’Tis the season for foraging in the forests of Europe for truffles, but aficionados of the precious tuber in Southeast Asia need look no further than Da Vittorio Saigon, located on the ground floor of the Reverie Saigon Hotel in the heart of the Vietnamese city. Executive Chef Matteo Fontana has recently added to the award-winning restaurant’s gastronomic specialties with a new “White Truffle Experience” menu, tempting diners with entrees such as New Zealand Lamb Tartare in Cognac with Puff Pastry; Wagyu Beef Rossini with Foie Gras; and Handmade Tagliolini Pasta, all accompanied by the finest white truffles sourced from Alba in northern Italy. A wine-pairing option is also available. “White truffles are a precious delicacy that appeal to a certain discerning palate,” said Fontana. “Until now they are seldom seen on menus in Southeast Asia. Their flavor is rich and unforgettable, but must be delicately prepared with the right dishes.” The family-run Da Vittorio group, with eight Michelin stars to its name globally, originated in the town of Brusaporto, just a two-hour drive from the vineyards and wild truffle forests of Alba. Da Vittorio restaurant in Brusaporto was recently lauded as the No 10 restaurant in the world, according to French culinary site La Liste. Da Vittorio Saigon, which opened in June, was also ranked in La Liste’s top 1,000 Best Restaurants in The World with an outstanding score of 91%. The five-star Reverie Saigon is home to a number of acclaimed culinary outlets, notably The Royal Pavilion (celebrated for its Chinese dim sum), Café Cardinal (one of Southeast Asia’s most distinctive all-day dining venues, with French influences), The Long @ Times Square (a casual sidewalk-style trattoria) and The Reverie Boutique (sweets, treats, coffee and more). For more information or reservations at Da Vittorio Saigon, call +84(0) 28 3823 6688 or email DaVittorio@thereveriesaigon.com About The Reverie Saigon A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, The Reverie Saigon offers a truly astonishing hotel experience – showcasing extravagant, unapologetic European opulence in a storied Asian setting. The dazzling hotel features 286 rooms and suites alongside 89 residential-style suites, all of which are among the largest in the city and feature incomparable views of the Saigon River and the city skyline. Renowned Italian brands furnished the rooms and suites and set the ambiance with exquisite and, in some cases, one-of-a-kind pieces. The property features five distinctive food and beverage outlets, a 1,200-square-metre spa & fitness centre, an expansive outdoor swimming pool and a range of versatile function spaces. In addition, guests have a fleet of over a dozen luxury automobiles at their disposal as well as exclusive access to the hotel’s very own yacht. The Reverie Saigon is located in the 164-metre-tall Times Square Building, a mixed-use development that includes eight storeys of premium office space and the showrooms of some of the same high-end Italian furniture brands whose pieces are featured throughout the hotel.

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The Reverie Saigon has appointed Marcelo Geraldini as its new executive chef, a move that’s set to bolster the landmark five-star hotel’s emergence as a world-class dining destination. The Brazilian-born chef oversees one of Vietnam’s most dynamic hotel culinary programs, including the recently launched Italian fine dining restaurant Da Vittorio Saigon. The family-run Da Vittorio group based in Italy boasts eight Michelin stars globally across four other restaurants in Brusaporto (Italy), St. Moritz (Switzerland), Paris (France) and Shanghai (China). Geraldini, whose background includes Italian and German roots, is a graduate of Westminster Kingsway College, one of the U.K.’s most renowned and prestigious hospitality schools. He later gained experience in the one-Michelin-star restaurant, The Hardwood Arms in London, and other highly respected restaurants in England, as well as in his hometown of Sao Paulo. The chef arrived in Vietnam in 2016 and played an active role in several restaurant pre-openings and renovation projects for WMC Group, the management company of The Reverie Saigon. Geraldini joined The Reverie Saigon as executive sous chef in 2017. “Perhaps more than anything else, Chef Marcelo brings a unique passion to our culinary operation at The Reverie Saigon. His love and appreciation for fine cuisine is strongly complemented by his warm, personalized service approach and overall commitment to excellence,” said James Young, Vice President of WMC Group. Geraldini says he takes a hands-on approach to managing the hotel’s multiple kitchens, beginning with sourcing the highest-quality, freshest ingredients all the way to preparation, cooking and serving the final dish to guests. “To create a dining experience that is above and beyond a guest’s expectations—that is what I consistently strive for,” Geraldini said. The Reverie Saigon is home to a number of acclaimed culinary outlets, including The Royal Pavilion (celebrated for its Chinese dim sum), Café Cardinal (one of Southeast Asia’s most distinctive all-day dining venues, with French influences), The Long @ Times Square (a casual sidewalk-style trattoria) and The Reverie Boutique(sweets, treats, coffee and more).

