August 2008

Chef José Mendín- Sushi Samba Mumm champagne
Cook up an imaginative lunch blending Sushi Samba’s tri-cultural mix of Brazilian, Peruvian & Japanese culinary traditions. Puerto Rican native Chef José Mendin has been featured on Ocean Drive, NPR and on Univision’s Despierta America

July 2008

Timothy Nickey - Kobe Club - PERRIER-JOUët Champagne
After graduating from Johnson & Wales University, Chef Nickey worked at Morton’s Steakhouse in Boca Raton and later became Executive Sous Chef at China Grill South Beach. In January 2008, Chef Nickey was promoted to Executive Chef of China Grill & Kobe Club Miami, where he offers trendsetting cuisine for the senses.

June 2008

Chef Edgar Leal - Cacao - POL ROGER CHAMPAGNE
Chef Leal launched his culinary career in Caracas, Venezuela, at the famous Gazebo and Deuxième Ètage. Leal trained with Daniel Boulud in New York and Ferran Adria in Barcelona before opening Cacao in 2002 together with his wife Mariana Montero De Castro. Cacao was named “Best New Restaurant” by Food & Wine, and “One of America’s Top 20 Restaurants in South Florida” by Zagat.

May 2008

Chef Rolando Cruz-Taura
Miami native Chef Cruz-Taura’s culinary trajectory includes top posts at the Intercontinental Hotel, Mayfair House, Mark’s, Shula’s, John Martin’s, and the Miami City Club, among others Prior to joining the Biltmore, Cruz-Taura owned FIFTY Restaurant in South Beach. Enjoy Champagne Mumm as you whip, whisk and sauté Chef Cruz-Taura’s sumptuous dishes at this festive demonstration.

April 2008

Chef Jesse Souza
A native New Englander, Chef Jesse Souza’s culinary path includes the Claremont Resort in Berkeley, Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys and Chispa in Coral Gables. Souza is now at the helm of BALEENmiami, serving an eclectic seafood-centric menu. Sip and savor Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte while cooking up Souza’s delicious dishes step-by-step at your own table.

March 2008

Chef Cindy Hutson
Chef Cindy Hutson offers award-winning “Cuisine of the Sun” at Ortanique, which earned Zagat’s “Extraordinary” rating, Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence” and Gourmet Magazine’s “America’s Top Tables” listing. Hutson’s success led her to expand Ortanique to Las Vegas and Washington D.C. Meet Chef Hutson as she leads participants in this hands-on luncheon served with Champagne Laurent-Perrier.

February 2008

D’VINE DIVAS
Hosted by Samantha Shanken of Wine Spectator, Master Sommelier Laura De Pasquale and Yvonne Roberts, Director of Biltmore’s Premier and Cellar Club, this spectacular dinner features renowned female chefs and winemakers. The event ends with an auction benefiting the Diabetes Research Institute, followed by a late-night Cigar Lounge on the terrace hosted by Cigar Aficionado and Grand Marnier.

Chef Philippe Ruiz
Sample a selection of hand-picked Burgundies from one of France’s most acclaimed producers at this stellar dinner prepared by Chef Ruiz, with exceptional service overseen by Sommelier and Maître D’ Verrier.

Chef Ming Tsai
At this hands-on event, celebrity Chef Tsai takes you through the steps of crafting each course, then sets you loose at your own cooking station! A highly successful restaurateur, television cooking show host and cookbook author, Chef Ming Tsai has earned a devoted following for his unique and accessible cuisine.

Chef Ingrid Hoffmann
Roll up your sleeves and join Food Network’s newest celebrity chef, Ingrid Hoffmann to prepare a delicious Latin-inspired meal at your table. In addition to her popular TV cooking show, Simply Delicioso, Chef Hoffmann, a Colombian native based in Miami, is launching her first cookbook this month

January 2008

Willy Hernandez
William Hernandez — known as “Chef Willy” — offers Italian-Caribbean fusion cuisine at Caramelo in Coral Gables. A Dominican Republic native raised in Miami, Chef Willy graduated from the William’s Culinary Institute in New York prior to working at Casa Rolandi, Giacosa and Caffe Vialetto restaurants. Meet Chef Willy and prepare his delectable dishes at this festive event

Celebrity Chefs 2007

December 2007

Michael Jacobs
A Johnson & Wales graduate, Chef Jacobs worked in renown restaurants in Europe and the US prior to joining Grass Restaurant. Chef Jacobs and his Asian-American fusion cuisine have been featured in The New York Times, USA Today, and Ocean Drive. Put on your apron and cook up a storm along with Chef Jacobs at this fun, hands-on feast.

November 2007

Chef Sean Brasel,
Touch Restaurant
South Beach, FL
Colorado native Chef Brasel was Executive Chef at Cliff Young’s, a 5-star restaurant in Denver, before moving to South Beach to open Touch. His cuisine is described as a “modern influenced grill,” luxurious and ambitious, relying on simple techniques to showcase the freshness of ingredients. Meet Chef Brasel and prepare his dishes at your own table.

October 2007

Chef Philippe Pinon,
Blue Door at Delano
South Beach, FL
French-born Chef Pinon, a frequent guest on the Food Network, forged a brilliant culinary career in St. Tropez, Geneva, New York, New Orleans and Chicago before joining the Blue Door at the Delano as Executive Chef. Meet Chef Pinon and prepare his culinary creations with fellow attendees.

September 2007

Chef Gaetano Ascione,
Fontana, at the Biltmore
Coral Gables, FL
Italian-born Chef Ascione’s culinary career spans the globe, working in luxury properties in Europe, Asia, and the US, and joins us from the Four Seasons Hotel in Houston. His exquisite cuisine has garnered outstanding reviews around the world. Meet Chef Ascione and prepare his dishes at this fun-filled event.

August 2007

Jordan Marano, Tuscan Steak,
South Beach, FL
Chef Jordan Marano’s Italian roots and mastery of traditional Italian techniques are showcased in the Tuscan-influenced dishes he prepares as Executive Chef of Tuscan Steak-South Beach. Marano has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation and South Florida Gourmet magazine for his contributions to numerous special event menus. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Marano trained in Atlanta and Miami before moving to California.

