The St. Regis Atlanta recently hired Joe Trevino as its new executive chef to oversee the Paces 88’s dining room and the overall culinary program for the AAA five-star hotel. Trevino helped implement a posh new power breakfast spot, Astor Court, in his first week on the job. Trevino arrives with an extensive background in luxury hotel dining that includes the Peabody Orlando, where Restaurant & Institutions magazine presented him with one of its Ivy Awards in 2006, and the Boulders, a Waldorf-Astoria resort, in Carefree, Arizona.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in the culinary arts?
JT: The culinary bug hit me later than some of today’s young chefs. At age 21, I entered my first professional kitchen and fell in love with cooking. I discovered a love for the process of transforming raw ingredients into delicious dishes that can artfully be presented to guests, friends, and family. When I took a post at my first resort, the Boulders in Arizona, I was thrilled to be surrounded by a group of individuals who were as dedicated as me to providing exceptional food, service, and quality. I realized then that I was lucky enough to not just have discovered my personal passion, but my career as well.
Q: Who or what has been the biggest influence on you in terms of your growth and development as a chef?
JT: There are two key experiences which I identify in my advancement. The first was working with Albert Roux and his consulting team just over two years ago to open his first, and only, U.S. restaurant at La Torretta Lake Resort in Houston. It was tremendous to be surrounded by so much talent, working with a Michelin star team in developing a brand-new concept. We intertwined the entire resort’s culinary atmosphere around one initiative—to give our guests the best in everything. The second would have to be my experience working at various luxury resorts throughout the country. At a destination resort, the guests can be very diverse—at any given moment in your restaurant, you may have an experienced business traveler, a couple on their honeymoon, and a family on vacation. This unique environment prepares a chef for all circumstances and breeds preparedness out of necessity.
Q: What is your vision for developing the dining experience at the St Regis Atlanta, and in particular Astor Court?
JT: While the core dining program at The St. Regis Atlanta will remain the same, guests will see new touches to the menus at Paces 88, Astor Court, and the Poolside Bar & Cafe. I enjoy experimenting with classic recipes, integrating twists and influences into the basic ingredients so that diners can appreciate and connect with the dishes in a new manner.
Q: Where have you dined here in Atlanta?
JT: As a recent transplant, I was delighted to discover that Atlanta is a fantastic gourmet destination and I look forward to immersing myself in the Atlanta dining landscape. Some favorites to date include Aria, Holeman & Finch, and Holy Taco.
NEWS AND NOTES:
Our thoughts are with Sharon Carver of Carver’s Country Kitchen, who lost her husband and business partner Robert Carver after a long fight with bone cancer.
High Road Craft Ice cream was named grand champion of the 2012 Flavor of Georgia Food Product Contest for its brown butter-praline ice cream, reports the Atlanta Business Journal. The University of Georgia sponsors the annual competition, where market-ready prototypes or commercially available food products from across the state are judged and critiqued by a panel of food experts.
Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation Atlanta will be held on Thursday, April 12, at the Georgia Aquarium. Honorary Chef Floyd Cardoz, executive chef of New York’s North End Grill, and forty of Atlanta’s notable chefs will create a memorable experience for a truly worthy cause.
Buckhead. Latitude in Phipps Plaza closed last night after four months in business.
Decatur. Decatur Metro reports that the the Pinewood, which will serve—surprise!—regionally inspired cocktails and food, is slated to open in the former Cakes & Ale spot on Ponce this summer.
On another Cakes & Ale note, Billy and Kristin Allin have hired Eric Wolitzky, a season one Top Chef: Just Desserts contestant who comes from Brooklyn where he worked at Baked, a bakery/cafe in Red Hook.
Downtown. Tomorrow’s News Today notes that the NaanStop food truck guys are opening their first brick and mortar location in the former Michael’s Deli in the Healy Building at 64 Broad Street.
Charlots Creole Cafe, featuring gumbo, jambalaya and po boys, is slated to open at 235 Mitchell Street near Lunacy Black Market soon.
Inman Park. Inman Park Restaurant Week, featuring fourteen participating restaurants, will run from March 26 through April 1. This year the price points either $15, $25, or $35 for a three-course meal.
We hear that Kevin Rathbun will spend some time in the kitchen at Mario Batali’s NYC Italian fine-dining destination Del Posto, where he’ll develop his pasta making skills for the upcoming KR SteakBar.
Midtown. Kessler first reported that Bruce Logue has left La Pietra Cucina, with no word yet on the chef’s future plans.
The Lawrence is now open.
The Atlanta Business Chronicle first reported that Shaun Doty is planning on opening a fast-casual rotisserie chicken resto that will feature free-range chickens and a few menu items from Shaun’s this September inside Ansley Mall. Bill Addison got the scoop on the name yesterday: Bantam & Biddy.
Question of the Week: Who has Ford Fry chosen to helm the kitchen of his next restaurant, the Optimist?
P.S. The answer to last week’s QOTW—What produce market has operated in downtown Atlanta for almost 20 years?—is R&R Produce at 2 Peachtree Street. (H/T to the Oppidan Omnibus.)
