Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa welcomes new food and beverage heads
MARCO Vazzoler, general manager of Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa, Cebu, announces key appointments in the resort’s food and beverage division.
“I am pleased to welcome to the team two highly experienced gentlemen, Giuliano Callegaro as director of food and beverage and Frank Bohdan as executive chef for the resort,” said Vazzoler.
A first-timer in the Shangri-La group, the resort’s new food and beverage director is an Italian whose work experience is deeply rooted in Asia.
From Hong Kong, Shanghai, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam to now, the Philippines, Giuliano has been in Asia for at least eight years, in between stints in the US and Seychelles. While his career started in the kitchen -- starting out as commis, graduating to chef de partie, sous chef and, finally, to executive sous chef -- the would-havebeen executive chef set out to become part of the food and beverage service team instead. He has risen from the ranks to become food and beverage director in mostly resort settings.
Giuliano has led the opening teams at least three times in his career, once each in Vietnam, Cambodia and Sey- chelles. As pre-opening food and beverage director for these luxurious properties, he supervised a team of 150 to 200, managing at least five restaurants each time.
Giuliano is excited to dive into the Shangri-La food and beverage culture, noting the brand’s dynamic culture.
Meanwhile, taking reign in the kitchen is newly appointed executive chef Frank Bohdan. No stranger to the Shangri-La brand, Bohdan has run the kitchens of equally large properties Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok (801 rooms) and Shangri-La Hotel, Dalian (600 rooms) previously and completed the opening Shangri-La Nanjing, China.
Originally from Australia, chef Frank has vast gastronomic experience gained at fine-dining restaurants, fivestar hotels and resorts. His culinary career has taken him from his hometown Australia to the United Arab Emirates, China, Indonesia, USA, Malaysia and most recently, Thailand.