In January, Ferran Adrià announced that at the end of the 2011 season he planned to close El Bulli, his mythic restaurant on Spain’s Costa Brava, with plans to reopen it two years later as a foundation, in which food service will be only a part. El Bulli has often been called “the best restaurant in the world” (whatever that means). Of course, it has been called many other things as well: an art performance space, a miracle, a shrine, sheer heaven, pure hell. I’m always a little surprised, in fact, by the diversity — and intensity — of the reactions a meal at El Bulli engenders.

Granted, the experience is genuinely unique. It’s not just a matter of unusual food, of unexpected combinations and unfamiliar forms — the famous spherifications and deconstructions and the like that have influenced chefs all over the world.

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 John Torode, 44, is the ebullient embodiment of just what a chef with talent, determination and the gift of the gab can accomplish. Born in Melbourne, Australia, Torode left school for catering college at 16 before coming to the UK 20 years ago to look for work.

Today, he presents the BBC’s popular Masterchef television series. His first restaurant, Smiths of Smithfield, has just celebrated its 10th birthday and still caters for 8,000 customers a week. On top of that, his cookery books have been bestsellers.

But Torode also bears witness to one of the restaurant industry’s few universal and incontrovertible maxims: that anyone’s second restaurant is always the most difficult. The problem is that the business doubles in size and the first restaurant cannot financially support an adequate management structure to run two. The second restaurant can be, and often is, a recipe for disaster.

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Chicken fingers to the left. Chicken fingers to the right. For years, the issue of kids in restaurants and children’s menus has divided chefs and patrons alike. From New York–where one Brooklyn pizza shop (yes, a pizza shop, for Christ’s sake) was forced to provide tike-specific dining options after the stroller set’s boycott almost closed the restaurant. Another NY chef refuses to offer a children’s menu. Instead, he gladly offers smaller portions of the regular menu’s dishes for the bantam guests. New York is also the place where — horror of horrors — New York Times restaurant critic Sam Sifton brings his daughters to “work” with books when they become bored of dining at some of Gotham’s finest eateries.

The Big Apple isn’t the only battleground over rugrats. In Columbus, Ohio, the chef at Latitude 41 banned chicken fingers, replacing it with organic chicken teriyaki. Some businesses, like Walt Disney Co., have capitulated half-heartedly by nixing the automatic fries from plates.

And of course, let’s not forget food blogs and discussion boards where writers and commenters release tirades behind the safety of electronic anonymity.

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The Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza is pleased to announce that Todd Kelly has been promoted to Director of Food and Beverage in addition to Executive Chef.
 
In  his expanded role, Todd will have overall responsibility for the operation of the Food and Beverage Department including budgeting, forecasting, purchasing and all operational development for the department. Todd will be a member of the Executive Operating Committee (EOC) of the hotel and will represent the needs of the food and beverage team accordingly.
 
Todd has also been named one of Hilton Hotel’s U.S. Hilton Signature Chefs, one of only six in the country. This distinguished honor is given to Hilton’s own top chefs who exemplify Hilton’s culinary heritage and relevance today. Todd will be featured in sponsored promotions on BRAVO TV’s “Top Chef”.

In addition, the hotel and its fine-dining establishment, Orchids at Palm Court, have been honored with the American Automobile Association’s (AAA) coveted four-diamond award for excellence for the sixth consecutive year and Cincinnati Magazine’s rating as the #1 Restaurant in Cincinnati (2010 & 2009).  In addition, Zagat Survey named Orchids one of Cincinnati’s Top Restaurants (2010) and Polly Campbell, The Cincinnati Enquirer’s restaurant critic, gave Orchids a “Five Stars-Extraordinary” rating in November 2009.

The Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza opened in 1931 and is considered to be one of the world’s finest examples of French art deco architecture.  The hotel offers 561 renovated guestrooms and over 40,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including the famous Hall of Mirrors, Pavillion Caprice and Continental Ballrooms. The hotel’s restaurant, Orchids at Palm Court, features rare Brazilian rosewood walls with German silver-nickel metalwork and lighting fixtures. The two-story ceiling has large Romanesque murals and on the north end of the restaurant is an original Rookwood Pottery fountain flanked by two large seahorses. The hotel is a charter member of Historic Hotels of America, is a registered National Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Wyndham Orange County proudly welcomes Executive Chef, Robert Biebrich, to the Terranova restaurant.

