What’s Cookin’ in F&B?

NATIONAL REPORT—Three new executives and a new rooftop lounge highlight food and beverage activity in hotels. Here’s a look.

Offshore 9 Rooftop Lounge Opens Atop The Waterfront Beach Resort

The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel, in Huntington Beach, CA, has opened Offshore 9 Rooftop Lounge.

Offshore 9 is located on the 9th floor atop the new Twin Dolphin Tower and has full panoramic views of the Orange County coastline. The outdoor deck has a centralized 76-in. flat-screen television, fire pits and lounge seating with a front row ocean view. The rooftop menu includes coastal-inspired farm-to-table dishes, including Seared Ahi Tuna, Seared Scallops, Cheese and Charcuterie Boards, the Offshore PB&J with Chipotle Strawberry Jelly and more.

Virgin Hotels Names Deignan F&B Director

Virgin Hotels has named Owen Deignan as its new director of food and beverage operations.

Deignan brings more than 24 years of experience to the brand, and is responsible for the food and beverage operations of all Virgin Hotels, including Virgin Hotels San Francisco, opening in 2019.

Prior to joining Virgin Hotels, he was director of operations of Snap Kitchen, a market-based concept company with roots in Austin, TX.

Concord Hospitality Appoints Wendel VP of F&B

Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company has promoted Dean Wendel to VP of food and beverage.

He is responsible for creating strategies and overseeing procurement, brand compliance and financial performance of the hospitality company’s growing food and beverage division and will continue to lead development and implementation of bar and restaurant concepts across Concord’s portfolio of more than 100 properties.

He joined Concord in 2008 and has held several leadership positions with major hotel companies, including Ritz-Carlton, Rock Resorts, Hilton and Marriott, as well as several private resorts. Currently, he sits on food and beverage advisory boards for Marriott Full Service Hotels, Cambria Suites and AC Hotels, and on the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Food & Beverage Committee.

Rosewood Cordevalle Names La Motte Executive Chef

Alexander La Motte has been appointed executive chef of Rosewood CordeValle, an ultra-luxury resort located in San Martin, CA.

In this role, Chef La Motte will reimagine the resort’s three culinary destinations, Il Vigneto, Lion’s Peak Grill and One Iron Bar, to reflect his contemporary American style, while continuing Rosewood CordeValle’s tradition of curating upscale menus that utilize seasonal, local ingredients.

He brings more than 15 years of culinary experience to his new role. Most recently, he served as the executive chef of Hotel Californian. Chef La Motte’s first foray into the hospitality industry came with his roles as executive chef of the Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, and later at the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco.

Hotel del Coronado Adds Sea-to-Table Dining Experience

Hotel del Coronado in San Diego will open a new restaurant concept at the hotel. The new restaurant, called Serẽa, will offer an upscale, sustainable, sea-to-table experience with coastal cuisine that spotlights the best of the region’s ocean, as well as farms and fields from California to the Baja Peninsula.

Serẽa, created by Clique Hospitality will offer an environmentally friendly menu that includes raw and cooked options—from fresh whole catch, to seafood towers and composed dishes. The restaurant’s seafood will be sourced from a variety of local and regional purveyors including Tuna Harbor Dockside Market; Catalina Offshore Products; Los Angeles-based Superior Seafoods, and Baja California’s Pacifico Aquaculture, which has created an innovative, sustainability-first farming program for premium, ocean-raised seabass.

Special attention will also be paid to Serẽa’s meats, all of which will come from regional ranchers. The menu at Serẽa will showcase the “comprehensive, complex and expressive” flavor profiles of the best fresh fish, intricate seafood and heritage meats the region has to offer, prepared by San Diego native and Clique Hospitality Executive Chef/Partner JoJo Ruiz.

Velas Resorts Adds “Animal-Style” Guacamole

Velas now offers its guests the opportunity to take their guacamole to the next level with traditional Mexican delicacies like grasshoppers, ants and worms.

The toppings, some painted in gold and silver, are in addition to the traditional favorites like red onion, tomatoes, an assortment of hot sauces and cotija cheese. Prepared tableside, it can be paired with a choice of tequilas or mezcals from an extensive menu.

Animal-­Style Guac is available at the Grand Velas resorts in Los Cabos, Riviera Maya and Riviera Nayarit and Casa Velas in Puerto Vallarta. Specific offerings vary based on the resort.