jobs at various prestigious establishments in Hong Kong, including the Mandarin Oriental, The Regent (now the InterContinental) and The Repulse Bay. It was whilst working at The Regent that Tsang’s interest in wine piqued. “I was fortunate to have been offered a job at the well-known restaurant, ‘Plume’, at The Regent in the early 80s, when it was an incredibly popular dining destination with both the local community and overseas visitors,” recalls Tsang, as we chat candidly in a corner suite at The Peninsula. Glancing out of the window and across Salisbury Road, Tsang gazes thoughtfully towards the building that was formerly The Regent. “The wine cellar was gorgeous; one of the finest in Asia at that time. Naturally there was a qualified Head Sommelier and a number of Wine Captains; they were all so professional. When I looked at the grape badges on their lapels, I was filled with admiration and told myself that I had to reach the same status.” Wasting no time, Tsang bought multiple books on the subject and voraciously devoured their contents, which further stimulated his interest. “I also constantly addressed questions to my Head Sommelier and Wine Captains, and educated myself to the point where I was able to engage in discussions with guests about wine. And last but not least, I tasted the wines when guests left a few drops in the bottle, including the residual sediment from the reds.” The hedonistic years of Hong Kong in the 1980s also brought Tsang to his next epiphany. “My Manager invited me to have a buffet lunch at The Verandah at The Peninsula one Sunday in 1986. As soon as I sat down, I looked around at this spectacular grand hotel and observed the staff; so elegant, so perfect and so hospitable. It was then that I promised myself that I would find a way to be part of this hotel in the future.”

Chocolate shares both the bitter and the sweet. Chocolate melts away all cares, coating the heart while smothering every last ache. Chocolate brings a smile to the lips on contact, leaving a dark kiss behind. Chocolate is amiable, complimenting any pairing; berries, peanut butter, pretzels, mint, pastries, drinks...everything goes with chocolate. The very thought of chocolate awakens taste buds, sparking memories of candy-coated happiness. Simply put, chocolate is paradise. – Richelle E. Goodrich, ‘Smile Anyway’

The Food of the Gods Since its opening in 1928, chocolate has always played an important role in The Peninsula’s culinary exploits. Local pastry cooks were fascinated by this delicacy from the west, and yearned to learn more about this bitter yet sweet candy. Over the years, the hotel’s pastry team has learned and experimented with the production of homemade chocolates, and soon began making their own chocolates for the dining pleasure of hotel guests. Techniques evolved and became more sophisticated over the years, and in 1954, Peninsula chocolates were launched for sale to the general public, both in the hotel and its first cake shop located on Nathan Road. However, initially sales were limited – in 1955 only 100 kilogrammes of chocolates were sold in the entire year, compared with over 30 kilogrammes per day today! In the early days, The Peninsula had no air-conditioning or refrigeration, making it impossible to keep chocolates in an acceptable condition in Hong Kong, hence, chocolates were only served during the winter season. Following the launch of The Peninsula’s chocolates, the hotel decided to appoint and train a chocolatier – a member of the patisserie team, expert in confectionery and chocolate making – to be in charge of all the hotel’s chocolate creations. Since then, many have taken on this challenge, and each has created their own unique recipes for what today are known as The Peninsula Signature Chocolates. Recipes, tips and techniques have been handed down from one Peninsula chocolatier to the next, and on through generations. Today Peninsula Chocolatier confections are made in Hong Kong and Switzerland to The Peninsula’s various secret recipes, developed over the years.

POURING Perfection 2018 marks 30 years of the association of Champagne Deutz with The Peninsula. Both names share a heritage of quality and refinement and as The Peninsula continues to pour Deutz as its private label champagne, Chairman & CEO of the prestigious champagne house Fabrice Rosset is in celebratory mode.

ituated three kilometres from Epernay, nestled between the banks of the Marne and the slopes of the Montagne de Reims, Aÿ is the cru of the oldest renown in the Champagne winegrowing region. Champagne Deutz was founded in Aÿ in 1838 by William Deutz and Pierre-Hubert Geldermann, both natives of Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen), where they were born in 1809 and 1811 respectively. Young, enterprising, and attracted by the prosperity which prevailed in France at the time, the two immigrants from Napoleonic Prussia – Geldermann, a champagne salesman, and Deutz, a negociant – opened an office with no vineyards. The cuvées were bought sur lattes, already bottled, and were then disgorged, the dosage added and the wines labelled. Today, the past and the present live contentedly together in Aÿ, as do the rules of tradition and modern methods of management. “Champagne Deutz refuses to be a champagne of the past,” says Fabrice Rosset, current Chairman & CEO. Deutz produces 1.4 million bottles per year, with more than half a million magnums and many more 75cl size bottles, ranking among the top six champagne houses in terms of quality. The House produces both vintage and non vintage champagnes, along with the prestige cuvé ‘Amour de Deutz’, applying a policy of sustainable vineyard management. Every plot is treated separately, according to its vigour and the specific situation, and only top quality grapes from 275 acres of vineyards are selected before being slowly and carefully aged in Deutz’ chalk-walled cellars, between 60 and 180 feet below the vines. Since the founding of the House in 1838, Deutz champagnes have been characterised by the ‘3 F’s’: Finesse, Freshness and Fine, and throughout its history Deutz has become the epitomé of understated

excellence, due to the work done by each generation, every one making the effort to develop the brand whilst maintaining many of the winemaking techniques and philosophies instilled since the beginning. “Deutz is a champagne for people in the know; it’s a champagne for aficionados, and it’s a way of distinguishing yourself from the rest,” states Rosset. “Everything starts in the vineyard. I have been in the wine and champagne business for more than 45 years and Deutz to me has always been the ‘Sleeping Beauty’. It epitomises what a champagne should be all about – distinguished, elegant and with finesse.” Almost 85 percent of the vines from which the Deutz grapes come from are classified as Grands or Premiers Crus, even though these only represent a third of the entire Champagne wine-growing area. The average position of Deutz supplies in the scale of Crus is 94 percent, a percentage among the highest in Champagne, a fact that is very much to the credit of the brand. In 1988, The Peninsula forged a relationship with Deutz whereby the House would be the provider of its private label champagne, and this marriage of prestige brands is now in its 30th year. “In the old days, we had many customers who wanted to have a private label and for a high-end brand such as Deutz, there are pros and cons to this. On the positive side, there is the benefit of association, but it also creates something of a dilution of our brand because each bottle that we ship under private label doesn’t actually bear the name Deutz,” says Rosset. “We don’t just produce champagne and ship it for the sake of it; the relationship must be much deeper than that. In terms of The Peninsula, we have been producing a private label for three decades now, and both brands share the same value of long-term relationships. It’s very rare that such a relationship would last that long, and I am delighted to be celebrating the longevity of this union.”

