Canine Spotlight: Laifu and Kuma

Did you know that the Pan is pet-friendly or rather, paw-friendly? We love our four-legged friends here! In fact, a lot of our staff are human parents to dogs and cats. So we’re launching a new blog series where we’ll introduce some of the furry children behind our Pan associates.

Let’s meet Laifu and Kuma, whose human is Front Desk Agent, Emily.

Laifu (labrador) is 12 years old and Kuma (German shepherd) is 11 years old. Our labrador was shipped from Texas and we saved him just before a big flood happened. We picked up our German shepherd from Langley.

Book your stay and treat your canine companion to a wide selection of pet-friendly experiences at Pan Pacific Vancouver including a plush doggy bed, gourmet treats and dog friendly places guide. For more information, click here.

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop with everything going on at the Hotel and around Vancouver!

Canine Spotlight: Joey

Did you know that the Pan is pet-friendly or rather, paw-friendly? We love our four-legged friends here! In fact, a lot of our staff are human parents to dogs and cats. So we’re laughing a new blog series where we’ll introduce some of the furry children behind our Pan associates.

Let’s meet Joey, whose human is Marshall Mills, Revenue Analyst and Reservations Manager!

Joey is an Olympic year puppy who was born April 7, 2010. He’s a King Charles Cavalier Cocker Spaniel cross, or Cockalier for short. He was the runt of his family and the only boy, so naturally I fell in love with him and took him home.

On his first vet visit, the doctor told us he was going to be one of those “forever puppies” which to this day at almost 7, holds true.

When we lived near English Bay, I used to take him for walks along the seawall every day, and due to his striking resemblance to Charlotte’s pup on that Sex and the City show, we would get stopped all the time for photo ops. He became quite the celebrity there for a while, sometimes breaking the rules and going for swims. He has a Facebook following of 100 friends who still put messages on his wall and he’s been an office dog for three different people (those people never get any work done).

Joey is a very strong swimmer and loves the water so much, that he starts to shake when he gets close. He would swim all day, every day, if he had the chance! His favorite beach is near the Museum of Vancouver. It’s the same place that he played fetch with Ryan Kessler (former Canuck’s player). One time I took him to the west coast where he saw big waves for the first time and actually started to surf them. It was one of the most amazing things I’d ever seen.

He has a very strong addiction to chocolate, thanks to an incident that happened, while I was away on vacation over Christmas. He found a bowl of chocolate truffles on the table of my friend’s house. You can imagine what happened next. He can’t sniff out cookies or his toys, but if there’s chocolate within a hundred feet, he will find it! The poor pup has been hospitalized four times and it always seems to happen when someone else is watching him.

It’s gotten to the point that whenever we go to the vet, the new question is “What has he gotten into now?” It can be quite embarrassing. It’s been almost 2 years since the last incident, so we’re currently on a good streak!

Joey is one of those dogs that’s just happy all the time and brings a smile to people’s faces.

Book your stay and treat your canine companion to a wide selection of pet-friendly experiences at Pan Pacific Vancouver including a plush doggy bed, gourmet treats and dog friendly places guide. For more information, click here.

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop with everything going on at the Hotel and around Vancouver!

Staff Spotlight: Robert Murray, Director, Quality Assurance

Welcome to our Staff Spotlight blog series! This is where you’ll meet the people behind the Hotel. With over 400 associates working at Pan Pacific Vancouver, there are a lot of personalities and a lot of stories to tell!

Today we shine the spotlight on Robert Murray, who is not only our Director, Quality Assurance, but also a Hall of Fame Firefighter!

Tell us about yourself.

I was born in Australia and emigrated from Germany with my wife, and have lived in Canada since 1992 and currently reside in North Vancouver with my wife, son and cat.

How long have you been with Pan Pacific Vancouver?

I was here for one year in 1989-1990 and returned in 1992, and have been here ever since, so a total of 26 years.

What’s a typical day as Director, Quality Assurance like?

There is no typical day – which is what makes it interesting.  Depending on what is happening at the hotel, my day can begin with leading the housekeeping team in their morning stretches, then reviewing our guest satisfaction surveys and online reviews, and then checking in and assisting on the operations in various departments throughout the day. You name it, I have probably done it. 

What’s your favourite part about your job?

Working with the associates and seeing the guest feedback, conversations with our guests, and working on projects.

What are the most challenging aspects about your job?

Balancing time and flowing from department to department and job to job at a moment’s notice.

You are in charge of protocol when it comes to VIP and celebrity guests. Can you share with us the process in getting the Pan ready for such a guest?

