The Ocean Resort Residences at Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach has tapped a chef for the property’s waterfront restaurant, set to open in the fall.
Alfredo Alvarez, formerly executive chef at Miami’s Seasalt & Pepper, now called Seaspice, was chosen by developer Andreas Ioannou to serve as consulting chef at Conrad’s first resort in the United States.
At Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach, a condo-hotel that includes the Ocean Resort Residences as well as the hotel, the Venezuelan-born chef will work closely with the developer “to conceptualize and design an oceanfront restaurant that will elevate the dining experience in Fort Lauderdale,” according to a press release.
In his 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, the release said.
“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,” Ioannou, CEO of Orchestra Hotels & Resorts, said in a statement.
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 consulting experience ranges from restaurants to cruise lines, with previous positions as a consultant at Celebrity Cruise Lines and Renaissance Cruise Line. Alvarez also recently co-authored a novel about Julia Child with fellow chefs Frank Crispo and Michael Schwartz.
In March, the Ocean Resort Residences at Conrad topped off construction of its Jewel Box, a five-story glass-enclosed building that connects the hotel-condo in Fort Lauderdale Beach. The $40 million redevelopment is slated for completion in September.
When completed, the Ocean Resort Residences at Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach will offer 109 condominium residences and beachfront villas as well as 181 resort residences. The property will feature a full-service Conrad branded spa, heated swimming pool, two whirlpools, serenity deck, poolside restaurant and lounge with a 20,000 square foot terrace, beach services, oceanfront upscale dining, a gourmet market, a fitness center, meeting rooms and event facilities. It will also house a sixth floor Sky Beach with sand, a private beach club in Fort Lauderdale. — Ina Cordle