Hyatt welcomes new executive chef, plus a new F&B director

Hyatt Regency Saipan Food and Beverage director Hani Min, left, and executive chef Matteo Fracalossi welcome guests at Giovanni’s Restaurant. (Mark Rabago)

Hyatt Regency Saipan recently welcomed a new Food and Beverage director and executive chef as the islands’ tourism industry continues to rebound with the return of tourists. 

Hani Min is the new F&B director at the landmark Garapan  hotel, while Matteo Fracalossi is Hyatt Regency Saipan’s new executive chef. 

Min, who arrived on island two weeks ago, is optimistic that the islands’ first brand hotel will be perfectly positioned to welcome returning tourists.

“In Korea there’s no more COVID-19. Things are picking up here on Saipan. I’ve seen a lot of promotions going on [in Korea] to Guam and Saipan,” she said.

The former fashion model said she and Fracalossi are also excited to revamp Hyatt Regency Saipan’s food offerings in the coming months. 

“Together with chef Matteo, we’re reviewing everything that we’re offering in the hotel. We will have more Italian food at Giovanni’s and it’s already happening,” she said.

Under her baton, Min promises that there will also be more F&B activities. For example, she said they will have a big Halloween costume party on Oct. 31 and promised monthly F&B activities after that

Min began her Hyatt journey as F&B marketing manager at Hyatt Grand Seoul in 2016. Before joining Hyatt Grand Seoul, Min studied and worked in France for over six years. She returned to Seoul to pursue her career in the events industry as Sales and Marketing director for HSK Events until the end of 2015.

Min holds a bachelor’s degree in international management at Kyunghee University and a master’s degree in fashion, marketing, and management in Mod’Spe in Paris.

Fracalossi, who had already worked in four countries before landing on Saipan, said he’s looking forward to his next adventure on the island.

“It will be a different experience. Each country has its own story and its own culture. We’re looking to do something nice and understand the people and what’s going on,” he said. 

This native of Trento, Italy admitted that the pandemic has thrown a curveball on how the food industry normally does things. “After the pandemic everything will be changed. There will be a lot of difference. Also coming from a big city to an island, you should really change your mentality and the work mindset.”

So far, Fracalossi likes what he sees in his new home at Hyatt Regency Saipan.

“[I’ve] already been here three weeks and the staff is very nice and very interested to learn something different. I’m Italian so I’m not saying I’m very good but I know Italian food and I know how to make it. …Italian food is about taste, it’s pure taste. Normally Italian food is simple but it doesn’t mean it’s simple, it’s easy to make it,” he said.

Fracalossi is also excited to see what kind of ingredients are available from the local markets.

“[I’m] really interested to see what’s in the market,” he said, adding that he’s willing to use local produce and see what’s suitable to use in his kitchen.

Fracalossi brings with him 24 years of culinary experience. He began his career in the culinary field at a young age in Trento, Italy.

In 2013, he started going international as executive chef in Moscow at the Restaurant Amarsu and later ventured to Banana Island Resort as an Italian chef in Doha, Qatar.

He started his Hyatt journey in 2016 at Park Hyatt Saigon, Vietnam as chef de cuisine at Opera Restaurant. In 2019, he became executive chef at the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.