AN Automotive ODYSSEY While Rolls-Royce continually looks for ward, its traditions, classic style and attention to detail have been behind its success, values that it shares with The Peninsula Hotels. Since 1970, the two brands have had a strong relationship with The Peninsula using Rolls-Royce cars for its guests almost continuously, whilst setting several records over time for its various fleet orders. 68

uxury cars have been associated with The Peninsula Hong Kong since the hotel’s earliest days, when the local Studebaker dealership and showroom were located in the rear of the East Wing. The hotel actually operated its own taxis for many years and later its own limousines. Immediately after World War II, most guests travelled to and from the airport by bus, but in due course, the hotel acquired its own fleet of five Lincoln Continentals, one Galaxy, and a station wagon. As part of the hotel’s never-ending, conscious effort to upgrade its guest service, in 1970 the most stylish possible form of transport from the airport was introduced, by Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. The order for seven such vehicles made history at the time, as the largest ever single order for one model. The Brewster Green cars quickly became part of the ritual of a stay at The Peninsula, so much so that four years later there was considerable dismay when the hotel switched back to low-slung, equally luxurious Lincoln Continentals. Somehow guests had come to associate The Peninsula inextricably with Rolls-Royces, and so in 1976 a new fleet of Astrakhan Brown Silver Shadows started purring along the road between the airport and the hotel. It was back to the original Brewster Green with the order of eight Silver Shadow II’s in 1980, at a cost of HK$4.4 million – for the third time in succession, this represented a record order in cash terms for the manufacturer. Precedent was maintained in 1987 when it was time to order yet another eight cars – this time the vehicle of choice being the Roll-Royce Silver Spirit. In December 2006, The Peninsula Hong Kong made it into Rolls-Royce’s history books again when it unveiled its fleet of 14 new Extended Wheelbase Phantoms, each handmade to bespoke specifications. It was the largest ever single order of new Rolls-Royce Phantoms, all finished in the signature Peninsula Green and adding to a fleet which continues to expand. A more petite addition to the already impressive fleet came in 2009 with the arrival of two special-edition MINI Cooper S Clubmans, a gift in celebration of The Peninsula’s 81st anniversary. In line with the hotel’s theme, the two MINI’s were given a Brewster Peninsula Green paintwork with custom specific lettering on the doors and illuminated door sills. As with most traditions that begin at The Peninsula Hong Kong, the MINI’s have multiplied and are now a member of the fleet family at all Peninsula Hotels around the world, and yet another signature of the many that make The Peninsula stand out on the world of luxury hospitality.

In THE Driving SEAT

TEXT: ANN TSANG IMAGES: KONGSTORIES.COM COURTESY OF

THE PENINSULA HONG KONG

In this, the 21st Century, it is no longer acceptable to make the assumption that the occupation of a driver is the purview of only gentlemen. The Peninsula Hotels welcomes and values a diverse and inclusive culture, and recognises the varying backgrounds and experiences of all its employees. The Company is committed to providing equal opportunities, with all job applicants and employees receiving equal treatment in all aspects of their employment (including recruitment and promotion), regardless of age, race, colour, national origin, appearance, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, family status, or veteran status.

This train of conversation inevitably leads on to the question of how her male co-workers feel about having a woman within their fold, which Chiou answers both humbly and with understated confidence. “I would say it’s difficult for the more senior male drivers to accept and embrace a younger female driver into their team, as naturally they believe that men are better candidates when it comes to driving, but I still continue to try to blend in and just do my best. But that being said, there are no workplace politics here; my fellow employees are kind, and I believe that at the end of the day, we all recognise each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Whilst I might be the person assigned to assisting female guests in certain situations, the Concierge would never assign me to drive male guests who perhaps may be aggressive or inebriated and put me in a potentially compromising situation that I am not physically equipped to deal with.” Eight years on, since she was first employed at The Peninsula, Chiou now commands the wheel of one of the hotel’s f leet of extended wheelbase Rolls-Royce Phantoms, mighty giants of the road that require the control of 6.75 L, V-12 engines, and smart driving, especially in a traffic-ridden environment like Hong Kong. Such a large and powerful vehicle demands not only the full attention of its driver, but also that of other drivers on the road, to the point that they stop, stare, and point. “It can be hard to control such a big car full of power,” notes Chiou. “The drivers of other vehicles will often try to compete with me through their manoeuvres or by cutting in front of me, so it’s up to me to remain calm. It escalates when they realise that I am a woman and they have no respect for that, which actually makes me even more determined to not let them get to me…I simply slow down and just politely wave them on their way!” Big cars aside, when not required to drive, Chiou knuckles down with her co-workers, assisting with other tasks when necessary, even if it’s just simply opening the front door of the hotel for a guest. “In today’s world, we all have to multi-task. I am always willing to work; sitting around and waiting for something to do is simply just non-productive.”

river Sue Chiou is the lady often found behind the wheel of one of The Peninsula Hong Kong’s extended wheelbase Rolls-Royce Phantoms, which to some may come as a surprise, but she holds her own as the only female driver among the hotel’s fleet staff, wearing her badge with visible pride. “I tried working in an office environment with my previous company, but there was too much politics, which was not for me,” says Chiou, immaculately dressed in a female tailored uniform, which (pun intended) suits her down to the ground. Hair neatly slicked back for optimal vision when driving, she is lightly made-up and soft spoken. “My friend was working at The Peninsula and she told me that the hotel had been looking for a female driver for quite some time, so she encouraged me to apply for the job, which I did.” Age 48 and a mother of two teenagers, Chiou was shortly thereafter embraced into The Peninsula Hong Kong family, first at the wheel of one of the hotel’s MINI Cooper S Clubmans, the “youngsters” in the property’s impressive fleet, and the perfect vehicle for “cutting her teeth” in. Teething proved to be a relatively painless process, as with guests and shopping bags on board, Chiou skilfully wove her way through the notoriously busy traffic of Kowloon’s Tsim Sha Tsui district, snaking through its streets, gently rollercoasting her passengers up and down The Peak on Hong Kong Island, and reaching her requested destinations with panache and style, all the while learning to occasionally commentate on notable landmarks and answer the inevitable tourist questions, including those about being a female driver. “Of course they ask me about being a female driver, as they are frequently surprised when they see that I am a woman,” says Chiou with a smile. “They (guests) ask me if I’m the only female in the department, and so I joke with them saying that there will never be more than one! But then I explain that there are certain things that I need to do that men cannot – for example, helping older female guests to get in and out of the car, which requires quite close physical contact and may not be appropriate for male drivers to undertake.”

Image: Antonio Saba

Illustration: Lorette Roberts

Growing Up The year was 1987, and The Peninsula had come to the realisation that she had outgrown her existing structure and was looking for ingenious ways to take the hotel forward into the 21st Century, but was understandably reluctant to sacrifice the façade of the historic building. Firms from around the world all shook their heads and saw but one solution to the scenario. Raise the existing structure and build in its place. However, lucky for the Grand Dame that a penchant for “coming up with something within tight constraints”, allowed architect Rocco Yim to put forward an alternate plan. The end result, which was finally unveiled in 1994, was a tower grafted onto the back of the existing structure without changes being made to the façade. 24 years after its completion, The Peninsula Tower has never lost its lustre. It remains very much an icon within the skyline, which is testament to Yim’s genius. There are throwbacks to a bygone era along with a more contemporary aesthetic suited to the hotel. Recognising that “it’s really the only hotel in town qualified to look back in such a way,” Yim worked to capture its essence by infusing nostalgic elements into the modern structure. For example, the central tower which is expressed as two vertical shafts capped at the top by two curved glass windows, echoes the prominent arches found in the original structure. It was also a conscious decision not to opt for the shinier, flashier, more contemporary materials common in the day. “The Peninsula was different”, he acknowledges. “Here was a building with masses of history and heritage. It spoke of a 1920s elegance, and so therefore we opted for a compatible language.” He adds that this was only possible through the use of cutting-edge technology in construction. Whereas the original hotel relied heavily on stone, masonry, paint and cast molding in its construction, the extension was all about glass and aluminium treated in a manner that would resemble classical architecture. The focus was not about mimicking the old details, but in creating the same feeling through texture, scale, colour and proportion, which is why the tower melds so seamlessly with the original façade. The crowning glory on top of the Tower was the installation of twin helipads. In 1996, the Hong Kong Institute of Architects presented Rocco Design its top prestigious award for the firm’s work on The Peninsula Tower.

