Four Seasons Hotel Beirut has announced the appointment of four new executive chefs, boosting its position as one of the most sought-after dining destinations within the Lebanese capital's famed culinary scene.
The hotel welcomes on board Executive Chef Giancarlo Gottardo, Executive Pastry Chef Charles Azar, and two Executive Sous Chefs, Dwayne Krisko and Sotiris Katirtsigianoglou – a hand-picked team of top talent who will work together to bring to the table enhanced banqueting facilities, exciting new menus, and exclusive signature dishes that are expected to delight diners and critics alike.
"The team collectively represents a significant pool of talent and experience and they will be working very closely on culinary creations that offer our guests a dining experience to remember," says Stefan Simkovics, General Manager Four Seasons Hotel Beirut. "We take great care in ensuring that we hire top-of-the-line talent as Beirut represents an increasingly competitive gastronomical scene, with highly discerning and sophisticated clientele who recognize and expect the very best. The addition of the four newest members to our executive culinary team ensures we continue to lead the way in terms of presenting our guests with distinctive and superior dining offerings and intuitive, personalised service in the finest Four Seasons tradition."
Each of the four chefs brings to the Beirut market a distinct culinary mastery. New Executive Chef Giancarlo Gottardo is renowned for his unrelenting creativity and precision in the kitchen. The knowledge and skills he acquired through his invaluable experience in some of Italy's and the United States' finest restaurants led to him joining Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet in 2003, and subsequently Four Seasons Hotel Damascus, followed by Four Seasons Cairo at The First Residence. Gottardo's proficiency and Italian passion for the art of food took him even further and landed him the position of Executive Chef at Four Seasons Hotel Beirut. "Cooking and painting are very similar. Both demand the same levels of artistic energy, passion and desire," he says, expressing his creative approach within the kitchen.
Chef Charles Azar, Executive Pastry Chef, arrives with over 18 years of experience in several fine-dining restaurants with leading hotel chains. He boasts a number of honours and awards from Lebanon and France, and serves as an instructor on the Food Production course at Saint Joseph University in Beirut. Azar's distinct skill and zeal for the pastry world will turn the pastries offered at the hotel's various outlets into exciting works of culinary art.
Executive Sous Chef-Banquet, Dwayne Krisko, a member of the American Culinary Federation (ACF), joined Four Seasons Hotel Miami as Sous Chef in 2003 and was then appointed Sous Chef/Banquet Chef at Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire, England in 2006. His 11 years of experience position him as the finest candidate in charge of heading the banquet kitchen in a city recognized as the premiere address for special events in the region.
Executive Sous Chef-A La Carte dining, Chef Sotiris Katirtsigianoglou, brings with him more than 14 years of international experience, having served as a chef in Greece, Maldives, Bahrain, and France. He has experienced a melting pot of cultures and cuisines, and has gained invaluable knowledge in both classical and modern techniques throughout his gastronomic journey. Katirtsigianoglou's experience makes him the ideal professional responsible for crafting exciting a la carte menus for The Grill Room, The Bar and in-room dining which will cater to the sophisticated tastes of local Lebanese and visiting guests alike.
Dining facilities at Four Seasons Hotel Beirut include The Grill Room, a Mediterranean influenced seafood restaurant encompassing a terrace overlooking the Mediterranean Sea; The Boulevard, a lounge serving pastries, light fare, cocktails and the world-famous Viennese chocolate cake-Sacher Torte; The Bar, a cigar lounge with a fine collection of drinks, tapas and truffles; and The Lounge, serving an around-the-clock international and Lebanese menu.