This is a group effort and the dedication of the entire team both front of house associates,back of house teams and often liaising with external security teams or protocol offices that may range from Private or Government (often from other countries), to RCMP or VPD.

Any special moment or celebrity encounter you want to share with us?

Over the years I have been very fortunate to have met and assisted numerous celebrities, entertainment personalities and heads of state. Confidence, trust and integrity are paramount – there may be musicians practicing, tenors singing, dancers practicing or conversationsbetween presidents/prime ministers.   Instilling this confidence in these guests is key. 

You also enjoy taking photos and build up quite a following on your Instagram. What do you look for in a picture when you’re around the hotel or when walking around town?

I tend to look for images of urban settings, black and white, shapes, shades, general day to day what all see and do.. whether I’m walking through a particular area, I see something. I generally don’t take images of people or take pictures of myself and post them, however just recently I was asked to take pictures at an outdoor setting wedding which turned out well.

And if being Director, Quality Assurance wasn’t enough to keep you busy, you also volunteer with local groups in the community! How did that start and what do you do with them?

I have been volunteering for 12 years with community policing, Operation Red nose for 8 years and for the past 15 months at home volunteer program assisting people with their yard work.

Last question! What do you like to do for fun when you’re not working?

Well, I like to run –  half marathons, 10K races, road and mountain bike, kayaking, cooking and yard work!

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop with everything going on at the Hotel and around Vancouver!

Canine Spotlight: Bella

Did you know that the Pan is pet-friendly or rather, paw-friendly? We love our four-legged friends here! In fact, a lot of our staff are human parents to dogs and cats. So we’re laughing a new blog series where we’ll introduce some of the furry children behind our Pan associates.

Let’s meet Bella, whose human is Richard Keep, Oceans 999 Restaurant Manager!

This is Bella.

I lost my last dog Kharli last September to cancer, which as any dog owner knows, leaves a big hole in your heart.

At the time, we were selling the family home and considering some other major life changes. My wife and I decided that it would be best to wait until we knew how our lives would be looking, where we were living, etc. before making that huge commitment with a new dog.

However, this wasn’t how all the members of the family were thinking and before I knew what was happening, my step-daughter Bailey had convinced my wife differently and along came this little blonde crazy ball of love, who we named Bella (Italian word for beautiful).

Although at the time, I felt an element of guilt for getting a new dog so soon after Kharli had passed, I know that as a dog person, life is too short to wait and miss out on this amazing kinship and welcoming our newest member to the family was one of the best things to happen!

Book your stay and treat your canine companion to a wide selection of pet-friendly experiences at Pan Pacific Vancouver including a plush doggy bed, gourmet treats and dog friendly places guide. For more information, click here.

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop with everything going on at the Hotel and around Vancouver!

Recommendations From Our Associates: Scott Moriarty

What would you recommend?

Guests ask us this question all the time! To that, we say, so many ideas. So, we thought we’d hit up our Associates and share with our readers their personal recommendations when staying at the Pan and visiting Vancouver. Consider this your insider tip! 

We asked Scott Moriarty, our star Coal Harbour Bar bartender:

Q: What is your favourite thing to order at Oceans 999?

A: The Coal Harbour Bar tempura dynamite roll.

Q: What is your favourite drink to order at Coal Harbour Bar?

A: Old fashioned.

Q: What would you recommend guests to see or do in Vancouver?

A: Get outside, enjoy the seawall on bike or foot and eat at any of the many scenic patios in Vancouver!

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop with everything going on at the Hotel and around Vancouver!

Bunny Spotlight: Elvis

Did you know that the Pan is pet-friendly or rather, paw-friendly? We love our four-legged friends here! In fact, a lot of our staff are human parents to dogs, cats and rabbits! So we’re laughing a new blog series where we’ll introduce some of the furry children behind our Pan associates.

Let’s meet Elvis, whose human is Chief Engineer, Marius Brummer!

Our pet bunny’s name is Elvis and we adopted him for our daughter, Melissa for her birthday. He came from a farm and became a city/house bunny that doesn’t like to have wind on his face (we discovered this yesterday. haha). He has lots of personality – just like his grandpa, Marius.

Book your stay and treat your canine companion to a wide selection of pet-friendly experiences at Pan Pacific Vancouver including a plush doggy bed, gourmet treats and dog friendly places guide. For more information, click here.

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop with everything going on at the Hotel and around Vancouver!

Canine Spotlight: Scruff and Lady Di

Did you know that the Pan is pet-friendly or rather, paw-friendly? We love our four-legged friends here! In fact, a lot of our staff are human parents to dogs and cats. So we’re laughing a new blog series where we’ll introduce some of the furry children behind our Pan associates.

