Originally from Montreal and fluent in English and French, Maître Hôtelier David Connor has more than 30 years of hotel industry experience in North America.

In January 2017 David became the new Regional Vice-President - Eastern Canada for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts overseeing the group’s iconic hotel portfolio.

“I am delighted to be joining the Fairmont brand, well-known for its luxurious landmark properties especially in time to prepare the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth’s re-opening following its reinvention, thus guiding the hotel into an exciting new phase of its history,” says David. “As well, I look to working closely with the General Managers of Fairmont’s Eastern Canada region to ensure memorable experiences for our guests.”

David’s career highlights:
- Hotel Management degree from Montreal’s LaSalle College
- MBA, Concordia University
- Director, Total Quality Management and Manager of Le Centre Sheraton Montreal
- 2000 General Manager, Hilton Sonoma County, Santa Rosa
- 2002 General Manager, The Westin Calgary
- 2005 General Manager, The Westin Boston Waterfront
- 2013 Eastern Canada Area Managing Director, Starwood Hotels & Resorts
- 2017 VP Eastern Canada, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

Recently, David shared his thoughts on his culinary experiences.

Watching his father he learned to love cooking. Food and wine intrigues and interests him. David says that he really enjoys cooking for his family on weekends. At work, the Fairmont meeting planners offer exciting food events. He loves this approach which pushes creation of new concepts and presentation styles exceeding expectations.

David believes that rationale-type ovens are the biggest recent development in professional kitchens. Gaining flexibility by cooking with a mix of steam and heat, the ability to re-heat plates effectively and reduction of yield loss from meats have made a huge improvement in quality and costs.

The popularity of TV food shows has made guests much more food knowledgeable. David sees this change as exciting as it forces his culinary teams to develop new dishes and experience combining ingredients in new ways.

Last but not least, he had some important advice for young culinarians: regularly gain experience from multiple areas and other chefs; push beyond culinary comfort zone; gain exposure to differing styles early so expanding your horizon by developing an excellent foundation for your style.

Eric Jones
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