Soul of Sanya

"Nothing Ordinary" Food and Wine Festival in Sanya presents a contemporary dining extravaganza of authentic French, Italian, Vietnamese, South American and Chinese fare.[Photo provided to China Daily]

His multinational working experience has given him a clear understanding of what international and local chefs think, which is valuable as he leads his culinary team－180 people from 17 countries－to meet expectations. Besides training the kitchen crews and making innovations to the menus, he tries to use local ingredients, even growing spices at the hotel.

He also promotes partnerships between Chinese chefs and Western chefs, a cultural melding that has produced successful ideas such as foie gras dumplings and popsicles made with local fruit juices.

Led by Jimenez and the management, the hotel recently held Sanya's first gourmet event that featured seven international celebrity chefs, such as Xavier Salomon, a California-based French chef crowned the title Maitre Cuisinier de France (French Master Chef), and William Werner, an American chef celebrated for his pastry kitchen Craftsman and Wolves in San Francisco.