24 May 2023
A Seat at the Table: IHG Hotels & Resorts Celebrates Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Kevin Chang, General Manager, Hotel Indigo Flushing (Flushing, New York)
Kevin gained exposure to hotels at an early age. His parents migrated to Los Angeles from Hong Kong, where they would eventually meet and get married. His dad became a TV technician and repaired televisions at Holiday Inn hotels in the area with Kevin and his brother at his side. “I still remember the key because I couldn’t believe that one key could get into all the rooms. It had this big old Holiday Inn tag on it too. I thought it was so cool.
Kevin also stressed the importance of family when it comes to his heritage. “Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month means ‘family.’ Being the first generation, my parents have instilled in all of us how important family is and will always be. So, spending priceless moments with family surrounded by good food is always the key to happiness and good fortune. Growing up, we would always have family dinner with my grandparents, and my grandfather being a chef would whip up a traditional Chinese dinner pulling in the family together as one unit.”
Today, Kevin is the General Manager of Hotel Indigo Flushing, located in one of the largest Chinatown neighborhoods in the US in New York City. There, he feels a strong sense of community, especially during AAPI Heritage Month. One of his friends owns a wonton shop up the street from the hotel. “It’s a lot of networking and a lot of fun. When you have a lot of friends within the community doing the same things to promote their AAPI heritage within their businesses, it’s so cool to see.”
Marietta Burlingame, General Manager, IHG Army Hotels on Fort Riley (Kansas)
Marietta was born and raised in Baguio City, the Summer Capital of the Philippines. She moved to the US with her family in 1991, right before the eruption of Mount Pinatubo. As a Filipino American, AAPI Heritage Month is very important to Marietta. “I believe that ethnic observances are vital to the success of any organization due to the variety of nationalities who are employed throughout the workforce today. It allows us to celebrate our culture by giving others the chance to experience our way of life and the many different events we put on. One such event is the many different foods we prepare for others to consume, such as adobo, lumpia and pancit. Another event we also enjoy is a special dance called Tinikling that our younger generation puts on that often gets a standing ovation from the crowd.
Marietta has had a unique career journey with IHG. She started working as an overnight front desk agent in 2011 and was promoted to operations manager in 2017. In 2021, she was given the opportunity to be a part of the RISE program at IHG, which equips female professionals with the tools to advance their career, build a global network, get individual coaching and recharge. Through her hard work and dedication, Marietta became a General Manager this year.
Marietta regularly goes back to the Philippines and has recommendations for anyone visiting Baguio City. “If you want to take a break from the lowlands, Baguio is a place to be. The places I like to visit when I go home are Burnham Park, Wright Park, Mines View Park, Baguio Cathedral, The Mansion House and Baguio Botanical Gardens.
I also enjoy going to Panagbenga Festival. The month-long festival, held every February in Baguio, was created as a tribute to the city's flowers and as a way to rise from the devastation of the 1990 Luzon earthquake. Holiday Inn Baguio City Center is the place to stay!”
Peter Choi, Director of Sales and Marketing, Hotel Indigo Los Angeles Downtown (Los Angeles, California)
Peter always knew he wanted to work in hospitality and has always loved the industry. It has allowed him to see that everyone has a story, no matter what culture or community they’re from. “We all have our own stories – Asian American or Black or Hispanic, every community. So, even for myself, I was born in Korea and am obviously proud to be a Korean American. But everything I know is here in Los Angeles, and I consider myself an American. At the same time, I make sure I keep my Korean heritage, and I’m proud of that, too.”
He also stressed the importance of the collective when it comes to his heritage. “Something about Korean culture, and I’m sure Asian culture in general, that has always stood out to me is the idea of ‘we.’ When one person succeeds, we all succeed. If my parents or even my uncles see us or friends, they don’t say ‘how are your kids?’ They ask, ‘how are our kids?’” When one person succeeds, the whole family celebrates, because in a way they have all succeeded.