July 2007

Guy Gateau & Philippe Ruiz,
Biltmore, Coral Gables, FL
Liberté, fraternité, and French food for all! The world has much to celebrate on Bastille Day — namely the freedom to enjoy fine French cuisine. This year, our very own in-house French chefs, Philippe Ruiz and Guy Gateau, stir up a Bastille Day fête that will revolutionize your palate. Bon vivants are invited to create Gallic-inspired dishes paired with one of France’s oldest and most traditional Champagne houses. An afternoon of food and fun with a French flair

June 2007

Pietro Rota
Tides Hotel, South Beach, FL
A native of Northern Italy, Pietro Rota graduated from the prestigious Professional Institute of State in San Pellegrino, and began climbing the ranks working in some of the world’s best kitchens in Italy, England, Germany, France, Brazil and the US. As Executive Chef for The Tides South Beach, Rota’s formidable Italian influences are always present in his signature dishes, reflecting an ingredient-driven approach to flavor layering and healthy eating

May 2007

Scott Ubert
China Grill Management, New York
Regional Chef Scott Ubert brings his culinary talents and expertise to the New York and Chicago regions of China Grill Management, a company with more than 24 restaurant and lounge concepts spanning the globe, owned by preeminent restaurateur, Jeffrey Chodorow. In this position, Chef Ubert has been entrusted with the sizable and impressive task of overseeing six kitchens, including China Grill in New York and Chicago, as well as Asia De Cuba, English is Italian, Hudson Cafeteria, and Ono in New York.

“Scott is a huge asset to China Grill Management,” says Chodorow. “His work ethic, efficiency and expertise in creating fresh and flavorful cuisine can be felt in all of the restaurants he oversees.”

Formerly the executive chef of ONO in the Hotel Gansevoort, a neo-Japanese inspired restaurant, bar and garden offering guests a mix of traditional and contemporary Japanese cuisine, Chef Ubert now brings his innovative and imaginative culinary approach to China Grill Management. Scott Ubert devotes his passion and knowledge to every aspect of the kitchens he oversees. Chef Ubert’s signature dishes include Foie Gras Parfait with plum chutney and plum wine jelly and Shrimp and Black Miso Dumplings with jalapeno broth.

 “This new position is an exciting challenge and huge opportunity for me to bring the China Grill Management restaurants together as a team, says Ubert. “I am here to support the chefs and help shape their ideas on new ingredients and trends.”

Scott Ubert was born in Amityville, Long Island and graduated from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY in 1992. Ubert began his lengthy career at Lafayette Restaurant at the Drake Swiss Hotel in New York, a four-star New York Times rated restaurant.  After one year Chef Ubert went on to Park Avenue Café in New York City, working for celebrity chef, David Burke where he was moved to Chicago and promoted to sous chef. It didn’t take Ubert long to be promoted to chef de cuisine at Mrs. Park’s Tavern in Chicago at the young age of 26 where he received accolades from the Wall Street Journal, a cover story in Chef Magazine, and numerous broadcast segments.  He then moved onto Blackhawk Lodge as the executive chef for Levy Restaurants.  After a few years, Chef Ubert went back to work for Burke and opened the Chicago branch of Park Avenue Café, a move that would begin to shape his signature culinary style.

In 2000, Ubert moved to Washington D.C. to open another of Burke's restaurants, Malonney & Porcelli where he stayed for one year.   Ubert returned to New York to head the kitchen at One CPS at the Plaza Hotel and then became the executive chef for the United Nations where he was responsible for the Delegate's Dining Room and for the yearly "State Luncheon" for the world's Heads of State.  Finally, before joining the China Grill Management team for the opening of ONO, Ubert united with Burke once more and opened David Burke & Donatella in New York City where he received two stars from the New York Times.

April 2007

Adam Votaw
Chispa, Coral Gables
A creative imagination, innovative presentation, and an adept understanding of ingredients are undisputable characteristics that compose a world-class chef. With an impressive portfolio and a well rounded resume, Adam Votaw proves to be a part of this exclusive union of true culinary artists.

Born in Washington, DC, one year later, Votaw's family relocated to Ohio where his father began his venture in the restaurant business. Growing up in the industry confirmed Votaw's desire to follow in his father's footsteps. Although the majority of his childhood was spent in Ohio, Votaw got a taste of the Florida tropics at the impressionable age of 14 when he began spending his summers in Marathon Key. Upon graduating high school, he went on to attend Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio where he obtained an Associates of Arts degree in Liberal Arts in 1982. Soon after, he relocated to New York and became a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in 1984. Upon completion of his culinary training, Votaw had the privilege to work as an apprentice with leaders in the industry, master chefs Albert & Michel Roux at the esteemed Le Gavroche in London, England. Votaw received classic French training in all areas of the kitchen and gained extensive knowledge of the essence of French cuisine including the art of creating sophisticated pastries, a skill he perfected with the guidance of Michel Roux. Three years later after fine tuning his talents and with a world-class education, Votaw returned to the States and was able to showcase his culinary skills as Executive Pastry Chef at Le Chardom d'or in Alexandria, Virginia. That same year, in 1997, an opportunity arose and shortly after Votaw assumed the position of Executive Chef at Café L'Europe in Palm Beach, Florida.

In 1989, Votaw became the Executive Pastry Chef at the prestigious Four Seasons Ocean Grand in Palm Beach, Florida where met celebrated Executive Chef Robbin Haas. Haas supervised the full operations involved in running a kitchen in a five star resort while Votaw spearheaded the daily operations of maintaining a full scratch bake shop. The talented chefs complimented one another creating a distinguished gastronomic duo. Votaw's creative imagination allowed him specialty work in gourmet desserts as well as recognition as the "Top Pastry Chef" by Food Arts magazine.

