Hotels across the U.S. have appointed new food and beverage leaders over the past two weeks.
Alfond Inn at Rollins
The Alfond Inn at Rollins, Winter Park, Fla., adds Michelle Gomez as executive chef, bringing expertise from her tenure with Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide and Waldorf Astoria. Prior to joining The Alfond Inn, Gomez held leadership roles in Hawaii, serving as vice president of the American Culinary Federation, Culinary Advisory Board Member for the University of Hawaii, and Les Dames d' Escoffier International Board Member and Delegate.
A Le Cordon Bleu graduate of culinary arts, Gomez returns to her hometown of Orlando, inspired by her travels while working in Spain, France, Portugal, Morocco, Mexico, Monaco, and the Caribbean to create innovative farm-to-table cuisine.
Four Seasons Jackson Hole
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole (Wy.) adds director of food and beverage Jose Vargas. Vargas' recent appointment was at Four Seasons Resort Lanai.
Originally from El Salvador, Vargas studied hospitality management at Les Roches International School of Hospitality Management in Bluche, Switzerland. His first appointment with Four Seasons was a college internship at Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica. From there, Vargas transitioned to Four Seasons Hotel Chicago as a manager in training in 2010, and subsequently worked in various food and beverage leadership roles at the brand’s properties in Doha, Hualalai, Maui, Sensei, and most recently, the beach resort at Lanai.
Hotel Champlain
Burlington, Vt.-based Hotel Champlain, a Curio Collection by Hilton, appoints two to its food and beverage team: Kenzie Allen to executive chef and Israel Prado Rivas to food and beverage director. Both Allen and Rivas have previously worked together at the Viewline Hotel in Snowmass.
Allen joins the Hotel Champlain team with over a decade of culinary experience. Allen is passionately creative when it comes to butchery and classic French and American cooking techniques. She previously served as executive chef at many restaurants, including Due Forni Italian Kitchen in Austin, before she headed West to open STK, and Rooftop STK in San Diego. Most recently, Allen played a key role in reopening JRDN restaurant at Tower 23 Hotel, where she took over full menu control during the rebrand.
Rivas joins the team at Hotel Champlain with over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry, having honed his skills in Colorado and Florida. Having managed multiple restaurant outlets at a time during his positions at Waldorf Astoria Naples, Naples Grand Beach Hotel, and Sarasota Modern, Rivas brings exceptional service and detailed orientation to each new venture. Now in Burlington, Rivas is excited to bring his expertise and passion to Hotel Champlain, eager to make a lasting impact in this new chapter of his career.
Kimpton Virgilio
Carlos Juárez Soto is named the executive chef at Kimpton Virgilio, the new 48-room luxury boutique hotel in Mexico City’s Polanco district. Juárez Soto is in charge of the Pepe restaurant, a Spanish tavern concept combining Spanish and Latin flavors, as well as La Caña, the hotel's rooftop bar.
Juárez Soto has a degree in Gastronomy and Culinary Arts from CESSA (Centro de Estudios Superiores de San Ángel). Since graduating, he has held positions as a kitchen specialist, supervisor, and sous chef. Juárez Soto has extensive experience in restaurants and hotels throughout Mexico and the United States, including Four Seasons Mexico City, JW Marriott Savannah, The Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, and Pao Restaurant at the Faena Hotel Miami Beach, where he collaborated with Paul Qui. He was part of the Element 47 team at The Little Nell in Aspen.
Mountain View Grand
Mountain View Grand, Whitefield, N.H., appoints executive chef Alexandre Panontin, who will oversee the culinary program at the resort’s sprawling 1,700-acre property. Panontin previously served as executive chef at Hilton Curio Collection in Florida and Loews Hotels at the Ventana Canyon Resort in Arizona, where he honed his expertise in creating innovative dishes that reflect both regional flavors and global influences. He will lead the resort’s catering and event services, in addition to its three signature dining establishments: Harvest Tavern, 1865 Wine Cellar and Veranda.
Under Panontin’s guidance, the culinary offerings at Mountain View Grand are set to undergo a transformative re-imagining, beginning with menu updates at Harvest Tavern and 1865 Wine Cellar. Panontin is also collaborating closely with the resort’s farming team to implement sustainable dining practices, including the management of new seasonal gardens. He will be at the forefront of ensuring that the resort’s menus feature the freshest, sustainably sourced ingredients, reflecting a dedication to quality and environmental stewardship.
Tempo by Hilton Louisville
Kathryn Fink has joined the Tempo by Hilton Louisville's High Stakes Rooftop Grill as executive chef. Fink is responsible for leading the culinary team and overseeing the dining experience at the Tempo by Hilton Louisville Downtown NuLu’s rooftop restaurant.
A former human resources case manager, Fink decided to change course and pursue her passion for cooking and food sustainability. During the pandemic, she honed her skills teaching online cooking classes, sharing her expertise with her community and hosting intimate dining events for friends and family. Before moving to Louisville, Fink worked with influential chefs in North Dakota and Minnesota. Her career began by working under Austin Covert at Rosewild at the Jasper Hotel in North Dakota, where she transitioned from food runner to line cook and eventually to sous chef while learning the dynamics of leading a team and managing a kitchen. Fink also held the role as harvest and kitchen assistant for James Beard award-winning writer and chef Amy Thielen and was a stagiaire across the country, where she continued to refine her techniques and develop her cooking style that blends modern ideas with traditional practices.
Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach
Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach (Fla.) adds two culinary professionals to its leadership team. Nana Darkwah has been promoted to executive chef, while Eric Champagne steps into the role of executive banquet chef.
Darkwah's recent appointment caps a 15-year culinary journey that began in Accra, Ghana. After moving to the United States, Darkwah's passion and talent propelled him from his first role as a dishwasher through various prestigious positions, including sushi chef at a four-diamond restaurant. Darkwah has been an integral part of the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach team for over seven years, demonstrating his commitment and growth within the organization. At Ocean Hai, Wyndham Grand's signature four-diamond restaurant, his innovative approach to cuisine quickly elevated him from lead line cook to executive chef.
Champagne will focus on meetings, events and catering. Most recently, Champagne was executive sous chef and banquet chef at Sandpearl Resort in Clearwater, Fla., he oversaw all aspects of banquet production, including safety, sanitation, off-site catering, and menu development. Prior to that, as executive chef for Catering By The Family in Tampa, he managed a full-service catering kitchen, leading a team of 15 while handling production, ordering, inventory and scheduling.