A California native, Robert graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and brings with him an extensive knowledge and fresh enthusiasm for California cuisine. Robert began his career in St. Helena, CA at the Martini house, a Michelin star restaurant, and then expanded his skills at the acclaimed Restaurant at Meadowood, which received two-Michelin stars during his tenure.

As Food and Beverage Director/Chef de Cuisine at Aliso Creek Inn & Golf Course, formerly known as “Ben Browns,” Robert continued to expand his culinary skills and expertise with California cuisine. As Executive Chef at Terranova, Robert brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm from his past and a desire to offer fresh and inventive cuisine for the Orange County community.

Featuring patio, lakeside, and indoor dining, the Terranova restaurant is perfect for special occasions, holidays, and casual dining.  Diners can view a charming lake and fountain while enjoying a premium cocktail or mouth-watering appetizer.  Offering contemporary California cuisine, guests are invited to enjoy a diverse seasonal menu prepared by a seasoned culinary staff.

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, LLC and its affiliates, subsidiaries of the Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, offers upscale hotel and resort accommodations throughout the United States, Europe, China, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. All hotels are either franchised or managed by Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, LLC or an affiliate.

Executive Chef Jim Phillips of Barona Resort & Casino was recently honored with the coveted “Gold Medallion Award” for Chef of the Year by the California Restaurant Association (CRA), San Diego Chapter. The winners were selected by members of the chapter, which is comprised of the city’s top restaurant and hospitality professionals.

“I am extremely honored to be recognized by peers and industry leaders as this year’s chef of the year by our local California Restaurant Association chapter,” said Chef Phillips. “This award is especially meaningful to me at this point in my career. While working at Barona I’ve had the unique opportunity to help open new restaurants, manage several different dining venues at the same time and train our staff at the Culinary Institute. I’d like to thank my Barona team members for their support and the CRA for this distinguished award.”

The culinary veteran currently oversees over 400 Barona staff members including 12 chef de cuisines, 30 sous chefs and 220 cooks in addition to six award-winning restaurants, several casual eateries, as well as special events catering. While at Barona, he also played an instrumental role in the development of the menus and concepts of the resort’s Barona Steakhouse, Italian Cucina, El Rancho Grande and The Plaza restaurants.

“Each year we honor chefs that not only create an outstanding dining experience for guests, but also promote the core values of culinary excellence, leadership, professionalism and diversity,” said Fred Glick, president of the CRA San Diego. “Throughout Chef Jim’s long career in San Diego, he has continued to set the standard for our industry by impressing guests with his culinary creations, inspiring his large staff and providing support to numerous local charities and organizations. We appreciate everything he has done and continues to do for San Diego’s culinary scene.”

In addition, Chef Phillips manages the Barona Culinary Institute, a certified on-site demonstration kitchen, accredited culinary school and private dining room located within the resort’s main casino. The program is American Culinary Federation Apprenticeship certified according to California and Federal labor guidelines and is directly associated with the local-state accredited Grossmont College and can be continued toward further education including an associate degree.

Chef Phillips is the Apprentice Chair on the American Culinary Federation Chefs and Culinarians of San Diego. Currently, he serves as treasurer of Chef Celebration, a non-profit organization that provides scholarships for local rising culinary talent and has been a member of the organization since its inception in 1995. Together, Chef Phillips and Barona have maintained a presence in the community volunteering in events and organizations such as the Recipe for a Cure, Taste of the Triangle, Taste of the Nation, St. Madeline’s, Alpine Wine Festival, Wine and Roses, San Diego Zoo Celebration of the Critters, CRA Golf Tournament, Promises 2 Kids, Epilepsy Foundation, December Nights and numerous others.

This summer, get ready to experience the best gastronomy Mexico has to offer when Pueblo Bonito Oceanfront Resorts and Spas brings together the country’s top chefs to collaborate in one of the most unique food and wine events.

Pueblo Bonito Oceanfront Resorts and Spas and the company’s award-winning Chef Antonio de Livier will host the annual 2010 PacifiCooks event, taking place July 18-25, at Pueblo Bonito’s Los Cabos properties. These include Pueblo Bonito Los Cabos, Pueblo Bonito Rosé Resort & Spa, Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort & Spa and Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Resort & Spa – which was recognized by the Condé Nast Traveler Gold List for “The Best Food in the Americas.”