SAFETY First

TEXT: ANN TSANG IMAGES: KONGSTORIES.COM COURTESY OF

THE PENINSULA HONG KONG

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a well-known fact that for many guests of The Peninsula Hong Kong and local residents alike, one of the most spectacular things to do when celebrating a special occasion is to take a helicopter ride over the dramatic cityscape and the expansive scenery that lies beyond the skyscrapers and glittering towers that symbolise the city. Marriage proposals, special birthdays, anniversaries, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, Helipad Controller-in-Charge, Paul Leigh has been witness to a multitude of moments, which have become the highlights of a career that he never imagined he might have as a young man.

80 Image: Annie Leibovitz

Image: kongstories.com courtesy of The Peninsula Hong Kong

or the past 24 years, from 7:30am until 5:30pm, five days a week, Paul Leigh has worked high in the sky over Hong Kong, based at The Peninsula’s famed helipad, which commenced operations following the completion of the hotel’s 30-storey tower expansion project in 1994. World-record holding Australian helicopter pilot Dick Smith accompanied by Peter K. N. Lok, then Director-General of the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department, piloted the inaugural certifying helicopter flight onto the helipad, one of only two private rooftop helipads in the territory. “When I was younger and living in the UK, I was actually keen to pursue a career in the food and beverage industry, and I briefly ran a Pizza Hut restaurant,” recalls Leigh. “Then a friend recommended that I should look at a job in security and safety and that there was a new position open at The Peninsula Hong Kong… and so here I am 24 years later.” In partnership with Heliservices, the sole and premier provider of rotary-wing services in Hong Kong, The Peninsula offers “flightseeing” tours, as well as exclusive charters for special occasions, aerial photography, and rapid airport transfers. Heliservices began operating in 1978, is a part of the Kadoorie Group, the Founder of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH), the parent company of The Peninsula Hotels. An avid lover of both history and geography since his school days, Leigh says he feels tremendously blessed to be part of the company. “I love the history and nostalgia of both The Peninsula and the Kadoorie Family, and the passion for aviation that is evident in The China Clipper lounge just below the helipad. It’s a very family-orientated business, and the exceptional training that is offered to all members of staff is just one of the many reasons that I have stayed here for so long.”

A typical working day for Leigh begins at 7:30am with a security and safety briefing, followed by a meeting with Heliservices on the scheduled flights for the day. On average, there will be three to four take-offs and landings, but Leigh says this number can rise to a maximum of 20 flights per day, which he says has happened three times during the course of his time at The Peninsula. “When we have back-to-back flights, that is my biggest challenge, as it is vital that we keep our customers happy and with no delays. We also need to ensure that our guests will have the best possible experience, so the pilot must advise if a flight cannot be fully maximised due to bad weather conditions, poor visibility or other factors, in which case re-scheduling comes into play.” Other than the obvious safety precautions related to fire, first aid and the functionality of the helipad fences at all times, Leigh says that there are many more facets to his job. “I strive for excellence in terms of overall safety. We need to consider aspects such as loading, meaning the overall weight and balance in terms of both passengers and equipment, especially if we are facilitating aerial photography or filming. We also need to be on the lookout for things like birds or balloons, and in this day and age, drones, although the usage of them is under ongoing scrutiny by the Civil Aviation Department. All that being said, we are very fortunate that security risks in Hong Kong in general are low.” When training new staff, Leigh says that there are two things that he looks for: a positive attitude towards customer service, and care and respect in terms of getting along with fellow employees. “Our business is very customer service oriented; meeting people inspires me, and so other members of staff need to feel the same. This will be rewarded when we receive positive feedback from guests, and when that happens, we know we are on the right flight path.”

Signature STARCK 82

As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

“I

knew Starck would be a shock, but I was sure he would win the day without

any undue influence from me.” - Sir Michael Kadoorie

In The Name of Felix As plans for the construction of The Peninsula Tower unfolded, not everyone was convinced that the hotel needed a rooftop restaurant. “The hotel operators didn’t want it,” recalls Sir Michael Kadoorie. “I visited a restaurant in Madrid called ‘Teatriz’, that [Philippe] Starck had done and immediately thought that this might be something for us.” Despite having announced that he would undertake no further design projects, Starck was intrigued by Sir Michael’s proposal and agreed to make a presentation to the board of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels. “I knew Starck would be a shock, but I was sure he would win the day without any undue influence from me,” says Sir Michael. “I thus made sure I was out of Hong Kong when he met our Executive Board and five minutes into the meeting, they bought into it lock, stock and barrel.” “Next the hoteliers had to be won over,” adds Sir Michael. “So I took Felix Bieger and Onno Poortier up in a helicopter, flew across the harbour and adjacent to the level where Felix would be situated in the soon-to-be-built tower, turned the helicopter around and said, ‘There, that’s your view.’ They changed their minds and we had our restaurant.” And so Felix took shape. The designer most often described as “eclectic” was given a brief to create “a brasserie for the 21st century”. Starck let loose an avant-garde vision in which divergent themes were intriguingly juxtaposed. The main restaurant is flanked by two “snails” – bucket-shaped areas wrapped around illuminated spiral staircases, which contain the Balcony, the Wine Bar, the Crazy Box and the American Bar. An incredible kaleidoscope of textures and materials was applied to Felix’s surfaces: mahogany walls meet aluminium reliefs in an almost audible jolt; there are marble tables in the restaurant, wooden tables in the Wine Bar, crystal stools around the dance floor, while the raised Long Table, stretching across the full width of the main restaurant is fashioned from ivory onyx, gently lit by soft interior lights. And Starck's cheeky crowning glory? The men's bathrooms... But we'll leave you to discover those yourself...

