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AN ITALIAN CHEF REIMAGINES BAR FOOD IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL
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AN ITALIAN CHEF REIMAGINES BAR FOOD IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL
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Chef Francesco Balestrieri of Joe’s Bar
Q&A with Chef Francesco Balestrieri of Joe’s Bar
How do traditional Italian food culture and cooking styles feature in your menu? How do you see your Italian influences merging with the food culture and cooking styles in Australia?
Everything about my country is represented in my menu – passion, colour and love. My menu is very authentically Italian with fresh ingredients prepared traditionally. Australians travel a lot these days and many have experienced authentic Italian cooking, so they know what to expect and Italian cooking is very accessible for Australians. I am a traditionalist though, so everything I cook is just how it is back in Italy.
Many people have an established idea about what traditional Italian food is. Do you feel that modern Italian cuisine is heading in new and exciting directions?
New technology in cooking sure helps, especially cutting preparation time but I believe in honouring tradition, with slow cooking, love and patience. I think that Italian cooking is more about doing the old things well rather than trying to make things new and different.
Where do you source your produce? How much of it is sourced locally in the Canberra region?
My mortadella and salami is from the Canberra region and the truffles are the best from around here, but I have a lot shipped from Sydney, where there are fantastic suppliers. The prosciuttos and the 24 month oldparmagianaregana are coming from Italy but these days such great produce comes from Australia and Italy has some problems with regulation and food safety standards that we do not have here.
What is your view on the local food scene in Canberra, its evolution, direction and produce? What is unique to this region?
In the last five years, Canberra has exploded with food concepts. Canberrans now understand and appreciate great food and the bar has been lifted much higher. Five years ago this was like a small town but now is on a par with Melbourne or Sydney for food. It’s amazing the change.
How are you influenced by global food trends? What do you feel are the leading trends at the moment?
I try to keep away from food trends as I feel they stifle my creativity – why do what the others are doing? For me food is my art, so I want to create beautiful dishes that people will love and will know comes from my heart. I prefer old-school, technical methods with my own twist, rather than new trendy ones!
Can you tell me about yourself, your personality, and what inspires your cooking? Also about what you are interested in right now, what is inspiring you outside of the kitchen?
My true love is food and my inspiration is my family. I am really passionate about fresh produce and I’m constantly thinking of new and exciting ways to create. When I have time to myself I love to simplify – mow the grass, do little things around the house. My personality is fun and relaxed and I hope this comes through into my cooking. I try to keep my life simple and not too complicated and this is also true of my cooking.
Chef Francesco Balestrieri of Joe’s Bar
Q&A with Chef Francesco Balestrieri of Joe’s Bar
How do traditional Italian food culture and cooking styles feature in your menu? How do you see your Italian influences merging with the food culture and cooking styles in Australia?
Everything about my country is represented in my menu – passion, colour and love. My menu is very authentically Italian with fresh ingredients prepared traditionally. Australians travel a lot these days and many have experienced authentic Italian cooking, so they know what to expect and Italian cooking is very accessible for Australians. I am a traditionalist though, so everything I cook is just how it is back in Italy.
Many people have an established idea about what traditional Italian food is. Do you feel that modern Italian cuisine is heading in new and exciting directions?
New technology in cooking sure helps, especially cutting preparation time but I believe in honouring tradition, with slow cooking, love and patience. I think that Italian cooking is more about doing the old things well rather than trying to make things new and different.
Where do you source your produce? How much of it is sourced locally in the Canberra region?
My mortadella and salami is from the Canberra region and the truffles are the best from around here, but I have a lot shipped from Sydney, where there are fantastic suppliers. The prosciuttos and the 24 month oldparmagianaregana are coming from Italy but these days such great produce comes from Australia and Italy has some problems with regulation and food safety standards that we do not have here.
What is your view on the local food scene in Canberra, its evolution, direction and produce? What is unique to this region?
In the last five years, Canberra has exploded with food concepts. Canberrans now understand and appreciate great food and the bar has been lifted much higher. Five years ago this was like a small town but now is on a par with Melbourne or Sydney for food. It’s amazing the change.
How are you influenced by global food trends? What do you feel are the leading trends at the moment?
I try to keep away from food trends as I feel they stifle my creativity – why do what the others are doing? For me food is my art, so I want to create beautiful dishes that people will love and will know comes from my heart. I prefer old-school, technical methods with my own twist, rather than new trendy ones!
