Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront Resort in Virginia Beach Announces New Executive Chefs and Director of Food and Beverage

Gold Key | PHR is excited to announce the addition of top industry talent, Chef Hisashi Araki, Chef Paul Newman and Bertrand Daluzeau, to the culinary team at the highly anticipated Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront Resort. Chef Hisashi Araki joins the team as Executive Chef of Orion’s Roof and Chef Paul Newman will serve as Executive Chef of Tulu Seaside Bar & Grill. Bertrand Daluzeau will take on the role of the Director of Food & Beverage for the hotel. Under the trio’s direction, the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront is set to continue to elevate the dining scene in Coastal Virginia and become the premier dining destination.

With an extensive history of praise for his work, Chef Araki will utilize his expertise in global cuisine to lead the staff of Orion’s Roof, the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront Resort’s stunning rooftop restaurant. As Executive Chef he will manage the culinary operation and craft a menu that features irresistible steaks and seafood dishes with a twist. Displaying some of the best views of Virginia’s coastline, the restaurant will also feature an open kitchen, a 33-seat bar offering a wide variety of drink options including a collection of Japanese sakes and whiskeys and an outdoor terrace overlooking the pristine coastline.
Chef Araki brings with him nearly 30 years of experience in the culinary industry, most recently utilizing his skills at Gate Gourmet to create the in-flight food preparation systems for multiple major airlines, receiving consecutive recognition as Best Chef from Japan Airlines and a startup excellence award from Cathay Pacific Airlines. He has formerly served as the Executive Specialty Chef for the world-renowned NOBU Restaurant at Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas. In his many years in the industry he has held various roles at notable establishments including the Hilton International Hotel in Watford, United Kingdom, British Colonial Hilton, Hilton Munich City Hotel and Hilton Tokyo Bay, as well as his own Japanese-European-inspired Araki’s Japon Restaurant.

Chef Paul Newman will share his years of hospitality expertise with Tulu Seaside Bar & Grill at the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront Resort. Leading the culinary team as Executive Chef, he will be responsible for the curation of the restaurant’s health-focused menu featuring the freshest, locally-sourced ingredients and lighter food fare. Tulu Seaside Bar & Grill will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Set at the crossroads of Atlantic and Pacific, Tulu will be a destination for tourists and locals alike with specialty menu items and the region’s fresh-caught seafood combined with a creative and modern bar and signature cocktails featuring neighboring distillery Tarnished Truth. Before joining the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront team, Chef Newman served as Executive Chef at luxury destinations including the Forbes five-star rated, Seas Island Resort in Georgia as well as the Horseshoe Bend Country Club in Roswell, Georgia.

“Gold Key | PHR has created some of the region’s top dining experiences throughout our TK restaurants across our hotel properties,” said Glenn Tuckman, COO and Managing Director, Cavalier Resort Complex. “We are fortunate to be able to bring in such amazing talent to oversee these food and beverage programs. Tulu’s and Orion’s Roof will enhance our diverse portfolio of restaurants at The Cavalier Resort collection, and beyond, truly offering something for everyone.”

Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront is proud to announce that Bertrand Daluzeau as the Director of Food & Beverage for the hotel and its restaurants. Bertrand brings a wealth of hospitality experience to the exquisite dining options on the property. He is well-versed in the culinary industry given his impressive history serving as various director and management positions at notable establishments around the world, including Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal, Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, and Four Seasons Hotel George V.

Daluzeau brings with him over 17 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, most recently holding the position of Director of Food & Beverage at the Hilton Norfolk THE MAIN. He formerly served as Director of Food and Beverage at Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes in Florida where he managed seven outlets within the hotel property, generating a yearly revenue of $47 million. Prior to that he was Director of Food & Beverage at another Ritz-Carlton property, Ritz-Carlton Sharq Village & Spa in Doha, Qatar, and was responsible for nine outlets bringing a yearly revenue of $17 million as well as doubling the revenue of Al Dana restaurant following its February 2016 relaunch.

ABOUT THE CAVALIER RESORT:

The Cavalier Resort is a collection of historic and modern hotels, a luxury beach club and private residences offering guests the finest accommodations, signature amenities and unparalleled views of Coastal Virginia. The anchor, and first phase of the Cavalier Resort, The Historic Cavalier Hotel & Beach Club, officially reopened its doors in 2018 after a massive four-year renovation reviving the 1927 landmark at the cost of $85MM. Now a Marriott Autograph Collection, the 85-room four-diamond hotel and Beach Club, include farm-to-fork restaurant and bars, an onsite distillery, a luxury spa, and private residences attracting travelers from around the globe.

Phase two of the three-phase $350MM resort masterplan, include the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront, a new $125MM hotel and conference center set to open in early 2020. The 305-room hotel will include 25,000 square-feet of function space, signature rooftop restaurants with panoramic views, and multiple bars throughout. Additionally, phase two will incorporate 42 luxury condominiums adding to the collection of private residences. The final phase, still in planning, will include an additional hotel and restaurant that are projected to be finished by 2022. Once completed, the resort’s outdoor social spaces and lush, meticulously manicured gardens, will seamlessly connect the hotels and residences and world-class amenities rivaled only by the finest destinations in the world.

ABOUT GOLD KEY | PHR
Gold Key | PHR was founded in 1986 by current CEO Bruce L. Thompson in Virginia Beach, Virginia as a modest hospitality management company. Today with $500-million in asset value and over $100-million in annual revenue, Gold Key | PHR boasts over 700 keys under the Ramada, Hilton and Marriott flags, multiple award-winning restaurants and is the state’s largest hospitality employer. In addition to its hotel and restaurant offerings, Gold Key | PHR is also active in the development of commercial and luxury residential projects in the mid-Atlantic region and has been integral in philanthropic development in the region through its charity arm, The Virginia Gentlemen Foundation.