The newly opened Conrad Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Beach appointed Jorge Ramos as executive chef. A native South Floridian with more than 14 years of luxury hospitality experience, Ramos brings his passion for cooking to guests, offering authentic cuisine infused with global flavors at the resorts’ dining outlets, in-suite dining and banquets.
“We are aiming to elevate the resort as a culinary destination serving distinguished and authentic cuisine,” said Chintan Dadhich, GM of Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach. “Chef Ramos has done an outstanding job cultivating creative food and beverage menus with an emphasis on sustainability and empowering our local community.”
Most recently, Ramos held numerous positions at Lowes Miami Beach and was previously the executive sous chef at 1 Hotels. He trained alongside Chef Marc Ehrler, VP of culinary for Hilton Hotels in the Americas, and in his new position Ramos will continue collaborating with Ehrler. Together the duo aims to revitalize the resort’s footprint in the luxury market while building relationships with local artisans in South Florida.
The resort is home to four dining outlets: Atlas Cocktail Lounge, Spinnaker Pool Grill, Cornucopia Gourmet Market and Terra Mare. Ramos oversees food-and-beverage efforts for Atlas Cocktail Lounge, Spinnaker Pool Grill, Cornucopia Gourmet Market, in-suite dining and banquet cuisine.
Atlas Cocktail Lounge
The cuisine at Atlas Cocktail Lounge, the resort’s hub of connectivity, serves as a tribute to Ramos’ Puerto Rican roots. The sophisticated lounge offers bites including charred octopus, duck confit tostadas, shrimp ceviche and caviar cones. Guests can also enjoy hand-crafted cocktails prepared by the resort’s master mixologists.
Cornucopia Gourmet Market
The resort’s gourmet market, Cornucopia, is a gastronomic bakery serving epicurean delights such as organic squeezed juices by Juicera, handcrafted espresso, wood-fired flatbreads and creamy Italian gelato with full candy bar. The market also features made-to-order acai bowls, artisanal pastries from renowned Miami bakery, Zak the Baker, and other locally sourced goods.
Spinnaker Pool Bar
The resort’s pool bar, Spinnaker, is located on the 6th floor on Fort Lauderdale’s largest Sky Deck. The 20,000-square-foot elevated space overlooks the Atlantic and offers refreshing libations, homemade fresh fruit popsicles and Mediterranean shared plates, such as avocado smash with Florida crab, seasonal crudo and kabobs.
Customized In-Suite Cooking
Upon request, Ramos prepares personalized in-suite cooking demonstrations and wine parings for guests, which will be rolled out in the coming months. As an alternative, guests can choose from a selection of gourmet dishes delivered to their suite, or enjoy cooking in the comforts of their own suite kitchen. Select chef recommendations, recipes and ingredients can be delivered-to-order.
Banquet Cuisine
Using locally-sourced ingredients, Ramos and his team of expert chefs work in tandem with groups to prepare dedicated menus to compliment every occasion. The expansive selection ranges from flavorful canapés to gourmet entrees inspired by the oceanfront location and seasonal elements. Both Ramos and executive pastry chef Anna Young, who oversees all dessert menus for group events, meetings and weddings, create the culinary vision for the resort’s business and social events. With the capacity for up to 500-guests, the banquet menu includes customizable plated dinners, activation stations, buffets and more.