A3 Chow 5th Gratitude Night

Some of the A3 Chow H-2B team from La Gorce and The Bath Club together with Mr. Chow and his wife, Aileen in the middle.

Last night, May The Fourth was with the A3 Chow team. We gathered every H-2B worker at the end of a long season, put them all in one room, and said, “we see you. We are grateful you are here.”

THEY CAME FROM FAR AWAY

Think about what it takes to be here.

These workers left their homes. They left Italy, Ecuador, left Mauritius, left places where the language is familiar, the food is comfortable, and the people know their names. They packed their suitcases, crossed an ocean, and showed up to work in one of the most demanding industries in the world, the American hospitality.

Mr. Chow giving speech recognition to all the staff

The hours are long. The pressure is always present. And no matter how many seasons you’ve done it, the distance from home never fully disappears.

A3 Chow CEO Edwin “Chow” Reganit knows this. He has watched these workers arrive nervous, find their footing, push through hard weeks, and finish strong…season after season. Last night, he stood in front of all of them and said something worth remembering,

“A3 Chow is here to give you opportunity. You can grow within the company-- but A3 Chow can also be a bridge, if you choose to take another path.”

And then he added, “To everyone who stays, there is something for you in the future.”

THREE PEOPLE WHO MADE EVERYONE BETTER

This year, A3 Chow introduced something new, the Awards of Excellence. Three recognitions for the workers whose names kept coming up when supervisors and peers were asked, who made a difference this season?

The Vanguard Award - Leadership & Initiative: Rolando Manalo

This award goes to someone who steps up before anyone asks. Who takes responsibility, leads by example, and moves the team forward not through words, but through action. That was Rolando.

The Pillar of Integrity Award - Honesty & Reliability: Lapulapu Sareno II

This award goes to someone who does the right thing even when no one is watching. Who earns trust quietly, steadily, day after day. That was Lapulapu.

Pinnacle Award - Highest Honor of the Night: Stewart Li Sun Voon

From Mauritius. Now one of the finest working chefs in Miami. This award is for someone who doesn’t just do their job well, they make everything around them better. Their attitude lifts the room. Their work sets the standard.

For Sareno, when he accepted his award, he said something that made the room go quiet. He talked about a time when he had nothing, and A3 Chow was there for him. He didn’t say much more than that. He teared up. That was enough.

All three winners, in their own words, said the same thing, “have patience. Do your best. Things get better with time.”

That is easy to say. It is something else entirely to live it and then stand up and mean it.

The Night Itself

After the awards, the room came alive.

Teams competed in a Team Showcase. From costumes, music, to performances that went far beyond what anyone expected from a two-minute slot. The energy was wild! The laughter was louder tho. And when it was all over, the Porto Vita team went home as the winners.

Mr. Chow then paused for the workers completing their full seasons. The ones who gave everything this summer and are now heading home. He acknowledged them personally. The raffle that followed made sure everyone left with something in their hands. Small gesture. Big meaning.

WHY THIS NIGHT EXISTS

A3 Chow could run this program without any of this.

The H-2B system does not require employers to gather their workers, give out awards, host performances, or hold a raffle. There is no form to file for “saying thank you.” It is completely optional.

A3 Chow does it anyway.

Because the belief at the center of this company is simple, the people who sacrifice the most deserve to be seen the most. They left something comfortable. They left something familiar. They left home to be here, to serve guests who will never fully know what it took to get to that table.

Last night, the H-2B workers (clearly, warmly, in front of everyone they worked alongside) were told that their patience was not wasted. That their sacrifice was not invisible. That the company they showed up for is proud to have them.

That is not a small thing.

That is, in fact, everything.