A variety of hotels and resorts make various food and beverage appointments. Here are some of the updates from the past two weeks.
AC Hotel by Marriott North Phoenix at Norterra and Element by Westin North Phoenix at Norterra
Jackson-Shaw and its development partner Holualoa Companies appoint Matthew O’Harris as executive chef for the upcoming dual-branded AC Hotel by Marriott North Phoenix at Norterra and Element by Westin North Phoenix at Norterra. The hotel is on track to open in November.
O’Harris is a culinary leader with more than 20 years of experience in high-end hotel kitchens and restaurant openings. Originally from Michigan, he has twice taken top honors at Arizona’s Devour Culinary Classic and was recognized as manager of the year at JW Marriott Camelback Inn.
AT&T Hotel & Conference Center
AT&T Hotel & Conference Center, Austin, Texas, appoints Richard Chapa as assistant food and beverage director, where he will support culinary operations and spearhead efforts to elevate the hotel’s beverage and dining outlets.
Richard brings more than a decade of leadership in food and beverage across major Texas hotels. Most recently, he was general manager of Hilton Austin’s Cannon + Belle, where he launched a Bourbon Bar program recognized at IMEX, consistently increased guest satisfaction scores, and developed local barrel collaborations.
Balboa Bay Resort
Balboa Bay Resort, Newport Beach, Calif., appoints Diego Bernal as executive chef. A Colombian native, Bernal brings more than two decades of culinary expertise and a strong background in luxury hotels and resorts to his new role. He will oversee the culinary program across both Balboa Bay Resort and its sister property, Balboa Bay Club, including signature dining venues A+O Restaurant | Bar and Blend Café, private in-room dining, the Members Grill, large-scale catering events and the Newport Beach Wine Festival.
Bernal began his hospitality culinary career at The W Hotel San Diego, followed by the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. His passion for elevated cuisine led him to work under the tutelage of Gordon Ramsay at Ramsay’s Michelin-starred restaurant at The London Hotel, before joining Montage Beverly Hills, a Five-Star, Five-Diamond property. He later moved to Orange County to join the acclaimed Resort at Pelican Hill before he eventually took on the role of executive sous chef at Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach. There, he spent more than four years leading all culinary operations across eight outlets.
Hamilton Hotel
Dan Elinan, the former executive chef at the Hilton Knoxville, has joined Via Sophia as executive chef within the Hamilton Hotel in Washington D.C. Elinan brings more than 15 years of global culinary leadership to Via Sophia at the Hamilton Hotel, shaped by experience in premier kitchens across the U.S. and Europe.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America with a background in biology, Elinan blends Mediterranean influences from Italy and Spain with a commitment to responsibly sourced ingredients. His career includes leadership roles at Hilton Knoxville, Hyatt Regency Monterey, The Cavalier Hotel, Omni Shoreham in Washington, D.C., and Boscolo Hotels in Prague and Budapest.
Hotel Anna & Bel
Anna & Bel, a boutique hotel in Philadelphia, names Kimberly Capehart food and beverage general manager. Capehart oversees the hospitality programs at Hotel Anna & Bel’s signature dining destinations: Bastia, the Corsican and Caletta. Working alongside chef partner Tyler Akin, she cultivates a culture of service and creativity that reflects the property’s vision as a gathering place for both locals and travelers.
Capehart’s career is rooted in Philadelphia’s hospitality scene, where she most recently served as general manager at Pizzeria Beddia, helping guide the restaurant through national acclaim and recognition from TIME and Esquire. Earlier, she held leadership roles at La Colombe Coffee Roasters, where she contributed both to service standards and brand development.
Mission Resort & Club
Mission Resort + Club, an MMI Hotel Group property in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., appoints Dennis Riley as director of food and beverage. With more than 25 years of experience in the restaurant and resort industry, Riley has been part of the MMI Hotel Group family since 2018, most recently serving as director of food and beverage at The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort on St. Simons Island, Ga. Prior to his tenure at The King and Prince, Riley held leadership positions at The Guest House at Graceland in Memphis, Tenn.; Casa Ybel Resort in Sanibel, Fla.; and The Ritz-Carlton, Naples in south Florida.
Riley will oversee all aspects of the resort’s culinary outlets, including current enhancement projects that are already underway at Conquistador Bar & Restaurant (formerly La Margarita and El Conquistador restaurants) and the newly refreshed Grove House (formerly Nicker’s Clubhouse), in addition to Conquistador Catering that services both resort and off-premise weddings, meetings, and special events.
Rosewood Baha Mar
Rosewood Baha Mar, Nassau, The Bahamas, appoints Jeremy Metz as executive chef of Café Boulud, The Bahamas. Metz has more than two decades of expertise.
Prior to joining Rosewood Baha Mar, Metz served as the corporate executive chef for The Taste Boulevard Company in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In this role, he worked closely with acclaimed chef Alain Ducasse to successfully oversee the pre-opening and opening phases of Benoit Restaurant. In Riyadh, Metz also spearheaded the launch of Maiz Restaurant by Al Khozama Management Company. Previously, he served as executive chef at Moskito Island, Virgin Limited Edition, and executive sous chef at Oil Nut Bay in the British Virgin Islands among other positions around the world.
Royal Sonesta New Orleans
Volker Dicks has been appointed director of catering and convention services at The Royal Sonesta New Orleans, located directly on Bourbon Street.
With over two decades of hospitality experience, Dicks brings a wealth of leadership, operational excellence and client-focused service to his position with The Royal Sonesta New Orleans. His career has spanned properties including The Windsor Court Hotel, Waldorf Astoria and W Hotels, where he held senior roles in sales, operations, catering and event management. Most recently serving as associate director of meetings and special events at The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans, where he demonstrated an exceptional ability to manage event operations, lead high-performing teams and deliver memorable experiences for clients and guests alike.
Sheraton Dallas
Sheraton Dallas makes two appointments within its food and beverage team: Jessica Kraus as executive sous chef of restaurants and bars and Blake DeAlessandro as restaurant manager.
Kraus brings a wealth of experience and passion for culinary excellence to her new role. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, Kraus most recently served as complex executive sous chef at Loews Royal Pacific Resort and Sapphire Falls Resort, where she oversaw the daily operations of nine restaurants and two cafeterias. She managed a culinary team of over 120 professionals and was responsible for more than $120 million in annual food sales.
DeAlessandro returns to Sheraton Dallas as restaurant manager, bringing nearly two decades of experience in food and beverage operations within the Marriott brand. DeAlessandro first joined the Sheraton Dallas team in 2018 and played a key role as sales tour and renovation mixologist/lead bartender. DeAlessandro took on a broader leadership role with the promotion to assistant food and beverage operations manager in 2021.