Tastings: Hotel F&B News By Michael Costa The Circular Dining Room, Hotel Hershey
Chef Peter Gamble
Remembering Peter Gamble
Chef Peter Gamble, executive chef at the award-winning Buena Vista Palace
Hotel & Spa in the Walt Disney World Resort and LXR Luxury Resorts’ area
chef for central Florida, died unexpectedly on June 29, 2008, in Tampa, Florida.
A CIA graduate, Gamble previously worked as the executive chef at the New
York Hilton and Adolphus Hotel in Dallas. He also worked as a chef at various casinos and entered
the business at age 12, working for a caterer.
“Peter Gamble inspired everyone to become better,” says Doug Zeif, VP of F&B Hilton–Americas
[formerly VP of F&B, LXR]. “He was a willing participant, one who embraced thoughts and ideas other
than his own, yet made them his own. Peter made me proud, both of his ability to accomplish our
shared mission and to know him as a human being. He was an incredible single parent. He balanced
both sides of the ledger and took great care of his two sons, who adored him.
“Peter was a big man with a huge heart. His best years were still in front of him. We will never forget or
replace Peter Gamble. We will grieve and find a place to put this grief, but he will always be with us.”
Domestic
John Degnan
John Degnan is the new director of F&B at Hotel ICON in Houston. Degnan brings two decades of luxury hospitality management and culinary experience to his position. He was most recently the F&B director at Hualalai Resort on the Kona-Kohala Coast of West Hawaii ...
Chef Jamison
The Sheraton Atlanta Hotel has named Steven Jamison as its new executive chef. Jamison has nearly 20 years of culinary experience and has worked with a range of cuisines, including Asian-Fusion, Caribbean, Cajun-Creole, Italian, French, Southwestern, and California seasonal. He comes to the 760-room property from Wyndham Orlando Resort, where he was the executive chef...
Chef Santiago
Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six Resort & Spa, an LXR Luxury Resorts & Hotels property in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has hired Miguel Santiago to be its executive chef. Santiago has more than 10 years of culinary experience and was most recently the executive sous chef at Acqualina Resort & Spa in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida ...
Chef Marquez
Felipe Marquez has been named executive chef at the Laurel Marriott in Mt. Laurel,
New Jersey. A graduate of Johnson & Wales University, Marquez was most recently
executive chef at the Park Ridge Marriott in Park Ridge, New Jersey...
Chef Jean-Louis
Royal Plaza Hotel at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, has named Jean-Louis as director of culinary for the property. He brings more than 30 years of experience to the resort and is a seven-time champion of Orlando’s largest food fair, the Bacchus Bash, where he is known for his signature dessert, Bananas Foster...
Chef May
Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa & Casino has appointed Mark May as the chef de cuisine of the resort’s Lone Eagle Grille. May brings more than two decades of global culinary experience to the property, working at Arizona’s L’Auberge de Sedona, Japan’s Restaurant Vingt-Cinq, New York’s La Colombe d’Or, and Monte Carlo’s La Salière and Louis XV...
Philippe Larrieu
Philippe Larrieu is the new director of F&B at Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley in East Palo Alto, California. Larrieu has more than 24 years of hospitality experience, working at Four Seasons Resort Great Exuma, Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Four Seasons Resort Nevis, and Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. Most recently, Larrieu was the director of F&B at the Delano Hotel in South Beach Miami...
Benjamin Bope
Benjamin Bope has joined the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in Nashville as catering and conference sales manager. Bope previously worked in food and beverage leadership roles at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Amelia Island, Florida, and Loews Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort...
Eric Laslow is the new executive chef of the Blue Heron Restaurant at Sunrise Springs Resort Spa in Santa Fe. Laslow comes to Sunrise Springs from Portland, Oregon, where he was the chef/owner of Laslow’s Broadway Bistro, Malanga Cucina Cubana, and Laslow’s Northwest...
The Circular Dining Room at the Hotel Hershey in Hershey, Pennsylvania, has won an Achievement of Distinction in Dining award from the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA). The Circular Dining Room is one of only six restaurants in Pennsylvania and 179 restaurants in the United States to win a DiRoNA award...
Chef Brand
The Watermark Hotel & Spa and companion property Omni La Mansión del Rio have appointed John Brand as executive chef at both San Antonio, Texas, hotels. Brand, who most recently served as chef de cuisine of Charles Court at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, will oversee Las Canarias restaurant at La Mansión del Rio and Pesca on the River at Watermark...
Rob Alexandre
The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida, has promoted Rob Alexandre to assistant GM of F&B. Alexandre will oversee all food and beverage operations at the hotel, including the new American grill restaurant, 500 South. Alexandre was previously the property’s assistant GM of the rooms division...
John Reecher
The Gasparilla Inn & Club in Boca Grande, Florida, has hired Jon Reecher as director of food and beverage. Reecher comes from the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, where he was director of catering...
Hotel Indigo Boston-Newton Riverside is serving “steak with attitude” at the new
BOKX 109 steakhouse. Executive Chef Evan Percoco’s menu features dishes such as Deconstructed Prime Ribeye 109 and Roasted Razor Clams with Chorizo, Peas, Garlic, and White Wine Cinnamon Basil. The restaurant features an eight-seat
chef’s table, three private dining rooms, and the BOKX Bar lounge...
International
InterContinental Hanoi Westlake has opened Milan Saigon, which it calls “the country’s first upscale Italian restaurant.” Executive Chef Paolo Zambrano explores a variety of Italian classics on his menu as well as specialty dishes, such as Pappardelle Al Ragu D’Anatra and Gnocchi di Patate...
Steve Marie has been named F&B manager at the Hilton Arc de Triomphe Paris hotel. Marie was most recently the restaurant manager at Kong in Paris and has held positions at other Paris restaurants, including La Gare and L’Oliveraie...
Aqua Cancun Resort Hotel has opened the AKA Wine & Mezcal Bar, featuring a wine list and signature handcrafted cocktails created by Steve Olson, aka Wine Geek. The wine list features 200 different labels, including a large selection of Mexican wines, plus 60 tequilas and mezcals, available in flights....