Can you tell me about yourself, your personality, and what inspires your cooking? Also about what you are interested in right now, what is inspiring you outside of the kitchen?
My true love is food and my inspiration is my family. I am really passionate about fresh produce and I’m constantly thinking of new and exciting ways to create. When I have time to myself I love to simplify – mow the grass, do little things around the house. My personality is fun and relaxed and I hope this comes through into my cooking. I try to keep my life simple and not too complicated and this is also true of my cooking.
What is your all time favourite Italian dish?
I love cannelloni baked in the oven with ricotta and spinach inside and gnocchi with a beautiful fresh tomato and basil sauce, or a slow cooked oxtail sauce– beautiful fresh pasta with great cheese grated over the top. The smell is incredible.
When I was a boy, my mother would open the oven and the smell of the cannelloni would fill the house. Amazing. I think that smell made me want to be a chef.
Is there a region of Italy whose cuisine you most love?
I love Bologna. It’s the fresh pasta capital of the world and where I started my apprenticeship. I also love Tuscany, for the red wine and simple but complex food. Some of the best soups I have tasted are from Tuscany.
There is growing health and awareness in the general population and this is translating to the choices we make in terms of what we eat and drink. How have you observed this evolution and how do you create healthy menus and options? What is your philosophy on this?
I have halved my portion sizes from when I had my restaurant back in Italy. I also try to use lean meat and only cook in extra virgin olive oil – no butter. My menu is as light as possible without sacrificing flavour. Italian food is obviously quite rich and has a lot of carbohydrates but the key is to just not eat too much!
What do you feel are some of the more popular menu items that are returned to time and again by guests?
Meatballs, slow cooked and served with tomato sauce. Customers LOVE them. They are perfect for sharing with a glass of wine. The lasagna is amazingly popular too – it is a lighter style, traditional Italian rather than the heavier, American influenced recipe.
The pasta is very thin and it has less béchamel so you enjoy the flavour but don’t get too full. People love the cannoli too – with spinach and ricotta.
How do you cater to younger guests? We often see younger children being offered French fries etc..as options but you seem to have a more European sensibility that encourages children to eat the same food as adults, whilst still ensuring there are options on the menu that will be more appealing to younger diners?
Generally in Italy we don’t have a separate menu for the kids. They eat what the adults eat, just a smaller serve. The lasagna and meatballs for example are light and healthy and the kids love them. Why should kids be made to eat fries and frozen stuff? Kids learn about good food from trying it and enjoying it. In a restaurant back in Italy often the mum will just give her kids some of what she is having – with lots of vegetables!
The European dining model is quite different to Australia, with more people dining alone in restaurants, bars and cafés regularly. This is also true for business travellers who are often dining solo. How do you feel the style, design and ambiance of Joe’s caters to this guest and provides a comfortable environment for solo dining?
I like to think that each guest is being invited into my home. It’s very relaxed and comfortable and for business travellers or politicians or just people having a quick dinner and some wine, we try to make it very easy and welcoming. Good food, good wine a nice grappa afterwards and relax! People who travel a lot love food that is like home cooking after all the food they have to eat on the run.
Also true of European dining, you see more large family groups dining together across generations. How do you cater to this dining style? What are the options at Joe’s for groups and what do you recommend for this kind of gathering?
For big families or groups I created the FesteMenu which is lots of shared dishes, with large antipasto and many dishes to taste. Almost like tapas, Italian style!
How does your menu influence your wine list? What are some of your favourite wines, regions etc.?
Food and wine dance together. That’s for sure. But I have to say I love the Barolo from Piemonte, it’s perfume is wonderful and when you couple that with steak and a fresh salsa verde, they dance together very well. With pasta I love the chilled Coffele Soave ClassicoCa'Visco. Just perfection. With fried things such as polenta chips or the fried olives I love a Negroni for balance and the Martinez Passito di Pantelleria from Sicily is a fantastic wine with the dessert.
What is the process of cooking for you and what are you like in the kitchen?
The key is putting taste and ‘flower’ or aroma into everything. I love slow cooking – taking time to bring out the hidden flavour. This is like me – I am not fiery and stressed. I love cooking so I am happy. I have built a great team – when you don’t have the team, you don’t have the kitchen. Preparation is the key to everything and we are very well organised.
What are some of your favourite drinks/cocktails and why? What are some of the favourites for your clients?
