Kinseth Hospitality Companies promotes corporate F&B director. Other hotels and resorts name F&B leaders.
Kinseth Hospitality Companies
Kinseth Hospitality Companies promotes Matthew Robinson to the role of corporate food and beverage director. Robinson began his career with KHC in 2014 as the chef at the Green Mill in Wichita, Kan. His dedication and passion for the culinary arts quickly earned him a promotion to food and beverage manager just one year later. After two years at the property level, Robinson transitioned to a broader role as a travel manager, with a specific focus on F&B, marking the beginning of a broader leadership trajectory with Kinseth.
Over the following six years, Robinson expanded his responsibilities as a traveling general manager across multiple hotel brands, ensuring seamless operations and delivering high-quality service to guests nationwide. In 2021, Robinson took on the general manager role at the Courtyard by Marriott in Houma, Louisiana, where he continued to demonstrate his commitment to excellence and effective team management. His diverse experience in both culinary and hotel management has made him a well-rounded leader with a unique understanding of all aspects of hospitality.
Before joining KHC, Robinson had a 14-year tenure with Marriott International, where he honed his skills as a chef and gained valuable experience in high-volume food service operations. Robinson also ventured into entrepreneurship by opening his own establishment, further expanding his expertise in the hospitality industry.
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Salt Lake City Downtown
Red Beryl Kitchen & Bar at DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Salt Lake City Downtown appoints Diego Bravo as executive chef. A local chef with over a decade of culinary experience, Bravo joins Red Beryl Kitchen & Bar from Hyatt Recency Salt Lake City where he began as chef de cuisine then worked his way up to the role of pastry chef, catering events from 20 to 1,200 people while developing a top-tier team and seasonal menus.
Prior to that, Bravo was the executive sous chef at Spencer’s for Steaks & Chops at Hilton Salt Lake City where he managed a team of 20 and mastered innovative, American culinary creations.
Hotel Viata
Hotel Viata, a boutique hotel just outside of Austin, Texas, appoints Gerard Kenny as executive chef. In this role, Kenny will oversee all food and beverage operations across the property, including the hotel’s signature Laurel Restaurant, in-room dining, banquets and weddings, and curated culinary experiences for group and social events. His career includes leadership roles at acclaimed properties such as The Inn at Dos Brisas in Washington, Texas, and Four Seasons Houston, as well as Executive Chef and Executive Sous Chef positions at some of Austin’s most respected dining destinations, including La Condesa, Le Politique and the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center at The University of Texas.
At Hotel Viata, Kenny will guide the continued development of Laurel Restaurant, the property’s Italian-inspired dining venue known for its hand-made pastas, seasonally driven menus, and scenic veranda overlooking the hills.
Hotel Weyanoke
Hotel Weyanoke, Farmville, Va., appoints David Guevara as its new executive chef. In this role, Guevara will lead culinary operations across the property, with primary focus on Taproot Tavern and Catbird Rooftop Terrace.
Guevara brings more than a decade of experience in Virginia’s culinary scene, most recently serving as head chef at VA Tonic in Charlottesville, where he led menu development, kitchen operations, cost management, and staff training. His background also includes key leadership roles at Omni Hotels in Charlottesville and Tilman’s Wine & Cheese Bar, where he collaborated closely with executive teams to deliver high-volume service while maintaining elevated standards of quality, consistency and presentation.
Houston City Place Marriott
SwitcHouse Plates & Pours, the signature restaurant located on the ground floor of the Houston City Place Marriott, appoints Fernando Huerta as its new executive chef. Huerta brings more than 25 years of culinary experience to SwitcHouse, most recently serving as executive chef at Gianna Italian Kitchen. His career includes leadership roles across some of Houston’s most respected hotel and neighborhood kitchens, blending polished technique with approachable, guest-driven cuisine.
Prior to joining SwitcHouse, Huerta held executive and senior culinary positions at Rosalie Italian Soul at the C. Baldwin Hotel, Cultivated F+B at The Lancaster Hotel and former Brennan’s sibling, Bistro Alex, at Hotel Sorella CITYCENTRE (now The Moran), He also served as executive chef at George’s Bistro & Bar.
Live Oak Charleston
Ahead of its April opening, Live Oak Charleston, Charleston, S.C., appoints Eucepe Puntriano as its new executive chef. Puntriano will oversee all culinary operations for the property, including Terra, the hotel’s signature restaurant, and Bloo Pool & Provisions, a relaxed poolside bar and lounge.
Puntriano brings more than a decade of culinary experience to Live Oak Charleston, most recently serving as executive chef at Charleston’s well-regarded modern steakhouse, Marbled & Fin. There, he led kitchen operations, developed seasonally driven menus, and helped evolve the restaurant’s culinary vision. Previously, Puntriano spent nearly a decade with Meat Market restaurant group, rising from line cook to chef de cuisine and playing a key role in opening and scaling locations across Florida and Puerto Rico, while maintaining consistency, creativity, and operational excellence across multiple markets.
The Phoenician
The Phoenician, part of The Luxury Collection by Marriott International located in Scottsdale, Ariz., appoints Rebecca Tillman as the resort’s first female executive chef. In addition to making her mark at The Phoenician, Tillman is also the very first female executive chef in the 120-year history of The Luxury Collection brand of resorts, which spans 130 properties worldwide. Tillman spearheads the culinary programs for a 585-room luxury resort and a 60-room boutique hotel, The Canyon Suites. This includes eight diverse culinary destinations, including J&G Steakhouse, Mowry & Cotton, and The Phoenician Tavern, as well as in-room dining, and private and banquet dining.
