A variety of hotels and resorts have made various food and beverage appointments over the past two weeks. Here's the ones to know.
Amway Grand Plaza
Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton updates its food and beverage team. The three appointments and promotions include director of food & beverage Pete Jones; executive chef Ricky Lund; and assistant director of food & beverage Jill Martir.
Jones has more than 20 years of international front-of-house hospitality experience across Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond luxury hotels. Jones will oversee the Amway Grand Plaza’s nine bars and restaurants, and banquet operations, while driving strategy, innovation, and guest engagement. His career leadership roles have included serving as the director of food & beverage at The Royal Sonesta and The Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans, Silversands Grenada, and Park Hyatt St. Kitts.
Lund will lead menu development, kitchen operations and the overall culinary direction of the property’s full restaurant and bar portfolio as well as its catering program. During his previous tenure as the hotel’s executive sous chef, Lund has transformed the hotel’s culinary programs, supporting menu innovation, operational improvements and high-quality guest experiences.
After six years of leading multiple restaurants at the Amway Grand Plaza, Martir has been promoted to assistant director of food & beverage. Martir most recently served as general manager of Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Lumber Baron Bar, where she directed scheduling, staff management, inventory and cost control, budgeting, private dining sales and day-to-day operations.
Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino
Ruthline Theysen appoints complex director of food & beverage at Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino. She will oversee all food and beverage operations across the complex, leading a team of more than 500 associates across 15 restaurants and bars, banquets, events, culinary and in-room dining. Her focus will center on driving strategic initiatives, enhancing service standards, and elevating the guest dining experience throughout the resort.
Theysen previously served as acting complex director of food & beverage and held the position of complex director of human resources since 2014.
Birdwood Mansion
Charlottesville, VA (September 24, 2025) – Birdwood Mansion, Charlottesville, Va., appoints of head chef Joel Myers. Myers will oversee all culinary operations of the Mansion, particularly spearheading the culinary program that will be showcased in The Dining Room, the forthcoming 42-seat signature restaurant.
With 15 years of experience, Myers most recently executive chef of Ciao Vino Ristorante in Las Vegas. He also was sous chef at Vetri Cucina Philadelphia.
Conrad New York Downtown
Conrad New York Downtown appoints Christopher Skarstrom as the executive chef. Skarstrom brings three decades of culinary expertise to the property's food and beverage offerings.
Skarstrom joins the hotel from Tempo by Hilton New York Times Square, where he played a key role in the opening of Hilton’s first Tempo by Hilton location. During his tenure at the hotel, he developed menus and kitchen systems for the 663-room property, trained and developed sous chefs and line cooks, and oversaw restaurant buyouts.
El Encanto
El Encanto, Santa Barbara, Calif., appoints Joel Viehland as executive Cchef. In his role, Viehland oversees all of the hotel’s culinary experiences, including The Dining Room and Terrace.
Viehland studied at Johnson & Wales University before training with Tom Colicchio at Gramercy Tavern and Katy Sparks at Quilty’s in New York. He later cooked in New Orleans with Donald Link, Emeril Lagasse and Susan Spicer, and spent a formative period at René Redzepi’s Noma in Copenhagen.
Espacio The Jewel of Waikiki
Espacio The Jewel of Waikiki, Honolulu, appoints Sonja Oliveri as pastry chef. Oliveri has nearly three decades of experience in luxury hospitality and high-end pastry arts.
A German native and longtime Hawaii resident, Oliveri has lived in Hawaii for 21 years, elevating pastry programs at some of Oahu resorts such as The Kahala Hotel & Resort and The Moana Surfrider Hotel.
Fontainebleau Miami Beach
Fontainebleau Miami Beach names Andrew Zarzosa as executive director of culinary. With over 25 years of experience in the hospitality and food and beverage industries, Zarzosa oversees Fontainebleau Miami Beach’s culinary operations.
Prior to joining Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Zarzosa served as the director of culinary for the Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts as part of the opening team in Fort Lauderdale and assisting with other properties such as Beverly Wilshire Beverly Hills, The Ocean Club Bahamas, and the Four Seasons Hotel New York, Miami, and Philadelphia. Zarzosa’s international experience includes leadership positions at Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts in Malaysia and the Philippines, as well as serving as the executive chef at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in Jakarta, Indonesia, and executive chef for The Address Hotels + Resorts in Dubai.
Meritage Resort and Spa
The Meritage Resort and Spa adds Nicole Heaney as chef de cuisine of Ember Steak, Napa Valley’s steakhouse.
Heaney honed her craft at luxury resorts like L’Auberge de Sedona before moving to California, where she trained under renowned chefs and held key roles at properties including Carmel Valley Ranch, Carneros Resort, and most recently Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch.
Oceana Santa Monica
Michelle Hacker is appointed general manager of soon-to-open La Monique at Oceana Santa Monica. With nearly a decade of hospitality experience, Hacker joins La Monique from h.wood Group, where she oversaw operations as general manager, developing training programs, elevating service standards and driving profitability through strategic financial and operational oversight.
Prior to, Hacker was the floor manager at Tap 42 Sports Bar where she refined her expertise in customer satisfaction and inventory management.
Surf & Sand Laguna Beach
Surf & Sand Laguna Beach, Laguna Beach, Calif., appoints Peter Lai as executive chef of Splashes. Lai has more than 20 years of experience across Southern California’s restaurants such as The Blind Rabbit, The Iron Press at the Anaheim Packing House, Water Grill at South Coast Plaza, and Bourbon Steak at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach.
Corporate executive chef Ron Fougeray will continue to oversee the entire resort's award-winning culinary program.