In 1991, Votaw took an opportunity to rejoin Albert Roux of Le Gavroche as Executive Chef at the The Point, an exclusive inn located in Saranac Lake, New York. Soon after, The Point received the Zagat award for the "# 1 Lake Shore Resort in America". Votaw continued to create world-class French cuisine with contemporary American influences until his passion for the sun lead him back to South Florida. Upon his return he held executive chef positions at the Boca Raton Resort & Club and Woodfield Country Club in Boca Raton. In 1995, Votaw accepted a corporate role with Lavalee Restaurants, West Palm Beach, Florida, where he worked directly with the CEO creating multi concepts for gourmet pizza, seafood, and steakhouse restaurants. It was in this position that Votaw got a comprehensive understanding of the entire restaurant gamut and expanded his expertise in culinary operations to business operations spearheading the design and construction of these properties in addition to his duties of maintaining budgets and menu development.

Three years later Votaw moved on to join the renowned China Grill Management team and was reunited with Robbin Haas. In his new role as Executive Chef, he opened two properties and met restaurant operations expert Vincent Lombino, who was serving as the company's Director of Operations in 1998. Votaw assisted with the construction efforts, created training programs, oversaw the full operations of the kitchen, and created the format for the menu concept, which consisted of Nuevo Asian fare. One year later, Votaw returned to Caribbean living in the Florida Keys and spent more than just a summer. From 1999 to 2003, he assumed the role of Executive Chef at the elite Little Palm Island, an exclusive island resort and spa located three miles off of Little Torch Key. Votaw prepared classic European dishes fused with Floridian, Caribbean, and Pan Asian flavors. During this time his budding career began to flourish earning him accolades and notable recognition. While under Votaw's direction the restaurant at Little Palm Island received numerous honors from several organizations and publications. It was rated among "Top Restaurants" by Zagat Survey and received countless awards from AAA, Mobile, Golden Spoon, and Gourmet Magazine.
In October 2003, "sparks" flew when Votaw rejoined Robbin Haas and Vincent Lombino as Executive Chef at Haas' latest venture Chispa, a contemporary Latin restaurant and bar located in Coral Gables, Florida. Votaw was instrumental in finalizing Chispa's menu concept, which is inspired by the history and traditions of Hispanic culture featuring innovative dishes reflective of Hispanic heritage such as Masitas de Mahi Mahi, Sour Orange Mojo, Wood Roasted Shrimp, Lechon Asado Rissoto, Spit Roasted Young Suckling Pig and a selection of creative ceviches.

Votaw's impressive portfolio spans the spectrum of culinary versatility. From classical French to eclectic southern styles to Asian, Latin, and pastry, it is apparent that Votaw's talents confirm him as a master chef and cuisine consultant ranking him among the best of culinary geniuses.

March 2007

Chef Gino Cipriano
1200 Courtyard Grill, Biltmore, Coral Gables, FL
A native of Sicily, Chef Gino boasts an impressive career path as Executive Sous-Chef at the Hotel Intercontinental in Rome, Executive Chef at Emporio Armani Restaurant & Caffe in Paris, and Executive Chef for Caesar’s Entertainment in the U.S.  Since joining the Biltmore, Chef Gino has created a stellar menu showcasing the sun-kissed flavors of the Mediterranean, which guests can savor during lunch and dinner at the Fontana.

February 2007

Rocco DiSpirito
Rocco DiSpirito was born and raised in Jamaica, Queens. His culinary experience and love of "the good life" through cooking and dining began at age eleven in his mother Nicolina's kitchen. By the age of 16, DiSpirito entered the Culinary Institute of America. He graduated with honors in 1986 and studied abroad at Jardin de Cygne in France with Dominique Cecillon and Gray Kunz. In 1990, DiSpirito graduated cum laude with a B.S. in Business from Boston University. He worked at Adrienne in New York and as Chef de Partie at Aujourd'hiu in Boston. DiSpirito then joined Lespinasse's opening team. In 1997, DiSpirito opened Union Pacific in New York City's Gramercy Park as Chef and Owner. He was awarded three stars from the New York Times in a 1998 review, and three more in 2002 from the New York Observer.

In 1999, DiSpirito was named Food & Wine's Best New Chef, and in 2000, Gourmet magazine called him "America's Most Exciting Young Chef." DiSpirito opened Rocco's 22nd Street in the summer of 2003 while cameras for NBC's The Restaurant watched and took notes. Later that summer, more than nine million viewers a week tuned in to see the ups and downs of DiSpirito's family-inspired eatery. The second series aired in the spring of 2004.

DiSpirito is the author of Flavor (Hyperion, October 2003), a unique cook book that breaks down his concept of building dishes on the four basic flavors, making his unique approach to food accessible to the home cook. His second book Rocco's Italian American (Hyperion, November 2004.) celebrated his Italian heritage featuring his family recipes. That same year, DiSpirito launched Rocco Cookware, and Rocco Family Food at retail.

From November 2004 to December 2005, Rocco was the host of the talk radio show "Food Talk with Rocco" on WOR 710AM radio. As host of Food Talk, Rocco taught avid listeners how to create a delicious dish with everyday pantry ingredients for dinner, parties and holidays. Rocco's third book, 5 Minute Flavor. (Scribner, January 2006) helps everyday people reach new levels of FLAVOR with very few ingredients, low cost and in 5 minutes or less. Devoted to helping people "GRAB THE GOOD LIFE.".

Rocco continues to be seen regularly on national television shows, and at celebrated events worldwide. Rocco is on the board of Do Something!, and is the culinary spokesperson for the Humane Society.

Chef Michael Chiarello
Chef Michael Chiarello, known for Napa Valley icon, the Tra Vigne Restaurant—is the Emmy-winning host of Easy Entertaining on Food Network, NapaStyle on Fine Living, and PBS television series entitled Michael Chiarello's Napa. During his 20 years as Executive Chef of Tra Vigne and seven other restaurants, he was twice named Chef of the Year: in 1985 by Food and Wine Magazine while at Toby's in Miami; and in 1995 by the Culinary Institute of America.

In 2000, he founded NapaStyle, a media-driven lifestyle brand, and created award-winning collections of specialty foods and exclusive home decoratives and cookware. His NapaStyle line is available by catalog (1-866-776-6272), and online (www.NapaStyle.com), as well as at select gourmet specialty shops around the country. His latest cookbook, At Home with Michael Chiarello, follows Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking, which won the 2002 IACP Award, Napa Stories, The Tra Vigne Cookbook, Flavored Vinegars and Flavored Oils. Michael is also the proprieter of a small family winery, Chiarello Family Vineyards, making highly rated estate wines from the historic 94-year old vineyards surrounding his home in St. Helena, California (www.chiarellovineyards.com).

