The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte

Celebrating Chef Saravanan Appadurai’s 25th Anniversary! This month, we shine the spotlight on Chef Saravanan Appadurai’s 25-year journey with Marriott International and his unwavering commitment to the Ritz Carlton Brand! Chef began his career at the Grand Cayman Marriott Resort in 2005 as a Banquet Chef. Determined to continue advancing his career, within 3 years he was promoted to Sous Chef. After 5 years of creating exceptional experiences as a Sous Chef, he was then promoted to Banquet Chef at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. During his tenure at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Chef took the charge of a diverse food selection at the property including the Taikun restaurant. At The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Chef had the opportunity to work alongside some of the world’s top celebrity chefs including Anthony Bourdain, Eric Ripert and Jose Andres. After 8 years at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Chef transferred to The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota where he took the charge of the banquet kitchen and outlets which included a golf course, beach club and club lounge. The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, being a popular destination for weddings, Chef used his culinary expertise to create lasting impressions during some of the most memorable milestones in the lives of his guests. After 6 years at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, Chef’s journey led him to his current role as the Executive Chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte where is humble approach and creating exceptional experiences for our guests is celebrated. In addition to Chef’s property leadership experience, his journey has taken him to some of the most beautiful destinations in the world on task force including The Ritz-Carlton, Riyad, The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan, and The Ritz-Carlton, Grande Lakes. Join us in celebrating Chef for his outstanding contributions! Chef Saravanan Appadurai’s journey has been filled with incredible achievements and memorable moments. Thank you for your dedication, service and being an inspiration to our Ladies and Gentlemen. Congratulations on 25 years!

Happy Housekeeping Week! Kicking off Housekeeping Week with breakfast, music, laughter and dancing! Thank you to our extraordinary Housekeeping Team for all of their hard work, dedication and enlivening Service Value #12!

Please welcome Rayka Estal, our new Director of Room Operations. Rayka brings extensive experience from her previous positions at The Ritz-Carlton, Turks & Caicos; The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman and The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai. She has enjoyed remarkable success helping push the drive for the Forbes Five Star Award, and leading training initiatives. In her free time, Rayka enjoys traveling and as a self-proclaimed “foodie”, she will immediately begin searching out the best sushi and pasta dishes The Queen City has to offer. Welcome Rayka!

We are pleased to introduce Sophia Shumpert as our new Director of Sales & Marketing. Sophia joins us from a successful stint as Director of Sales - Group & Catering at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner. A native of Philadelphia, she has also held roles at The JW Marriott Washington, DC, the Marriott Sales Office and is a graduate of the 2022 Executive Leadership Program. Please give Sophia a Warm Welcome to The Queen City!

Thank you Charlotte Business Journal for such a wonderful event!

We Are HIRING! Are you looking to advance your career in the wonderful world of Culinary? Submit your credentials at the enclosed link and join the Ladies & Gentlemen in the premier luxury hotel in The Queen City. https://lnkd.in/eGj4fn73

Please join us in celebrating the 15th Marriott International Anniversary of our Director of Engineering Christopher Despot. He has worked as a Rooms Operations Manager at Renaissance Southpark, Facilities Manager at Charlotte Marriott Southpark, as an Assistant General Manager within the portfolio. Chris enjoys outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, and has trained and completed several marathons. Happy milestone Anniversary Chris.

As we begin Women’s History Month, we celebrate the Ladies of The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte who are such an important resource. Thank you for all that you do to take care of our Ladies & Gentlemen!

Happy Engineer Appreciation Week! Celebrating with a few of our Gentlemen this afternoon. Thank you for keeping the building in working order!

In celebration of Black History Month, we take a moment to spotlight our Director of Sales & Marketing Michael Matthews. Michael serves as a member of the Hotel’s Executive Committee, managing departments including Sales, Meetings & Special Events and Reservations. He spent a majority of his career working in upscale luxury hotels in our nation’s capital. Michael enjoys travel, cheering on his Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ohio State Buckeyes, and mentoring.