Dermot Gale, new GM of Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo

Friday, 24 October 2014 00:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Veteran hotelier Dermot Gale is the new General Manager of Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo. He counts over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, having worked in some of the finest hotels in the world. Gale is keen to set new standards in the local industry in his new role through innovative products and services to enhance the guest experience in the city resort. Gale began his career in 1989 as a chef in Europe before moving in 1991 to Bermuda where he was appointed as Executive Chef of the Newstead Hotel. His responsibilities included achieving food and beverage revenue targets and customer satisfaction goals by developing and implementing new menu options. During the ensuing eleven years, he continued working in the post of Executive Chef in various hotels and resorts around the West Indies. In 2002, Gale looked to further his expertise by taking on the role of Executive Chef at the then Trans Asia Hotel. Subsequently, he joined the Colombo Plaza Hotel (now Cinnamon Grand) in 2003, where he took on the leadership role of Director Catering – Development and Operations. The role entailed the planning, developmental and administering of the operational policies and procedures, food production standards and methods for the catering operations within the hotel. In 2006, Gale joined Cinnamon Island Alidhoo in the Maldives, the first overseas resort to be opened under the ‘Cinnamon’ brand, as Resort Manager. He was responsible for the opening of the resort. In 2007, he moved to Thailand as the Executive Assistant Manager at the Imperial Queens Park Hotel. Shortly after, in2009, he joined as Executive Assistant Manager at the Amari Watergate, Thailand, before he took on the leadership role of General Manager for the Accor Hotel in Bali, Indonesia, in 2011 and then General Manager at the Centara Hotels & Resorts in 2012.