I have a great love for the Negroni, both bitter and sweet, with the orange overtones. To me it is quintessentially Italian.
It seems Joe’s has built a vibrant and loyal following where business leaders, politicians, creatives, interstate and international guests and locals all gather seamlessly together to create a very authentic environment. Would you agree and how would you describe the Joe’s experience?
I love meeting people and we have such a variety of guests – of all ages and from all backgrounds. Some are guests of the Hotel and others walk in from the street, but everyone gets a nice greeting and can relax. If you are a politician finishing at 10pm and you want a relaxing drink and snack or a traveller just checked in, everyone feels comfortable. The lighting is very important – it’s not too bright. We have beautiful lamps and candles and it is warm, relaxing atmosphere. Joe’s has two lives – day and night. And it is all about the light – it sets the mood. Great food, great drinks, great atmosphere.
Please describe your journey as a chef, from the beginning until now? How did it happen that you transitioned from Italy to Canberra, Australia?
I started out a long time ago as a 16 year old apprentice in a small, underground kitchen in Rome. A lot of kitchens are underground in Rome– hot and dark, not beautiful and open like in Australia! Then I moved to an Italian restaurant in London.
After that I worked on a private yacht in the US for 9 months, again for Italian people – all my life I have worked for Italians, no matter where! So then, as a 21 year old, I went back to Italy and I told my mother I wanted to visit Australia after I met an Aussie guy who told me how amazing it was– my plan was for a 7 day visit but I stayed 2 years.
I came straight to Canberra – I thought it was going to be a seaside city but when I saw the small plane and the tiny airport as it was 7 years ago, I thought, where the heck am I? I worked at L’Unico in Kingston, which is where I met my wife, who is also an executive chef. After 2 years we went back to Italy and I started my own restaurant near Rome.
After 4 years, my wife thought we should come back to Canberra for a bit, so we did and I worked at QT. Then one day I saw the ad for Joe’s Bar and I thought, ‘Why not !’ Canberra has changed so much since I first came here as a young man and now I am turning 30 and I just love it.
What music is on your playlist ?
I’m a huge Madonna fan! She is amazing to me. But I also like to have Oasis and Vasco from Italy. I like the old school pop music.
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August 31 - September 1, 2016 | Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort Bali, Indonesia
Explore the latest trends, identify new opportunities, exchange ideas, share best practices and foster new partnerships at the Tourism, Hotel Investment & Networking Conference (THINC) Indonesia – where all industry stakeholders come together for two exciting days of networking opportunities and a captivating line-up of seminars and panels by industry experts.
Hosted by HVS and co-hosted by Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia and Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), THINC Indonesia provides a unique platform to deliberate on the development and direction of the hotel and tourism industry in the region.
Having already established its reputation of being a one-of-a-kind hospitality event in Indonesia, the two-day conference creates immense value for all participants and delegates, who stand to gain vast knowledge in the areas of experiential learning and productivity enhancement from their regional and international counterparts.In addition to offering all delegates and participants, immense opportunities to network, learn, and share knowledge and best practices with their regional and international counterparts, the event is widely acknowledged as breaking the stereotype owing to its exotic island location of Bali and a relaxed ambience. THINC Indonesia 2015 which took place on 2 and 3 September at the Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort,concluded on a high note. The two-day conference lived up to its reputation of being a one-of-a-kind hospitality event in Indonesia, once again creating a unique platform to deliberate on the development and direction of the hotel and tourism industry in the region. The conference brought together close to 250 industry stakeholders, business leaders and key decision-makers from across 15 nations.
This year we already have confirmations from notable speakers, includingAriefYahya*, Honorable Minister of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia; Budi Tirtawisata, Group CEO, Panorama Group; Frederic Flageat-Simon, CEO - Asia, Commune Hotels+Resorts;Gaurav Bhushan,Global Chief Investment Officer, AccorHotels; HaryTanoesoedibjo, Founder and CEO, MNC Group; Jean Gabriel Peres, President and CEO, Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts; John Flood, President and CEO, Archipelago International Hotels, Resorts and Residences; Jonathan Vanica, Head Asian Special Situations Group, Goldman Sachs; Martin Rinck, EVP and President - APAC, Hilton Worldwide, and Rajeev Menon, COO - APAC (ex. Greater China), Marriott International, among others.
