Mandarin Oriental's 'Year Of The Snake' Celebration Doubles As New GM/Executive Chef Welcome

SOUTHWEST -- With all of the signature touches one would expect from one of the District's most prestigious hotels, the Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. hosted a blowout bash on Tuesday to commemorate the start of the Chinese New Year.

Beyond feting the introduction of a new animal zodiac, yesterday's early evening reception served double-duty as a coming out party of sorts for the property's newly welcomed General Manager, Adriaan Radder, and Executive Chef, Didier Pouzier.

And both were on-hand with smiles on their faces at last night's private 'Year of the Snake' affair, which was beautifully and imaginatively planned by D.C.-based Events by Andre Wells.

Equal parts work and revelry for Pouzier, the Lyon, France native presided over a sumptuous buffet spread for guests that boasted everything from Peking duck to stir fried beef to steamed snapper to a dim sum buffet.

Attendees washed down such savory fare with tall cuvees of sparkling wine or, for the more adventurous, chilled glasses of a specially prepared 'Snake Bite' cocktail (orchid-oolong infused simple syrup, cranberry juice, fresh squeezed lemon, vodka, triple sec, with a lemon twist).

Entertainment ran the gamut from an authentic quintet of Chinese musicians, which greeted guests inside the hotel's soaring lobby upon arrival, to a traditional lion dance that snaked (get it?) its way throughout both the Empress Lounge and Sou'Wester restaurant.

Radder arrived at the southwest waterfront situated property back in September from North Carolina's Ballantyne Hotel, although he had previously spent a fair amount of time in the District while overseeing all four area Ritz-Carlton hotels.

Chef Pouzier boasts an equally impressive resume, with a career that spans more than two decades in the restaurant industry, including a stint alongside celebrated French chef Paul Bocuse. Most recently, he served as the Executive Chef for the Mandarin Oriental's Miami outpost.