News from the hotel and resort industry WESTIN INTRODUCES SIGNATURE DESSERT MENU WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - A new signature dessert menu, created by Westin Hotels & Resorts' top U.S. pastry chefs and overseen by corporate chef Steve Peterson, debuted in August in Westin's North American hotel restaurants. The menu, also available through room service, includes dishes such as Strawberry-Lemongrass Soup with Fruit Sorbet, sorbet served in an almond tower with mango "spaghetti"; Apples and Raisins a la Mode, rum raisin ice cream with marinated apples and raisins, topped with whipped cream and a cinnamon tuille; and Pineapple and Coconut Pleasure, Haagen-Dazs coconut-pineapple ice cream with drunken raisins and bananas, topped with pineapple and strawberry sauce and whipped cream. After-dinner cocktails, created by master sommelier Andrea Immer, Starwood Hotels & Resorts' corporate director of beverage programs, also are featured in the menu. These include the Velvet Hammer, made with Kahlua, Cointreau and cream, straight up; and the Concorde, made with Kahlua, Bailey's Irish Cream and Grand Marnier.
FOUR SEASONS RESORT NEVIS TO REOPEN NEVIS, West Indies - The Four Seasons Resort Nevis, a beachfront property on the island of Nevis, has been refurbished and is scheduled to reopen late this month. "Our closure following Hurricane Lenny afforded us the opportunity to assess the needs of our guests and take travel trends into account when deciding how to redesign and enhance the property," general manager Robert Whitfield said. The resort, which has 196 rooms in 12 cottages, added an 800-square-foot conference room, increasing its total meeting space to almost 9,000 square feet. The hotel's oceanfront Cabana restaurant also has been redesigned and now will feature a separate beach bar.
DISNEY'S GRAND CALIFORNIAN HOTEL OPENING SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY ANAHEIM, Calif. - Disney's Grand Californian Hotel, featuring 750 rooms and 20,000 square feet of meeting space, is scheduled to open in January. Jose Barragan has been appointed food and beverage director, and Andrew Sutton has been named executive chef of its 237-seat restaurant, Grand Napa. Decorated in the style of the Arts and Crafts movement, Grand Napa will feature a display kitchen, a lounge area, a showcase wine cellar and a private dining room with a fireplace. The menu will feature California-inspired cuisine.
Steven Jayson, vice president and executive chef of the Universal Orlando in Orlando, Fla., has been named "2000 National Chef of the Year" by the American Culinary Federation.
Anton Brunbauer, executive chef at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Ariz., has been named "2000 Chef of the Year" by the Chef's Association of Greater Phoenix.
The Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla., has named Mark Baker director of food and beverage operations. Baker will oversee the day-to-day operations of the hotel's restaurants and lounges.
Karel Vidlak has been appointed banquet manager at the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort in Huntington Beach, Calif.
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, in Kapalua, Hawaii, has appointed Mark Anthony Malone, CMP, director of catering and convention services.
The Radisson Deauville Resort Miami Beach in Miami Beach, Fla., has named Robert Hernandez director of catering.
The Orchid at Mauna Lani in Kohala Coast, Hawaii, has promoted Doug Herkes to catering and conference services manager. Herkes is responsible for catering and meeting services of the hotel's corporate, incentive and association clientele.
Marc Dorfman has been appointed director of catering for the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto.
Vail Cascade Resort in Vail, Colo., has named Matthew Zubrod executive chef. He will be responsible for all foodservice at the resort.
Robert Moore has been appointed director of catering and convention service for the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers.
Cristophe Ithurritze has been named corporate pastry chef for Wolfgang Puck's four Las Vegas restaurants: Spago, Chinois, Trattoria Del Lupo and Postrio.
Atlanta-based Bass Hotels & Resorts has promoted Jean-Pierre Etcheberrigaray to vice president of food and beverage operations at Inter-Continental and Crowne Plaza hotels and resorts in the Americas.
David A. Dvorak, CMP, has been named vice president of convention and meeting services for White Plains, N.Y.-based Starwood Hotels & Resorts. He will be responsible for implementing and monitoring convention and meeting services standards.
