In November, the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism announced that Robert DeSalvio, executive VP of marketing at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, was voted Tourism Person of the Year by the 2005 Governor’s Conference on Culture and Tourism. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in communicating the economic and social importance of tourism in Connecticut.

The Hill Country Dining Room at Barton Creek Resort & Spa, Austin, has earned the AAA Four-Diamond rating, placing it among a coveted circle of Four- Diamond restaurants throughout the nation. Executive Chef Phil Bouza, who has been with Barton Creek Resort & Spa for 18 years, creates menus reflecting a fusion of cuisines, including Cajun, Southwestern, Mexican, and Asian. Chef Bouza rotates the menu based on seasonal ingredients, and maintains some of the restaurant’s favorites including toasted curry lobster soup, pan seared pheasant breast, and sesame seared tuna.

NINE THIRTY, W Hotel Los Angeles' signature restaurant, welcomes Jack Yoss as its new executive chef. “His insatiable appetite for creativity and inspiration coupled with drive and enthusiasm make him a perfect fit for this position,” says Alan Nathan, partner, Star Group Management. Yoss’ signature dishes include Steamed P.E.I. Mussels with Thai coconut curry, lemongrass, and grilled sesame bread; Crispy Confit Duck Leg with caramelized mission fig and slow cooked Swiss chard; Sweet Corn Bisque with dungeness crab, lemon mascarpone, and lobster tomato oil; and Seared Sonoma Foie Gras on a toasted brioche with fresh huckleberry compote, pistachio oil, and vanilla cognac foam.

Cioppino, the signature Tuscan-style restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne, was named to the November 2005 Esquire magazine “Best New Restaurants” list. Restaurant culinary critic John Mariani, who has compiled the annual list for the past 22 years, selects 20 new restaurants across the country to receive the accolade. Cioppino opened in March 2005 and has built a loyal following for its beautifully simple Tuscan cuisine and stunning surroundings overlooking the Atlantic. New menu items include Fettucine al Funghi Selvaticci, a wild mushroom fettucine with Fontina fondant; Linguine alla Buscara, a shrimp linguine with fresh tomatoes and rucula; and Ossobuco, a veal shank with saffron risotto.

The Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club, located in Durham, North Carolina, announced that its Fairview Dining Room chef de cuisine, Michael Gunyan, was awarded the National Trophy of Cuisine et Patisserie. Gunyan competed against numerous well-known chefs from across the country at the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo in Los Angeles in August and will represent the United States in the International Culinary and Pastry Trophy in Paris in November 2006. "I'll be training for a year," says Gunyan. "It's like the Olympics. It's not about the national competition; it's about getting to Athens." During the year, Gunyan will host Philippe Laurier, the corporate master pastry chef from the Academie de Culinaire de France, in the Inn's kitchen for some intense training lessons.

In October, the Boulder, Colorado tradition "Jazz on the Mezzanine" returned to the Hotel Boulderado. "Boulder is definitely a town made for music and musicians," says Tracey Kirk, assistant GM of the Hotel Boulderado. "Hotel Boulderado has been fortunate to have people like Harry Connick, Jr., Joe Jackson, and Robert Plant walking our halls and loosening up on our mezzanine piano before a big show." After a 10-year hiatus, visitors can once again listen to great music Wednesday evenings beneath the stained glass ceiling of the hotel's historic Mezzanine Lounge, with a full bar and a feast of appetizers.

In December, Nashville's Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center's A Country Christmas, presented by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, returned for its 22nd year. Headlining this world-famous holiday tradition was the return of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular presented by Allstate Insurace Company, starring the Radio City Rockettes. Also included in the year's offerings was the debut of the Pam Tillis Christmas Dinner Party, presented by Christie Cookies. The season's most beloved events returned including ICE! (larger than life ice sculptures), 2 million lights, and an outdoor nativity display.