A veteran in the food and beverage industry, Gary Evangelista is the newly appointed Beverage Director at The Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Formerly the General Manager at Stripsteak, the business-driven professional has acquired more than 20 years of experience mastering his skills of training and development, scheduling, operations management, and leadership to excel in his new role.
Chef Gary Evangelista Joins The Fontainebleau Miami Beach
Born and raised in Massachusetts, and moved to San Diego at an early age where Gary began his career in restaurants and developed a passion for the hospitality industry. Early on in Gary’s life, he developed a passion for wine at an early age when he helped his Grandfather Valentine crush grapes to make homemade Portuguese wine. Over the years Gary became fascinated with the different types of wine from around the world and the stories these different wines told. Working with food he started to understand the relationships that food and wine had and wanted to increase my knowledge to better assist guests when enjoying food and looking to pair with wine. In 2018 Gary pursued his introductory level class with the Court of Master Sommeliers and in 2022 he became a certified sommelier with the CMS. Gary continued to pursue opportunities in the food and beverage sector. Commencing with his position as General Manager of The Federal Restaurant Group in Agawam, Massachusetts, Gary spearheaded daily maintenance and operations, recruitment and training, kept restaurant regulations in compliance with the federal, state and local hygiene standards, and significantly increased revenue from 2008 to 2020.
From there, Gary transitioned from solely the restaurant industry to the hotel industry, working as General Manager at Cal Mare, the renowned Italian restaurant in collaboration with Michael Mina, located in MGM Springfield. Over the course of 3 years, Gary developed crucial skills in the industry, which gave him the ability to become a knowledgeable beverage manager.
Most recently, Gary Evangelista decided to take a leap of faith and switch career plans, moving to Miami to work for the renowned Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Utilizing his prior experience to its full potential, he attained the position of General Manager of Stripsteak, a dynamic steakhouse by Michael Mina, in 2022. He has made astounding strides maximizing efficiency with his team and designing a modern employee recognition program, boosting productivity and morale, leading him to become the Beverage Director of Bleau Bar today.
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While he is not observing, managing, or mentoring his team, Gary enjoys running, snow skiing, hiking, going to the beach, taking my dogs for walks, discovering new restaurants, and spending time with his wife Amber.
