Hotels and resorts across the country have hired new F&B leaders in the last two weeks. Here are some of the appointments.
AC Hotel by Marriott Symphony Park and Element by Westin Symphony Park
Jackson-Shaw appoints Cesar Juarez as executive chef for its dual-branded AC Hotel by Marriott Symphony Park and Element by Westin Symphony Park in Las Vegas. Juarez began his career as a dishwasher, where he learned the value of hard work and teamwork in a professional kitchen.
His first cook position was at Bally’s Hotel at Burger Brasserie, where he worked alongside his brother Victor and began developing the culinary foundation that would shape his career. Today, Juarez serves as executive chef at the hotel, leading the kitchen team alongside his brother, who serves as executive sous chef.
Alfond Inn
The Alfond Inn at Rollins in Winter Park, Fla., appoints Marcus Henry as director of food and beverage. Henry brings more than a decade of experience in luxury hospitality, with leadership roles at globally recognized brands including The Ritz-Carlton Company, The Greenbrier, Thompson Dallas, and Wolfgang Puck Catering. Known for his energetic leadership style and focus on creating memorable guest experiences, he joins The Alfond Inn at Rollins at a moment of continued growth for the property’s culinary and hospitality programming.
In his new role, Henry will lead the Inn’s food and beverage operations while developing culinary programming and guest experiences that reflect the cultural character of Winter Park and the property’s longstanding relationship with Rollins College.
Carter Hospitality Group
Carter Hospitality Group has announced the addition of two accomplished hospitality leaders to its Temecula, Calif., properties – South Coast Winery Resort & Spa and Carter Estate Winery and Resort – appointing Anthony Bar as executive chef and Michael Cairns as director of food and beverage.
Bar will lead all culinary operations across the resorts’ dining programs, including the The Vineyard Rose Restaurant, in-room dining and customized on-site catering for meetings, weddings and special occasions. He will additionally oversee dining at poolside Vineyard Grill at South Coast’s sister property, Carter Estate Winery and Resort. A native of Lille, France, Bar brings more than 20 years of culinary experience spanning high-volume restaurants, luxury hospitality, wineries and large-scale event production. Trained in classical French techniques and known for blending modern culinary methods with locally sourced ingredients, Bar most recently served as executive chef of Newton’s Saddlerack in Texas.
Working closely with Bar, Cairns will direct day-to-day food and beverage operations across multiple outlets, including The Vineyard Rose Restaurant, tasting rooms, wine club experiences, pool cabanas and banquet operations at South Coast Winery Resort & Spa as well as the Vineyard Grill and the wine club and tasting rooms at Carter Estate Winery. Cairns brings more than 25 years of hospitality leadership experience across luxury resorts, private clubs and destination dining venues. Most recently, he served as director of food and beverage at Maui Country Club in Paia, Hawaii, where he oversaw all culinary, beverage and wine programs for one of the island’s premier private clubs.
Ellie Beach Resort
The Ellie Beach Resort, a new Tapestry Collection by Hilton property in Myrtle Beach, S.C., appoints Kaitlyn Lofgren as director of food and beverage. Lofgren oversees the resort’s full dining and bar portfolio, including Ocean Blue Restaurant & Lounge, the resort’s signature waterfront restaurant; Southern Tide Bar & Grill, a casual open-air spot offering coastal favorites and cocktails; The Market, a convenient grab-and-go option for snacks and beverages; and The Pool Bar, serving handcrafted cocktails and daily happy hour.
Lofgren brings nearly a decade of resort hospitality experience, advancing from front-line service roles to senior leadership positions. Most recently, she served as senior food and beverage manager at the 1,000-room Tradewinds Island Grand Resort in St. Pete Beach, where she oversaw three high-volume restaurants and bars generating multimillion-dollar annual revenues. Her responsibilities included financial forecasting, labor management, menu and beverage development, inventory controls and daily operations.
Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort & Villas
Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort & Villas, Palm Springs, Calif., appoints Joaquin Estolano as executive chef. In his new role, Estolano will oversee culinary operations across the resort’s multiple outlets while working alongside a tenured and talented food and beverage team, guiding a culinary vision driven by innovation and elevated experiences for both hotel guests and local visitors alike.
Estolano began his hospitality career with Hyatt 15 years ago at Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina in San Diego. He then spent the following years at Andaz West Hollywood before taking an executive sous chef role at Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort. Most recently, he served as executive chef during the opening of The Hyatt Regency Baytown-Houston, using his culinary ingenuity to establish the hotel’s food and beverage identity throughout its signature restaurant and convention spaces.
Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs
Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs in California appoints Joseph Min as director of food & beverage. Most recently, Min served as director of food and beverage at The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel in Huntington Beach, Calif., leading award-winning operations across multiple dining venues. He has also held senior positions at distinguished luxury properties throughout Southern California, including Terranea Resort, The Langham Huntington Pasadena, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, and the Forbes Five-Star Resort at Pelican Hill.
