In Southern California, the San Manuel Casino has named Everton Clarke and Matthew Smith as executive chefs as part of the property’s expansion into a full resort. Reporting to Oliver Wolf, VP of culinary operations, Clarke and Smith will be responsible for leading San Manuel Casino’s dining experiences.
Clarke previously worked in executive culinary roles at JW Marriott properties, most recently as the opening executive chef at JW Marriott Minneapolis and opening chef at JW Marriott Dubai. He will create and implement menus across the Casino’s various dining choices based on current food trends and regional tastes, seasonality and concepts. Born in Jamaica and raised in the U.K. and Connecticut, he received his Bachelor of Science in Food Service Management from Johnson and Wales University in Providence, R.I., and his Associate Degree in Hotel/Restaurant Management from Norwalk Community College in Norwalk, Conn.
As a former “Chef of the Year” recipient for Hyatt Hotels, Smith has managed and opened multiple restaurants. He will oversee culinary operations at the Casino, specifically leading menu concepts, recipe standardization, labor and food cost control, production and waste control and purchasing and inventory control. Prior to joining San Manuel Casino, Smith was the opening executive chef for Westin Anaheim Resort; the executive chef and food and beverage director at the Grand Hyatt Resort and Spa in Koloa, Kauai, Hawaii; and the executive chef at Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii. Smith graduated with top honors from the California Culinary Academy in 1988.
San Manuel Casino is in the middle of a large-scale expansion project that will add the property’s first-ever resort with 432 rooms (including 127 suites), a new entertainment venue, a pool deck with its own bar and private cabanas, a spa, expanded gaming space, new dining options and retail stores. The guestrooms will open in the winter, followed by the event venue in 2022.