R I C K. C O R C O R A N
Interview} John Russo
Photographed by} John Russo
Produced by} Ken Waller
Location} Baccarat Hotel New York
JR: Can you give us a brief background on yourself and how you found your way to working at the property
RC:I have been working in this wonderful industry for over 30 years and come from humble beginnings as a line cook, which fueled my passion for everything culinary related. I was the Food and Beverage Director at the Fairmont San Francisco and Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, and Hotel Manager at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. I then went on to hold various General Manager positions with esteemed luxury hospitality brands in the United States, Canada and the Middle East. These include Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa and the Fairmont Hotel Dubai. Stateside, I helmed the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco. Immediately prior to becoming general manager of Baccarat Hotel New York, I was the general manager of 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge in New York City.
JR: Has your role been the same at the property, or have you worked in other roles at the company
RC: I joined Baccarat Hotel New York as general manager in July of 2023 and have remained working at the property in this capacity ever since. Before this, I was the General Manager of 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, which is indirectly part of the company as the management company for 1 Hotels – SH Group – also manages the Baccarat Hotel brand.
JR: Can you tell us the brand philosophy at Baccarat Hotels?
RC: When Baccarat Hotel New York opened in 2015, it reimagined the elegance and perfection of the legendary French crystal maker into a luxury lifestyle hospitality brand. The hotel’s mission is to offer perfection of service that matches Baccarat’s perfection in the production of crystal. To this end, this commitment to fine craftsmanship is woven into every element of service and design detail of the hotel.
JR: What makes the property different from staying at other City Properties in New York City?
RC: In New York City’s very competitive luxury hotel landscape, there is no shortage of world-class properties. But none are associated with a storied luxury brand like Baccarat, whose artisans have produced custom designs since King Louis XV founded the company in 1764. Our guests are surrounded by one of a kind artistic works, or pieces from Baccarat’s crystal factory, making the hotel as much a celebration as master craftsmanship as the Baccarat brand itself. This, combined with the highest level of personalized and caring service, creates a singular stay experience that cannot be replicated anywhere else.
JR: What about your property keeps guests returning for multiple stays?
RC: I truly feel that with our intimate footprint and size, we can achieve a very high level of personalization through caring, attentive service. We really get to know our guests and can gain an understanding of what we need to do to ensure they will return repeatedly. Baccarat Hotel is a true oasis for our guests, and we work very hard to maintain this. The design is impeccable, and the property’s layout is very conducive to exclusiveness, privacy, and feeling like a true home-away-home for our guests.
JR: We have stayed at the world’s top city hotels, and I must say your property exceeds expectations. How have you maintained such a high level of consistent perfection in an ever-changing hotel market? Is there a secret to your success?
RC: What we have done here is created this modern day ‘House of Baccarat’ – and taken this brand which has for centuries stood for perfection in crystal, and has never been compromised, and created its first luxury lifestyle hotel masterpiece. In this vein, we refer to our team members are service artisans who ensure that this commitment to fine craftsmanship is woven into every element of a guests stay. They consistently put forth all effort necessary to meet all our guests’ very particular requests and are constantly striving to anticipate their specific needs.
JR: Tell us about some of the unique curated experiences the property offers?
RC: The second level of the hotel houses our glamorous Grand Salon and chic Bar, which showcase the hotel’s stand-out food and beverage programming. Guests will enjoy menus curated by our two Michelin-starred Culinary Director Gabriel Kreuther, who works in partnership with Executive Chef Ashfer Biju, to curate our elevated all-day dining menu. A signature offering is our afternoon tea program, inspired by royalty figures who have storied histories with the Baccarat crystal brand. The hotel’s Bar, inspired by the stables of Versailles, showcases our hand-crafted cocktail program and world-class wine and champagne list. These sparkling dining and ‘cocktailing’ venues are a celebration of joie de vivre brought to life in part due to the sparkling crystal at every turn and an atmosphere of refined elegance. Beyond the hotel’s culinary operation, we offer guests the only La Mer branded spa in the United States. The adjacent indoor pool features private cabanas, which spa guests can enjoy spending in time before or after their treatment.
To learn more about Baccarat Hotel New York follow them @baccarathotel