Hotels and resorts across the U.S. have appointed new food and beverage leaders over the past two weeks.
C Lazy U Ranch
C Lazy U Ranch, Granby, Colo., adds executive chef Ulises Salas, who brings with him nearly two decades of culinary and hospitality experience garnered from prominent establishments including The Broadmoor, Hotel Jerome in Aspen, and Gravity Haus’ Slope Room in Vail.
Caribe Royale Orlando Resort
Caribe Royale Orlando Resort names Luciano Sperduto as its director of food and beverage to oversee culinary operations, banquets operations, menu development, service standards and all dining experiences across the reimagined property.
Sperduto began his career at the Sheraton Boston. He then moved to the Sheraton Newton and opened Our Lucaya Grand Bahama Island and The Westin Charlotte. Following his time there, he relocated to Orlando, where he assumed the role of opening restaurant manager of Todd English’s bluezoo at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, and steadily advanced to general manager, director of restaurants and assistant director of food and beverage. For the past five years, Sperduto was the director of food and beverage for Walt Disney World Swan, Walt Disney World Dolphin and Walt Disney World Swan Reserve.
Clift Royal Sonesta
Clift Royal Sonesta appoints Christopher House as the new executive sous chef of The Redwood Room. House has more than 30 years of culinary experience, having worked at The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco, The Phoenician Scottsdale, Carmel Valley Ranch Monterey, and various hotels in Las Vegas.
A graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, House also holds a degree in small business management and has served in the United States Marine Corps.
Four Seasons Hotel Miami
Edouard Deplus joins Four Seasons Hotel Miami as executive chef, overseeing the hotel’s rooftop Edge Brasserie and Cocktail Bar and poolside restaurant Bahía as well as special events and in-room dining.
After a promising start in Paris alongside Michelin-starred Yannick Alleno at Le Meurice and several renowned Parisian brasseries, Deplus’ passion for travel and exploration took him to Australia, where he worked with Philippe Mouchel, known as Australia’s favorite French chef. His culinary journey continued back to Europe, with time at La Dama in Barcelona and Maison Nô in Lyon, before his adventurous spirit led him to French Polynesia, then the Maldives, marking his first tenure with Four Seasons.
Hotel 1000
Chef James Cassidy joins All Water Seafood & Oyster Bar as its new executive chef, elevating the dining experience at Hotel 1000, LXR Hotels & Resorts, located near the Seattle Waterfront and Pike Place Market. In addition to leading All Water Seafood & Oyster Bar, Cassidy also oversees culinary operations for the 120-room boutique hotel, Rosebay, banquets and catering, and in-room dining.
Cassidy’s career includes executive chef positions at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore and Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, culminating in his role as opening executive chef at Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica. There, his exceptional leadership led to expanded responsibilities as director of food and beverage and club manager during his decade-plus tenure.
Hotel Granada
Hotel Granada, the boutique hotel by Aparium Hotel Group opening this month in Midtown Atlanta, adds to its executive leadership team: Jaime Cubias as executive chef and Rae Doyle as director of food and beverage.
Born in San Salvador and raised in Miami, Cubias began his career at The Four Seasons Anguilla then The Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City, followed by prominent establishments in Atlanta like The Optimist, Waldorf Astoria and Mandarin Oriental.
Doyle started as F&B manager at Hilton Des Moines, refined her skills as a bartender at the intimate cocktail bar The Bartender’s Handshake, and later took on the roles of beverage director and marketing manager at RoCA. Following a stint as a freelance restaurant consultant, she joined Aparium Hotel Group team as the director of food and beverage for Des Moines’ Surety Hotel in 2022.
InterContinental Cleveland
InterContinental Cleveland adds cluster executive chef Omar Jones. Jones started as a butcher at the InterContinental Hotel Cleveland in 2003. As the current cluster executive chef, Jones oversees the hotel’s 35,000 square feet of meeting and event space and the on-site restaurants, Table 45 and North Coast Café, as well as C2 Restaurant Bar & Lounge located within the InterContinental Suites. He has earned the prestigious title of “Ohio Manager of the Year” in 2021 from the Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association.