Pen's ANGELS

TEXT: ANN TSANG IMAGE: CHEN MAN

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly to some, of the 50 or so full-time Security Officers at The Peninsula Hong Kong, around one-third are female, a reflection of the hotel’s parent company’s ethical and inclusive employment policy. Often perceived as a male-dominated field, Manki Wong, Macy Ma and Sum Tang are three female employees who are helping to break down this stereotype-based assumption.

or many fresh graduates from high school who do not have the opportunity to progress to tertiary education, finding their first job can be extremely daunting, as many are uncertain about the specific field they would like to, or are actually able, to pursue. For many, Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) with its constant buzz of activity and its position as a major global travel hub, holds a certain allure. In fact it was here that Manki Wong, Macy Ma and Sum Tang, all now Security Officers at The Peninsula, began their respective working lives – Wong and Ma in security, and Sum in sales. Today, far from the frenetic activity of HKIA, they sit together like ‘The Three Musketeers’ to discuss how they came to work at the hotel and what their jobs entail. Wong is the ‘senior’ among the group, in that she has been employed at The Peninsula for four years, with both Ma and Tang joining two years later. “I never envisioned myself working in security,” says Wong. “But my job at the airport was to scan and check baggage, which of course is unquestionably security related, and the more I worked doing this, the more I felt a great sense of responsibility towards passenger safety and the more my interest in this field developed.” “When I graduated from school, I wanted to work at the airport, as I thought the environment would be interesting and there was such a variety of job opportunities there,” adds Ma. “I applied for a number of different positions, and was hired by the security department; not really what I expected, but it gave me some excellent training opportunities and a real sense of self-worth.” Tam also began her career with the airport as her training ground, working in a number of different areas, including F&B, sales, and evenutally, security. “I felt the most comfortable in the security field, even though it can sometimes be tough, but the colleague camaraderie that came along with that was very supportive and motivating.” The three ladies have now traded their airport uniforms for the chic shirt-and-tie look that they don at The Peninsula. Other than the ubiquitous semi-concealed communication device cords, it is not immediately apparent that they might be ‘Charlie’s Angels Hong Kong-style’ – an analogy that the trio seem to find quite amusing. The inevitable question is of course how it is being female in a job that is still widely considered as male territory? “I would say that being a female in this field is actually often an advantage, as there are certain situations that require our attention – perhaps something as simple as helping female guests out of their car, or dealing with medical situations that are inappropriate for male security staff to handle,” notes Wong, who

once had to escort a guest who had sustained a serious injury to the emergency department of a local hospital. “As our overseas guests are unlikely to be familiar with Hong Kong’s medical system, we accompany them and take care of the registration procedure and sometimes remain present until their treatment has been completed, before returning them safely to the hotel.” “Our male colleagues are actually very respectful, and most of them understand that we are in fact complementary to each other. They are always willing to help with heavy physical work, and on the other hand, if they encounter challenging situations with female guests, we step in immediately to assist,” adds Ma. “It is part of The Peninsula culture that we work together as a team,” says Tang. “Just as we are required to be polite to our guests, we should act the same way towards our colleagues, even in tense or challenging situations.” Contrary to the popular culture portrayal of security personnel in television shows and motion pictures – predominantly as burly, fear-inducing, weapon-toting characters – the security team at The Peninsula has a non-invasive, discreet presence, as one would expect of a luxury hotel where guest privacy is of paramount importance, particularly in the case of high profile VIPs. “There are many VIP guests who visit our hotel”, states Wong. “Especially in the case of high-profile celebrities, our security is so tight that it is almost impossible for anyone to photograph them, unless it has been previously authorised. We have a lot of experience in dealing with VIP situations and we are very good at it.” Hotel security does not only involve the protection and privacy of guests and VIPs; there are in fact many more facets to this realm, as Wong further attests to. “We have a wide range of duties; for example, we man the staff entrance to make sure that everyone who comes is a bona fide employee. We also take care of contractor registration and any other incoming non-guest people traffic. During the day, there are at least eight posts with 10 people manning them overall. Sometimes we may have to be an elevator operator for specific guests and we also may have to assist guests when they have questions after they have bought something from a shop, and in certain cases we will accompany them to that specific shop to ensure that their purchase has been made at the right price and has a valid guarantee.” My final question to this formidable female trio is whether they had ever heard of The Peninsula when they were growing up. “When I was young, I saw a TV programme about the top 10 hotels in the world, and The Peninsula was number one on the list,” responds Ma. “Back in those days, photography was not allowed at all at the hotel, so it made it all the more mysterious and interesting for me, and I love being here.”

Pioneering PEN Beginning with only a few tenants in 1940, The Peninsula Arcade was Hong Kong's very first luxury shopping arcade. Today it houses more than 60 of the world's top brands, including Chanel, Harry Winston, Graff, Cartier and Chrome Hearts, amongst a myriad of others.

he very first outside tenant of a space within The Peninsula was a branch of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, which opened just days after the hotel itself in 1928. In the late 1940s, the bank was joined by Pan-American, Cathay Pacific and Philippine Airlines, all of which opened city check-in desks on the ground floor of the hotel on the periphery of The Lobby. Travel agencies, tailors and jewellery shops also sprang up to serve the rapidly developing tourism market following the end of the war, and Cable & Wireless established its only Kowloon office in the Arcade. As the 1960s rolled around, it was time to change the nature of the tenant mix, but it was a time-consuming and delicate task easing out the airlines and installing some of the world’s most renowned brands alongside new and innovative retailers, one of the first being the Hong Kong bespoke men’s tailor Ascot Chang, which took up residence in 1963 and remains as the Arcade’s longest tenant. Another notable tenant who moved in at around the same time was Betty Charnuis Clemos, who had been a costume designer on a number of international films between 1946 and 1961, and started her own eponymous fashion brand, Betty Clemo, in 1962, setting up a boutique called Betty Clemo's Couture in The Peninsula Arcade. Generally regarded as one of the first fashion designers in Hong Kong,

she was also the first person to introduce French fashion to Asia by importing licensed line-to-line adaptions of Paris haute couture. In 1984, The Peninsula Boutique, conceived as the most specialised boutique in South-East Asia and incorporating the famous Chocolate Shop, opened in the Arcade. Then General Manager Eric Waldburger spent long hours with Group President Onno Poortier, Vice President Peter Borer and a talented French consultant, devising a compelling range of products. Silverware, tea sets, bathrobes and cashmere pullovers were some of the first items on sale on opening day. “Opening up the Arcade was very clever,” said Mrs. Mao Keen Ying, then General Manager of Etro, who introduced the brand to Hong Kong with a shop in The Peninsula. Originally from Shanghai, Mrs. Mao’s connection with The Peninsula began in 1949, when she and her husband moved into The Repulse Bay Hotel and regularly frequented The Peninsula’s tea dances and dinners. Mrs. Mao observed the evolution of the hotel’s retail collection closely, and in 1986, when a friend invited her to establish a market for Etro silks and fashions in Hong Kong, she approached The Peninsula for space. “The match is a good one,” she explained. “The cultured, traditional style of the silk scarves and fashions is complemented by The Peninsula location. I take my hat off to the management – they keep the colonial style, but they’re always moving forward.”

A Family AFFAIR

TEXT: ANN TSANG IMAGES: KONGSTORIES.COM COURTESY OF

THE PENINSULA HONG KONG

Since its relatively humble beginnings as a trading port in the South China Sea, Hong Kong was an ideal location for the establishment of small, family-run businesses – simple little shops sprang up everywhere, meeting the population’s need for food items, clothing, construction materials and anything that was a necessary commodity in everyday life. A number of these businesses continue to thrive today, maintaining the character of the city amongst the multi-national corporations housed in the plethora of shiny glass and steel towers that dominate the skyline.

