LIWeddings.com Interview With Garden City Hotel

Garden City Hotel

Interviewed Jan 22, 2004

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL WITH . . .

Joseph Borbély
Director of Catering
The Garden City Hotel
45 Seventh Street
Garden City, NY 11530
Website: www.gch.com


"I love when we host young ladies for their sweet sixteen and then see them again as brides, or when brides host their wedding here and later host their children's Christening or Bar/Bat Mitzvah."

"Welcoming, charming, tempting to the palate and always impressive." These are some of the words Joseph Borbély uses to describe The Garden City Hotel, where he serves as director of catering. This elegant luxury hotel, known as the "home of the storybook wedding," dates back to 1874. In fact, it was the first hotel on Long Island.

Joseph credits his "dedicated, experienced catering team" for contributing to the exceptional service the hotel is known for. "Each member of our catering staff has been handpicked and well trained to perfect each couple's special day," he explained.

Although the hotel has numerous banquet rooms that can be used for wedding receptions, its policy is to hold no more than two weddings at one time to ensure a private, intimate setting for each bride and groom. Whether you choose the Grand Ballroom, which can accommodate 500 guests, or one of the hotel's more intimate rooms, the hotel strives to make each wedding the most special day of the bride and groom's life.

Questions & Answers

How long have you served at the hotel as director of catering?

January 2004 marks 21 years of my services with The Garden City Hotel. My previous work experience was with the Hyatt and Hilton brands here and in Europe, and more specifically Vienna, Austria.

The hotel claims that "no detail is too small, no request too large." Tell me about some of the requests that you have fulfilled.

When it comes to weddings, one of my favorite "special requests" is when a bride presents me with a photograph of the wedding cake of her dreams, asking if we could make a similar-looking one. I love that request because our pastry chef always creates an identical or even richer-looking cake that is treasured and appreciated. Some of the small details that we are always prepared to handle could be anything from specialty food or drink items, such as ones with an ethnic fare, to an attendant that forgot his bowtie, in which case we would provide one for him.

Describe some of the rooms available at the hotel for wedding receptions.

Two of my favorite banquet rooms, other than the Grand Ballroom, are the Societe Suite, which is located on the mezzanine level of the hotel and has an outdoor terrace, and the Cotillion, which is adorned with fireplaces and an outdoor deck.

How many guests can the Grand Ballroom accommodate? What is the largest/most lavish wedding reception the hotel has catered in that room?

The Grand Ballroom can accommodate up to 500 guests comfortably for a dinner/dance wedding reception. I'll never forget the "Phantom of the Opera" theme wedding that was held in the Grand Ballroom. The bride and groom had arranged for a 36-piece orchestra. The stars of the actual Broadway hit attended the wedding and performed a piece of it, in character and costume, for all of the guests - it was incredible!

What is the smallest, most intimate, wedding reception you have catered at the hotel?

We recently had a 25-person private ceremony and dinner reception. It was intimate and very romantic, and included a harpist for the ceremony and a string quartet for the dinner reception.

What is the most memorable? Do you have a story you can share?

It's a sentimental one. An older couple came in once and shared their story of why the wedding they wanted to plan for their daughter was so meaningful. This couple had three daughters of their own. One day, one of their daughter's friends came home from school and told them about a neighborhood girl that was in a horribly troubled situation. They ended up adopting this girl to give her a better life. Their three daughters had not been married yet, but they were determined to plan a most elaborate wedding for their adopted daughter. It was an incredibly touching story, and I felt honored to be able to be part of a real-life fairytale.

The Garden City Hotel is described as the "home of the storybook wedding." What exactly do you mean by this?

Storybook weddings traditionally take place in sunny English Gardens and luxurious ballrooms. They include touches like champagne and canapés and the arrival of the bride on a Cinderella-like horse-and-buggy. We have perfected the traditional storybook wedding for years and offer a personalized, exceptional, fairy tale experience for today's bride and groom.

Your hotel has a reputation for being "top of the line." Are receptions at your hotel only for "upscale" people? Who is your "typical" client?

It is true that The Garden City Hotel is known for its upscale clientele and celebrity sightings, and that is one of the reasons why brides and grooms select us as their venue of choice. However, since our menus and services are custom-designed to suit each couple's individual needs, our goal is to work with them in executing their dream affair while staying within their budget.

What is it that sets you apart from other hotels? Why should a bride and groom hold their reception at The Garden City Hotel instead of another Long Island hotel?

The Garden City Hotel is the leading luxury hotel on Long Island, with a glorious history, a central location, first-class service and accommodations, and an inspirational atmosphere. That said, we are the only luxury property with an in-vogue lounge, a gourmet, award-winning restaurant and an upscale nightclub, all under one roof. Brides and grooms who hold their wedding reception at the hotel spend their wedding night at the lavish penthouse suite, with our compliments.

The hotel has a reputation for outstanding cuisine. Tell me about some of your scrumptious menu items.

Some of the most popular menu items for weddings right now include a Lobster Martini as a first course, which is steamed lobster in a chilled martini glass, and the Rack of Lamb and Seared Tuna as the main course choices.

Unlike many other catering facilities that only have large rooms for wedding receptions, your many restaurants can be used for more intimate gatherings, such as engagement parties, bridal showers and rehearsal dinners. Do you find that clients who book a wedding reception hold other wedding-related celebrations at your hotel too?

Absolutely. Our gourmet Polo Restaurant includes a private wine room that is perfect for wedding-related events. Rein Bar & Grill is also a popular venue for rehearsal dinners and farewell brunches. Holding wedding-related events at the hotel gives couples and their guests a greater comfort level with our staff, and since these venues are located in a different part of the hotel than our wedding facilities, they can take advantage of the numerous settings and still feel like all of their wedding-related events take place in an environment of luxury and elegance.

On the other hand, do some clients begin by hosting, say, an engagement party at the hotel and as a result of that experience decide to hold their wedding reception at the hotel?

Most of the weddings we host are either as a result of the hotel's word-of-mouth reputation, or from couples hosting previous events here. I love when we host young ladies for their sweet sixteen and then see them again as brides, or when brides host their wedding here and later host their children's Christening or Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

The hotel must seem like an attractive choice to those looking to book their wedding reception plus hotel rooms for the bridal party and out-of-town guests in one location. Do you receive many requests for this?

Being that couples are given preferential pricing for their wedding guests, most of the weddings we host involve guests staying over. This includes out-of-town guests and close friends and family who would rather spend the night at the hotel than having to drive home on that night. Most couples show their appreciation towards these guests by hosting a next-day farewell brunch or luncheon for them in one of our dining venues.

What is the most rewarding aspect of serving as director of catering?

It's always nice to hear fascinated guests describing a wedding as the greatest event they've ever been to. There's also something very special about seeing the huge smile on the faces of the bride and groom at the end of the most memorable night of their lives.