Peter is passionate about continuing to strengthen the community and help people navigate their careers, including those of AAPI heritage. He has also seen more Asian-Americans become involved in hospitality and is encouraged by that. “When I first started, there weren't a lot of Asian Americans, at least from what I felt in the industry. And now, I have three people on my sales team of Asian background, which is great to see.”
Arpit Shah, General Manager, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Effingham (Effingham, Illinois)
Arpit’s family has owned hotels since he was born. His parents moved to the US from India in the 1970s and have owned hotels since. Arpit’s experience started at a young age, with his family’s work inspiring him to learn all aspects of the of the hotel business and carry on his family’s legacy. He gained experience in everything from operations to interior design to how a deal is structured.
Eventually, the Shahs converted one of their hotels to a Holiday Inn Express & Suites in 2020. Arpit was instrumental in the Holiday Inn Express conversion. He was able to pull from his experiences working on franchise agreements and interior design, helping to lead those elements of the conversion. He was also responsible for hiring and onboarding.
He has never forgotten his Indian heritage through it all and goes back to India to visit family occasionally. “Every time I go back to India, there's always something happening. There's a whole pool of people that make up so many subcultures, and they have their own identities. I’m always learning something new because there’s so much to see.”
His heritage has always played a role in his life. “From the day I was born, I was taught to work hard. This came from my parents, coming to a different country and moving across the world, basically with nothing. So, I was always taught to work hard for what I have.”
Brian Lee, Executive Chef, Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia (Atlanta, Georgia)
Brian’s parents are first generation Korean immigrants and have always taught him and his brother to be proud of their Korean heritage and to always remember their culture. “It does have tremendous meaning to me to know that Asian American and Pacific Islander cultures are being recognized and celebrated. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been a part of US history since the 1800s and continue to be part of American culture.”
He always felt drawn to being a chef, finding more fulfillment from that than from his initial career at a Wall Street investment banking firm. “As a child of Korean parents, most Korean kids were pressured into careers of doctors, lawyers, accountants. However, growing up, I always watched my mother cook, spending most of my time in the kitchen helping my mother prepare kimchi or traditional Korean dishes during holidays. After graduating college with a business degree and working with a major Wall Street investment banking firm, I felt unfulfilled. I was 28 years old when I decided to pursue my dream to become a chef. I haven't looked back since.”
Since starting his career in the kitchen, Brian has added small influences of Korean culture into his food or menus. He joined Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia in 2019 and is continuing a strong tradition of Asian American culinary influence.
“Asian American chefs have influenced culinary arts in a large way. From the original Iron Chef series to Martin Yan (the original celebrity chef), Roy Choi (one of the first founders of the modern food truck movement in Los Angeles), Ming Tsai, David Chang, Kristen Kish, just to name a few.”
Steven Levis, Front Office Manager and Hotel Experience Champion, Holiday Inn San Antonio Riverwalk (San Antonio, Texas)
Steven’s family came to the US from Japan. His paternal grandmother emigrated from Japan and became a US citizen in the 1950s. In fact, Steven received his middle name, Hiroshi, from his grandmother. “She instilled a big emphasis in education with her three kids that trickled down from my father to me. I have a strong belief that we should always strive to learn to better ourselves in our daily lives.
Steven began his career as a cashier in the Grab and Go Café at Holiday Inn San Antonio Riverwalk in 2013. After cross-training in several different positions in the Food and Beverage Department, he realized he loved the hustle and bustle of the hospitality industry and IHG’s colleague engagement. Steven then found his now-mentor Ruben Duran while working in Food & Beverage, who invited him to join the Front Office team.
“I quickly learned front office operations and moved up to work as a Front Desk Agent, then Front Desk Supervisor and finally Front Office Manager. I base most of my management style on working side-by-side with our front-line staff as much as possible and recognizing each colleague’s hard work. I absolutely love being able to mentor career-driven staff members and pay it forward.”
Learn more about IHG’s commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion as part of its larger Journey to Tomorrow plan.
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