Because of a fruitful profession in regulation, Wong had the chance to journey all through the globe over the span of a decade and was uncovered to many various cultures and experiences alongside the best way that helped her carry to life what The Roundtree is at this time. We had the prospect to be taught extra about Wong’s lawyer-turned-hotelier background and the way she’s woven her Chinese language background into the lodge’s magic, from its culinary choices to particular occasions.
How Wong has woven her background into the inspiration of her enterprise
Though you is likely to be fooled in any other case—due to the impeccable lodge she operates at this time—Wong didn’t come from a background in hospitality, per se. “Changing into a hotelier is an entire departure from what most of my skilled profession has regarded like. I studied regulation at New York College,” Wong says.
To that finish, Wong says that she discovered so much about how you can run a successful hospitality business whereas touring all over the world. “After working at a regulation agency in New York Metropolis for a number of years, I joined a know-how agency and was primarily based in Asia for about 10 years. I used to be answerable for the authorized affairs of its rising markets enterprise, so I spent lots of time touring in Asia, Latin America, Japanese Europe, and Africa. That was an unimaginable expertise, professionally,” Wong says. “On a private stage, with the ability to dwell and work throughout the globe suits my curiosity completely. I’ve all the time loved touring.”
Associated Tales
What’s extra, her ardour and curiosity for cultures all over the world is what impressed her core values in her enterprise at this time. “Due to these travels, it’s helped to border up the creation and expertise that’s delivered at The Roundtree, from the design aesthetic right down to the service,” Wong says. Since her ardour for hospitality and design impressed the lodge, she notes that each final element displays her values and experiences. “The property’s ethos is 100% related to my roots.”
One such manner was the lodge’s Lunar New 12 months celebrations, which featured culinary applications with Asian American restaurateurs and “fastidiously chosen design components,” Wong says. “This previous yr, we excitedly added Lunar New 12 months celebrations inside our first-ever culinary sequence that occurred within the winter.” The celebrations included the Savor the Hamptons sequence, which introduced a various group of cooks from New York Metropolis for weekend residencies for visitors to expertise unique food-focused applications.
“For the Lunar New 12 months, we hosted a standard expertise at our Seaside Home. It spotlighted the vacation’s traditional traditions, supplied a dumpling-making alternative for visitors, allow them to pattern a wide range of completely different conventional meals, and luxuriate in conventional tea,” Wong says.
What’s in retailer on the lodge subsequent?
Going into its third yr of operation, Wong says the applications and revolutionary methods she will weave her cultural ties are nonetheless evolving. “As of proper now, we’re a lot within the planning strategy of our upcoming programming,” she says. Whereas she’s within the improvement course of, Wong hopes to recreate the success of the winter-timed Savor the Hamptons culinary sequence they hosted earlier this yr. “Particularly, we’re excited to spotlight feminine culinary leaders and hospitality innovators this yr, and I am wanting ahead to partnering with a various vary of cooks. Each taste, delicacies, and type of consolation meals has a spot at our desk,” she says.
“Particularly, we’re excited to spotlight feminine culinary leaders and hospitality innovators this yr, and I am wanting ahead to partnering with a various vary of cooks. Each taste, delicacies, and type of consolation meals has a spot at our desk,”—Sylvia Wong, founder, The Roundtree, Amagansett
The core of her operation, nevertheless? Her visitors, which is why Wong welcomes any and all suggestions from those that keep on the lodge to reinforce their expertise additional. “From the day The Roundtree opened its doorways to welcome its first visitors three years in the past, we’ve got been blessed to have acquired constant suggestions from our visitors in regards to the understated luxurious and serenity of the property and the bespoke service they acquired. We’re thrilled as we got down to create a stupendous place the place our visitors would really feel like it’s their second residence,” Wong says.