NapaStyle is designed to inspire people to honor and create traditions in their lives, and celebrate the many flavors that express Napa Valley's sense of quality, authenticity, simple elegance and love of food and wine. The NapaStyle line includes Chiarello's exclusive specialty foods, such as infused oils and aged vinegars, spice rubs and gray salt, exquisite nuts and chocolates and drink-mixes, as well as wonderfully handcrafted tableware, decoratives, garden and home furnishings.

Michael's cuisine is founded in his Southern Italian heritage. His enduring passion for creating great ingredients inspired the NapaStyle line of specialty foods. And as the founding father of the flavored olive oil trend, he created Consorzio, the intensely flavored olive oils which were named Best Product Line at the 1994 International Fancy Food Show.

Born in 1962 and raised in the central California community of Turlock, Michael followed his childhood dream of becoming a world-class chef. He began apprenticing in restaurants at age 14 and graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, in 1982. Following attendance at Florida International University's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, he began his professional career opening acclaimed restaurant, Toby's, in Miami, Florida. After immediate acclaim and rapid success, in 1986 he moved back to his roots to open the Tra Vigne (among the vines) Restaurant in Napa Valley, where he acted as Executive Chef/partner for it and seven other restaurants until creating NapaStyle in 2000.

January 2007

PHILIPPE RUIZ, CHEF DE CUISINE
Palme d’Or
Phillipe Ruiz, Chef de Cuisine of the Biltmore hotel’s Palme d’Or, oversees culinary operations for the hotel’s celebrated fine dining French restaurant. Ruiz, a native Frenchman, joined The Biltmore in July of 1999 as executive chef of its signature restaurant Palme d'Or, and ever since has wowed critics with his ingenious interpretation of French nouvelle cuisine.

Ruiz’ position at the helm of Palme d'Or was a coup for South Florida, as the young chef helped raise the restaurant to the highest echelon of Miami dining. There are so few chefs in America who embody both the European culinary pedigree as well as the youthful innovativeness that is Ruiz.

The chef began his training at the age of 14 at the Hotel School in Bonneville, France. There, Ruiz earned such triumphant certificates of accomplishment as the "Yves Thuries Trophée" and "La Poularde d'Or" from the illustrious Georges Blanc, who recognized him as one of France's foremost young culinary prodigies. Ruiz went on to build his professional repertoire with stints at Two Michelin Star Restaurant Château de Divonne in Divonne-les-Bains, France; at Two Michelin Star Restaurant Le Chat Botté at the Hôtel Beau Rivage in Geneva, Switzerland; and at Restaurant Le Vieux Moulin, a Two Michelin Star property, also in Geneva. Finally, Ruiz’ talent took him overseas to the Caribbean, to St. Martin’s renowned La Samanna.

Ruiz is consistently touted as among the top chefs in the region. The Miami Herald, which has twice rated Palme d’Or as “exceptional,” describes Ruiz’ fare as “sublime-distinctive, creative in its unique way of being classic and modern all at once.” The Zagat Survey said, “Life never felt so good at this elegant venue with superb new French fare.” Florida Trend Magazine crowned Palme d’Or the "Best French restaurant in the state of Florida.”

Celebrity Chefs 2006

December 2006

Chef Tung Nguyen
Hy Vong
For over twenty years people have been lining up in front of Hy Vong Vietnamese restaurant to enjoy one of the most remarkable eating experiences to be found in South Florida. Chef Tung combines traditional Vietnamese flavors and French influences, making an art of creating extraordinary dishes. Her talents can be tasted in signature dishes such as Vietnamese Rice Dumplings, where the homemade rice paper melts in your mouth, and lemongrass-marinated pork chops served with a sweet and spicy mango chutney. These delicacies and more are some of the reasons why Hy Vong Restaurant has remained a constant South Florida culinary institution for 25 years.

Chef Tung’s experience with food began at a young age in Vietnam. At the tender age of 5, she began caring for her widowed grandmother who taught her recipes that had been in the family for generations. In Vietnam, where her family farmed for a living, she was spoiled by always having fresh herbs and vegetables for her ingredients.  In the United States, Chef Tung has held onto her training as a young child and insists on only the freshest and best ingredients for her cooking.

As the mastermind behind Hy Vong’s recipes, Chef Tung is now expanding her reach and has begun Hy Vong’s Heat and Eat Delicacies with her daughter, Lyn. Hy Vong’s Heat and Eat Delicacies bring customers the same recipes and flavors they have come to love in convenient take-home packages. Because Chef Tung wouldn’t have it any other way, all the ingredients are fresh, natural, and of the highest quality. Are you thinking of Hy Vong tonight?

November 2006

Robbin Haas
Chispa Restaurant, Chef/owner
Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Robbin Haas’s love of food began at the tender age of 12 when he began working in a small hotel in Buffalo. Haas worked on kitchen chores while his mother worked as the lead waitress. He realized the important relationship between personal service and happy customers from his mother – a concept he has carried with him throughout his illustrious career. Haas’s creative flair and culinary expertise has enabled him to develop innovative tastes mitigating him as a true culinary artist. In addition, Haas’s natural knack for business and entrepreneurial talent allows him full run of the restaurant gamut.

Since his arrival in South Florida in 1988, Haas has been involved with an impressive list of venues. He spearheaded the opening of the Four Seasons Ocean Grand then became executive chef at Turnberry Isle Resort & Club. In 1994, Haas left Turnberry to revamp the Colony Bistro in Miami Beach and was named one of the top 10 chefs in America by Food and Wine magazine. That same year, the Colony Bistro was recognized as one of Esquire’s top new restaurants. Soon after, Haas took on a challenge as the executive chef and managing partner of Bang in Miami Beach. Haas’s desire to spread his wings lead him to his next venture where he partnered with renowned chef/restaurateur Mark Miller in 1996 to open up several Raku “Asian Diners” in the United States. This concept was inspired and mirrored as a result of his travels to the Orient where he resided for several months to learn the first hand styles and differences of the Far East.

