Hotels and resorts across the country have hired new F&B leaders in the last two weeks. Here are some of the appointments.
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 has 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. Earlier in her career, she managed a $2.3 million waterfront restaurant and helped drive record-breaking sales following a full concept refresh.
Epicurean Atlanta
Epicurean Atlanta appoints Jaime Cubias as executive chef and Kate Weber as catering sales manager.
Cubias has 20 years of experience spanning fine dining, luxury hotels, and high-volume, chef-driven concepts. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Miami, Cubias has led kitchens through pre-openings, brand transitions, and periods of rapid growth, balancing creative vision with disciplined operations. Most recently, Cubias served as executive chef at Hotel Grenada, where he led the property’s culinary pre-opening, built and trained the opening team, developed menus, and established vendor partnerships and cost controls. Prior roles include executive sous chef at Superica Dunwoody, where he oversaw daily operations, labor and food cost management, and staff development, as well as leadership positions at The Optimist Atlanta, Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead, The Knickerbocker Hotel (NYC), and Viceroy Anguilla.
Joining Cubias, Weber steps into the role of catering sales manager, bringing a strong background in event sales, hospitality operations, and client relationship management within the luxury and lifestyle event space. Weber most recently served as sales manager for District Events & Catering, where she drove new business through strategic outreach, negotiated contracts, and led complex events from proposal through execution. Her experience spans luxury corporate meetings, social celebrations, and large-scale group events, with prior roles at Alchemy Event Studio, Talk of the Town Catering, and Bold Catering & Design.
Hotel Maya
Hotel Maya, Long Beach, Calif., appoints Preston Crespo as manager of beverage and mixology. Crespo will oversee beverage operations, cocktail development and bar programming for Hotel Maya’s Latin-American inspired signature restaurant, Fuego.
Crespo will lead Fuego’s beverage program, focusing on craft cocktails, curated wine and beer lists and the overall beverage concept to strengthen the restaurant’s presence in Long Beach’s social scene. With renovations underway, guests and locals alike will experience an early preview of the reimagined restaurant vision, aligned with the hotel’s continued evolution.
Hotel Nia
Hotel Nia, an Autograph Collection Hotel in Menlo Park, Calif., appoints Daniel Corey as director of food and beverage. Corey will oversee all food and beverage operations, with a primary focus on refining seasonal programming at Porta Blu, the hotel’s signature restaurant.
With more than two decades of experience in the culinary scene, Corey previously served as regional director of food and beverage for Sonesta International Hotels, where he provided strategic oversight for more than 42 full-service properties nationwide. Corey also led the opening of the historic CLIFT Hotel as “Chef & B,” overseeing both culinary programming and operational strategy as executive chef and director of food & beverage. Prior to that, Corey earned a Michelin star as executive chef of LUCE Restaurant at the InterContinental San Francisco and was the opening executive sous chef at The Resort at Pelican Hill on the Newport Coast just before.
Hotel Viata
Hotel Viata, a boutique hotel West Lake Hills just outside of Austin, Texas, appoints Gerard Kenny as executive chef. 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.
A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America and one of a select few chefs to complete the prestigious Greenbrier apprenticeship program, Kenny brings a foundation of classical training paired with modern operational expertise. 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.
Hyatt Regency Washington
Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, names Marvin Palma as chef de cuisine. Born in El Salvador, Palma grew up eager to learn how to cook food from other cultures and learn how to combine spices to perfect a recipe or make it his own. After moving to the United States, Palma began working at Grand Hyatt Washington D.C., where he was promoted to sous chef for the hotel’s Cabinet restaurant.
In his new role at Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, Palma will oversee the culinary experience at Article One – American Grill.
Juniper Preserve, Golf & Wellness Resort
Juniper Preserve, Golf & Wellness Resort, a wellness-driven property nestled within the juniper forest of Central Oregon, is pleased to announce the appointment of Matt Christianson as Executive Chef. In this role, Christianson will oversee all culinary operations, guide menu development, and shape the direction of the resort’s culinary team while building upon Juniper Preserve’s legacy and sense of place.
At Juniper Preserve, Christianson will oversee the continued evolution of the resort’s dining program, including Iris, the resort’s signature restaurant, where classic American cuisine is approached through a contemporary lens. He will focus on developing cohesive, experience-driven menus that reflect the region and support the property’s broader wellness-driven identity. Through thoughtful sourcing and disciplined execution, his leadership will ensure the culinary experience feels fully integrated into the overall resort stay.
Kahala Hotel & Resort
The Kahala Hotel & Resort in Honolulu adds culinary leadership ahead of the opening of Alan Wong’s Kahala Hotel & Resort. Joining the team are Spencer Yamanaka as chef de cuisine and Miya Nakashima as executive pastry chef. Yamanaka and Nakashima share prior experience working with Chef Alan Wong.
Yamanaka joins The Kahala from Pint + Jigger, where he served as executive chef and general manager, and previously as a chef de partie at Alan Wong’s namesake restaurant. Born in Hawai‘i and raised in Los Angeles, he began his culinary career as a baker apprentice at Waioli Tea Room before transitioning to savory cuisine and joining the Alan Wong team.
Nakashima brings experience from Mille Fete where she most recently worked. Her background also includes roles as a pastry chef at Over Easy, and research and development and chef de cuisine roles at Alan Wong’s former restaurant in Honolulu.
Yamanaka and Nakashima join previously named restaurant general manager Mark Shishido, who formerly served as beverage director at Alan Wong’s King Street location and as general manager of The Pineapple Room by Alan Wong. Chef Joe Almoguera, previously executive sous chef at The Kahala Hotel & Resort, is now serving as the resort’s executive chef, working alongside the Alan Wong’s Restaurant team and overseeing culinary direction across the entire resort.
Shinola Hotel
Detroit's Shinola Hotel appoints Mary-Catherine Moore as executive director of food and beverage and managing partner. Moore will lead culinary operations across upscale Italian restaurant San Morello, urban speakeasy Evening Bar, beer hall The Brakeman and the fried chicken spot, Penny Red’s. Additionally, Moore will oversee Shinola Hotel's in-room dining, banquets, programming and events, collectively shaping a hospitality experience defined by excellence and intention.
Moore brings more than two decades of experience across some of the country’s most respected hospitality groups and competitive markets. A Nashville native, she built her career at establishments nationwide before joining NoHo Hospitality Group in New York City in 2013. There, Moore served as private events coordinator for Robert DeNiro’s acclaimed Greenwich Hotel and Locanda Verde, playing a key role in private events and operational strategy throughout a highly influential 13-year tenure in New York City. During this time, she was instrumental in the successful launch and growth of multiple venues within the NoHo Hospitality portfolio. Moore relocated to Detroit in 2018 to lead events and catering for the landmark opening of Shinola Hotel.
Ritz-Carlton, Turks & Caicos
The Ritz-Carlton, Turks & Caicos appoints Andrés E. Dávila as the new executive chef overseeing the resort’s culinary outlets. Dávila will oversee the culinary operations of the resort’s signature dining venues, including BLT Steak, Casa Nonna, Noori Sushi, Coralli, Ritual Coffee Culture and in-room dining, as well as its celebrated beachfront and poolside experiences.
With over 20 years of culinary leadership across properties in the Caribbean and Latin America, Dávila brings a wealth of international expertise to the resort. He most recently served as complex executive chef at the Aruba Marriott Resorts complex, overseeing culinary operations across three hotels, 14 food and beverage outlets, and nearly 1,700 rooms.