Celebrated chefs from across Mexico will join the 2010 PacifiCooks to showcase their authentic yet innovative Mexican cuisine to an enthusiastic public. The week-long culinary program will feature custom “All-Star” menus designed by collaborating master chefs, cooking seminars, cocktail receptions and much more.

“This event is always a labor of love for the chefs we invite to Los Cabos,” said Chef de Livier. “When we come together, magic happens. The chefs bring their artistry and unique culinary sensibilities to the kitchen, and what comes to the table each evening is nothing less than extraordinary.”

Special five-course dinners will take place at Pueblo Bonito’s award-winning restaurants such as LaFrida at Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach, Siempre at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica and Fellini’s and Pueblo Bonito Rosé. Each dinner will highlight at least two chefs who will collaborate to prepare and present an exclusive tasting menu. All PacifiCooks dinners are open to the public and reservations may be made in advance. The tasting dinners provide a unique opportunity for guests experience the culinary artistry of these chefs as well as get to know them on a more personal level.

Wine also takes center stage at PacifiCooks. Pueblo Bonito’s noted master Sommelier, Juan Carlos will pair the chefs’ masterful creations with the best wines of Mexico.

“I guarantee a memorable experience for every guest who attends, whether they are the most serious ‘foodies’ or just people who enjoy being surprised by exquisitely prepared and presented meals,” added Chef de Livier. “When Mexico’s top chefs get together to collaborate and share their talents, our guests are the ones who benefit the most.”

With the summer travel season in full swing, Hampton Hotels is teaming with chef and television celebrity Guy Fieri to emphasize the importance of breakfast and officially launch the addition of hot, freshly-baked waffles to Hampton’s free breakfast offering. To officially kick off Hampton’s new free waffle offering, the hotelier, Fieri and his son, Hunter, will line up 30 Hampton waffle bakers in New York City’s Herald Square Park today and serve waffles to more than 7,000 people during a “Wake up with Waffles” event.

Despite breakfast’s long-time title as “the most important meal of the day,” nearly 56 percent of adults admit they don’t eat breakfast, according to the 2009 International Food Information Council Food & Health Survey.

“We understand the importance of breakfast and are committed to starting our guests’ mornings off on the right foot with a variety of free breakfast options,” said Kurt Smith, Vice President of Product, Quality and Innovation for Focused Service, Hilton Worldwide. “This time last year, we made a promise to our guests that by June 2010 waffles would become a permanent part of our free breakfast, no matter which location you stay in. We love having our guests and are excited to add waffles to our free breakfast offering in all our Hampton locations nationwide.”

Research shows that families who eat breakfast together may help to support good nutrition and healthy eating patterns in children, a point that celebrity chef Guy Fieri reinforces with his own family.

“As a father and a chef, waking up to a good breakfast has always been important to me and my family,” said Fieri. “What better way to talk about this than by partnering with Hampton and baking a hot breakfast for anyone who missed the most important meal of the day!”

The addition of waffle bakers rounds out Hampton’s already robust breakfast line-up which features rotating menu options such as eggs, sausage, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, wraps with salsa, fresh fruit, cereal, yogurt and more. Hampton’s free On the House hot breakfast is just one of the bundled amenities that the hotel offers value-seeking and quality-minded summer travelers. Guests can also expect free high-speed internet access and the Clean and Fresh Hampton Bed with duvets and linens washed fresh for every guest at all Hampton locations.

David Chang was asleep in his aisle seat on a recent flight to Melbourne when searing pain jolted him awake: a flight attendant had accidentally spilled boiling water on his arm. That the worst scalding of the Manhattan megachef’s life occurred in business class rather than in a busy kitchen was perhaps surprising. But that was nothing compared with what awaited him on the ground. Soon after he landed, news of the accident made the Australian papers and then, thanks to the global hum of diligent foodies at their keyboards, quickly appeared on websites around the world. The shocking headline: “Chef Burned.”

It’s been a few decades since we started turning cooks into stars, and still the phenomenon continues to grow. These days, the Emerils, Marios and Gordons of the world scarcely need the qualifier chef — they are celebrities, plain and simple. But between the television shows, the food festivals, the Vegas outposts, the spaghetti-sauce labels bearing their names and the fans rabidly tracking everything from new dishes to failed love affairs and, yes, accidental airline injuries, it’s easy to overlook the impact that fame has had on the once disparaged profession of cooking. In the Food Network era, the phenomenon of the celebrity chef has utterly transformed the restaurant industry and, in the process, changed the very nature of how we eat.