Haas was lured back to South Florida by his love for tropical flavors and presided over his own company prior to joining China Grill Management as executive/consulting chef for China Grill Café and Red Square.

It was not long after that Red Square was named one of Esquire’s Top New Restaurants in 1998. In 1999, Haas opened the highly successful Baleen to rave reviews at the Grove Isle Club and Resort in Coconut Grove. Soon after, Baleen in San Diego and Naples, Florida followed along with 6-7 in Seattle and Portofino in Redonda Beach, California. Haas assumed the role of Vice President of Restaurant Concepts for Noble House Hotels, Resorts, & Hideaways where he supervised the workings of several restaurants as well as the creative development of culinary trends between 1998 and 2002.

In October 2003, Haas “sparked” curiosity among food aficionados with the much-anticipated opening of his latest venture Chispa, a contemporary Latin restaurant and bar inspired by the history and traditions of the Hispanic culture. Chispa, located in Coral Gables, is the ideal complement to Haas’ distinguished portfolio featuring innovative dishes reflective of Hispanic heritage such as Masitas de Mahi Mahi, Sour Orange Mojo, Wood Roasted Shrimp, Lechon Asado Rissoto, Spit Roasted Young Suckling Pig and a selection of creative ceviches. Chispa attracts a varied clientele indicative of Miami’s population entertaining its clients with a unique combination of cuisine, ambiance, music, and service. Haas wanted to create a restaurant that celebrated the eclectic mix of America and felt this was an ideal time to open a contemporary locale that represents a melting pot of cultures. There is a dramatic 40-foot bar that captures patrons with its novel design and featured drink specialties including Mojitos, Caipirnhas, artistic Martinis, and over 20 wines by the glass. This is Haas’ first endeavor as chef and operating partner, confirming his permanency to dining enthusiasts.

South Florida and the Orient are not the only places that Haas has focused his culinary attentions. He has received international accolades from his extensive travels around the world showcasing his culinary skills in Russia, Finland, Europe, Mexico, South America, the Mediterranean, and the Caribbean. He has also visited and resided in numerous cities in the Unites States, but testifies that Miami is his home. South Florida residents and visitors have recognized Haas’ creative use of Southern ingredients and local fare for decades making him a trendsetter for Miami’s notorious fine dining scene. The use of locally procured products allows Haas to preserve the culinary heritage of the region putting South Florida cuisine on the international map while further establishing his position as one of the founding fathers of New World Cuisine.

October 2006

Jeffrey Brana
Restaurant Brana
Coral Gables FL: We are proud to announce that Chef Jeffrey Brana, formerly Executive Chef of Norman’s Restaurant and Anna E. Brana, formerly Norman's Marketing Manager will be opening their first restaurant on July 14th, 2006 in Coral Gables, Florida.

Restaurant Brana will open its doors for dinner on Friday, July 14th and for dinner Saturday. The restaurant will start normal operating hours on Monday the 17th. Restaurant Brana is open for Lunch, MON-FRI 11:30-2:00pm and for dinner TUES-SAT 5:30pm-10:00pm (Fri and Sat until 11pm) Closed on Sundays and Monday nights.

The restaurant may be booked on Monday nights for private events. The dining room will accommodate 50 guests in an atmosphere that is relaxed yet elegant. The style of service will be unobtrusive, attending to the guests’ every need. The staff will assure that any special request or expectation is not just fulfilled, but exceeded.

Owner and Executive Chef Jeffrey Brana’s modern creations will be the focal point of the restaurant. He describes his cuisine as “a quest for purity and clarity, both in product and technique, always staying true to the initial idea. When it comes to flavors, there exists an inherent elegance through simplicity. This idea, coupled with a focus on sustainability and a forward-thinking approach to technique, results in a cuisine that is ultimately personal in style."

Guests will choose a three or five course menu, though a la carte pricing will be available for those who prefer it. Check average is $25.00 per person for lunch and $70.00 per person for dinner for food and beverage. Some menu items will include “Port Orange Shrimp with Citrus, Avocado, Hazelnuts and Smoked Trout Roe”, “Jamison Farm’s Lamb Saddle with Indian River Honey, Charred Onions and Black Raspberries”. Some menu items will change daily.

Valet parking is available.

Press materials including bios and pictures available upon request.

Restaurant Brana is located at 276 Alhambra Circle, Coral Gables, FL 33134. Call 305-444-4595, fax 305-444-4596 or visit www.restaurantbrana.com for more information.

Chef Brana has been recognized as a “Rising Star Chef” in 2004 by StarChefs. He was also featured in the October 2004 Gourmet Magazine restaurant issue for piloting a program for the Jean-Louis Palladin foundation where he worked with artisan cheese makers in California. During his tenure at Norman’s in Miami, Chef Braña’s kitchen was nominated for the James Beard Foundation’s Best Restaurant in America 2005.

September 2006

Tim Keating, Executive Chef
Four Seasons Hotel Houston
Tim Keating began his culinary career in his early teens and quickly discovered his true niche-he boasts over a decade in the luxury hotel fine dining business. Keating currently oversees all menu planning and food preparation for the hotel’s eclectic new restaurant Quattro and the Lobby Lounge. In addition, he directs the culinary aspects of all catered events and room service. In February of 2001, 2002, 2003 & 2004 the nominations for the renowned James Beard Foundation awards were announced and included Chef Keating for the American Express Best Chef-Southwest. “The nominations have been among the proudest honors to date in my culinary career,” says Chef Keating. In 2001, Chef Keating was honored with Houston’s My Table magazine’s Chef of the Year award at the magazine’s culinary awards in November.

Prior to joining Four Seasons, he served as Executive Chef at the Omni Houston Hotel for four years. He also served as Executive Sous Chef at the Essex House in New York where he worked alongside world-renowned chef, Christian Delouvrier. Additionally, Keating worked as Executive Chef at the Ritz-Carlton in Houston, as well as tenure at other Ritz-Carlton Five Star, Five Diamond award-winning properties in Rancho Mirage and Laguna Niguel, CA. He mastered his culinary talent at The Meridian Hotel in Newport Beach, CA where he worked alongside world-class chef, Jacques Maximin - Meuilleur Ouvrier de France 1979 - Cuisinier.

