On 21 October, Victor Zagame Senior, patriarch of the Zagame Corporation, passed away peacefully surrounded by friends and family. He was 77 years of age.
Having opened the first Zgame’s hotel in 1971 – the Albion Charles Hotel – Victor was a bastion of the Victorian hotel and hospitality community. Since that first hotel, Victor and his family have grown the Zagame Corporation to include several award-winning hotels that were synonymous with family-friendly nights out and quality dining; and the Grand Hotel and Casino resort in Vanuatu.
Zagame Corporation released the following statement on Victor’s passing:
“Victor was a much loved husband, father, grandfather, father-in-law, mentor and friend to many industry professionals and an extremely well respected member of the community. He lived his life with passion, commitment and integrity, and who his contemporaries held in the highest regard.
“Victor was an innovator and leader in the Australian hotel and hospitality industries. What Victor Zagame began over 46 years ago, at The Albion Charles Hotel, became the Zagame Corporation – one of the Australian hotel and service industry’s most respected and well-known businesses.
“Victor’s dream to serve quality food at a good price, in elegant family-friendly surrounds, grew into a fully-fledged family, hospitality dynasty. This was a simple yet innovate idea at the time. It provided families with top quality food and great service in a beautifully designed environment that was otherwise unavailable at the time and an alternative to the dark, dingy corner pubs of Victoria’s suburbs. This soon became the standard that others around the country followed and continue to use today as the benchmark of quality. “
Victor is survived by his wife Toni and his children Marie, Victor Jnr, Nina, Robert Anthony and Dearna.
The team at Australian Hotelier and TheShout expresses its condolences to Victor’s family, friends and colleagues.