Thomas Gisler has been appointed Executive Chef at Cornell University`s Statler Hotel & J. Willard Marriott Executive Education Center. Effective May 16, Gisler will oversee the menu design and food preparation for the 150-room property, which operates three restaurants including the signature Ristorante Banfi and its Tuscan-inspired menu.

Gisler`s career path includes 10 years with Hyatt International Hotels where he spent assignments in Orlando, Japan and South Korea before serving as Executive Chef at the prestigious Hyatt Regency in Cologne, Germany. Most recently, he served as the Executive Chef for the Otesaga Resort in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Chef Gisler is an excellent addition to the Statler team. He will bring a strong sense of professionalism and culinary excellence to our team, said Nick Pijerov, director of food and beverage for The Statler Hotel. Gisler also will share his culinary expertise with students who work in the hotel, many of whom are enrolled in the university`s School of Hotel Administration.

A native of Switzerland, Chef Gisler graduated from the Swiss Hotel Catering College of Lucerne. Gisler replaces former Executive Chef Craig Hartman, who relocated to the Greater Washington, D.C. area earlier this year as Executive Chef for two of Classic Hospitality`s luxury properties, The Morrison-Clark Inn and The Henley Park Hotel.