Hotel Owner September 2017 | Page 23

FEATURE SERVING THE CLINTONS WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON WITH THE FIRST FAMILY be Executive Chef to the President. After What happens if someone does He was staying at the White House for the doing that for about a year, I was groomed something wrong in the Military? night, it actually features in the movie about to be a manager of the resort. The If people do the wrong thing they are not his life. Others include actor Nicholas Cage, American President has about 16 privates seen again at work. They are cleared from musician Jon Bon Jovi, famous author Joe homes at the Camp David resort, each of military housing, the children are taken out of Gargiolio, as well as NFL players. I’ve also which are several thousand feet. the school and everything is emptied, even cooked for Martin Scorsese, Harry Weinstein, the furniture, within one day. Sometimes the Bernadette Peters and the Italian President What is it like working in the American spouse is upset, and of course the kids are Berlusconi. Military resort? bewildered why a man in a black suit is taking If you’re in the American Military you can them from their school and driving them How did you move onto owning your be anything from the butler to the valet, away. We have people in the American military own hotels? you can be a manager of the resort but at who take bribes, steal and do generally bad After serving a two-year tour with the 4pm put a white coat on and start cooking things. It’s not as bad as other sections of the military in America, I decided to leave. If for dinner. We could be cooking dinner for human race but it still happens and I’ve seen you stay any longer than a three-year tour 3, 30 or 100 people at a time, we had many it happen in the military first hand. it severely damages your military career. I had offers to stay at the White House dinners for 320 people. A lot of civilian managers and chefs will leave when they Did you have the chance to meet any permanently, however I had to explain that are done, but if you’re in the military like famous people whilst working at Camp hiding in the White House would destroy myself you often carry on and become a David? any kind of a career. I went on to live in bartender at night. That’s what it was like Most of my time was spent at Camp David Europe and Japan after that. I ran hotels on a day-to-day basis, encompassing all but I did go to the White House for special just outside of Tokyo, a chalet for the United five trades; the valet, the housekeeper, the events and state dinners. I have been States and then for NATO in Brussels. I took butler, the chef and the bartender. lucky enough to cook for some of the most everything I learned at the White House with famous people on Earth. One of the people me on the road. When the President is not in America or at the Camp David Resort, we go back to that really shocked me was Steve Jobs. doing drills for attacks and bomb blasts. For Can you tell me a little about your example if a nuclear launch from an enemy own hotel? submarine was launched on the Eastern I own a hotel - The Inn of the Patriots - Seaboard we have just six minutes to which has a United States Presidential react. We often used a fake President, First Culinary Museum inside. I decided I wanted Lady and children to try and save them as to build the hotel as it was a bad time quickly as possible. Coaches and referees in our history. 2008 was tough with the time us, giving us small things that might economy and almost everyone I made a trip us up. We tried to provide the best proposal to was not interested at the time. service possible. I don’t think any American I decided to just build it myself instead in service is going to be as nice or as famous the middle of all the economic downturns. It has been a whirlwind success and featured as Buckingham Palace however, that is definitely top of the tops. September 2017 BEST RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD WINNER in over 160 newspapers all over the world. www.hotelowner.co.uk 23