Let’s meet Scruff and Lady Di, whose human is Kathryn Poole, Executive Assistant and Marketing Coordinator and find out how they became a family!

Scruff was the first. At a little over a year old, she latched onto my husband, Larry. During his time flying to a small village in northern Manitoba, he discovered she was pregnant.  Three days before he was scheduled to leave, she had her eight pups. The next day he put them in a bed made from a cardboard TV box and duvet, and put them all in his plane the next day.  I met him in Edmonton and we drove back to Vancouver with the whole brood.  All the puppies eventually found great homes.

Scruff was originally to be adopted out, but had warmed her way into our hearts where she remains to this day –  a 13 year old, 50 pound bundle of love who never fails to engage people as they walk by her.  If I had a dollar for every time I have been asked “What kind of breed is she?”, I could retire.  We still don’t know or care – all we know is she is the best companion we have ever had.

Since that time, Larry has tried to bring out as many puppies and young dogs as possible, working with a couple of rescue groups, mostly Manitoba Mutts, to find homes for these lovely dogs.  They are in great demand due to their intelligence,  good health and great social skills.  The last adult was Lady Di, shown below – now named Luna by her adoptive family.

Lady Di, so named because when we were driving her and her nine pups back from Northern Manitoba, she would run in the fields of Saskatchewan to catch field mice – hence Diana, Goddess of the Hunt.  But hunting and scavenging is the way of life where she and Scruff come from.

Larry had been back working in the same village.  One of the residents had a dog who had just had 9 puppies who, suffering from mastitis, was sick and was unable to feed adequately. Larry ended up flying Lady Di and her brood out to Winnipeg, where I met him and we drove to Brandon, where Manitoba Mutts were able to get her onto puppy safe antibiotics.  I had brought with me small puppy bottles and formula. Between the bottle feeding and Lady Di, we were able to keep the nine puppies healthy.

Lady Di is happy, healthy and living with a family in Sechelt, who now call her Luna.  Her puppies are all living over the north shore.  I was down at Ambleside a couple of years ago now, and ran into a lady with her dog.  The dog immediately started snuggling into me which, according to her owner, was not like her.  We chatted some more and it turned out that this was one of Lady Di’s pups! I guess my smell when I bottle-fed her must have been imbedded in her memory.  We’re now good friends with Charlie and her owner.

Book your stay and treat your canine companion to a wide selection of pet-friendly experiences at Pan Pacific Vancouver including a plush doggy bed, gourmet treats and dog friendly places guide. For more information, click here.

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop with everything going on at the Hotel and around Vancouver!

Staff Spotlight: Randall Lister, Bellman

Welcome to our Staff Spotlight blog series! This is where you’ll meet the people behind the Hotel. With over 400 associates working at Pan Pacific Vancouver, there are a lot of personalities and a lot of stories to tell!

Today we shine the spotlight on our bellman, Randall Lister!

Hi Randall! Tell us about yourself.

I was born in New Westminster and spent my childhood growing up in Burnaby. I currently live in Cloverdale where my wife and I have a very busy household with three children, two dogs and four cats.

How long have you been with Pan Pacific Vancouver?

I’ve been employed with the Pan Pacific Vancouver for thirty plus years. I first started in the Cafe before the carpet and furnishings were installed and helped with the opening in time for Expo 86. I eventually made my way to the Bell Services Department where I found my niche in the hotel industry.

What’s a typical day as Bellman like?

There are no typical days as a bellman. Every day is different from the next, which is why I think our position within the hotel is so unique.

What’s your favourite part about your job?

The favourite part of my job is the daily interactions with our guests from all over the world and making them feel at home.

What are the most challenging aspects about your job?

The most challenging part is ensuring our guests receive the best service in a timely manner on days where we have multiple cruise ships in port and a high volume of guests checking in and out.

The Pan is a dog-friendly hotel. We even have doggie biscuits at our front doors for our four-legged special guests. Are you a dog person? What is your favourite breed?

I think that all of our bell staff are dog lovers and we look forward to the regular visits from our neighbourhood dogs and our guests who bring their dogs with them. Our family has a white lab/shepherd cross named Duncan and a shih tzu named Ringo.

Any special moment or celebrity encounter you want to share with us?

I once had an opportunity to drive one of my favourite Bond actors, Sean Connery, from the hotel to the US Embassy and then to Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club. He insisted on sitting up in the front seat and his comments on the local scenery made for a memorable ride. He then invited me to play gold with him and his friend.

