.JPG)
Gregoria Cabrera, Palace Hotel
From the day she started as a dishwasher in the Palace kitchen nearly 20 years ago, and each day thereafter, Gregoria Cabrera has been a consistent force of positive energy. Working her way up to Stewarding Supervisor in 2005, with a stop Front of the House as a Restaurant Busser, this hardworking lady never lets her commitment or her smile fade. Some “all in a day’s work” exploits especially noted by her colleagues include retrieving four heirloom rings a guest put in a glass and then accidently put on a room service tray. As expected, the rings were unnoticed as the dirty dishes made their way back to the kitchen. The next day, the guest, hoping for a miracle, called Lost and Found to learn that, no: No rings turned in. Gregoria learned of this and proceeded to the trash and recycling containers, spending hours looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Amazingly, Gregoria found all four rings, returned them to the guest and asked, “what’s next?” That might have been the time she had to change pace to warp speed to completely overhaul a guest event from plated dessert to dessert buffet 45 minutes before the event was to begin. Working with the Banquet Department and the Pastry Kitchen to see what was needed, she pulled it all together. Take a bow, Gregoria!