Spotlight: aloft Hotel F&B Director Tan Jit Kiang

Staying Aloft

aloft Beijing's F&B Director Tan Jit Kiang on putting the fun into a five-star hotel

Malaysian Tan Jit Kiang launched his career in restaurants after relocating to New Zealand at the age of 18. An executive chef by training, and with years of work experience in hotels in Asia and North America, Tan joined aloft Beijing in May as the Haidian hotel’s Food and Beverage Director. We asked him about his current workplace – an unconventional combination of five-star service and efficiency, laidback amenities that emphasize simplicity and sleek, contemporary design – and the hotel’s student-friendly promotions.

aloft looks and feels to us like a kind of youth hostel for former backpackers seeking greater comfort and style in their lodgings. Do you agree?
[Laughs] That’s a very sharp question. aloft is ideally positioned to meet the needs of today’s growing group of travelers who are enthusiastic consumers of high-quality, global lifestyle brands. As the first aloft hotel in Asia, all our marketing drives will be invaluable. Our aim with this hotel is to build up the brand’s image, as well as to be a landmark in the dynamic Zhongguancun district. Business travelers are still our primary customers.
To enhance aloft’s sassy guest experience, we launched the aloft “digital newsstand” this year. This branded newsstand, accessible to guests through the Internet welcome page from all hotels, provides guests complimentary access to over 16 well-known titles in categories ranging from fitness and fashion to technology and cooking. Apart from that, a playful web-based interaction platform (alofthotels.com/explore) will also be open to the public. This fun, holistic and tech-savvy service and experience is much more than the bed and breakfast any youth hostel offers.

Compared to most Cantonese restaurants in major hotels, aloft’s Nook is a refreshingly simple concept. Weren’t you tempted to follow the pack and go for the all-out luxury of dim sum and abalone?
aloft is about being sassy, savvy and fun. That’s why we chose to [take the middle ground] and offer guests traditional Hong Kong cha canting delicacies – we offer 30 kinds of dim sum – while not going overboard with the luxury and plushness of most local Cantonese restaurants. Our re:fuel deli is the same, with its 24/7, grab-and-go concept.

And your w xyz bar’s Friday “Crunk Night” must be a rarity: an all-you-can-drink night in a five-star hotel. What inspired that promotion?
The basic idea is to introduce our space to the community. With “Crunk Night,” we aim to break the geographical barrier in our consumers’ minds, and prove that west Beijing has equal, if not even better dining and entertainment options compared to the east of the city.

Is “Crunk Night” aimed solely at students?
We welcome everyone. Students are the group we definitely expect to attract, since we are so close to the universities in the neighborhood. We anticipate younger, style-conscious and tech-savvy visitors to this booming business center (Zhongguancun) will connect with the electric, eclectic experience of aloft.

And how do you discourage ebullient frat boys from over-indulging in the goodies on offer at “Crunk Night”?
For over-indulgent frat boys, our hotel security will be at hand as per daily operations to resolve any situation if required. However, we always try to avoid this solution. Our aloft talents are always around to communicate with our guests and see how we can help them better enjoy their time at aloft. Nine times out of ten, they are able to efficiently resolve any problems for our guests.

Students are also offered a discount on rooms in the hotel. What’s the reasoning behind that deal?
As the hotel is located in the center of Beijing’s university hub, students are naturally among our target customers. Although some would consider students immature or potential troublemakers, we see students in China as very independent and reliable people. In fact, we have a few university students working part-time jobs in my division.
As a new lifestyle brand, one of our aims is to educate the market. Students and young people in general tend to be more receptive to new ideas and they tend to buy into our concept quickly.
An aloft room is a combination of high-tech office and entertainment center, equipped with wireless internet access and “plug & play,” a one-stop connectivity solution for multiple electronic gadgetry, all linked to a 42-inch flat-panel HDTV-ready television. It’s a good place to relax after a whole week of heavy study.

Is being an F&B Director as good a job as it sounds?
Every job is different, so you have to like it and enjoy what you do. My career has brought me to many places and allowed me to meet people and learn about different cultures. I enjoy the process of sharing my knowledge and happiness with my colleagues and friends. It’s not only my job, it’s my career and life.

What are the challenges of running several restaurants and bars in one venue?
It’s fun. You have more options for guests to choose from and your staff are more motivated to work when they can be rotated between outlets and learn more. I guess the main challenge is that you have to get each outlet’s strategy right and follow up with aggressive marketing and promotion.

Do you get much chance to escape Haidian and head downtown? When you do, where are the spots you’re most likely to hit?
I’m still in the midst of discovering Beijing, so I’ll keep you in the loop when I’ve found somewhere good!

aloft Beijing, Haidian
Tower 2, 25 Yuanda Lu, Haidian District. (8889 8000)
雅乐轩酒店, 海淀区远大路25号2号楼