The bell team must transport more than just luggage to the rooms/taxis. Any unique or unusual items you’ve been asked to transport?

In 1996, we had The Three Tenors staying with us before their New Year’s Eve concert and I had to go out in one of the worst snowstorms to find them a specific bottle of olive oil that our kitchen did not have.

Last question! What do you like to do for fun when you’re not working?

When I’m not working, I enjoy coaching my son’s baseball and hockey teams and if I have any extra time after that, then some golfing or fishing.

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop with everything going on at the Hotel and around Vancouver!

Staff Spotlight: Geoff Carkner, Executive Chef

Welcome to our Staff Spotlight blog series! This is where you’ll meet the people behind the Hotel. With over 400 associates working at Pan Pacific Vancouver, there are a lot of personalities and a lot of stories to tell!

Today we shine the spotlight on Executive Chef Geoff Carkner, who brings a tremendous depth of experience and a passion for playful innovation to his new position at Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel. Originally from Vancouver, Carkner has worked for high profile properties in British Columbia and Australia. Most recently, Carkner was the Executive Chef at the Westin Melbourne where the restaurant was twice voted the best hotel dining in Australia.

Hi Geoff! Tell us about yourself.

I was born in North Van, raised in Vancouver and I have lived in New York, Los Angeles, Melbourne, and the Gold Coast. I am sure to add to that list before all is said and done. My kids are the most important non Canucks part of my life.

How long have you been with Pan Pacific Vancouver?

Just over three months.

What’s a typical day at work like?

I”m supposed to say that there is no such thing as a typical day in this role and it’s true, but I do have a few daily routines that I stick to. I start by doing my rounds of each area and see how everyone is doing and who needs support. We have some daily operational meetings to over things, like business volumes and key information for today and the coming days to share with the team and then the rest of my day is determined by the flow of business and what events we have on and how busy the restaurant is. During quieter times, we get the opportunity to plan and prepare, so that we can evolve the product for our guests and make improvements in our processes for our team.

What’s your favourite part about your job?

Chefs on our team bringing me food to taste. I also enjoy getting praised, can never have enough praise.

What are the most challenging aspects about your job?

Wearing a lot of hats at once and being pulled in different directions at times can be a challenge, but that’s also what makes it fun.

Being innovative, using good, quality ingredients and staying true to flavours are important to you. Can you share with us the process and what inspires you when coming up with a creative menu?

Start with quality ingredients, then try to figure out the best way to cook them to get the most flavour. Keep it simple and let the ingredients speak for themselves. Share your ideas with your team and never stop trying new things. There’s a lot of information out there these days to learn new techniques. Try something you haven’t done before, then put your own spin on it.

You’ve worked as executive chef at Westin Melbourne. How does the food scene in Australia compare to Vancouver?

They too, have an eclectic dining scene, but their food has more of a British influence. You won’t find a lot of Mexican flavours there, but southeast Asian and middle eastern flavours are extremely popular. There is outstanding seafood and produce available year round and it’s a very dynamic and competitive food scene in Melbourne. I was actually going to say that generally they have very refined palettes, but then I remember that almost all Australians hate root beer.

Do you enjoy dining out? What’s your favourite thing to order?

I used to enjoy dining out before I had kids, but they usually destroy the place and won’t sit still. When I do go out, typically, I look for the most interesting dish on the menu, hopefully a flavour combination I haven’t tried before. Sometimes I like to get a bunch of appetizers, rather than a main, so I can try more things.

How experimental are you when you cook for you family? What’s your favourite thing to make? Or rather, what’s the meal that’s most requested at home?

Moderate. And fajitas, fajitas. My wife does most of the cooking actually and she is often trying new things, and on occasion, I even steal her ideas and use them at work. So basically, I am the one making all the requests!

Do you watch cooking shows? If yes, which one(s) are your favourite?

I like the series, Mind of a Chef and even though I haven’t seen it in a while, I also like Top Chef.

Last question! What do you like to do for fun when you’re not working?

When I’m not practising jiu jitsu, surfing, or rock climbing, I like to put my feet up and watch hockey and football. Tha’s what I’d like to do, but more often than not, I’m just doing whatever my kids tell me to do.

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop with everything going on at the Hotel and around Vancouver!

Staff Spotlight: Natalia Mihai, Oceans 999 Server

Welcome to our Staff Spotlight blog series! This is where you’ll meet the people behind the Hotel. With over 400 associates working at Pan Pacific Vancouver, there are a lot of personalities and a lot of stories to tell!

