Portola Hotel & Spa, the Four Diamond and only LEED-certified hotel on the California Central Coast, announced Brian Hein as director of Food & Beverage and Danny Abbruzzese as Executive Chef.
“We are excited to welcome Brian and Danny to our team. They both come to us with years of experience, which is perfect given all of the exciting changes we have planned for the hotel. Their expertise and insight will be invaluable as we make our transformation with the $60M renovation taking place at the adjacent Monterey Conference Center,” said Janine Chicourrat, general manager of Portola Hotel & Spa.
Hein’s extensive background in the food and beverage industry began with his role as director of Food & Beverage and Roy’s General Manager at the Spanish Bay. He moved on to the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, which grossed over $24 million in restaurant, lounge, and catering business. Most recently, Hein was the general manager at the Sardine Factory. Hein is excited to be back in a hotel environment and work with Portola Hotel & Spa.
Danny Abbruzzese’s expansive line of experience includes serving as the executive chef at the Shrine Mountain Inn, Pearl Alley Bistro, and Asilomar Conference. He has overseen the dining transformations at previous work locations and has been involved in assisting in the openings of different projects like the Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley. Chef Abbruzzese looks forward to bringing his brand of healthy, organic cooking to Portola Hotel & Spa by continuing to use local, sustainable produce, meats, and fish. He also hopes to bring his approaches of food experiences by appealing to all of the senses and focusing on dishes that highlight regional ingredients.
“Portola has an excellent reputation and I am humbled to be joining such a wonderful team. We are truly blessed to be living in such a pristine growing region. I would like to continue highlighting the fruits of the Bay, fields, and orchards of the Central Coast, as well as, local artisans in our area,” Abbruzzese says.