The THINC Indonesia Organizing Committee expresses its heartfelt gratitude to all sponsors, partners, speakers and delegates for their continued support, and looks forward to welcoming everyone at the conference this year.
Iran Hotel Expansion & Development Summit
8th - 9th November 2016 | Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Noppen Group is a leading international company facilitating business across Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America. Driven by the desire for excellence and supported by an unparalleled understanding of the Asian, European, African and Latin American markets, Noppen Group has delivered exceptional events, assisted new market entries and established government relations since 1998. Our top-level business connections paired with our close relations to the many levels of government have given Lnoppen an edge on the marketplace our competitors just cannot match. With offices in China, Belgium, India, Philippines and Colombia; Noppen Group offers reputable, reliable services and a large range of deliverables to help your company successfully meet its goals. To learn more about our activities and events.
Iran, the second-largest nation in the Middle East, has hammered out an investment package worth $25 billion to revitalize its tourism which has been under the shadow of its sprawling petroleum industry. The future opportunities within Iran’s hotel and tourism industry are substantial, however with a limited supply of hotels operating in key cities, particularly Tehran, the lifting of sanctions is expected to set off a modern day ‘Gold Rush’ as developers and operators race to secure their position in one of the world’s largest untapped markets. Tourism currently only accounts for around 2% of Iran’s GDP. However, with a population of approximately 80 million people, there is huge potential for growth in both domestic and international travel to Iran. The Iran Hotel Expansion & Development Summit will bring together local and international hotel stakeholders; hotel chains, investors, developers, architects and construction companies as well as hospitality institutions, government officials, finance institutes, consultants and technology providers to discuss new developments and ways to realize the potential hotel projects in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
AFRICA
HOSPITALITY SERIES SPEAKERS
TURKEY & MIDDLE EAST RUSSIA & CIS
• Foli Cocker, Hon Commissioner for Tourism, Art and Culture, Lagos State • Sally Mbanefo, Director General, Nigerian
Tourism Council Development Corporation
• Lasse Ristolainen, Development Director, Subsaharan Africa, Hilton Worldwide • Tejas Shah, Developmet Director, Subsaharan Africa, Hyatt International • Trevor Ward, Managing Director
W Hospitality Group
• Ozan Balaban, Regional CEO
Emaar Properties
• Romain Avril, Vice President Business Development, The Rezidor Hotel Group • Frida Hansen, Director Business Development, Steigenberger Hotels AG • Murat Yılmaz, Senior Director, Acquisition & Development, CEE, Starwood Hotels &
Resorts Worldwide
• Roland Paar, Vice President Development Europe & Middle East,
Capella Hotel Group
• Sergey Shpilko, First Deputy Of The Head Of Moscow Department Of National Policy & Tourism, Moscow City Government • Michael Johnston, Chief Executive Officer
Regional Hotel Chain (RHC)
• Alexis Delaroff, COO, Hotel Services Russia, Georgia, Ukraine and the CIS, Accor • Arild Hovland, Senior VP, Business Dev. Russia & CIS, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group • Bastien Blanc, VP Business Dev. – Russia & CIS, Interstate Europe Hotels & Resorts
Exclusive Opportunities Available:
• Meet pre- qualified industrial leaders • Create new partnerships and Alliances • Increase your brand recognition within the marketplace • Discover the current investment climate and opportunities • Develop relationships through new networking opportunities
SERIES TESTIMONIALS OF 3RD ANNUAL AFRICA HOTEL EXPANSION SUMMIT, LAGOS, NIGERIA
• On behalf of all of us at ORWOOD, I would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for all the efforts you and all your colleagues have put into accomplishing such a successful event. In the hopes of doing more work with you in the future, we wish you all the success in all your upcoming events. – ORWOOD • A BIG THANK YOU goes to all the great people that contributed in making this event a success. We appreciate every effort gone in making Avaya’s name shine during this event and for giving us the speedy support to make it happen. This is a great team work in action and we appreciate each one of you dearly. - Avaya
SERIES TESTIMONIALS OF 4th ANNUAL TURKEY HOTEL EXPANSION SUMMIT, ISTANBUL, TURKEY
• “I would like to thank you for successful organization and event. See you next year.” Accor • “The event’s scale and intimacy allows us to better network and create stronger relationships with industry professionals. The program offered new topics that are not always addressed by other large events, and it brought different insights into hospitality. I wish you all the best for next year’s event.” Shaza Hotels
SERIES TESTIMONIALS OF 3rd ANNUAL RUSSIA HOTEL EXPANSION SUMMIT, MOSCOW, RUSSIA
