From Kenya To The Kohala Coast: Chef Hubert Des Marais Appointed Executive Chef Of The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai`i

Regional Vice President, Hawai`i and Fairmont Orchid General Manager Christof Luedi is pleased to announce the appointment of Chef Hubert Des Marais IV to the position of Executive Chef for the AAA Four Diamond award winning resort.

Des Marais brings with him more than 35 years of culinary experience in the hospitality industry spanning four continents. Prior to joining The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai`i, Des Marais was the Group Executive Chef for Fairmont East Africa, overseeing and managing the culinary operations of all Fairmont East Africa properties including Fairmont Mara Safari Club, Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, Fairmont The Norfolk, Fairmont Zanzibar, Aberdare Country Club and The Ark where he was named 2011 Kenya Chef of the Year.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Des Marais is noted for his deliciously healthy food that is fresh, flavorful and truly inventive. He has been named one of "America's Ten Best New Chefs" by Food and Wine Magazine, has been featured on Food Network, PBS' "Great Chefs of the Southeast," has cooked at the James Beard House on numerous occasions, and was among an elite group chefs invited to cook for the James Beard Foundation Awards Gala.

An avid deep-sea fisherman and cultivator of his favorite flower, the orchid, Des Marais will feel right at home on the Island of Hawai`i with his wife and college-aged son.

On reflecting upon the first few weeks of his tenure at the resort, Des Marais shares, "The guests and colleagues of The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai`i have already welcomed me with open arms and I am very much looking forward to learning more about the farms, ranches, and incredible aquaculture that is available to us on the Island of Hawai`i, and beginning this new chapter in our lives."

ABOUT THE FAIRMONT ORCHID, HAWAII

The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii on the Island of Hawai'i is a AAA Four Diamond luxury destination resort on 32 oceanfront acres offering 538 guestrooms on the island's northwestern coast. Inspired by Culture, Well-Being and Genuine Aloha, The Fairmont Orchid's facilities and services include the Hawaiian-inspired Spa Without Walls with 10 waterfall hale (hut) and 5 oceanside cabanas, authentically local daily beach and cultural activities, golf, tennis and water sports, year-round children's program, six delectable restaurants and expansive indoor and outdoor meeting facilities all surrounded by service with Aloha.

ABOUT FAIRMONT HOTELS & RESORTS

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, which will arrive in destinations as diverse as Jaipur, Kyiv and Manila in 2012, is a celebrated collection of more than 60 luxury properties around the globe, including Shanghai's Fairmont Peace Hotel, The Plaza in New York, and Makkah Clock Royal Tower in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The luxury brand's distinctive hotels offer a sense of heritage and sophistication, warm, engaging service and culturally rich experiences. A community and environmental leader, Fairmont is also recognized internationally for its responsible tourism practices and award-winning Green Partnership program. Fairmont is owned by FRHI Holdings Limited, a leading global hotel company with over 100 hotels under the Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissotel brands. The company also manages Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel branded luxury private residences club, whole-ownership residences and serviced residences properties. For more information or reservations, please call 1-800-441-1414 or visit fairmont.com.

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