Today we shine the spotlight on server, Natalia Mihai, who’s bubbly and winning personality always make our Oceans 999 guests feel right at home! P.S. She has stories in abundance! Ask her about them next time you’re dining at Oceans 999.

Hi Natalia! Tell us about yourself!

I was born in Bucharest, Romania and my family immigrated to Canada when I was a small girl. I remember vividly moments of my early childhood, with fond memories made up of numerous family road trips. Fast forward to my own family (2 daughters) and making more poignant memories, as we bond and grow together. I’m passionate about my family, my friends, and the environment. For the past six years, I’ve committed to a zero waste challenge in my home. Nature inspires and motivates me.  Travel rejuvenates me and allows me to step away from everyday routines of work and home. I live for sunshine and happiness.

How long have you been with Pan Pacific Vancouver?

I started working at Pan Pacific in 2000. It was such a monumental moment to be hired at such an esteemed landmark. I started working in the Cafe Pacifica dining room. I’ve filled many different roles through the years: hostess, room service, banquets, patio, bar, Five Sails; even security detail!

What’s a typical day like working as a server?

There’s is not a typical work day. It’s all dependent on occupancy, weather, senority; etc. My day can be as early as 6:30am, 7:00am, 7:30am, 8:00am, 10:30am or 11:00am, but please, no moonlighting!!

What’s your favourite part about your job?

“My office.” Opulent. Bright. Beautiful. Stunning. These are some of the adjectives to describe the privilege I have to work in what is now Oceans 999. “My office” is a constant menagerie of spectacularly changing scenery – sunrise illuminating Mount Baker in Washington State to the east, soft sunlight streaming through the floor to ceiling windows, a view at Grouse Mountain, and witnessing the most spectacular harvest moon rising over the iconic Five Sails.

Other facets about my job that I enjoy include being empowered to make decisions to accommodate guests’ needs, having the freedom to let my flamboyant personality shine through and my all time favorite, engaging in witty banter & repertoire with guests. Anyone who knows me knows that this is definitely my favorite pastime  at work. I enjoy welcoming repeat guests, challenging myself to remember names and their preferences, and to create memorable memories for our guests. I want to make someone’s day especially amazing at least once a shift!

What are the most challenging aspects about your job?

Some of the challenging aspects of the job includes catering to our guests’ special events, which can take place on holidays and weekends and leaves me unable to fully participating in my kids after school/summer activities. However, I do appreciate that my job does allows me to nurture my own family throughout the rest of the year.

The restaurant also caters to guests with serious dietary concerns and this comes with its challenges, but it’s also rewarding too. When you find a meal to work around the list of ingredients not edible to everyone, and that is delectable, it’s always satisfying!

Any special moments or encounters you’d like to share with us?

Throughout the years, I’ve been privileged to be given the time and support to get involved with many extra-curricular volunteer opportunities. Like when:

Vancouver legend Dal Richards preformed at a veterans tea the hotels CARE team executed, of which I was an integral part of.

I’ve had the extreme pleasure of being the secret Christmas Santa shopper for many Salvation Army families that the hotel has sponsored over the years.

I participated in the penny ( remember those?!) drive that saw us buy 77 back-to-school kits for a downtown east side school.

Lastly, Rick Hansen came in after the Olympics. After running with the 2010 torch myself, I wanted to share my story with him. He’s very charismatic and charming. Much to my dismay and alarm, I couldn’t stop blushing the entire time!!

Does working at the Pan Pacific’s restaurant inspire you to cook at home?

I glean EVERYTHING they do in the kitchen! It’s made a good cook into an amazing one. Thank you! My baking, on the other hand…no hope there!

What’s your favourite thing to order on the menu?

I tell my guests that the marinated sablefish melts like butter in your mouth and the exquisite flavour is unlike anything they’d ever tasted. This coupled with a description of how you could count all the layers of translucent deliciousness you get in a forkful. Also, the Cobb salad! I tell my guests that I’ve sold one million orders of them. Yes, it’s that good.

Last question! What do you like to do for fun?

I recently saw an friend with whom I worked with when I first started at the hotel. She inquired if I still walked everywhere. I laughed because I had just completed Camino de Santaigo in Spain,  a 770 km journey on foot! And if that wasn’t quite enough, I walked a couple hundred more on a Greek island thereafter.

On regular days off, I enjoy the spectacular beauty of the sea to summit trail in Squamish, challenge myself on the grouse grind and a trail I’ve grown to love – the trail of ten waterfalls in Oregon. I like to talk. I like to walk. I like to be at The Pan Pacific.

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