With an international hospitality background spanning seven countries, Min spent his formative years with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts in Beijing, Bangkok, Oman, Dubai and Myanmar. He has also played key roles in opening several hotels and restaurants worldwide.
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, an oceanfront resort on Hawai‘i Island’s Kohala Coast, appoints Miguel Soto as chef de cuisine of Hau Tree Cantina, a re-concepting of the resort’s beachfront dining venue overlooking Kaunaʻoa Bay.
Soto brings extensive culinary experience to Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, most recently serving as sous chef at Four Seasons Resort Hualālai, where he played a key role in the opening of the resort’s newly remodeled flagship restaurant, ‘Ulu. As chef de cuisine of Hau Tree, Soto will oversee all culinary operations, including menu development, food quality and consistency, cost management and team leadership.
Mauna Lani, Auberge Collection
Mauna Lani, Auberge Collection appoints Ross Kilkenny as culinary director of its food and beverage program on the Kohala Coast, Hawai'i. With over 22 years of experience across the West Coast, Kilkenny brings refined expertise to his new role leading the resort’s established culinary scene.
A seasoned Auberge Collection professional, Kilkenny served as executive chef at Hotel Jerome in Aspen since 2022, and at Calistoga Ranch during its most transformative period in 2017 and 2018. His experience with Auberge Collection, as well as multiple restaurants and hotels–including The Ritz-Carlton and Hyatt Regency–propelled his career through owning menu design, prioritizing local and seasonal ingredients, and entrepreneuring his own business, Kilkenny Kitchen.
Noun Hotel
Noun Hotel appoints Drew Gallegos as the new director of food and beverage. Gallegos brings over three decades of hospitality leadership experience with a track record of operational excellence and a strong commitment to guest satisfaction. He joins the team from Wingers Restaurant & Alehouse, where he held the position of general manager, overseeing all food and beverage operations, driving revenue growth and leading high-performing teams.
Over the course of his career, Gallegos has held a range of leadership roles including executive chef, culinary director, beverage director, and food & beverage director. These roles have allowed him to develop a well-rounded expertise in both the culinary and operational sides of hospitality, from menu development and concept creation to team leadership, financial performance, and brand growth.
The Quail
The Quail, a resort in Carmel Valley, Calif., appoints Brandon Bollenbacher as executive chef. Overseeing all culinary operations at The Quail Lodge and Clubhouse, Bollenbacher brings more than 15 years of global luxury hospitality experience to the property’s dining outlets, banquets, and special events programming.
A Central California native and graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, Bollenbacher returns to the region with a background spanning boutique international resorts and high-performing domestic properties. Most recently, he served as executive chef at Vespera Resort in Pismo Beach, where he led culinary strategy and operations. Before that role, he helmed kitchens throughout Hawaii and the Western U.S.
Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa
Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa, Paradise Valley, Ariz., appoints three leaders within its food and beverage program: Richard Wiggins as executive chef, Daniel Weber as executive sous chef and Said Nuri as director of food and beverage.
Bringing more than two decades of culinary leadership across luxury hotels, resorts, and restaurant concepts, Wiggins joins Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa with a reputation for operational excellence and innovative menu development. Most recently serving as executive chef at the Arizona Biltmore, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, Wiggins led culinary operations, cultivating a high-performance kitchen culture. His experience also includes leadership roles across Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Marriott International, where he drove concept development, large-scale operations, and team transformation initiatives.
Originally from Kansas, Weber discovered his love for cooking in an Italian restaurant in St. Louis, where he developed a strong foundation rooted in precision and technique. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, his career has spanned notable destinations including Walt Disney World, Bay Hill Country Club, where he cooked for Arnold Palmer, and Four Seasons Resort Orlando, along with leadership roles at The Current Hotel in Tampa and Southbound in Richmond.
Most recently at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, Nuri oversaw food and beverage operations across 24 outlets within a 975-room resort, leading a team of more than 800 staff. His career also includes leadership roles at Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort and The Ritz-Carlton, where he managed multi-outlet operations spanning restaurants, bars, and in-room dining. At Sanctuary, Nuri will oversee all food and beverage operations, enhancing service standards and ensuring a seamless and exceptional dining experience across the property.
Virgin Hotels New Orleans
Virgin Hotels New Orleans appoints Jamie Dumas as director of food and beverage, bringing more than 25 years of international hospitality leadership across luxury hotel and multi-venue dining operations to the downtown New Orleans property. In his new role, Dumas will oversee all food and beverage operations across the property, including restaurant and bar programming, in-room dining, banquets and events, and overall service standards.
Dumas most recently served as director of food and beverage at Mandarin Oriental Mayfair in London, where he led the pre-opening and ongoing operations of four venues, in-room dining, banqueting, and multiple revenue centers. During his tenure, he recruited, trained, and led a team of more than 120 colleagues while establishing comprehensive operating procedures and training programs. Prior to his time in London, Dumas held leadership roles in Las Vegas and has consulted on luxury hotel openings internationally, including projects at One&Only Moonlight Basin and W Toronto.