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New hotel attracts worldwide acclaim. Condé Nast Traveler puts The Reverie Saigon on its coveted 2016 ‘Hot List’. The Reverie Saigon, a 286-room hotel that opened in 2015 as the most unabashedly opulent accommodation in Vietnam ever, was recognised by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the most outstanding hotel debuts of last year. On April 20, the U.S. edition of the prestigious magazine brand named the hotel to its 2016 Hot List, its 20th annual compendium of the best new hotels in the world. In all, only 60 properties made the cut, after a team of its editors and travel correspondents rigorously (and anonymously) evaluated hundreds of hotels in 36 countries across six continents. Just seven hotels across Asia made this year’s List. Landing a place on the ‘Hot List’ is widely regarded as one of the most important accolades to be had by new hotels and resorts in the industry, and is so highly esteemed that media outlets from CNN and the TODAY show in the USA to the Daily Mail newspaper in the UK cover the announcement each year as headlining travel news. Condé Nast Traveler notes: “Built like an Italian palazzo, the brand new Reverie Saigon brings in a level of luxury previously unseen in Ho Chi Minh City. Everything about the hotel is over-the-top opulent, from the palatial, marble-clad lobby to the lavish rooms, individually appointed by top Italian decorators.” The magazine’s online editorial proceeds to further explain that, “There are three upscale restaurants – French, Cantonese, and Italian (of course) – plus a 157-foot bar that’s so long, it stretches from Dong Khoi Street all the way to Nguyen Hue Boulevard two blocks over. Not to be outshone, Reverie’s spa is a two-level, 13,000-square-foot affair… Impressive, indeed…” The recognition is notable as a milestone for the destination as well. Though a handful of other hotels in Vietnam have won the coveted award in years past, all but one other represent efforts by internationally renowned, multi-property brands. In contrast, The Reverie Saigon is a singular, homegrown brand, whose managing director hails from Ho Chi Minh City. “Vietnamese hospitality has come so far since the country opened up 25 years ago,” remarks Eva Hue Van Truong, Managing Director of The Reverie Saigon and CEO of its management company WMC Group. “As a nation, we watched, we listened and we learned a great deal during that time, and now we’re capable of introducing a hotel that’s as spectacular as any opening up anywhere else in the world today. Recognition of the level of Condé Nast Traveler’s ‘Hot List’ is one we take great pride in, and with it, I am thrilled for the brand and happy for all the people here who work so hard to make the hotel such a success, as part of their desire to contribute to the continuous development and progress of Vietnam. BOOK A ROOM AT THE REVERIE SAIGON HERE ! About The Reverie Saigon A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, The Reverie Saigon offers an astonishing hotel experience, showcasing extravagant, unapologetic European opulence in a storied Asian setting. The latest luxury addition to the country’s flourishing hotel scene features 286 rooms and suites alongside 89 fully furnished serviced apartments, all of which are among the largest in the city and feature incomparable views of the winding Saigon River and the city skyline. Renowned Italian brands furnished the rooms and suites of both the hotel and residence, and set the ambiance with exquisite and, in some cases, one-of-a-kind pieces. The property features five distinctive food and beverage outlets, a 1,200-square-metre spa & fitness centre, an expansive outdoor swimming pool and 16 versatile and elegantly decorated function spaces. The hotel and residences are located in the 164-metre tall Times Square building, a mixed-use development, which includes eight storeys of prime office space and the showrooms of some of the same high-end Italian furniture brands whose pieces are featured throughout the hotel.  

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