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One of the country’s most revered chefs, Gary Mehigan of the hit television show Masterchef, has applauded the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) for its culinary ability saying it’s the ‘real deal’.

Award winning chef and restaurateur, Mehigan, who owns some of the finest restaurants in Melbourne, was one of the three celebrity chefs to have his dishes prepared by the MCEC’s kitchen team during the Melbourne Good Food & Wine Show from 4 – 6 June.

Led by the MCEC’s executive chef Shaun Bowles, the dishes of each celebrity chef were re-created by the venue’s in-house team of experienced chefs and then served in a purpose built restaurant during the show.

On tasting Bowles’ dishes at the show, Mehigan says he has such confidence in him and his team, there’s no need to check anything.

‘What I love about these guys and this event in Melbourne is that I feel confident … you get the real deal, you get all the taste you want and don’t have to worry about anything, Shaun knows exactly what I want.’

His sentiments are echoed by My Kitchen Rules judge and respected chef, Pete Evans, whose dishes were also re-created by the MCEC.

‘It’s perfect. The quality is wonderful; the mussels are superb, probably better than I can cook!’

Evans also commended the MCEC on its philosophy of sourcing Victorian regional produce and preparing everything on site.

‘I love that they go to the effort of baking their own pastries and creating everything from scratch, which is something not always seen in the industry a lot these days, particularly in a venue of this size.’

Good Food & Wine group exhibition director James Laing says the MCEC’s approach has a direct impact on helping the event grow each year.

‘The quality of the produce and cooking is fantastic and we find the team so flexible to work with. Food and Beverage Manager Frank Burger’s willingness to always embrace new ideas – like the purpose built restaurant – is what keeps people coming back year after year.

The No. 1 food show on cable checks into the Hilton kitchen this summer as Hilton Hotels partners with BRAVO’s Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series, Top Chef D.C.

The hit show’s millions of viewers will see a Hilton-specific challenge, Hilton global culinary travel packages gifted to winning chef’testants throughout the season, an international Hilton location featured in the finale episodes and a guest judge appearance by Beth Scott, Vice President of Restaurant Concepts for Full-Service Brands, Hilton Worldwide. In addition to the Hilton brand’s larger presence throughout the seventh season, premiering Wednesday, June 16 at 9/8c on BRAVO, Washington Hilton opens its doors to the 17 chef’testants as home of the new Top Chef Kitchen.

“This is an exciting partnership that pairs Hilton, the culinary leader in hospitality, with the number one U.S. food show on cable,” said Dave Horton, Global Head, Hilton Hotels brand. “With this synergy, we are perfectly primed to share our rich culinary heritage and the contemporary leadership of our brand in the food and beverage space in the countries we serve around the globe. Hilton has long served as the launching ground for many great chefs and we’re excited to serve as the stage for up-and-coming talent.”

With more than 530 hotels and resorts in 76 countries across six continents, Hilton caters to discerning palettes from around the world. As an iconic hospitality brand, the Hilton brand’s international footprint is responsible for many culinary “firsts,” from the invention of the Pina Colada at Caribe Hilton in Puerto Rico to the American brownie at The Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. Today, Hilton chefs represent countless accolades and the Hilton portfolio includes award-winning restaurants worldwide such as Michelin star rated Galvin At Windows (London Hilton on Park Lane), Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence recipient, Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops (Hilton Seattle Airport) and, AAA four-diamond recognized Bali Steak & Seafood Restaurant (Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa) and Orchids at Palm Court (Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza).

Following its recent $150 million renovation, Washington Hilton sets the stage for culinary battle as the location of season seven’s Top Chef Kitchen. The comprehensive restoration of the property included a makeover of all 1,070 guestrooms, meeting rooms and function spaces, the lobby, restaurants and all public areas. Washington Hilton has long been the site of such prestigious events as the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, the First Lady’s Luncheon, the National Prayer Breakfast and is the only D.C. area hotel to consistently host an official Inaugural Ball.