During the first few decades of the operation of The Peninsula Hong Kong, many employees had to be referred by a family member already working at the hotel in order to secure a job there, and as such, up to three generations of some families have been employed, either all working at the same time, or briefly overlapping. Even today, there are at least two generations working together within the hallowed walls of Hong Kong’s oldest and most prominent luxury hotel, just one example of which is the Lau family. Lau Hon Sze joined The Peninsula in 1997, the historic year of the Handover of Hong Kong back to China. “I was a taxi driver before I joined the hotel, and I didn’t have a stable salary,” he recalls. “One of my friends who worked there recommended that I apply for a job, and so I became a driver for The Peninsula boutique (formerly known as Lucullus) for 12 years when there were branches at The Landmark and in The Peak Tower. When those locations closed down, I was offered my current position as the Mail Room Co-ordinator.” In 1999, Lau’s elder son Ricky (38) joined his father at The Peninsula as a driver and shopping concierge. Two years later in 2001, Lau’s youngest son and Ricky’s younger brother, Hugo (34), also joined the ranks of the hotel, first as a page for 12 years, and later, following a one-year sabbatical, as a car jockey. “I encouraged both of my sons to work here because The Peninsula provides a truly wonderful workplace,” says Lau. “This is a time-honoured hotel and the brand name is well-known around the world.” “The Peninsula is like a family to me,” adds Ricky. “Everyone gets along well and we really are treated like members of a much bigger family – this one has more than 800 members!”

n today’s day and age, family businesses in Hong Kong are less prevalent than they were in the past – towards the end of the 1980s, parents aspired to send their children to overseas locations for tertiary education, and thus the diasporisation of Hong Kong Chinese roared into full effect, giving rise to the expansion of Chinatowns in major international cities – New York, San Francisco, Toronto and London being of particular note in that respect. The Kadoorie Family first arrived in Hong Kong in 1880, when Sir Elly Kadoorie emigrated from Baghdad in search of business opportunities in the Far East. Over the following decades, he gradually built up a business empire centred in Hong Kong and Shanghai, based on a successful and durable blend of enterprise, long-term vision and community service. Hong Kong has been home to the Kadoorie Family for over 135 years. The family was welcomed by Hong Kong and given an opportunity to prosper, and in return, it has always believed in making a contribution to the social and economic wellbeing of its fellow citizens. The history of the Kadoorie Family is part of the history of Hong Kong. The family, their businesses and their charitable works have been a common witness, alongside Hong Kong's people, to a dramatic century of colonialism, war, industrialisation and reunification with China. The characteristics of the family businesses have meant that they have both mirrored and supported the growth of the SAR. The concept of “family” as a result, has continuously underpinned the philosophy of the Kadoories’ businesses. In a random sampling of The Peninsula Hotels’ employees, a staggering 98 percent of interviewees mention the word “family” in response to questions such as “What is the most important thing to you in terms of working for the company?”

DESTINED To DAZZLE As well as being the year of the 9 0th anniversar y of The Peninsula Hong Kong, 2018 marks the 50th year of Falconer Jewellers in the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famed shopping arcade. Here we look back over the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 163-year history in Hong Kong.

Necklace: 790 diamonds (total 50.61 cts), Earrings: 94 diamonds (total 12.37 cts)

Necklace: 7 emeralds (10.10 cts each), 217 diamonds (total 217 cts)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We

have made many new friends at our location in The Peninsula

who visit us in search of that perfect piece of jewellery. Our greatest inspiration comes from the knowledge that our creations will allow us, in our own small way, to share in their celebratory moments of life, love and romance.â&#x20AC;? - Franklin Ma, Managing Director, Falconer Jewellers

he story of Falconer started in 1855 when George Falconer took over Mr. Douglas Lapraik’s business and changed its name to G. Falconer & Co. According to author Robert Nield in an article for the HK University Press Douglas Lapraik typified the entrepreneurial spirit of early Hong Kong. He came east in 1839 and became an apprentice to a watch and chronometer maker in Macau, moving across to Hong Kong in 1842. Having established his own watchmaking business by 1846, he soon found that he had, almost accidentally, also become a shipping agent: all ships needed accurate chronometers and their owners needed a Hong Kong office. Lapraik was a member of the provisional committee of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation in 1864 and the principal promoter in 1865 of the Hong Kong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Company. Coincidentally, he also had an interest in the formation of the Hongkong Hotel Company. Following his death, Lapraik’s watch business was acquired by one of his former employees, Mr. George Falconer in 1855, and to this day, the company still trades under his name. Mr. Falconer was a master of fine clocks and a watchmaker at the time that he took over the business, but over the years the company moved its business towards the manufacture and retailing of fine jewellery. Falconer Jewellers has been known for design excellence, meticulous craftsmanship and generations of commitment to creating mesmerising beauty. The world has changed in many ways since 1855 but the company’s passion for premier quality, masterful design, and flawless service has remained the same, making it one of the oldest and most trusted jewellers in Hong Kong. ‘I sneaked into The Peninsula Arcade,” once chuckled Angus Lee, a former owner of Falconer. His first shop was in the Ambassador Hotel, but as The Peninsula’s Arcade expanded, Mr. Lee set his sights on the prime location. “The Peninsula didn’t have any fine jewellers then,” he said. “So I bought one of the shops in the hotel and took it over when the owner retired in 1968.” Mr. Lee quietly changed the shop’s sign to ‘Falconer’ and replaced the medium-priced stock with exquisite jewellery of the finest quality. “The Peninsula is very strict said Mr. Lee. “There is to be no cheating of the customers, and no sleeping or eating in any of the shops. Once I put an American Express sticker on the door and Mr. Gautschi said, ‘Oh my goodness! You have to follow The Peninsula rules!’ I scraped it off and then we got along fine.”

In April of 1997, Mr. Lee sold Falconer to the Lee Heng Diamond Company, which was founded in Hong Kong in 1949 by the Ma family. The company started by importing and wholesaling diamonds, sourcing high quality gems and diamonds from around the world for distribution in various Asian markets. The Falconer collection has evolved over the years from making watches and chronometers to featuring brilliant diamonds, exquisite pearls and dazzling precious stones, such as rubies, emeralds and multi-coloured sapphires. All of the brand’s iconic pieces are always hand crafted to reflect its quest for perfection and the highest level of excellence. Over the years, Falconer’s location in The Peninsula Arcade has allowed the company to meet clients from around the world. “We have made many new friends who visit us in search of that perfect piece of jewellery,” says Managing Director Franklin Ma. “Our greatest inspiration comes from the knowledge that our creations will allow us, in our own small way, to share in their celebratory moments of life, love and romance.” Prior to purchasing Falconer, the Ma family established the Mabros Jewellery Company in 1985 as one of Hong Kong’s most prestigious jewellery emporiums. Showcasing exquisite jewellery and timepieces of exceptional design and rare prestige, the Mabros ‘Art of Time Collection’, which combines dedicated craftsmanship and creativity with Swiss chronometric technology, is just one of the many temptations on offer at Falconer’s boutique in The Peninsula Arcade. In addition to its own collections, Falconer also represents William Goldberg’s famed ASHOKA® jewellery collection. Long recognised for unparalleled standards of excellence, William Goldberg’s master craftsmen have dedicated their lives to creating exquisite diamond jewellery. Goldberg himself was fond of saying, “You shouldn’t cheat a diamond of its right to be beautiful.” Falconer is also a proud purveyor of the Leo Diamond® by Leo Schachter. Originally launched in 1999, the Leo Diamond is the first diamond ever certified to be visibly brighter and each stone features a unique faceting arrangement that results in superior fire, sparkle, and brilliance compared to conventional diamonds of similar carat weight, colour and clarity. “The largest diamond seen in the window at this prestigious retailer weighed in at around 13 carats. It was heart shaped and set as a ring, and it was totally desirable!”, said cityseeker.com in 2017. “If you are looking for similarly outrageous and opulent gems, then this jeweller will not disappoint.”

