PRESS RELEASE

Vicennial Ambassadors of The Langham, Hong Kong
and their Stories

With over twenty years of service, Langham's long-standing faces continue to craft the art of the stay

(Hong Kong, 2015) The Langham, Hong Kong prides itself on service excellence, which is only made possible by the employees themselves. From the housekeeping, room attendant to the food and beverage staff, each employee is responsible for the luxury service that is provided. They work consistently and unfailingly, to make every guest feel valued, cared for and appreciated. The long-standing faces at The Langham, Hong Kong, who has been part of the family for over a decade, are always recognised in their efforts to help achieve numerous accolades for the hotel, including the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Rating awarded earlier this year.

“Our continued achievements are a reflection of the employees. With our recent US multi-million dollar refurbishment, our commitment is to focus on crafting the art of the stay for every guest by delivering genuine service, providing the finest of amenities, offering unique experiences and building great memories for our guests,” said Managing Director Bob van den Oord.

In honour of the staff's loyalty and dedication, The Langham, Hong Kong holds recognition programmes to acknowledge all the work that is done. The Long Service Award programme is an award ceremony for colleagues who have been working at the company for five, ten, fifteen, and twenty-five years. Bi-annually colleagues gather to celebrate the milestones that have been reached by staff members and commemorate their achievements. Additionally, the hotel has the Langham Miles scheme to show appreciation for employees and to encourage a fun and engaging work environment. Every month a member of the staff is nominated to win a prize if they have fulfilled certain criteria which include other colleague's appraisal.

In order to create enjoyable and memorable guest experiences, there is a huge emphasis on training and education. All staff hire attend orientation and adhere to the Passion curriculum to learn and live the values, as well as practices the essentials that create the Langham culture. Employees go through a series of steps that focus on service quality and attention to detail, such as the Passion 3 'Service with Poise'. This workshop coaches colleagues how to analyse what guest's want from their experience and anticipate their needs. While Passion 5 'Service Leadership', highlights the responsibility of supervisors and how they should drive the team to uphold Langham standards. Langham Hospitality Group designed this programme to train its ambassadors on numerous topics including body language, word choice and quality control.

Larry Wong , Assistant Front Office Manager

Working in the Front Office of a hotel requires the ability to be constantly faced with new situations, yet still act courteously and graciously to the guests. Currently as the Assistant Front Office Manager, Larry Wong joined the hotel in 1995 as a Bell Attendant. He has seen the development of the hotel over the years, but to him the biggest change has been the increased emphasis on customer service.

“Check-in and check-out are the only two times you can really interact with the guests. It is important to use this time to be curious, ask questions to learn about their interests without being too forward” he says. “Treat guests as friends and colleagues as family” is a mantra that is believed by many in the department. Larry is proof of this as loyal guests frequently return for his service, no longer just a hotel worker but a friend.

Much of Larry's loyalty over the years is due to the benefits and rewards of working at The Langham, Hong Kong, but also the respect of his colleagues. He even met his wife at work in 2007, who is still employed in the Langham Service department, otherwise known as guest services, where they will be celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary this year.

The piece of advice Larry would pass on from years of servitude is that experience is the best thing you can gain, and to be patience with progress in the industry.  

Danny Chan, Director of T'ang Court Operation

Having been with T'ang Court for 26 years, Danny has worked his way up from Captain to the Director of Operation of the Two Michelin-Star restaurant.

Reflecting the culinary essence of the Tang Dynasty and known for its classic yet timeless Cantonese dishes, T'ang Court has been present since the opening of the hotel. Danny has seen T'ang Court grow from its inception to present day, and tributes the restaurant's level of success due to the devotion of the staff. Under Danny's management, he leads by example and helps out whenever he can from the most mundane task. He believes to always work from the heart to show genuine hospitality.

One of the most memorable moments was in 1993 where T'ang Court became the venue for a music video shoot with Hong Kong Tourism Board alongside singer-songwriter and actor, Jacky Cheung. The footage was subsequently used in Cheung's music video shown internationally. In fact, a regular guest claiming to see him in Toronto was actually from the music video that was aired in Canada. It is moments such as these that have continually motivated Danny to give his all to the restaurant.

He also recalls the expansion of the original one floored restaurant in 1996. With guest demand increasing, it was a natural progression turning it into the restaurant it is today.

Chef Kwong Wai Keung, Executive Chef - Chinese

Starting in the culinary world as a kitchen assistant 46 years ago, Chef Kwong has progressed to the top of the food chain as Executive Chef for Two Michelin-starred restaurant T'ang Court. His humble beginnings began just for an income, but he soon realised his love for cooking and passion for food.

Tirelessly staying in the kitchen for more than twelve hours a day, Chef Kwong's dedication is demonstrated by the success of the restaurant. Not having enough hours in a day, he constantly loses track of time due to new menu development inspired by the ingredients available each season.

Previously working at the Langham Hospitality Group corporate office, Kwong's role was to standardise the Chinese restaurants at all new Langham hotels and train the culinary team at each location. He returned to T'ang Court's kitchen where he helped the restaurant achieve many accolades, including its Two Michelin-Star status.

When asked about the Michelin Guide, Kwong recognises it is a prestigious award however he respectfully remains true to himself and his cooking style. People may think that a Fried Rice dish is simple, but to Kwong it requires hours to perfect. He believes in upholding the highest standard of consistency and quality with each dish he is proud to serve each and every day.

About The Langham, Hong Kong

The Langham, Hong Kong epitomises timeless European elegance and is located in the heart of vibrant Kowloon. Situated next to Canton Road in the Tsim Sha Tsui district, the hotel is surrounded by the luxury flagship stores of the world's most famous designer labels and mere minutes away from the historic Star Ferry with glittering Victoria Harbour as its backdrop. The hotel features 498 luxurious guest rooms and suites finished with the finest fabrics, hardwood floors, and hand-woven carpets, and fully equipped with Blissful Beds, iHome docking stations and wireless broadband internet connection. Attractions range from the legendary two Michelin-starred T'ang Court Cantonese restaurant, “The Langham Afternoon Tea with Wedgwood” at the Palm Court lobby lounge and artisanal cocktails at the award-winning bar concept from London called Artesian. Guests can relax at the rooftop swimming pool or retreat to The Langham Club lounge that offers all-day canapés and refreshments.

For more details, please visit langhamhotels.com/hongkong.

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