Keating uses only the best and freshest seasonal ingredients, many of them local, along with well-brewed stocks and smooth sauces for his culinary creations. He has been credited with taking the vintner/winemaker dinner to a higher level with creative menus and superb food preparation, consistently attracting the presence of some of the finest wine makers both domestically and internationally. In addition, Keating has worked hard to perfect the art of the “Chef’s Table.” Guests to his kitchen include many of the Houston Astros, including Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell, many of the Houston Rockets including Coach Rudy Tomjanovich, Sammy Hagar of Rock N’Roll fame, President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, British Prime Minister John Major, Luther Vandross, Dennis Quaid, The Bangles, The Dixie Chicks, Richard Simmons, Billy Joel, Martha Stewart, Super Chef Emeril Lagasse and even Julia Child herself!

Well known for his commitment to community and charitable causes, Keating has been a frequent guest at the Beard House in New York. He is a staunch and committed advocate of preserving the traditions of multi-national ways of cooking. Keating’s support of the James Beard Foundation was emphasized when he planned and organized “The Dinner of the Decade,” held in Houston in 1995, featuring eight of this country’s finest, award-winning culinarians. Chef Keating’s community involvement has also extended to Houston’s Sunshine Kids, where he organized a dinner honoring world renowned Chef Paul Bocuse of Lyon, France and included six of this country’s better known chefs. This event was awarded “The Culinary Event of the Year” in the Houston Chronicle’s Best of ‘96 List.

He is an active member of the Chaine des Rotisseurs as Chef Rotisseur; Houston Chapter of the Escoffier Society and the American Institute of Wine and Food. Shortly after moving to Houston in 1989, Keating was included in Sarah Jane English’s book “Top Chefs in Texas,” a singular honor for a chef new to the state. Keating has also played a major role in providing leadership to the Chefs Collaborative; as National Executive Committee Board Member since 1996. Joining forces with a nationwide group of chefs, the Collaborative has forged new ground in the culinary industry by supporting local farmers and inspiring their customers to choose good, clean, nutritious and sustainable foods. Chef Keating also played host to the 2000 Chefs Collaborative benefit at the Four Seasons Hotel in Houston: Texas Two Step - A Symphony of Food and Wine, along with 35 nationally renowned chefs filling the evening’s bill.

Chef Keating and his staff have received much recognition for their culinary creations. Among the most recent awards are: Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, 2002; Houston Business Journal, Best New Restaurant, 2002; Mobil Four Star Award 2000 – 2002; Gourmet Magazine Reader’s Choice - Houston Top Ten Table for 1997 through 1999; Houston Zagat Restaurant Survey - Top Food, Top Business Lunch, Top Decor, Top Brunch, Top Hotel Dining and Top French Cuisine for 1998 – 2001. Recent awards and honors include 2005 AAA Five Diamond Award; 2002 Condé Nast Traveler Gold List; and Houston Business Journal - Best New Restaurant, Quattro.

August 2006

Chef Stephane Becht
Blue Door at Delano, South Beach
“When Blue Door at Delano announced the appointment of Stephane Becht as executive chef we were thrilled that he came to us with more than twenty years of culinary service in top restaurants and hotel all over the world. His exceptional background and outstanding skills are sure to render Miami yet another culinary star,” says Pascal Billard, Director of Food & Beverage at Delano.

On reflection, Stephane Becht, now 40 years old, considers his life a blessed one. Born in France, he did his apprenticeship at La Couronne in the Alsace region in the 80’s and went directly to the Three-Star Michelin Auberge De L’Ill restaurant for three years. Becht moved on to Paris to the next Three-Star Michelin Taillevent restaurant, followed by tenure at Lucas-Carton working under Alain Senderen’s in this Three-Star Michelin landmark restaurant.

With this more than solid background, Becht traveled to America to work at La Grenouille when it received Three-Stars by the New York Times. After a few years there, Becht went to the Pacific coast to L’Orangerie, a Five Diamond restaurant, and then on to the famous private club, Jonathan Club, followed by three years at the Ritz-Carlton in Marina Del Rey, California.

Having apprenticed in every possible culinary position in top hotels and restaurants internationally, Becht went back to New York to serve as executive chef at Café Centro for a few years. From there he went to the Five-Star luxury resort, The Ocean Club, in the Bahamas as executive chef for two years where he helped Jean-George Vongerichten to open his restaurant Dune. Becht moved back to New York and joined Cucina & Company as executive chef, followed by two years at Edge Restaurant in Pennsylvania as executive chef.

July 2006

Chef Alex Patout
Christabelle’s, New Orleans LA
Alex Patout unknowingly began developing food standards at birth- that’s simply the way it was around his house. He also watched his father struggle to stay afloat in the restaurant business until the insurance industry lured him away. The family was not amused, therefore, when young Alex decided to invest his accounting degree in opening his first eatery in the Patout’s hometown of New Iberia, Louisiana.

New Iberia is a tiny town recognized primarily as the jumping-off place for Avery Island, where Tobasco sauce is made, as well as a center of Louisiana’s rice trade. Before long, it would be known as the place that produced the Patout’s of Cajun cooking.

By the early 1980s, the chef was ready to catch the wave and not be thrown off. Food and Wine magazine proclaimed him one of the top 25 chefs in America, while Esquire named him one of the “men under 40 who are changing America.”

After Random House thrust a book contract in his hands, Patout found inspiration in his family roots, showcasing them in the successful “Patout’s Cajun Home Cooking” and waxing eloquent about them during a national media tour. Patout is now celebrating 16 years in New Orlean’s French Quarter with the restaurant he runs on St. Louis Street with wife, Marcia.

“Every dish, no matter how long it’s been done, can be changed to make it better,” says Patout, clearly stating a deeply held conviction. “We can never afford to sit back and say, ‘There’s nothing better than this.’ Sometimes it takes common sense, and sometimes it takes slow development, but what I tell chefs is this: Take every dish and keep it in your mind that you can do something to make it better.”