How MAY I HELP You? TEXT: ANN TSANG

IMAGES: KONGSTORIES.COM COURTESY OF

THE PENINSULA HONG KONG

Chief Order Taker in the In Room Dining Department of The Peninsula, Antonia Rodriguez has seen more than her fair share of ups and downs in life. Following in her aunt’s footsteps, Antonia has now been at the hotel for an impressive 45 years, and like many staff, considers it to be her second home.

ntonia Rodriguez’ aunt has now reached the ripe old age of 102, and according to her niece “is still going strong, living in a nursing home in Australia, yet is still a frequent patron of the local casinos.” In fact it was this very same aunt who helped to facilitate Antonia’s employment at The Peninsula Hong Kong back in 1973, when she was the order taker in the room service department, having previously held positions in the telephone operator room and the bakery section of the hotel kitchen. Known fondly to her colleagues as ‘Mama Jai’, Antonia (62) is the hotel’s Chief Order Taker in the In Room Dining Department, and like most of her peers, she calls The Peninsula “home”. “Having been here for 45 years, it’s natural that the hotel feels like home to me. I have a very close relationship with my team and I feel like I belong here. It’s a blessing to be able to guide them as a motherly figure and keep everyone in check,” she says with a hint of a glint in her eyes. Although today she lives happily amongst The Peninsula fold, life has dealt Antonia more than her fair share of difficult cards. The eldest in a family of five children, she enjoyed a European upbringing as part of a well-off family until they were forced into bankruptcy. More adversity followed in 2009 when Antonia was diagnosed with cancer, but fortunately recovered with the help of what she describes as “loving support from my General Manager”. Six years later, she was involved in a car accident which resulted in serious facial inujries and a broken nose. “I was put into recovery for eight months, and during the process, I tried to get up and use my left hand. Out of the blue, I heard the song ‘I Will Survive’ by Gloria Gaynor on the radio and it inspired me to not give up hope and to understand that I was not the only one suffering; I considered myself as a lucky one.” On a more positive note, Antonia recalls one of the major highlights of her career at The Peninsula. “Prior to the opening of the Company’s first American property in Beverly Hills in 1991, I

was asked to be a part of the pre-opening task force, which was my first work experience outside of Hong Kong. Whenever a new Peninsula hotel opens, the Company will send a team of existing experienced employees to help set up systems and to train new local employees who then go on to run the property; it was a very exciting time for me.” Another outstanding moment Antonia describes is when she was first asked to participate as part of a group of staff in an overseas media visit to The Peninsula Hong Kong. “I felt so privileged to be invited to mingle with the press group during a cocktail reception and share my experiences with them. It was my first time doing so and it felt wonderful.” An ongoing source of pleasure for Antonia is her interaction and communication with guests, many of whom remember her each time they return to The Peninsula. “When I was working at The Peninsula Beverly Hills, a guest who worked for Universal Studios generously left me six VIP tickets when he left. A guest in Hong Kong also once said she thought of me when she was buying icecream and so she bought some for me and had it brought back to the hotel. Guests continue to surprise me in the sweetest ways.” Asked what her hopes for the future are, Antonia’s response is multi-faceted. “First and foremost, I hope that the next generation will learn more. Attending school is simply not enough; work experiences make a huge difference and offer deeper perspectives on life. For me personally, I would like to expand my knowledge of Mandarin; I taught myself how to read Chinese but I have yet to learn how to write.” On a final note, I ask what has kept her working at The Peninsula for so many years. “To be honest, I never imagined myself being here for this long. But, time flies. I just wanted stability; I wasn’t looking for anything much more than that. But over 45 years, I have gained so many insights into the way this wonderful hotel operates and I have grown to love it more than I can actually express in words…”

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50 Years OF Service

TEXT: ANN TSANG IMAGES: KONGSTORIES.COM COURTESY OF

THE PENINSULA HONG KONG

Simon Lo has been an employee of The Peninsula Hong Kong for five decades, making him one of the hotel’s longest serving members of staff. Starting as a general assistant, he went on to become a waiter at The Verandah, and then a member of the housekeeping department. Having already exceeded the official retirement age, Lo remains a fixture of The Peninsula, these days as a cloakroom attendant.

ike most children born in Hong Kong in the late 1940s and into the 1950s, Simon Lo left school at the age of 12 to take his first job. Hong Kong faced enormous population growth after 1949 and there were not enough schools in existence to meet the rising demand. And so it was that only a small number of children, mainly from privileged or government families, made it beyond primary school. The rest went to work, mostly in factories or within their own small family businesses. Others took jobs as office boys, running around the sweltering streets of the city to deliver letters and packages, which was the case for young Simon Lo. After seven long years of service as an office boy, thanks to a family connection (the main form of ‘reference’ in those days), Lo, then aged 19, found his way into The Peninsula as a general assistant in 1969. A hard-working young man, Lo closely observed the operations surrounding him at this grand hotel, and developed a keen interest in what was going on in the food and beverage department, where he was frequently sent to collect and deliver items of importance. After just one year, he was given the opportunity to try out as a waiter in the hotel’s Verandah restaurant, where many of The Peninsula’s long-serving employees began their respective careers. Having performed to his manager’s satisfaction, Lo continued to work the floor of The Verandah, subsequently transferring to the room service department, toting up a decade of experience in the food and beverage area. In the meantime, he met the woman that would eventually become his wife, and wishing to spend more regular hours with her, he sought a transfer to the housekeeping department, which would allow him a more fixed working schedule. Almost 50 years since taking his first job at The Peninsula, Lo remains at the hotel, which like many staff he refers to as his “second home”.

