Pilar Guzmán, Editor-in-Chief of Condé Nast Traveler and General Manager Pierre Jochem of the iconic La Mamounia hotel in Marrakech hosted an exclusive dinner on Tuesday, May 15th at L’Appart (Chef’s Table at Le District) in Brookfield Place, New York.  Pilar welcomed her glamorous guests with a toast, “For those properties, like La Mamounia, and restaurants – and those expressions of place who really deliver on the authenticity, the culture, and the feeling of being there, La Mamounia is the absolute nes plus ultra of Marrakech.”

After the first divine course of Moroccan Salads and Squab Pastilla, Pilar sang the praises of La Mamounia and how incredibly special the hotel is – and how it is exactly the type of luxury destination her Conde Nast Traveler readers are looking to experience. Following her speech, General Manager of La Mamounia, Pierre Jochem, spoke sharing with the group that the hotel is celebrating it’s 95th year (opened in 1923) and that the team had just to flown from Madrid to New York after accepting the award for the Best Urban Hotel in the World by Conde Nast Traveler Spain.

For the VIP event, La Mamounia pulled out all the stops – including flying over their dream team of executive chefs, master sommelier, staff uniforms, magnums of Icone Moroccan wine, dishes, tagines, glassware, table cloths, napkins – the works! As guests arrived, they were greeted with the signature intoxicating scent of La Mamounia, which includes notes of citrus elements and woody Atlas cedar.

Guests indulged in the traditional five-course family style Moroccan feast, which included a Lobster Tagine with chickpea and potatoes, and Lamb Shank Confit with saffron, cumin, and vegetable couscous.

Following dinner, guests were served an assortment of hand made Moroccan pastries with traditional mint tea, and were gifted with the covetable plush spa bathrobes from the hotel. Guests at the event included: Pilar Guzmán, Pierre Jochem, Colin Cowie, Melanie Brandman, Athena Calderone, Amanda Brooks, Scott Schuman, Laurie Cole, Paul Brady, Yolanda Edwards, Nilou Motamed, Denys Courtier, Lamia El Ghorfi, and Mounia Mechbal.