• ”Thank you for the interesting event! We were glad to be there” Regional Hotel Chain - RHG • “I would like to say thank you very, very much for inviting us for 3rd Annual Russia Hotel Expansion Summit. It was very useful and I enjoy Summit very much. Great job!!!”, Wyndham Hotel Group
For more details you can contact Bora Erel, Project Director Tel:+32 14 22 40 07, Fax: +32 14 85 90 04, Email: borae@lnoppen.be
4th Annual Africa Hotel Expansion Summit
8th - 9th September 2016 | Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Noppen Group is a leading international company facilitating business across Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America. Driven by the desire for excellence and supported by an unparalleled understanding of the Asian, European, African and Latin American markets, Noppen Group has delivered exceptional events, assisted new market entries and established government relations since 1998. Our top-level business connections paired with our close relations to the many levels of government have given Lnoppen an edge on the marketplace our competitors just cannot match. With offices in China, Belgium, India, Philippines and Colombia; Noppen Group offers reputable, reliable services and a large range of deliverables to help your company successfully meet its goals. To learn more about our activities and events. The hospitality sector in Africa has been enjoying steady growth rates for several years, investments have poured in and are still attracted. 50.000 rooms are in the pipeline of 33 different chains*. But the Africa hotel sector is looking for the best way forward. How to turn the investments into returns, how to assure sustainability? And how to perform better RevPAR growth rates? Initiatives are needed to improve cross-industry cooperation that will enhance the tourism and MICE travel markets, local input needs to be focused on to guarantee long-term hospitality market growth. Guest experience plays a vital role in the sector, how to better connect with your guest experience and how to anticipate and respond to it? At the 4th Annual Africa Hotel Expansion Summit Noppen brings in the key players to discuss the pressing topics aiming at how the sector can work on sustained ROIs.
Some of the confirmed speakers are:
Mr. Meelis Kuuskler, Founder & CEO,
Hospitality Design Partnership
Mr. Trevor Ward, Managing Director, W Hospitality, Nigeria Robert Hornman Managing Director
Hornman Hospitality Exclusive Opportunities Available:
Mr. Lasse Ristolainen, Development Director, Sub-Saharan Africa,
Hilton Worldwide
Mr. Andrew Linwood, Head of Design,
Areen Hospitality
Paulo Rosso Vice President
Plan Hotels
Stuart Cook Managing Director
Protea Hotels
• Meet pre- qualified industrial leaders • Create new partnerships and Alliances • Increase your brand recognition within the marketplace • Discover the current investment climate and opportunities • Develop relationships through new networking opportunities
Hotel Series Testimonials
• Very timely, educative, informative and thought provoking. A wake up call to current trends and events. - Benue State Ministry of Arts, Culture
And Tourism
• On behalf of all of us at ORWOOD, I would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for all the efforts you and all your colleagues have put into accomplishing such a successful event. In the hopes of doing more work with you in the future, we wish you all the success in all your upcoming events. - ORWOOD • I am really blessed with this program, I learnt how to proper plan before execute the project. - Churchgate Group • A BIG THANK YOU goes to all the great people that contributed in making this event a success. We appreciate every effort gone in making Avaya’s name shine during this event and for giving us the speedy support to make it happen. This is a great team work in action and we ap preciate each one of you dearly. - Avaya • The summit was very resourceful and an eye opener about the direction the industry is taking in Africa. - Alisa Hotel • I enjoyed the general eagerness to network. The conference topics covered important area within the industry. - The Nordic Villa Abuja • I am glad I attended this summit, thanks to Lnoppen. Highly educative. - Heights Hotels • The conference was satisfactory It was worth the investment. – Porcelanosa Group • It was an eye opener and fantastic summit. I learnt a lot and I exchanged ideas with amazing people. Job well done! – NIHOTOUR , National
Institute for Hospitality and Tourism
• I have learnt a lot about the challenges of the expansion of hospitality and tourism sectors, a way to move forward. – Welcome Center Hotel
Media Partners
For more details you can contact Thomas Verbruggen, Conference Director Tel:+ 32 14 22 00 1400 | Email: thomasv@lnoppen.be
AMAN ANNOUNCES ITS FOURTH DESTINATION IN CHINA
A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE ENTWINED WITH THE PAST
Set to launch in 2017, Aman's fourth property in China, its most ambitious to date, will comprise a village of historic dwellings surrounded by a sacred camphor forest. Its peaceful introspective setting belies its proximity to vibrant downtown Shanghai and both forest and village tell an incredible story that involves a millennia of history, daring engineering feats and a philanthropic endeavour spanning hundreds of kilometers along the country’s eastern reaches.