To further engage Top Chef D.C. viewers and Hilton guests, Hilton Hotels launched www.hiltontopchef.com. Visitors to the website will be invited to enter “The Hilton Culinary Getaway” sweepstakes for a chance to win a culinary getaway to Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona in Spain. Along with dedicated sections for viewers to check out the goings on in Top Chef D.C., the site enables visitors to explore the Hilton brand’s culinary legacy. From “Hilton Firsts” recipe cards and information on “Hilton Signature Chefs” to a Hilton Culinary Map, culinary enthusiasts will delight in an array of user-friendly information and resources. “Hilton Signature Chefs” sharing recipes, personal stories and culinary tips include:

• Chef Jeffrey Vigilla, Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa (Honolulu, Hawaii)
• Chef Stephen Henry, The Palmer House Hilton (Chicago, Ill.)
• Chef Todd Kelly, Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza (Cincinnati, Ohio)
• Chef Patrick Dahms, Hilton San Diego Bayfront (San Diego, Calif.)
• Chef Carissa Ciacalone, Hilton San Diego Bayfront (San Diego, Calif.)
• Chef Andre Cote, Hilton Washington (Washington, D.C.)

Additionally, these Hilton Signature Chefs will be featured alongside free Top Chef D.C. episodes on Hilton in-room television channels. Hilton will also distribute one million limited edition Hilton/ Top Chef D.C. key cards at its properties in the U.S. and engage viewers and guests through its official social media channels on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Hilton), Twitter (www.twitter.com/HiltonOnline) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/Hilton).

The 7th Annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, the largest wine and food festival in Southern California, announced today the partial star-studded lineup of celebrity chefs, rising culinary stars, sommeliers and master sommeliers making an appearance at this year’s event. Held November 17-21, the week-long culinary extravaganza features some of the most well-known chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and television personalities in the industry, coming together to share their passion for outstanding food and wine with 10,000 ‘foodies’ who experience the event each year, said Michelle Metter, the Festival’s co-producer.

When David Bowes cooks a freshly caught wild salmon on the grill at his restaurant on the British Columbia coast he doesn’t embellish it with marinades or sauces.

And in fact, with a few exceptions, none of the shellfish he prepares gets much added to it and this the chef’s reason.

“I let these seafoods speak for themselves,” says the 54-year-old owner of The Laughing Oyster Restaurant in Lund, B.C., located on Okeover Inlet north of Powell River on the Sunshine Coast. “I find some of the less complex recipes are the very best.”

Wild salmon season is now in full swing and Bowes says there is no better species than a sockeye to cook on the grill.

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Cooking Light launches a nationwide search to find the chef with the healthiest and most innovative cooking approach. The contest, searching for a self-taught or professionally-trained chef, launches today at CookingLight.com/castingcall. It runs through August 14, 2010.

Entrants must submit a three-minute prep-to-plate video of a healthy, original recipe on which they will be judged. Four finalists will be chosen from the entries to compete in a live cook-off event at The Taste of Atlanta, a two-day outdoor food festival in Atlanta, GA, on October 23 and 24, 2010. The Cooking Light judges will select the winner, who will be named the “Healthy Chef of the Year.” The winner will receive a $10,000 prize package including a kitchen makeover, a year’s worth of free groceries, and the opportunity to become a contributor to Cooking Light magazine and CookingLight.com in 2011.

Any and all skill levels are welcome to enter, from home cooks to culinary school graduates. Entrants must be legal residents of the United States and 21 years or older at the time of entry. Anyone who is paid to cook for a living is not eligible to enter.

Cooking Light is the nation’s number one epicurean brand with the largest audience, most epicurean editorial and the most recipes. Founded in 1987, Cooking Light makes healthy food taste great. Each month, nearly 12 million readers turn to Cooking Light and CookingLight.com for innovative recipes; nutrition advice and food and fitness tips. Cooking Light is published by a subsidiary of Birmingham, Alabama-based Southern Progress Corporation.

When the seventh season of the Bravo series “Top Chef” premieres Wednesday, there will be six contestants out of 17 who are graduates of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.

And one of them teaches there.

Whether they all make it through to the finale is anybody’s guess.

Competing on the series, which is set in Washington, D.C., this time around, are Lynne Gigliotti, of Highland, assistant professor at the CIA; Tracey Bloom of Atlanta; Kelly Liken of Vail, Colo.; Angelo Sosa of New York City; Andrea Curto-Randazzo of Miami; and Ed Cotton of New York City.

The show puts the chef-contestants through their paces with a Quickfire Challenge in which they must cook with specific ingredients or participate in a culinary-related challenge, followed by an Elimination Challenge.

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The grand opening of the Trio Steakhouse & Bar in Vintage Park will be one more feather in the cap of restaurateur, Youssef Nafaa.

