THE GARDEN CITY HOTEL, LONG ISLAND, NY, APPOINTS NEW PASTRY CHEF FELICIA JABLONSKI

(Garden City, LI, NY . . . May 2010) The Garden City Hotel
(45 Seventh Street, Garden City, NY (516) 747-3000 www.gardencityhotel.com) announces the appointment of Executive Pastry Chef Felicia Jablonski.

Jablonski is responsible for all aspects of baked goods and pastries served at the legendary hotel's signature restaurant, Rein, its renowned wedding celebrations, spectacular galas and corporate meetings.

Most recently, Jablonski was pastry chef at The Lodge in Vail, Colorado (www.lodgeatvail.rockresorts.com). The RockResorts luxury property, like The Garden City Hotel, is a member of Preferred Hotels and Resorts Group.

“I am delighted to welcome Felicia. Her creative thinking, exacting execution and strong spirit is a natural fit with the team and our mission. We take the culinary arts very seriously at The Garden City Hotel. Felicia will play a key role in continuing our long-standing tradition to exceed each guest's expectations,” says Belgian Master Chef Steven De Bruyn who is the property's Executive Chef and Wine Director.

In sync with De Bruyn's menu principles, focused on flavor with the finest and freshest ingredients, Jablonski debuts her first menu of seasonal desserts inspired by the choice fruits of spring-summer and light, clean and refreshing tastes. On the menu at Rein are a pineapple fruit soup with almond savarin and coconut sorbet; honey yogurt panna cotta with almond cake, Amoretti cookies and blueberry coulis; coconut tapioca pudding with hibiscus infusion and grapefruit granite; cherry pistachio cake with pistachio dacquoise, cherry gelée, vanilla cream, pistachio ice cream and cherry compote; and organic crème brulée with vanilla bean whipped cream and mixed berries.

Born and raised in East Setauket, Long Island, New York, Jablonski is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York. At CIA, she was president of the ice carving club and recipient of the Roth Leadership award for her student body leadership skills. While studying in Upstate New York, Jablonski worked as an attendant in the tasting room of Clinton Vineyards (www.clintonvineyards.com) where she developed her knowledge of dessert wines; and as pastry assistant to fellow CIA graduate Chef Daniel Gendron ( www. gendroncatering .com) in Rhinebeck where she was introduced to wedding banqueting.

Jablonski's passion for baking and pastry dates back to childhood Christmases. She was eager to assist her mother in decorating cookies gifted to neighbors. In high school, on behalf of her German language classes, she competed in baking competitions at the Annual Long Island Sprach Fests with the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG). Before fully pursuing her passion at CIA, Jablonski studied biology at Stonybrook University. From that experience she learned baking and biology are a similar science. Both rely on understanding how individual ingredients interact to shape outcomes. At The Garden City Hotel, the desired outcome is a beautiful and sweet ending to one's meal.

ABOUT THE GARDEN CITY HOTEL (www.gardencityhotel.com): No stranger to #1 ratings, The Garden City Hotel is recognized as a leader on the Long Island dining and lodging scene.  Top rankings from best food to best service are given year-on-year.  The luxury hotel is one of 185 members, internationally, of the Preferred Hotels and Resorts Group and the only hotel on Long Island, having met the highest standards of quality and extraordinary service earning it Preferred Standard of Excellence status.  The legendary property has been a centerpiece of Garden City, attracting the great and good, since 1874.  The 280-room hotel with 16 suites, four of which are penthouse suites, has 25,000-square-feet of meeting and banquet space including a grand ballroom, spacious meeting rooms, a private ultralounge and a signature restaurant, Rein . It was originally designated as the focal point of Garden City – 7,000 acres of land 20 miles from New York City – by Alexander Turney Stewart to attract a famous and wealthy clientele from around the world. One of the most notable visitors, Charles Lindbergh, slept here in 1927 on the night before his trans-Atlantic flight. The hotel remains popular with today's high-flyers from the worlds of business, politics, sports and entertainment.   For public information about The Garden City Hotel call (516) 747-3000.

ABOUT PREFERRED HOTELS & RESORTS (www.preferredhotels.com): Preferred Hotels & Resorts is the ultimate luxury collection, featuring more than 185 exceptional hotels and resorts in the most desirable locations around the world. A member of the Preferred Hotel Group family of brands, Preferred Hotels & Resorts celebrates the individuality of its properties and intuitively understands the preferences of its guests. Preferred Hotels & Resorts embrace award-winning Standards of Excellence™, an extensive quality assurance program that has been honored with the “Best Practices Champion Award” by Cornell University. For more than 40 years, the brand's legendary commitment to quality has ensured an unparalleled guest experience, from the very best amenities to superb service.

MEDIA CONTACT: Suzee Foster, WordHampton Public Relations suzee@wordhampton.com (631) 329-0050.