Jeffrey Stanford Joins as Executive Chef with Nearly Two Decades of Experience; Brian Sherwood Joins as Director of Food & Beverage with More Than 26 Years of Experience
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown, opening winter 2024, announces Jeffrey Stanford as its executive chef and Brian Sherwood as its director of food and beverage. Stanford brings nearly two decades of culinary experience to the role and will lead the property’s onsite banquets, catering and restaurant teams at Soprana and E’Terie. Sherwood brings more than 26 years of hospitality experience in the luxury hotel market to Embassy Suites where he will oversee food and beverage operations for both restaurants, as well as additional culinary responsibilities at the full-service, all-suites hotel, including room service, daily complimentary made-to-order breakfast and the nightly evening reception.
“We are delighted to welcome Jeffrey and Brian to the downtown Asheville Embassy Suites team,” said Rohit Radhakrishnan, general manager of Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown. “Their individual approaches to culinary service and proven leadership will be instrumental in bringing new dining experiences and elevated culinary offerings to our guests.”
Before helming the kitchen at Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown, Stanford was the executive chef for The Biltmore Company, an 8,000-acre estate in Asheville, where he oversaw Stable Café, The Biltmore House and Gardens a la carte restaurant and banquets, where he created menus with a field-to-table approach using Biltmore-grown products. Prior to Biltmore, Stanford’s experience also includes chef de partie at the world-famous Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he worked with James Beard Award-winning Chef Tory McPhail, mastering the preparation of Haute Creole cuisine at its birthplace, as well as chef de cuisine at an esteemed oceanfront resort in Amelia Island, Florida, and has held several other culinary positions. Stanford has a passion and knowledge for all things food and beverage, focusing on quality, mentoring, hospitality and the creation of memorable guest experiences.
Prior to joining the Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown team, Sherwood held positions of both the director of food and beverage and director of hotel operations at Inn on Biltmore Estate in Asheville, where he was directly responsible for all divisions in the hotel, including food and beverage, culinary, front desk, housekeeping, engineering, security, floral department and guest services. Previously, Sherwood was the assistant director of food and beverage at The Langham Huntington and the food and beverage manager at the Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa, both in Pasadena, California, among several other positions. Sherwood specializes in hotel operations managing food and beverage, including team management, profit and loss, new products and markets, product, service and sales strategy, resource optimization, cost control and much more, with experience at five-star, five-diamond properties.
Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown is conveniently located in the heart of the city and offers sweeping views of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. The only full-service, all-suites property in downtown Asheville offers a clean and modern design complemented with raw and rustic elements, and the newly constructed hotel features 188 guest suites designed to provide the comforts of home, with separate bedroom and living areas. Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown features a business center, onsite parking, a year-round indoor pool, and a modern fitness center with premium equipment, plus two distinct food and beverage outlets, E’Terie and Soprana. Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown also brings more than 7,000 square feet of new event space to the city, making it a premier destination for weddings, events and meetings.
Soprana will feature products from local farmers, purveyors and brewers on seasonal menus. The approachable yet unique menu makes Soprana an ideal option for family dinners, date nights and more. Brick oven pizzas will include classics and feature the ingredients of Western North Carolina and house-grown herbs, while additional menu items include shareable snacks, salads and Asheville-made charcuterie. In addition to the rooftop restaurant, E’Terie will also open in Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown, a full-service bar and grill located off the hotel lobby. Menu items will include bar bites and snacks, as well as a beverage list that features domestic and import beers, craft cocktails and wines from around the world.
The hotel also includes made-to-order breakfast daily – delicious morning meals customized for guests’ dietary preferences and restrictions – as well as a nightly evening reception with snacks and drinks – both complimentary for all guests.
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