Tillman’s career spans more than two decades, during which time she held leadership positions at some of the most prestigious resorts in the country. She began her journey in hospitality in 2000 at The Arizona Biltmore while still attending culinary school at the Arts Institute of Phoenix, an early start that laid the foundation for a remarkable professional path. Prior to culinary school, she earned a degree in hospitality administration from Northern Arizona University, Tillman has a wealth of experience in luxury resort dining. She served as executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara; executive chef at both the Biltmore House and The Inn on the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C.; executive sous chef at Destination Kohler – The American Club in Wisconsin; and executive chef at Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort in Phoenix. Later, Tillman joined The Phoenician in 2017 as executive sous chef and over the years has played a pivotal role in the transformation and reimagining of many of its dining outlets.
Prince Waikiki
Prince Waikiki, Honolulu, appoints Brooke Tadena as executive chef and Maurice Copeland as director of food and beverage. This duo has more than 40 years of combined experience.
Tadena oversees the performance of all food and beverage operations across the hotel’s diverse outlets. A Honolulu native raised in Wahiawa, Tadena has worked at Mandarin Oriental’s Hoku’s and the House Without A Key at Halekulani. He is also a former executive chef of the Hawaii Convention Center and spent nearly a decade at Hilton Hawaiian Village and Moana Surfrider.
Copeland brings over 30 years of hospitality expertise to the team. He has 12 years with Hilton and a decade with Marriott Renaissance in Nashville with key roles at The Modern Honolulu, Turtle Bay, and, most recently, director of banquets and special events at Four Seasons Hualalai.
The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota
The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota appoints executive chef Diego Alonso Ortega Oneto. With nearly 20 years of experience across luxury hotels and Michelin-influenced kitchens, Ortega will oversee the resort’s Banquet kitchen and manage all meeting groups, weddings and events, along with the full culinary program including Jack Dusty, Rufa, The Club Lounge, Kemp’s Market, in-room dining, Ridley’s Porch and The Golf Club Grille, as well as the resort’s pastry program.
Born in Lima, Peru, Ortega graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Gastronomy and Culinary Arts and holds a Master’s Degree in Culinary Arts and Hotel Management from EUHT Sant Pol de Mar in Barcelona, where he was named a finalist for Best Young Chef in Catalunya. He built an international career that includes culinary leadership roles at The Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Dubai, and Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, as well as The St. Regis Bahia Beach.
Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead
Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead appoints Todd Richards as executive chef, orchestrating all culinary operations at the Fhotel, including the property’s on-site restaurant Brassica, signature tea service, in-room dining, and banquets.
Richards joins Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead following his time as the opening chef for One Flew South at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and he is the chef and part-owner of popular soul food spot Soul: Food & Culture at Krog Street Market. A Chicago native, he first touched down in Atlanta in the early 1990s to train under executive chef Darryl Evans at the Four Seasons Atlanta. He went on to hold leadership-level roles in the kitchens of The Ritz-Carlton in Atlanta and Palm Beach, as well as the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville, before returning to Atlanta in 2008.
Westin St. Francis
The Westin St. Francis, San Francisco, appoints a new executive culinary team, including Mark Quitney as executive chef, Erwing Gramajo II as executive sous chef, and Kevin Schantz as executive chef of Bourbon Steak.
Known as “Chef Q,” Quitney brings more than 30 years of culinary leadership across luxury hotels, resorts, and community kitchens throughout the U.S. and Caribbean. A native of Petaluma, California, he trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and launched his career with an internship at the Vista Hotel at the World Trade Center, where he met the legendary Chef Paul Prudhomme. Quitney has led kitchens at prestigious Marriott properties, including the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama; Marriott Marco Island, Florida; New Orleans Marriott; JW Marriott Washington, D.C.; Marriott Resort and Royal Beach Casino in St. Kitts; and the Marriott Marquis Chicago. He also spent two years with Starwood Hotels and Resorts at the Sheraton New Orleans.
Gramajo brings nearly 20 years of culinary experience gained in some of the world’s most prestigious luxury hotels. He began his career at the Renaissance Hotel in Hollywood as Kitchen Supervisor before refining his skills as a cook at Gordon Ramsay’s London Hotel in West Hollywood. Gramajo advanced into leadership roles across multiple Marriott properties, including Manhattan Beach Marriott, Boston Copley Marriott, and JW Marriott Union Square. He also served as sous chef tournant at the Forbes Five-Star Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on Hawaii’s Big Island.
Most recently, he held the role of executive sous chef and operations support specialist for Marriott International, providing guidance and operational expertise to teams at flagship properties including The Ritz-Carlton St. Louis, JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America, The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Sheraton Grand Seattle, and Gaylord National.
Schantz brings over 20 years of culinary expertise, having trained in Michelin-starred kitchens under celebrated chefs. Early in his career, he worked at Spago in Beverly Hills and Maui before joining The London in West Hollywood under Gordon Ramsay as sous chef. He then served as sous chef at RN74, Michael Mina’s first San Francisco restaurant, specializing in French cuisine and an extensive wine program. Kevin has continued to influence the Bay Area culinary scene through his work at Prospect (American cuisine), Pabu (Japanese cuisine), and Movida Lounge, a Persian-Mexican fusion concept.