Shanghai, Feb. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Celebrate the New Year with a custom Year of the Sheep latte. Le Méridien will once again let...guestsexperience the brand’s passion for destination-inspired culture. Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts’ first-ever global latte artist... Esther Maasdam Drawing inspiration from the Chinese zodiac sign — the sheep, and using expert latte art techniques, has exclusively created a Year of the Sheep latte. In February, ten Le Méridien hotels across China — located in Shanghai, Shanghai Sheshan, Qingdao, Zhengzhou, Yixing, Chongqing, Xiamen, Shimei Bay, Hong Kong, and Taipei — will also launch this special Year of the Sheep latte, sharing the joy of the Lunar New Year together.
Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts’ First Global Latte Artist Esther-Maasdam
“Inspiration Extraction”is a new year-long coffee initiative recently launched by Le Méridien to further enhance and solidify the brand’s coffee culture.Esther With her unique coffee art philosophy, she became the brand’s first global latte artist. As the four-time consecutive champion of the “Dutch Latte Art Pouring Championship,” Esther draws inspiration from Le Méridien destinations worldwide, collaborating with local Le Méridien coffee masters to design location-specific coffee recipes. This allows creatively minded guests to explore the world and uncover destinations through locally inspired coffee flavors. In her creation, Esther was deeply influenced by traditional Chinese culture and chose the sheep as the theme to convey Le Méridien’s innovative inspiration.
“Le Méridien, through its distinctive brand programs and culinary offerings, actively inspires innovative travelers to explore the world and discover destinations with an artistic perspective. For me, it’s an exciting and unique challenge to naturally integrate my latte art with the inspiration of travel,”，“Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts’ First Global Latte Artist Esther Maasdam said, “I also hope to wish everyone a Happy New Year with this Year of the Sheep exclusive latte!”
Making a shot of espresso is an art in itself, and latte art gives the coffee a new lease on life. Latte artists often require years of training and creative exploration to master the delicate techniques behind latte art. Two common methods are “free pour” (where the design is formed while pouring the milk foam) and “etching” (where details are drawn on the foam using a latte art tool after pouring the milk). For the Year of the Sheep latte, Esther combined both methods in her creative process:
Step 1: Free Pour
Brew a shot of espresso: Enjoy authentic illy coffee available at Le Méridien hotels around the world — a key part of preparing the Year of the Sheep latte. Use a steam wand to create rich and velvety milk foam, then gradually pour the main shape of the sheep.
Step 2: Etching
Esther uses a specialized etching tool to draw fine details like the sheep’s horns and body with a small amount of milk foam.
Step 3: Highlighting
After completing the details, the most important step is “highlighting.”
“Coffee and art are two core elements of Le Méridien’s inspired lobby. Latte art is the perfect way to combine them, fulfilling our promise to help creatively minded travelers explore the world and discover destinations,” said Brian Povinelli, Global Brand Leader for Le Méridien and Westin.
The unique concept of the Le Méridien Inspired Lobby was launched in 2011. Based on the brand’s award-winning arrival experience and coffee culture, it redefines the traditional hotel lobby as a social gathering space. The Le Méridien arrival experience consists of four elements: a prominent arrival artwork; a sensory experience created by the brand’s signature LM01 fragrance, music, and lighting; the UNLOCK ART® program, where guests can use artist-designed room keys to access partner contemporary art and cultural centers; and a specially curated 24-hour music playlist by a new wave band. Each Le Méridien Inspired Lobby will also feature a “coffee master.” This newly launched initiative meets the growing demand for coffee among Le Méridien guests. “Coffee masters” are knowledgeable about local coffee trends and lead the coffee scene at each hotel, serving as cultural ambassadors for coffee culture.
About Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts
Le Méridien is a Paris-born hotel brand. Since being acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) in November 2005, it now operates nearly 100 hotels in 40 countries and regions around the world. Over 80 of these hotels are located in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region, complementing Starwood’s primarily North American presence. Since then, Le Méridien has repositioned the brand, including large-scale product integration and a renewed brand strategy. Through the launch of the Le Méridien Artistic Community 100, the brand has transformed a series of guest experiences, creating unique interactive spaces and memorable encounters. Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts plans to significantly expand its portfolio over the next five years, focusing on the Asia-Pacific region and the United States. Recent openings include new hotels in Cairo, Bali, Atlanta, Dallas, Istanbul, Oran (Algeria), Zhengzhou (China), Arlington (Virginia, USA), and Santa Monica (California, USA). Within the next 12 months, new Le Méridien properties will open in Bangkok (Thailand), Chicago, New Orleans, Mahabaleshwar (India), Gujarat (India), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Tampa (Florida, USA), Charlotte (North Carolina, USA), and Indianapolis (Indiana, USA). For more information, visit www.lemeridien.com/cn.