Chef Ersnt Dorfler and Wife Take Over the Five Sails Hotel

NEW FIVE SAILS NOW A FAMILY AFFAIR
(Edited from the press release.)


Vancouver, BC (March 16, 2007): After more than 21 years, the Five Sails Restaurant at the Pan Pacific Vancouver is changing hands, albeit familiar ones. Executive Chef, Ernst Dorfler, and Catering Director, Gerry Sayers, the husband and wife culinary team who met while working at the hotel, are leaving their jobs to move across the lobby to become the owner-operators of the Five Sails Restaurant. The new partnership of Dorfler and Sayers is supported by The Pan Pacific Vancouver and Ocean Pacific Hotels Ltd., which owns the landmark hotel.

Steve Halliday, General Manager, Pan Pacific Vancouver, said the new Five Sails reflects a growing trend among major hotels to feature independent restaurants.

“We wanted to give the Five Sails the personality of an independent restaurant, so when we started to talk about how to do that, Ernst and Gerry said they had always wanted to run their own place,� explained Halliday. “Whether it’s Alain Ducasse at the Plaza Athenee in Paris or Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s in London, when great hotels go looking for great restaurants, more and more are looking outside of their own food and beverage departments. As a result, we know that Ernst and Gerry will bring incredible experience and passion to their restaurant. So, for us, and our owner, the decision to support them and their new Five Sails Restaurant was an easy one. It’s a perfect fit for us and them.�

Dorfler and Sayers will close the Five Sails on Sunday, March 25, 2007 and re-open approximately five weeks later, complete with a new, contemporary interior and décor, seasonal menus, and a personality-infused graciousness to rival the breathtaking water and mountain views that have made the restaurant so popular with visitors and residents alike.

“Gerry and I have always dreamed about owning our own restaurant, so this is a unique opportunity to build on an already established reputation with a new restaurant that features our own particular personalities in the kitchen and the dining room,� explained Dorfler, whose career includes 18 years with the Pan Pacific Vancouver, as well as stints at Westin Hotels and Resorts, Four Seasons Hotels, and The Carlton Hotel and Hotel President in South Africa.

Dorfler’s national and international culinary achievements include being a member of Team Canada’s gold medal performances at two World Culinary Olympics.

“Our new Five Sails will continue to emphasize fine dining, but we want to be more than a special occasion restaurant,� added Dorfler. “We want people to feel as though they’re joining us at home for a great meal, a breathtaking view and hospitality that’s first rate, but never intrusive.�

Sayers, who has more than 15 years experience with The Pan Pacific Vancouver, as well as six years with Delta Hotels and Mandarin Oriental Hotels, said customers can expect to see the couple every time they visit.

“There’s something really comfortable and reassuring about walking into a restaurant and knowing that the owners are there to welcome you and cook for you,� added Sayers. “Ernst and I are a terrific team, and we’re looking forward to welcoming regulars and soon-to-be regulars when we re-open. We’ll be going from concentrating on all of the hotel’s food and beverage operations, to focusing all of our attention on our own restaurant, with plenty of time for our guests.