Tell us a little bit about your history in the hospitality industry, especially with the IHG group.
I started selling cheese in the Market in Lyon. I would start at midnight and finish by 10 a.m. It was my grandmother who taught me how to cook using a wood-burning stove, so I learned how to cook that way.

I first started with the Rothschild group in Lyon, France and spent three years with them as an apprentice. I then left and went on to the Claridge’s in London. It was in London where I met my future wife, a Filipina who, as most Filipinas are capable of doing, captivated me.

We visited the Philippines in 1974 and that was the time that they were building many hotels. My wife and I were out one evening and we met a General Manager of one of the big hotels here and that was the start of my long and fruitful career in the hotel business in Asia. I never looked back.

My family and I have been in and out of the Philippines for the last 26 years. But now, finally, I find myself here again as the area manager for the IHG group. It’s been four years now and honestly, there is no place I would rather be, than here in the Philippines.

There is stiff competition rising up just within the immediate vicinity of the Holiday Inn. How do you address this?
I’ve always believed that competition is very good. Being close or next to your competitors brings out the best in you. It keeps you on your toes and wanting to do better. It keeps you alive. Competition is healthy because you always have to re-invent yourself. It’s never good to say that you are the best. You cannot be the best in everything. To make a difference is to understand what the competition is going through and what the competition is doing.

Let’s talk a bit about this property. What makes the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites family friendly?
The Holiday Inn & Suites Makati is more popularly known as a business hotel. What people do not know is that we take great effort in making sure that we are also a very family and child oriented hotel. A current program for all Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts globally is KIDS STAY AND EAT FREE. For example, all children 12 and under, when checking in with their parents stay for free and all their meals are free as well. We also have a station in our buffet that specifically caters to children. Actually, the kiddie food is good and we see adults taking from it.

We also have a special tie-up with Kidzania. When a family checks in on the weekend, we give one free adult ticket and one free child ticket per room, per night.

Every time we have a food promotion in our Flavors Restaurant, we make sure to have a fun, child-friendly activity for kids to enjoy. We really try to look at what families need and enjoy and to the best of our capabilities, we try to fulfill.

You’ve had a long history in the Philippines. Tell us a little bit about your experiences here.
My first position with a hotel here was as Restaurant Manager of their French restaurant. It was 1976 and I used to cook there and had the opportunity to cook for very important personalities.

The challenges then were in the sourcing of ingredients that were needed to cook the French dishes at the level we wanted to maintain. But it challenged us to be creative and resourceful. Those were both fun and interesting times.

Over the years, with globalization, sourcing is easier and now you have access to the best ingredients here.

The challenge now is the Filipino has become more sophisticated in terms of palate because everything has opened and travel is easier now. The expectations are a lot higher when it comes to culinary experiences. Which is good. Again, it keeps us on our toes.

You’ve worked with many Filipino staff. How has your experience been with them?
Filipinos are great and I love working with them. They always have a ready smile for you. I also find that they are eager to learn. However, I do feel that sometimes they are afraid to make mistakes thus discouraging them to go outside of their comfort zone and explore.

But, in the last year or so, I’ve seen younger Filipinos who are quite fearless. It makes me so happy. I see them in the hotel, breaking out of their comfort zones, leashing out their creativity and the results have been spectacular.

You are no stranger to the Philippines, so what is it about the Philippines that you love the most?
For me this is home. I travel frequently but always come back to the Philippines. There is no other place I would rather be. I think it’s the people I love the most. It’s in their smile and the Filipino brand of a phrase we have in France – joie de vivre or zest for life. No matter what situation the Filipino finds itself in, and there have been a lot, there is still that spirit for life.

Your position takes you all around Asia. What does Christian Pirodon bring to every property of the IHG group that can spell success?
I have worked in 12 countries in Asia and I have learned a lot from all of those postings. Each is very different. I’ve taken the best practices from each of my experiences and brought it here.

It’s all about ideas. You have to be creative and continue to be creative. The customer mood here has changed a lot since I first arrived. We’re dealing with the new Filipino generation and this new generation has the means to travel and they have seen the things outside. You’ll never be able to open a French restaurant and name it just another French restaurant. You’ll never be able to sell that way. You need to create things with what you have because that’s what the Filipino palate wants.

The Philippines has so many beaches in many different provinces. Which are your favorites? What do you like about them?
For now, it’s really Palawan. There is absolutely nowhere in the world like Palawan. I take this boat and go to a lagoon, and you’re back in the site of the movie, Blue Lagoon. It reminds me so much of that.

But if there is something that must be developed further, I believe it should be recreational areas specifically for children. There is not enough and the few that we have, cannot be compared to what the other countries in Asia have to offer for children. I think there is a brilliant opportunity there for our tourism industry.

What is your favorite Filipino food? Why?
I like a lot of Filipino food but if I were to choose, it would be Sinigang, Tortang Talong, fried Tawilis and Menudo.

Menudo, because when done very well, like how my mother-in-law used to make it, tastes quite French.

With such a busy schedule, what do you do when you have time to spare for yourself?
We play golf whenever we have time and we enjoy it. We have some world-class golf courses here which are such a joy to play on. I would like to go to the beach—I love Palawan. Boracay, well, it’s not the same as it used to be. Or maybe I am the one who has changed. It’s not for me anymore. Maybe it’s really for the younger set.

We also like going to Tagaytay a lot as there are a few things that my young son can do.