The hotel also promoted Thomas Francescangeli to executive pastry chef. He joined the InterContinental Cleveland in 2010 where he joined the team as a pastry cook. From there, he briefly moved to South Korea to teach English for the next three years, and moved back home to continue his career in pastry. His diverse professional background, including experiences in architecture studios, kitchens and classrooms, has significantly impacted his work ethic and philosophy.
Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection
CanoeHouse at Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection adds Rhoda Magbitang, leading culinary experiences as CanoeHouse’s first woman executive chef. Born and raised in the Philippines, Rhoda arrives to the Island of Hawai’i by way of Los Olivos, Calif., where she led as executive chef for The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resort Collection.
She has worked with chefs including José Andrés, Suzanne Goin and Josiah Citrin, becoming executive chef at Los Angeles' Chateau Marmont and Petit Ermitage. Recently, Magbitang was featured on the PBS docuseries “Hope in the Water,” spotlighting her collaboration with a local aquafarm in Santa Barbara and her creative use of uni and abalone as sustainable ingredients.
Mount Cinnamon Beach Resort
Mount Cinnamon Beach Resort, Grenada, has appointed Barbados-based, British chef Sophie Michell as food and beverage consultant. As food and beverage consultant, Michell will revise menus across the resort’s two restaurants, bar and room service, with a focus on fresh, local ingredients and flexible dining options for guest throughout the day.
Michell has worked in Michelin-star kitchens, as well as consulted for UK restaurant brands and written several books before opening Barbados’ first true farm-to-table restaurant. Her experience will allow the resort to further develop relationships with farmers and fishermen across the island to procure produce locally where possible, as well as expand the resort’s own kitchen garden.
Moxy Asheville
Wildwood Still, the rooftop bar and restaurant atop Moxy Asheville, has appointed two key leaders ahead of its grand opening later this summer.
Austin Tisdale has been named executive chef, leading the restaurant’s menu creation and ingredient sourcing. A fixture in the Asheville culinary scene since 1996, Tisdale has held positions at local favorites including The Grove Park Inn, Bouchon French Bistro, Lexington Avenue Brewery, and Bargello, the latter where he most recently served as sous chef.
Christa Baer has been named food and beverage director for Wildwood Still and Moxy Asheville, responsible for overseeing the Wildwood Still team. Baer most recently served as assistant general manager for AC Hotel Asheville Downtown, owned and operated by McKibbon Hospitality, and previously served as opening food and beverage manager for Moxy Chicago Downtown.
Newport Harbor Island Resort
The newly reopened Newport Harbor Island Resort, Newport, R.I., appoints Jaysen Elrod to executive chef. In his new role, Elrod has overseen the re-concepting of the on-site dining outlets and will manage all culinary operations for the resort, which just underwent a $50 million renovation. Owned by Pebblebrook Hotel Trust and operated by Davidson Resorts, Newport Harbor Island Resort reopened in April following a massive renovation.
In his previous role as banquet chef, Elrod focused on sourcing local ingredients and infusing creativity into each dish, which he will continue to do in his current role. Prior to Newport Harbor Island Resort, Elrod served as executive chef at the Dollywood DreamMore Resort in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., along with several other properties across the country.
Shore Hotel
Shore Hotel, Santa Monica, Calif., introduces Conrad Gass as its new director of food and beverage. Gass brings over 20 years of experience to his role. He started his career at the Wynn & Encore Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas as the food and beverage manager. He then moved to Los Angeles, where he helped relaunch the 1 Hotel West Hollywood as senior operations manager of food and beverage. Prior to joining the Shore Hotel team, Conrad was the food and beverage manager at The Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica.
Virgin Hotels New Orleans
Virgin Hotels New Orleans, appoints Jesse Carr as director of food and beverage. In his role, Carr will oversee the hotel’s food and beverage department, including restaurant Commons Club and the rooftop The Pool Club.
Carr’s extensive knowledge results from his various positions at renowned places throughout Louisiana. From general manager at Jewel of the South and F&B director for QED Hospitality and Pontchartrain Hotel to overseeing operations at Covington’s Tchefuncte and The Anchor, Carr has created successful food and beverage programs to meet the needs of the rapid growth across Louisiana. Most recently, Carr was director of food and beverage at The Eliza Jane, one of New Orleans’ downtown luxury hotels.