A Chat With Kerry Hotel, Beijing F&B Director Edwin Kuk

With 2018 fast approaching, we sat down with Kerry Hotel, Beijing Food and Beverage Director Edwin Kuk to talk about satisfying the needs of discerning Beijing customers and why Kerry Hotel is the perfect venue for all your New Year's Eve Celebrations.

Tell us briefly about your background, heritage, and personal aspirations, and why you chose the hotel and F&B career. 

I started my career with Shangri-La about 17 years ago in Hong Kong. It was a great start to my hospitality career as I joined the concierge team as a bell attendant. I learned about the service industry and it was also an eye-opening experience for me to serve so many diplomats, celebrities, and heads of states, including the President of USA. 

Kerry Hotel, Beijing F&B Director, Edwin Kuk

I was then given an opportunity to move to the food and beverage department where I took the challenge to learn about this industry. And that is where I found my passion. For the next few years, I worked with several establishments including an Italian fine dining restaurant, a French Michelin-starred restaurant, an Australian bar and grill, and a Japanese fine dining restaurant. At the end of 2008, I came to Mainland China and served as an Assistant F&B Service Manager in Chongqing. During my time here in China, I have also worked in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Sanya, and Beijing. 

One of my personal mottos is to never stay in my comfort zone. I relish new challenges and this has suited me well in the F&B industry where the scene and trends are always changing. I love creating new ideas and bringing new offerings to guests.

You have worked for many different hotel groups. Tell us what drove you to join the Kerry Hotel brand?

Just like I have been telling my team here, we should all feel proud to be working in this hotel as we are constantly recognized as a market leader, not only as a preferred brand for customers but also as a favored employer.

Kerry Hotel is a market-leader among stylish luxury hotels

I feel that Kerry is a very strong and well established international five-star hotel. As the next generation of luxury brand by Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, it is a very vibrant place to work and is full of the youthful spirit that carries over into everything that we do. We offer very innovative F&B concepts as well as many unique facilities such as the largest health facility in a hotel. All of these things combined allow our guests to relax and enjoy the service. 

Young and vibrant, Kerry also exudes an environment with plenty of choices and the feeling of a good balance between business and lifestyle. With the professional services that are always there whenever you need them, we offer the luxuries, the conveniences and the feeling of a “home away from home.”

Tell us one USP for each restaurant at Kerry. 

Kerry’s Kitchen delivers authentic Asian and International cuisine using the finest quality ingredients for buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Located adjacent to Kerry's Kitchen, Kerry's Pantry is a cozy spot to grab a quick bite. Healthy and fresh is the key here, with a variety of options for a light meal from wholemeal gourmet sandwiches to hot set meals to salads and soups. 

Freshly-baked breads at Kerry's Pantry

Horizon Chinese Restaurant is famed for its traditional wood-fired Peking Duck. Chef Yuan uses the finest quality duck and hang grills it over jujube wood to provide a thick and crispy melt-in-your-mouth experience. The restaurant also features Cantonese specialties and Beijing signature dishes.

Peking duck traditions are maintained at Horizon

An icon in the city's bar and nightlife scene, the award-winning 24-hour Centro bar features live music, signature cocktails, and a great selection of spirits accompanied by an all-day food menu. The parties at Centro are not to be missed! 

Vinotheque is perfect for lovers of wine and cheese

The first hotel-based wine bar offering bottle purchase and dining services, Vinotheque features a unique and diverse list of wines including well-established chateaux, boutique producers, and wine by the glass. Be dazzled by wine and cheese magic every Thursday featuring all-you-can-eat cheeses and all-you-can-drink premium wines.

What is the profile of diners in your hotel and how do you and your team address their needs and expectations in order to bring the dining experience at Kerry Hotel to the next level?

Our patrons at Kerry Hotel, Beijing during the day are typically businessmen and corporate workers from the surrounding offices, while in the evening and weekends, young families looking for a balanced place that suits both adults and children will enjoy coming here. We also cater to discerning diners looking for good quality food in a pleasant cozy ambiance. This demographic is also more conscious of healthy eating and getting fresh, natural ingredients. 

With that, we do cater to this growing trend and offer fresh ingredients and excellent quality in our outlets. For lunch, we offer smart lunches, such as quick meal sets that can be ordered and served quickly and would make a hearty value meal within a lunch break. Kerry’s Pantry offers grab and go concepts such as wholesome sandwiches or a variety of salads to mix and match. 

Diners of all ages are well catered for at Kerry Hotel, Beijing

For dinner and weekends, we combine our one-of-a-kind facility that is the Adventure Zone, our indoor playland with our buffet dinner offering. This means the family can enjoy a good meal and quality playtime with the children.     

As the year-end is just around the corner, what promotions have you prepared for us in Beijing to welcome the new year? 

The party never stops at Kerry! Whether you want to dine, party, drink or celebrate, Kerry is the place to be. At Kerry’s Kitchen, there will be a New Year’s Eve Buffet Dinner with lavish choices including seafood on ice, sashimi and sushi, Asian and Western mains, roasts, meats, desserts and more. While you dine, The Savor Latino Band will keep you entertained. There will also be a lucky draw featuring the grand prize of an accommodation stay at Shangri-La Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand. 

Great food and live music await at Kerry's Kitchen this NYE

After dinner, we invite you to raise your glass and dance to the countdown at Centro where there will be a midnight champagne toast, yummy snacks for all, drink specials, party favors and more. For the celebration beats, our live band Stank Sauce from Florida and International Guest DJ Bastet from Russia will be on stage to dazzle your night away.

Dance the night away to tunes by DJ Bastet at Centro

Wrapping up the night is, of course, our lucky draw to win a grand prize of accommodation stay at Shangri-La Hambantota Resort & Spa, Sri Lanka and flight tickets to Colombo for two persons. 

This post is provided by Kerry Hotel, Beijing
Photos provided by Kerry Hotel, Beijing