Mr. Florian Trento appointed Knight in the Order of Agricultural Merit
Mr Florian Trento, Group Executive Chef of The Peninsula, was bestowed with the award of Chevalier du Mérite Agricole at a private ceremony held at the Grande Dame on 2 February 2023.
The order of the “Mérite Agricole” is one of the most prestigious French distinctions, created in 1883 and recognising the expertise and the work in the fields of food, wine and hospitality. Prominent figures who have been awarded “Mérite Agricole” include Chief Operating Officer of The Peninsula Peter Camille Borer, researcher Louis Pasteur, King Charles III and actress Catherine Deneuve.
Speaking at the ceremony, Christile Drulhe, Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, said, “Chef Florian Trento has an outstanding history in promoting French haute cuisine and French gourmet products at The Peninsula Hong Kong, one of the very best temples of French food and wines in this city of connoisseurs. I am very happy to bestow upon Chef Trento the “Ordre du Mérite Agricole”, the highest official distinction for the promotion of French gastronomy abroad.”
Chef Trento said: “I am delighted and humbled to have been bestowed with the honour of Chevalier du Mérite Agricole, my thanks go to the French Government and Christile Drulhe, Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, for giving me this recognition. I am sharing this honour with The Peninsula family and The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited, of the past and present; as well as with all my friends and colleagues who were with me on this incredible journey of discovery. It is a lifelong learning journey, and there is much to be discovered!”
A Swiss national who completed his culinary training and apprenticeship in Switzerland, Chef Trento joined The Peninsula Hong Kong in 1987 and was appointed as Executive Chef in 1991, clocking up an impressive 36 years of services at the Grande Dame. Since 2013, he has held the title of Group Executive Chef, and currently oversees eight restaurants at The Peninsula Hong Kong and directs the overall culinary strategy for The Peninsula Hotels worldwide.