The restaurant, which opened in May, is located at Texas 249 and Louetta.

The grand opening is scheduled for Thursday, June 24.

Nafaa, a 1994 graduate of the Cooking and Hospitality School of Chicago, brings years of expertise to Trio Steakhouse & Bar.

His current restaurants, which are located throughout the Houston area, include Saffron, Mia Bella, Coco’s and Andalucia Spanish Tapas.

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Things are heating up at Royal Caribbean International.  After wowing the world with the debut of Oasis of the Seas last fall, the cruise line is preparing to do it once again this December with the launch of their newest ship, Allure of the Seas.  The sister-ship to Oasis, Allure will share the title of world’s largest and most innovative cruise ship and will boast many of the same ground breaking features and amenities, including the highly acclaimed signature restaurant 150 Central Park.  Continuing the tradition that was set onboard Oasis, Royal Caribbean will once again select an up-and-coming culinary superstar to lead the kitchen of 150 Central Park on Allure, and this time has the distinct privilege of partnering with The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), the world’s premier culinary college, to find the perfect candidate.      

Through June 20, 2010, graduates of The Culinary Institute of America with either a bachelor’s or associate degree, can show off their culinary prowess and creativity by entering the “Allure of the Seas Culinary Challenge” for a shot at the job of a lifetime – a one-year paid contract to be the Chef de Cuisine of 150 Central Park onboard Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Allure of the Seas.  Entrants are required to create an original, signature recipe that could potentially be featured on the menu of 150 Central Park as well as submit a video entry to www.allureoftheseas.com/culinarychallenge demonstrating the preparation of the dish and explaining why they should be chosen as Chef de Cuisine.  

At the conclusion of the entry period, judges will select 10 semi-finalists, whose videos will be posted to the contest website and open to consumers to vote for their favorite chef between June 28 and July 11.  Consumers who register to vote will have the opportunity to win a trip for two onboard an Allure of the Seas preview sailing this November, including a dinner prepared by the winning chef. The five chefs with the highest number of votes, along with one “judges choice” entrant, will become finalists and will be invited to participate in a final culinary challenge held at The Culinary Institute of America’s Hyde Park campus in New York on August 5 and 6.  During the final challenge the finalists will be required to conduct an interview with, as well prepare a three-course meal for, an esteemed panel of judges from Royal Caribbean and The Culinary Institute of America, who will ultimately select the Chef de Cuisine for 150 Central Park on Allure of the Seas.  The culinary challenge will be documented in a series of webisodes on www.AllureOfTheSeas.com.

“We are extraordinarily honored to have support from, and access to the incomparable talent and resources of, The Culinary Institute of America,” says Frank Weber, vice president, Food and Beverage Operations, Royal Caribbean International. “Similar to Oasis, rather than partner with a celebrity chef whose schedule would not allow for full time involvement onboard the ship, our objective was to give the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to an extremely talented rising star who would become the face and personality of our signature restaurant.  There is no doubt we will find this among the CIA’s alumni.”    

“The CIA is excited to work with Royal Caribbean and offer this unique opportunity to the CIA’s 40,000 alumni.  This pool of talent will provide Royal Caribbean with a chef who will delight the culinary senses of the ship’s guests,” says Ron DeSantis, Director of CIA Consulting.

Located in the lush and tropical grounds of the ship’s Central Park neighborhood, 150 Central Park will feature decor that will embrace the mellow earth tones, unique textiles and fixtures inspired by nature’s four seasons. Inspired by the simple elegance concept of trend-setting restaurants in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, each detail of 150 Central Park will be dedicated to enhancing the dining ambiance, from the tabletops to the service team uniforms. The restaurant menu and certain design aspects will be developed and determined by the winning chef of the Allure of the Seas Culinary Challenge.

Allure of the Seas shares the title of the world’s largest and most revolutionary cruise ship with sister-ship Oasis of the Seas. An architectural marvel at sea, she will span 16 decks, encompass 225,282 gross registered tons, carry 5,400 guests at double occupancy, and feature 2,700 staterooms. Allure of the Seas will tout Royal Caribbean’s exclusive neighborhood concept of seven distinct themed areas, which will include Central Park, Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone. The ship will alternate a Western Caribbean with an Eastern Caribbean seven-night itinerary from her home port of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Additional information is available at www.AllureoftheSeas.com.