Chef Alex Patout opens his New Orleans concept restaurant and Jazz club in Coconut Grove Florida in 2006.

June 2006

Chef Barbara Scott
Tuscan Steak, South Beach
The highly sophisticated restaurant and nightlife habitués of Miami Beach have long been known for their fickle tastes. Here in one of the entertainment capitals of the world, establishment’s come and
go. Some chefs have the perseverance to use that change to excel and Barbara Scott is one of them.

Executive Chef Barbara Scott who was at China Grill Management's Red Square when it opened in 1997 and helped win such awards as One of America's "Best New Restaurants in 1998" from Esquire Magazine, Top 50 restaurants-1999 Travel & Leisure Magazine, and "Best Restaurant in South Beach" New Times and an " Exceptional" rating from The Miami Herald in 2002.

Scott left Red Square to join forces with the dynamic Cindy Hutson of Ortanique on the Mile fame as she opened Ortanique in Las Vegas and in Washington D.C. as Cindy's Chef de Cuisine. Before joining Cindy, Chef Scott also worked at Sensornatic and at Floribbean Bistro in Boca Raton as Sous Chef and created a first class menu for Lan Chile Airlines.

Scott attended Vanderbilt High School and University of South Florida where she earned a B.S. and later an A.S. in Culinary Arts at Florida Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach. Scott worked for Price Waterhouse in Tampa for many years as a market analyst before getting fully amerced in the culinary
world.

"Her management and organizational skills combined with their creative and culinary artistry will most certainly benefit Tuscan Steak and we are thrilled to have her back in the China Grill family," says Steven Haas of China Grill Management group.

May 2006

Govind Armstrong
Govind Armstrong broke the mold even as a youth. As a teenager, while his friends were hanging out on the beach, Armstrong spent the summer of 1982 working in the kitchen of the then-newly-opened Spago in West Hollywood.

Armstrong spent three summers working in Spago’s legendary kitchen under the tutelage of Wolfgang Puck. His career continued to accelerate when he assisted celebrity chefs Mary Sue Miliken and Susan Feniger in opening City Restaurant. Three years later, he left to become tournant at the Hotel Bel-Air before moving to San Francisco to attend college. While in college in San Francisco, he supported himself by working as a sous chef at Puck’s fashionable eatery, Postrio.

Armstrong honed his skills in some of the most highly respected European kitchens, including Excelsior at Hotel de l’Europe, d’Theeboom, and The American Hotel in Amsterdam. In San Sebastian, he was mentored by Pedro Subijana, the renowned chef of Restaurant Akeláre. Armstrong also learned innovative techniques from chef/ owner Juan Mari Arzak at his preeminent restaurant Arzak.

When Armstrong returned home, he had a brief stint at Mark Peel and Nancy Silverton’s Campanile, then took his first chef position at Jackson’s, to rave reviews. Soon after, Joachim Splichal nabbed him to run the kitchen at Pinot Hollywood, where he hosted many celebrity-filled parties, movie premieres, the Oscars and the Grammys.

In 2000, he and Ben Ford opened Chadwick in Beverly Hills with a refined, contemporary cuisine that emphasized organic local ingredients. Since his first job at Spago when he was only 13, Armstrong has been unwavering in his philosophy that the foundation for great cooking is to use only the highest quality seasonal ingredients.

Today, at age 34, Armstrong is living his dream; putting his talents and personal style to work at his own restaurant, Table 8 - the ideal platform for making his mark as a contemporary revolutionary of California cuisine.

Maria del Pilar Sanchez
Maria del Pilar Sanchez grew up in Santa Barbara, California, and has created a following from California to Paris and back again. Pilar spent three years as sous chef with The Wine Cask, a Wine Spectator Grand Award wine list recipient, in Santa Barbara. Following stints at Santa Barbara’s Four Seasons Biltmore with Mario Batali, Ernie’s with Alain Rondelli and the Four Seasons Clift in San Francisco, she and husband, Didier Lenders, opened the overnight success, Café del Sol, in Paris, to rave reviews.

Pilar later spent five years at the Relais & Chateau Meadowood Napa Valley resort as Chef de Cuisine and Banquet Chef. The Culinary Institute of America was Pilar’s next stop, where she served as Executive Chef of the Wine Spectator restaurant.

Chef Sanchez has appeared as guest chef on CNN’s On the Menu with Carolyn O’Neal, NBC’s Travel Café, CBS’s Saturday Morning and PBS’s Traditions with Burt Wolfe.

She was a winning chef contestant on TV Food Network’s Ready, Set, Cook, which led to a co-hosting job for the Network’s Melting Pot’s Mediterranean Table with Rocco di Spirito. Pilar may now be seen on the PBS series, Chefs of the Napa Valley.

Pilar currently hosts an ongoing series of educational award-winning videos, Nutrition 4 Less, Healthy 4 Life, sponsored by ‘Food 4 Less,’ in which she teaches families the value of good nutrition and a healthy diet.

Pilar was hailed one of the “Best Hotel Chefs in America” by the James Beard Foundation, and was awarded “Star Chef” by Lodging Magazine. She was selected by San Francisco Examiner Magazine as one of the “Top Ten Undiscovered Chefs.”

Pilar, the restaurant venture of Sanchez and husband, Didier, opened on Main Street in downtown Napa in April 2004. Since its establishment, Pilar has been lauded for the chef’s culinary finesse and the menu’s elegant Napa Valley-style restraint.

Luke Palladino, Chef & Restaurateur Specchio Ombra
For 36-year-old Chef Luke Palladino, it all started at family holidays, when his extended Italian-American family would congregate around the table to enjoy each relative’s signature dish. “Holiday dinners were literally a procession of food,” Palladino recalls. “We’d sit down at noon and eat straight through until 8 o’clock at night. They were great meals. Almost everyone in my family - my mom, my aunts and uncles, my grandparents - is a fantastic cook.”

It’s been a long journey since then, culminating in the announcement that Palladino will open two restaurants, Specchio and Ombra, both specializing in authentic regional Italian cuisine. Looking over the course of his career, you might say that every move Palladino has made has led up to this point.

