Treehouse bar manager Marvin Coelho was named Bar Manager of the Year at the 2017 Caterer Middle East Awards.
Handed over by Horeca Trade business development manager Dana Yakteen, Coelho fought off tough competition from five other contenders.
Highly commended was Fairmont The Palm's The Cigar Room bar manager Luis Urrea, and other shortlisted nominees included: Ahmed Wahab, Pure - DoubleTree by Hilton Doha - Old Town; Mohan Narendra Kataria, 360° Dubai; Andy Dunn, Vault Bar, JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai; and Suresh Ramanathan, Uptown Bar, Jumeirah Beach Hotel.
Coelho joined the Taj family in 2014 as an assistant restaurant manager, and was made bar manager at Treehouse a year ago.
Judges were impressed by his green bar which avoids wastage by using leftover fruit for décor and syrups and has exceeded the yearly budget by 64%. He is also heavily involved in the property’s CSR initiatives.
Speaking to Caterer Middle East right after the awards, Coelho admitted he wasn't expected this with the high calibre of finalists in the category.
He said: "We just wanted to be different. The whole concept was around being a greenhouse, offering healthy options, and honestly, weird options."
These include products like cheese, squid ink, and hibiscus sorrel.
His team members dubbed him a 'wolf pack leader' in the nominations, and Coelho said this is due to his efforts to increase camaraderie. He said: "It’s less of a team and more of a family. We have a pack, we’re always together."
The Caterer Middle East Awards 2017 was sponsored by Gold sponsor DMK Group, category sponsors GEMCO, TSSC, A. Ronai, Unilever, Meat & Livestock Australia, Bragard, Aramtec, SIAL, Party Social, Newby Teas, water sponsor Acqua Panna and San Pellegrino, and beverage sponsor MMI, and took place on May 24, 2017 at the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah.
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