Orchestra Hotels & Resorts, a South Florida-based hotelier and developer, welcomes Alfredo Alvarez as the consulting chef for its signature oceanfront restaurant opening at Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach, a luxury hotel and residences in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Venezuelan-born Alvarez, most recognizable for his former role as executive chef at Miami’s Sea Salt & Pepper (now Seaspice) restaurant, will work closely with the developer to conceptualize and design an oceanfront restaurant that will elevate the dining experience in Fort Lauderdale.
Ranked the 17th top chef in the U.S. by the National Chefs Association in Washington D.C., Alvarez is acclaimed for his ability to curate and implement creative menus as well as tailor dining experiences for elite clientele. In his new consulting role, Alvarez will develop custom recipes, plate presentation, full menu design, beverage menu programming, restaurant construction and layout, kitchen plans, naming and branding, and more.
“Chef Alvarez joins our team with more than 35 years of experience in the culinary industry serving revered clientele including Sofia Vergara, Beyoncé, and Jay-Z, and former president Bill Clinton,” says Andreas Ioannou, CEO of Orchestra Hotels & Resorts. “As a culinary pioneer, Chef’s focus on Fort Lauderdale speaks volumes about the desirability of this market.”
Alvarez, who trained at Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland, has managed some of the top restaurants in Miami and New York City including Giacosa, Soco, and Trattoria Dopo Teatro. His diverse consulting experience ranges from the restaurant sector to the cruise line industry, with previous positions as a consultant at Celebrity Cruise Lines & Renaissance Cruise Line. Considered a prominent expert in the culinary field, Alvarez recently co-authored a novel about Julia Child with fellow chefs Frank Crispo and Michael Schwartz.
“As I walked through the space, I instantly formed a vision for the dining concept, an eclectic palette of nautical cuisine intertwined with rich Mediterranean aromas,” says Alvarez. “Being so close to the ocean with a European influence, Fort Lauderdale is the optimal location for such a unique menu, the first of its kind in the city. I look forward to motivating our culinary team to make my vision a reality.”
