TERRANEA RESORT ANNOUNCES NEW APPOINTMENTS IN FOOD & BEVERAGE
Terranea Resort, A Destination Hotel, is pleased to announce three new appointments to the Food & Beverage Program: Vincent Brunetti as Associate Director of Food & Beverage, Chef Jonathan de la Cruz as Banquet Sous Chef, and Pastry Chef Mark Clear as Assistant Pastry Chef.
Vincent Brunetti joins Terranea as Associate Director of Food & Beverage from Kauai, Hawaii, where he recently served as Director of Food & Beverage for the St. Regis Princeville Resort. Prior to that, Brunetti directed food and beverage programs for the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort & Spa in Honolulu, as well as the Hyatt Regency in Long Beach, California.
“Vincent brings over 20 years of food and beverage experience to the team at Terranea,” said Jun Sur, Director of Food & Beverage of Terranea Resort. “We welcome his insight on operations and management, while we continue to provide the excellent quality and service that have made Terranea a dining destination.”
Chef Jonathan de la Cruz joins the Food & Beverage team at Terranea as Banquet Sous Chef. Growing up working in family run restaurants in Southern California, de la Cruz eventually moved to Las Vegas to work at Ravella at Lake Las Vegas, Thomas Keller’s Bouchon at the Venetian, and the Red Rock Casino. Most recently, de la Cruz was the Chef de Cuisine at the Hyatt Tamaya in Albuquerque, New Mexico for their three-meal restaurant, Santa Ana Café.
“Jonathan found a passion for cooking from his grandmother and mom at an early age, helping them prepare family meals at home,” said Terranea Resort Executive Chef Bernard Ibarra. “As a native of the Inland Empire, we are excited to have him back in Southern California as the newest member of our culinary team.”
Assistant Pastry Chef Mark Clear has been with Terranea since the resort’s opening in 2009, and has worked his way up the ranks through the banquet kitchen, and subsequently the pastry team, until his latest appointment as Assistant Pastry Chef. Having worked in kitchens since the age of 15, Clear began his career decorating pies at Marie Callendar’s, then worked at the Cheesecake Factory while earning his culinary degree at Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena. After graduation Clear worked in the savory end of the culinary industry for ten years, continuing his work at the Cheesecake Factory, before moving on to positions at Toyota’s corporate headquarters in Torrance, and at the University Club at the University of Southern California, before committing to pastry full time.
“Mark’s dedication throughout the years has made him a inimitable part of our team,” said Executive Pastry Chef Pierino Jermonti. “He has truly been an asset in leading our team to success, and it is a pleasure to have him accept this position.”
About Terranea Resort, A Destination Hotel
Located on California’s Palos Verdes Peninsula, Terranea is Los Angeles’ premier oceanfront resort with 102-acres of unparalleled Pacific Ocean views. Terranea opened its doors in June 2009 and offers world-class accommodations that range from hotel suites to bungalows, oceanfront casitas and luxurious villas, which are also available for purchase as seaside second homes through Terranea Real Estate. Amenities include The Links at Terranea, a nine-hole, par three golf course; award-winning 50,000 sq. ft. oceanfront spa and fitness center; four swimming pools and a 140-foot waterslide; marea luxury boutique; 135,000 sq. ft. of conference and meeting space; and eight dining venues including signature restaurant mar’sel; Nelson’s, a cliff-side spot ideal for whale watching; and Asian-inspired bashi. Terranea is proud of its farm-to-Terranea culinary philosophy that focuses on utilizing local and sustainable ingredients. Terranea’s bountiful land boasts herb and vegetable gardens, lemon groves, bee hives, a Sea Salt Conservatory and more. As well, the resort’s innovative activity center and adventure concierge, Pointe Discovery, lets guests discover and explore Terranea’s rich terrain with miles of scenic coastal trails, secluded beach cove and ocean environment. Fun, enriching programs and activities such as habitat photography, falconry, kayorkle and paddle boarding also abound. Terranea Resort is owned by a joint venture comprised of Lowe Enterprises and JC Resorts and is a member of the American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts program and AAA Four-Diamond property. Since its opening, Terranea Resort has been named one of Travel + Leisure’s 500 Best Hotels in the World and earned a spot on Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers Choice Awards and Gold List. The resort also received the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator and has been recognized numerous times on U.S. News & World Report’s Best U.S. Hotels list. For additional information about Terranea Resort, www.terranea.com, call 866-802-8000 or follow Terranea on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About Destination Hotels
Destination Hotels (Destination) is the leading operator of independent hotels, resorts and residences in the United States. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Destination is an industry leader with more than 40 years of hospitality management and development experience. Located in premier destinations, the portfolio is continuously growing with more than 40 luxury and upscale properties from coast to coast. The award-winning company operates 20 golf courses, 20 full-service spas, six IACC-certified conference centers and 110 bars and restaurants. The privately-owned company is a subsidiary of Lowe Enterprises, a Los Angeles-based investment, development and real estate firm. For more information on Destination Hotels, visit www.destinationhotels.com. Follow us on Twitter: @Destination. Like us on Facebook: DestinationHotels.