“I decided early on that it was important to specialize in a specific cuisine and, because of my heritage, I wanted that to be Italian,” he explains. Graduating with high marks from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, in 1989, Palladino was voted “most likely to succeed” by his classmates. “My experience at the CIA was great,” he says. “Not only did I learn new techniques and gain exposure to new ingredients, I really learned what it takes to be a chef.”

Over the past 12 years, Palladino has dedicated himself to becoming an expert in the art of Italian cuisine, spending more than three years living and cooking in Italy. From 1997 to mid-1998, he was executive chef and partner at Venice’s internationally celebrated Ristorante al Covo. “It was an incredibly intense experience because there were only three people in the kitchen there: a dishwasher, a cook and me,” he says. Prior to his time at al Covo, Palladino immersed himself in the culture of Italy’s varied regions, doing stages at restaurants in various regions, including Rome, Piemonte, Puglia, Friuli, Sicily and Tuscany. Along the way, he struck up a friendship with Carlo Petrini, the president of Slow Food, an organization dedicated to combating the culture of fast food by preserving and passing down age-old culinary practices.

In the U.S., Palladino has worked under some of the country’s most well-respected chefs, including Paul Bertolli, Jeremiah Towers, Emeril Lagasse and Todd English. He worked with English from October 1999 until May 2001, first as executive chef at Onda Ristorante at the Mirage in Las Vegas, where he crafted an innovative Italian menu that incorporated the lessons he’d learned in Italy, and then he opened as chef de cuisine at the Aspen outpost of Olives. In Aspen, Palladino was awarded “Best New Chef” by the Aspen Daily News.

At Specchio and Ombra, Palladino brings the Italian culinary experience to Borgata. Specchio presents refined Italian dishes that indulge the palate; Ombra presents the simpler rustic flavors of the Italian countryside. In both restaurants he abides by clearly defined principles of freshness, seasonality, tradition and spontaneity.

April 2006

Chef Clay Conley
Azul, South Beach
After an international search, Mandarin Oriental, Miami selected 31-year old Chef Clay Conley as Chef de Cuisine at Azul, the hotel’s 120-seat waterfront restaurant. The rising star chef honed his culinary reputation at Todd English’s acclaimed Olives restaurant, where he served as executive chef and culinary director.

Chef Conley brings his sophisticated, eclectic cuisine of Mediterranean flavors with Asian influences to the menu at Azul. The menu features vibrant entrees from the ‘Sea and Land,’ including “Miso Marinated Halibut,” Edamame Stir-fry, Sake Butter Sauce and Shrimp Dumplings and “Moroccan Lamb,” Grilled Lamb Chop, Harissa Marinated Loin, Braised Shank Bastilla with Smoked Eggplant.

Raised in rural Maine, Chef Conley began his career path at an early age. With his first restaurant job at the age of 12, he always knew he wanted to pursue a culinary calling. Subsequent international travels to Europe and Southeast Asia broadened Conley’s exposure to world cuisines, especially in Japan, where he spent six months and became inspired with the elegance of food preparation and the culinary traditions.

Chef Conley got his start at the original and celebrated Olives restaurant in Boston in 1996 as chef tournant where he trained with Todd English. In 1998, he was promoted to executive sous chef and assisted in the opening of Olives at Bellagio in Las Vegas. The following year, Chef Conley played an integral part of the opening of Olives in Washington DC and then returned to Las Vegas as executive chef, a post he held for two years.

Prior to taking the helm at Azul, he was culinary director of The Olives Group overseeing 17 restaurants including the opening of Olives in Tokyo.

Named one of South Florida’s Great Chefs of 2005 by Ocean Drive magazine, Chef Conley attended Tulane University in New Orleans before going on to study at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

March 2006

Chef Shaun Hergatt
The Setai, South Beach
Chef Hergatt began his illustrious career at the Ritz-Carlton, Sydney. In 2000, he became the opening Chef for Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C., then the Ritz-Carlton in Boston Commons and the Ritz-Carlton in Key Biscayne. In 2002, he was appointed Chef de Cuisine for the Atelier Restaurant at the prestigious Ritz-Carlton flagship hotel in New York, where he achieved phenomenal prestige and critical notoriety. With The Setai, Hergatt brings South Beach an impeccable Trans-Ethnic menu consisting of Asian/French influenced food.

January 2006

Luciano Parolari
Villa d’Este, Italy
Luciano Parolari, Executive Chef of the Grand Hotel VILLA D’ESTE was born 59 years ago in the town of Arco, in the province of Trento, above Lake Garda.

Luciano’s father was a butcher and it would have seemed obvious for him to continue in the family trade but at the age of 13 he started working in the kitchen of a neighbourhood restaurant owned by a friend of the Parolari’s. Luciano soon made up his mind to pursue a career in the cooking world.
He attended a Hotel School in the Italian Dolomites during the Winter months and in the Summer he did his apprenticeship in resort hotels.

Parolari was employed by Villa d’Este 39 years ago and he worked in the various kitchen departments until he was appointed Chef of the GRILL. When the Hotel closed in October, Parolari worked at the SAVOY in London and the PALACE in St. Moritz and would return in March for the reopening of Villa d’Este.

In 1970 he was one of the chefs at the Teheran Gala celebrating the 2500th Anniversary of the Persian dynasty. In 1973 Villa d’Este started a cooking school and in 1976 Parolari was invited to give fund-raising demonstrations and cooking classes around the U.S., in Australia , in Europe and the Far East.

In 1978 Parolari was promoted to Executive Chef. His efficient staff of 40 is practically interchangeable, therefore no one is confined to doing only the salads or cleaning vegetables. The menu is completely Italian, consisting of a selection of specialties from the various Regions of Italy

Parolari has introduced and created many fresh pasta dishes, but he is still most famous for his “ risotto “: he is known as the “ King of Risotto”!

In 1995 he participated in the Italian Food and Wine Festival at the celebration of the United Nations’ 50th anniversary. On the same occasion he was a guest Chef at the prestigious New York Yacht Club and at the James Beard Foundation. In 2002, he celebrated his silver jubilee as Chef at the James Beard Foundation in New York.

In 1999, The “ Villa d’Este Cookbook “ won the award for “ Best Hotel cookbook in English” at Versailles.

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