The story begins in Jiangxi, the mountainous, cultural heartland of eastern China, approximately 800 kilometres southwest of Shanghai. The construction of a reservoir in the province in the early 2000s threatened the area’s historical villages and ancient camphor trees which had stood for more than a millennium.
In responseand in a bid to preserve the region’s vanishing past, this project spanning over a decade, entailed the disassembling, relocation and restoration of more than 30 villages, comprising 50 Ming and Qing dynasty houses chosen for preservation, and 10,000 ancient camphor trees. A rescue team of botanists, engineers, architects and master craftsmen, the latter of which documented fine architectural details for their later reconstruction, together confronted this epochal challenge.
The houses were painstakingly disassembled piece by piece, not only revealing their history, but also the ancient building techniques used in their construction. Ornate carvings and elaborate stone reliefs, which would have taken up to ten years to carve, depicted family histories dating back more than 2,000 years.
These, and other architectural elements, joined the rescued camphor trees on a long journey, via a fleet of flat-bed trucks, to Shanghai where they would later be resurrected.
The task was not without danger. Some of these majestic trees weighed up to 50 tonnes and were 100 feet in height, and the area destined for the reservoir was mountainous. Flash floods overturned trucks and shattered the temporary bridges constructed to access remote villages. But the team persevered in a race against time to Shanghai, in order for each tree to have the best of chance of survival.
Once in situ, trees were planted in native soil, facing the same direction as they had previously. After three years of careful nursing, almost 80 percent of the trees survived. An old factory was used to safely store and catalogue the disassembled houses before they were restored by craftsmen, the few remaining in China with knowledge and skills to reassemble the ancient pieces. Contemporary structures were built alongside the reassembled ancient houses, creating a peaceful sanctuary that is now a living reminder of Jiangxi’s past and an Aman with timeless appeal. Within easy reach of Shanghai and set on just over 100 acres filled with the rescued millenarian trees and ornamental lakes, the resort comprises an Aman Spa with two pools; six dining venues; and Nan Shu Fang, a serene garden centred by one of the Antique Villas, curated as a space for contemplation, learning and discussion. The resort’s New Suites and Villas complement the 24 restored Antique Villas, complete with contemporary interiors and private pools.
The architecture, led by Kerry Hill, embodies the essence of Chinese traditional culture, carefully blending the old with the new. This sensitive restoration has not only secured the future of these historic houses, but has enabled the forest to flourish in its new home.
Vladislav Doronin, Chairman of Aman, said ‘Every Aman has a story to tell and this one is no exception. This project and the many challenges it presented were unimaginable, but we overcame them not only to defy the test of time, but to push the boundaries of traditional hospitality. This resort, a legacy to the past, stands proud as an archive for future generations. I am especially grateful to MaDadong, the mastermind behind this unique restoration project and whose foresight and determination has made it possible to preserve the magnificent history of China for generations to come.’
Ma Dadong, the lionhearted entrepreneur behind this ambitious rescue and restoration project, and a native of Jiangxi, said, ‘We human beings with our short lifespan are nothing but a fleeting traveller at a moment in time. Asa guardian of the past, I realised the only way to protect and celebrate our history was by instilling a new life and purpose into these ancient homes, and to allow the sacred trees that surround them, to be animated with renewed spirit. Much like the ornate stone carvings and the stories they hold, this ambitious project will continue to recount and nourish the next generation with hopes and expectations for the future’.
Aman’s first property in Shanghai, its fourth in China, will present guests with a continued insightful journey through the country. It follows Aman Summer Palace in Beijing, a selection of heritage imbued dwellings a few steps from the Summer Palace grounds, Amanfayun in Hangzhou, a restored Tang dynasty village set amongst former tea plantations and bamboo groves and located adjacent to seven Buddhist temples, and Amandayan which embraces Nakhi culture and which lies on a hillside above the UNESCO - protected Old Town of Lijiang.
Opening in 2017, this tranquil resort, and all that it stands for, many years from now will keep on recounting this incredible story.
aman.com/shanghai
