Wyndham Palmas Beach & Golf Resort is pleased to announce its appointment of three esteemed Chefs to its forthcoming new dining concept, Trova Coastal Kitchen, banquet events menu of the hotel, and Costa pool bar.
Wyndham Palmas Resort Appoints Chefs to Trova Coastal Kitchen
James Beard Award finalists’ celebrity Chefs Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth together with Puerto Rican distinguished Chef Julio Cartagena have created a menu at Trova to delight your palate and elevate your spirit with a melody of health-conscious, mouth-watering flavors.
Hailing from the diverse culinary landscape of Australia, Chef Janine grew up surrounded by the family nature of cooking, where her relatives and community frequently gathered to prepare and share meals. Initiated in the culinary world by attending the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Miami, Chef Janine traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia to hone her craft and palate. Chef Janine worked at the renowned restaurants GiGi and Khong River House in Miami, the latter of which was nominated for a James Beard Award during her tenure. Later, she appeared on “Top Chef” where she met her now partner and husband, Chef Jeffrey McInnis, and settled in New York City.
Chef Jeffrey is an accomplished master of Southern Cuisine. Growing up in the Florida Panhandle, he got his start at the heart of the “farm to table” mentality, working on fishing boats and his grandparents’ farms in Alabama before attending culinary school at Johnson & Wales University. He also traveled around the world to diversify his repertoire and learned to bring a diverse blend of cultural elements into his culinary style. The highlight of his career was receiving three James Beard Award nominations in two years, before appearing on “Top Chef” with Chef Janine.
Chefs Jeffrey and Janine helm the successful restaurant concept Root & Bone, with brick-and-mortar locations in Miami, New York, and Indianapolis. The couple first brought their unique blend of southern cooking to Puerto Rico in Roots Coastal Kitchen, a staple eatery of Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort that carries on the duo’s bucolic passions for worldly cuisine. Beyond their professional accolades, the couple takes pride in their loving family, especially their three daughters, Daisy, Bryce, and Sunny McInnis, whom they consider to be their best recipe yet.
Now, Chefs Jeffrey and Janine will continue to expand their gastronomic prowess in Puerto Rico with Trova Coastal Kitchen. The soon-to-be-unveiled restaurant will see the couple leaning even further into the renowned spirit of Puerto Rican cuisine. Trova is poised to deliver a truly unique blend of soulful cooking that marries the farm-to-table passions and spirited family roots of its masterminds with local elements of beloved Puerto Rican fare.
“We are thrilled to be bringing our passion for farm-to-table cooking and our love of Puerto Rican cuisine to Trova Coastal Kitchen,” says Chef Jeff McInnis. “With this new restaurant we are excited to continue exploring the diverse and vibrant flavors of this amazing island, and to share our unique blend of soulful cooking with locals and visitors alike in the new and renovated Wyndham Palmas Beach & Golf Resort.”
Chef Julio Cartagena, a culinary enthusiast who is passionate about creating local fusions, will lead Trova Coastal Kitchen. With a family background in culinary arts and experience as a food specialist during his military service, Chef J. Cartagena’s dishes tell a story and bring people together through rich cultural experiences. His career has taken him to renowned establishments like Wyndham Grand Rio Mar and Wyndham Palmas, where he learned from industry leaders like celebrity Chefs Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth, and his longtime mentors, chefs Ramón Carrillo and Luis Acevedo from Wyndham Grand Rio Mar.
Wyndham Palmas is currently undergoing a multi-million-dollar renovation to transform its rooms and common areas into a “boho chic” style and a new sense of texture and place. Trova Coastal Kitchen is the crown jewel of the renovations as a highly anticipated new dining concept within Palmas del Mar, one of the most exclusive communities in Puerto Rico.
“We are thrilled to bring Trova Coastal Kitchen to Wyndham Palmas Golf & Beach Resort and honored to be part of such an iconic community,” says VP of F&B and Entertainment, Anthony Frunzi. “We’re surrounded by an Award-Winning team of Chefs, Managers, Bartenders, and Servers that have brought healthy, approachable, and tasty cooking styles, with discrete luxury service to our guests’ tables”.
About Wyndham Palmas Beach & Golf Resort:
Located at the heart of one of Puerto Rico’s most exclusive residential communities, Palmas del Mar, Wyndham Palmas Beach and Golf Resort is an oasis full of character, energy, and unique facilities. This boutique resort sits within beautifully manicured golf courses and is surrounded by lush tropical gardens, just steps from the beach. The upscale escape features 107 comfortable rooms, a 6,000-square-foot ballroom, and an infinity pool overlooking the golf course with succulent palm trees and beach waves. In addition, guests can enjoy a relaxing family pool with a lazy river and beach-style access. The resort also offers a range of amenities, including meeting spaces for business travelers, rental cars for exploring the island, and tennis courts for sports enthusiasts. Guests can explore the lush vegetation and take in the island views on golf carts and bikes or simply relax on the hammocks around the gardens. The multiple food and beverage options include two bars and Trova Coastal Kitchen which features a melody of health-conscious, mouth-watering Puerto Rican flavors from James Beard finalists celebrity chefs Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth. The resort’s unique location within Palmas gives guests access to many amenities, from an upscale Marina to world-class tennis facilities. The community has two championship golf courses designed by PGA 4-time champion Gary Player and renowned architect Rees Jones, an equestrian center, a Pterocarpus forest, and several restaurants that range from chic French cuisine to casual local flair. The unique location on Puerto Rico’s East Coast provides quick access to miles of unspoiled beaches and Vieques and Culebra islands via quick flights from Ceiba airport. The surrounding region offers unique nature experiences with breathtaking scenery, clear mountain rivers, and outdoor recreation opportunities year-round in El Yunque Rainforest.
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LionGrove is a leading hospitality investment firm whose professionals have over 190 years of combined investment, financing, and operational experience forged at some of the world’s most prestigious private equity, investment banking, and hotel companies. The LionGrove team brings together the tenacious investment focus of seasoned Wall Street professionals with an eye for creating great environments and a passion for the service of world-class hoteliers. LionGrove seeks to acquire and add value to its hotels and resorts located in fundamentally strong markets in the United States and its territories. LionGrove and its affiliates have offices in San Juan and Miami.