“I was supposed to retire in 2009, but my boss let me stay,” says the affable Mr. Lo. “The Peninsula really does care about its old employees and cherishes us very much. So, now I work as a cloakroom attendant, which requires much less physical work than is required of a room attendant.” One thing he tells me is that he didn’t always have the name ‘Simon’. “A guest once told me that I could quickly learn English by watching Western TV shows and movies, so I watched as much as I could in my free time. In those days, not many staff had English names, and when another guest told me that it would be easier for him to remember me by an English name, I gave myself the name Simon, after Simon & Garfunkel, whom I admired very much,” he says with a gentle smile. Not only does Simon now speak perfect English, he can also communicate in basic Japanese, which he says that he learned through a series of classes offered by the hotel. Another somewhat more unusual skill that Lo says he has learned during his time working at Hong Kong’s oldest and most prestigious hotel is the correct care of cowboy boots, the story of which he recalls fondly. “When John Wayne was staying at our hotel, he always wore cowboy boots with shiny silver spurs attached to them, and he asked me to polish them for him every evening. I was afraid that I didn’t know how to do this properly, so he spent the time to teach me.” When asked about the changes that he has seen over the past 50 years of working at The Peninsula, Lo recalls the vast difference in scenery in the Tsim Sha Tsui area. “When I first worked at The Verandah, we could see the old train station – during the Lunar New Year, I used to love watching people carrying bags of goodies on poles to bring back to their relatives in China. Today of course, what we see is very different, and the view from the tower is really spectacular – Hong Kong never ceases to amaze people, especially our guests.”

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All Aboard! Joining The Peninsula Hong Kong’s impressive transportation fleet of Rolls-Royces, MINI Cooper S Clubmans and a helicopter, is a 19-metre Sunseeker Manhattan 60 yacht, which adds the sea to the land and air transport offerings available for guests of the hotel. Luxury transportation has always been a notable part of The Peninsula experience, and it only makes sense that given Hong Kong’s geographical location surrounded by the South China Sea and its spectacular harbour, that this superb seagoing vessel joins the fleet in the year of the 90th anniversary of The Peninsula Hong Kong. With the launch of The Peninsula yacht, the hotel welcomes guests to enjoy Hong Kong’s ‘Symphony of Lights’ during a romantic harbour sunset cruise, or to charter the vessel for specialty lunches, functions, family celebrations, cocktail receptions, elegant prewedding photoshoots, and even on-board massage therapy by The Peninsula Spa. The introduction of the yacht marks The Peninsula being the first luxury hotel in Hong Kong to offer a trio of transportation options, encompassing land, air and sea.

INNOVATION With A HUMAN Touch IMAGES: ANTONIO SABA

Located in Aberdeen on Hong Kong islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s south side, Group General Manager of Research and Technology Christopher Chan and his team of engineers and technicians strive to provide user-friendly, intuitive technology for todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s increasingly demanding and sophisticated travellers to enhance comfort and the overall guest experience.

104

105 Christopher Chan, Group General Manager, Research & Technology

106

he Peninsula Hotels is the only hotel company in the world with its own research and development facilities to design, build and customise equipment to serve the group’s guests (versus installing standard available technology used by other hotel groups). All in-room technology is developed and then tested to perfection by the Research and Technology (R&T) department, comprising a team of 26 electronic, software and hardware engineers who are able to respond to guests’ every need through a combination of observation, innovation and technological know-how. With the aim of delivering a bespoke room experience, whereby guests can choose how they access the hotel’s services – as technology and guests’ expectations continue to develop at breakneck speed – R&T is tasked to not just keep up with, but to stay ahead of requirements. In 2013, to coincide with the culmination of an extensive renovation programme at The Peninsula Hong Kong, the R&T team took these initiatives to a new level of creativity and innovation, when it first introduced a truly personalised in-room experience at the hotel with fully customised interactive digital bedside, desk and wall tablets pre-set in 11 languages. Full control of all in-room functions is a mere touch away, including the compendium of restaurant menus, hotel services, the ‘PenCities’ virtual city guide, personalised streaming terrestrial TV, Internet TV and radio, mood lighting, curtain, valet call, weather, thermostat, language and privacy options. The impressive work desks are complete with high-speed Internet access, international Internet radio, a weather panel, an iPod docking station and more, while The Peninsula’s signature en suite marble bathrooms offer LED touch-screen panels for terrestrial and Internet TV and radio, and mood lighting with a customised ambient spa setting delivers a luxurious, integrated light and sound experience for indulgent relaxation. State-of-the-art audio visual centres with flat-screen, Blu-ray LED televisions offer a vibrant, enriched entertainment experience via tablet with a multitude of terrestrial, cable and satellite TV channels, 460 Internet radio stations and complimentary HD movies, an iPhone/ iPad docking station, a memory card reader and a Sound Bar virtual surround sound speaker system. Wireless connection to personal electronic devices and to the all-in-one fax/printer/photocopier/scanner enables the seamless functionality of a home office, along with multiple device chargers for added convenience.

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108 Helen Wong, Senior Software Engineer

Mirror TV testing

Complimentary high-speed wired and wireless Internet access also means that international IDD calls via VOIP are free in the guest rooms, while free wireless access and local calls are available when travelling in the hotels’ Rolls-Royce and MINI fleet. It all started with the first of many “firsts” for The Peninsula Hotels’ R&T team – the introduction of satellite TV to Hong Kong. Back in 1985, Sir Michael Kadoorie wanted satellite TV channels for The Peninsula Hong Kong’s in-house television system, but it was unavailable in the SAR at the time and he was assured by all that it would be impossible to install as the technology of the day wasn’t sufficient. Determined to prove the naysayers wrong and scouring Hong Kong for satellite dishes, Sir Michael met a freelance technical consultant, who duly installed two dishes on the rooftop of the hotel. Since its inception in 1985, R&T has created, designed and developed cutting-edge in-room facilities for the group’s 10 hotels, and also works closely with manufacturers of off-the-shelf items such as TVs to re-design remote control devices to be as simple and user-friendly as possible for guests. While each hotel has an R&T team in-situ, Chan and his team can also control and monitor the electronics in every guestroom around the world from an elaborate control panel in their laboratory at HQ. Tasked to deliver what guests want before they know they want or need it, the R&T’s twin mantras are “technology is all about people” and “you shouldn’t have to think – it just happens”, and thus every element must serve guests, help them unwind and keep them connected and informed. The design process for a new hotel starts an average of two years prior to opening. Ideas and functions are envisioned by a committee

of senior HSH executives, and are then developed and produced by the R&T team. The technology is installed into a sample room (a complete and fully functional room in a confidential location in Hong Kong), which is then occupied and tested by numerous Peninsula executives in order to perfect the design, flow and functionality of the entire space. Ideas come from a diverse range of sources. For example, the inspiration behind the bathtub telephone, first introduced at The Peninsula Hong Kong in 1994, came from an Imperial Leather soap TV commercial featuring a couple in a bath on a private jet when the husband calls the pilot to fly to Bermuda. Telephones are also a signature Peninsula feature – unable to source an attractive and appropriate model offering the required functions, The Peninsula phone was designed by the executive committee, with innovations including a rubber grip on the sides for the elderly or when hands are wet, “ripples” to grip the phone to the shoulder while talking,; VOIP using Skype, Bluetooth to sync in-room phones with mobiles; and a home town time and language display. The phone also detects the voltage reversal if a call comes in, mutes the TV or radio, and then turns the sound back on when hanging up. The telephone metamorphosis continues, with bedroom wall sconces that light up automatically if a call is received during the night. “A hotel is like a dance and the control system like a corps de ballet – smooth, elegant comfortable and no jerky on/off movements - offering a smooth transition from one operation to the next to avoid stress,” says Chan. “The greatest compliment for me and my team is when guests go to other hotels and realise what they are missing!”

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ICONS of TIME R

olex has introduced the new generation of the Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31, with redesigned case sides and lugs. In 18 ct white, yellow or Everose gold, the new versions are equipped with calibre 2236, at the forefront of watchmaking technology. Amongst the many combinations available, one, in 18 ct white gold, is fitted with a white mother-of-pearl dial and a diamond-set bezel. Another, in 18 ct yellow gold, features a malachite dial with a Roman VI and IX in 18 ct yellow gold set with diamonds, and a version in 18 ct Everose gold has a diamond-paved dial inlaid with pink mother-of-pearl butterflies. The Oyster case of the Datejust 31, guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet), is a paragon of robustness and elegance. Its refined middle case is crafted from a solid block of 18 ct yellow, white or Everose gold. The case back, edged with fine fluting, is hermetically screwed down with a special tool that allows only Rolex watchmakers to access the movement. The winding crown, fitted with the Twinlock double waterproofness system, screws down securely against the case. The crystal, with a Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock for easy reading of the date, is made of virtually scratchproof sapphire. The waterproof Oyster case provides optimum protection for the Datejust 31’s high-precision movement. The Datejust 31 is equipped with calibre 2236, a new-generation self-winding mechanical movement entirely developed and

manufactured by Rolex. Fitted with a Syloxi hairspring in silicon, patented by Rolex, calibre 2236 offers a superlative level of chronometric performance. Insensitive to magnetic fields, the Syloxi hairspring provides great stability in the face of temperature variations and remains up to 10 times more precise than a traditional hairspring in case of shocks. Its patented geometry ensures its regularity in any position. Calibre 2236 is equipped with a self-winding module via a Perpetual rotor and offers a power reserve of approximately 55 hours. This calibre equips the Datejust 31 for the first time. The new Datejust 31 watches are fitted on a President bracelet, which benefits from a concealed attachment system, ensuring seamless visual continuity between the bracelet and case. The bracelet also includes ceramic inserts inside the links to enhance its flexibility and longevity, and has a concealed folding Crownclasp. Rolex’s Datejust is the archetype of the classic watch thanks to functions and aesthetics that never go out of style. First launched in 1945, it was the first self-winding waterproof chronometer wristwatch to display the date in a window at 3 o’clock on the dial, and consolidated all the major innovations that Rolex had contributed to the modern wristwatch until then. Aesthetically, the Datejust has spanned eras while retaining the enduring codes that still make it one of the most recognisable of watches today.

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Rolex has also introduced the new generation of the Oyster Perpetual Datejust 36, in either Everose Rolesor (combining Oystersteel and 18 ct Everose gold) or yellow Rolesor (combining Oystersteel and 18 ct yellow gold) versions, each available with a large selection of dials. The new Datejust 36 watches are equipped with a 36 mm case featuring redesigned lugs and sides, and calibre 3235. Many different combinations are available. An Everose Rolesor version features a white dial with 18 ct pink gold Roman numerals and a fluted bezel. The yellow Rolesor version is presented with a champagne coloured dial, diamond-set hour markers, and a fluted bezel. Another yellow Rolesor version is offered with a white motherof-pearl dial and a diamond-set bezel. Rolesor, the combination of gold and steel on a Rolex watch, has been a signature feature of the brand since 1933, when the name was registered. It is an auspicious meeting of two metals: one, noble and precious, attractive for its lustre and stability; the other, highly resistant, known for its strength and reliability. All of these qualities perfectly mirror the elegance and performance that come together in a Rolex watch. On the Everose Rolesor version of the new Datejust 36, the bezel, winding crown and centre bracelet links are in 18 ct Everose gold, while the case and the outer links of the bracelet are in Oystersteel. The yellow Rolesor versions follow the same principle, using 18 ct yellow gold rather than Everose gold. The Oyster case of the Datejust 36 is guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet). Its refined middle case is crafted from a solid block of Oystersteel. The case back, edged with fine fluting, is hermetically screwed down with a special tool that allows only Rolex watchmakers to access the movement. The winding crown, fitted with the Twinlock double waterproofness system, screws down securely against the case. The crystal, with a Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock for easy reading of the date, is made of virtually scratchproof sapphire. The waterproof Oyster case provides optimum protection for the Datejust 36’s high-precision movement.

The new Datejust 36 watches are equipped with calibre 3235, a new-generation movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. A consummate demonstration of Rolex technology, at the forefront of the art of watchmaking, this self-winding mechanical movement offers fundamental gains in terms of precision, power reserve, resistance to shocks and magnetic fields, convenience and reliability. It incorporates the Chronergy escapement patented by Rolex, which combines high energy efficiency with great dependability. Made of nickel-phosphorus, this escapement is also insensitive to magnetic interference. An optimised blue Parachrom hairspring is fitted to the oscillator, the true heart of the watch. Manufactured by Rolex in an exclusive paramagnetic alloy, it is up to 10 times more precise than a traditional hairspring in case of shocks. A Rolex overcoil ensures its regularity in any position. Calibre 3235 is equipped with a self-winding module via a Perpetual rotor. Thanks to its new barrel architecture and the escapement’s superior efficiency, the power reserve of calibre 3235 extends to approximately 70 hours. This calibre equips the Datejust 36 for the first time. The new Datejust 36 watches are available on an Oyster or a Jubilee bracelet, which benefit from a concealed attachment system, ensuring seamless visual continuity between the bracelet and case. They are also equipped with an Oysterclasp and include the Easylink rapid extension system, patented by Rolex in 1996, that allows the wearer to easily increase the bracelet length by approximately 5 mm for additional comfort. Like all Rolex watches, the Datejust 36 is covered by the Superlative Chronometer certification redefined by Rolex in 2015, symbolized by the green seal that comes with every Rolex watch together with an international five-year guarantee.

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THE Penultimate

Sean Connery at The Peninsula Hong Kong

Good Fortune In the early 1960s, The Peninsula underwent a HK$26 million renovation programme that took five years to complete. The steamer trunk rooms, the high ceilings and their fans were swept away forever. The work was carried out in phases, enabling the hotel to function as normally as possible and at the March 1967 meeting of the Board, the Chairman of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited, Sir Horace Kadoorie, announced that the remodelling had been successfully carried out and that the hotel was now equipped to hold its own against more youthful institutions. The changes started in the hotel forecourt, where a new 40 square-foot fountain of hammered Italian Valentine granite was installed in place of the 1920s ‘birdbath’ style of fountain. During the same period, the now familiar Chinese guardian lions made of white granite were brought from China to flank the

main entrance. They were so voluminous in size that traffic on Salisbury Road had to be halted for their 4:00am journey from Holt’s Wharf. A tradition in China outside palaces, temples and the homes of the wealthy, door lions are believed to have powerful protective benefits for those inside. Always in pairs, the male lion has his paw on a ball (representing supremacy over the world), whilst the female restrains a cub (representing nurture). At around the same time, two other familiar Peninsula guardians were first introduced in the form of two large Chinese door gods, painted on the glass windows at the entrance to ensure a good night’s sleep for all guests. Many a guest and a host of celebrities have been photographed either with the lions or the door gods, undoubtedly hoping that their protection will follow them through life.

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