Industry News for January 25, 2025Industry News for January 25, 2025

Chilewich Hospitality has announced that it has changed its name to Chilewich F+B.. This refreshed name for the hospitality division better reflects who they are as well as the food and beverage professionals they serve. With a new seasonal collection debuting in the weeks ahead, 2025 promises to be one the best years yet.

Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort is delighted to announce the appointment of Chef Stephen Osgood as the resort’s new Executive Chef. A native of St. Augustine, Chef Stephen oversees the culinary experience at the resort’s signature Harvest & Reel restaurant and poolside Castaway Cantina and directs banquet offerings across the resort’s 20,000 square feet of meeting space.  

As a St. Augustine native, Chef Stephen began his career working in many of the Ancient City’s award-winning restaurants in the Downtown Historic District.  Upon completing the Professional Culinary Arts & Hospitality program at First Coast Technical College, he joined the culinary team at the prestigious Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa, where he spent 12 years honing his skills.  In building his successful culinary career in hospitality, Chef Stephen has also assisted in several hotel openings in the southeast, from Marco Island, Florida, to Birmingham, Alabama. Specializing in modern Southern cuisine, Chef Stephen blends traditional techniques with modern trends, relying on fresh, local ingredients to create menus that celebrate both regional flavors and global influences. 

At the resort’s Harvest & Reel, Chef Stephen manages an open-show kitchen, from which guests enjoy locally sourced and specialty seafood for dinner in a modern coastal setting. Guest favorites include fresh Latin ceviche, whole fried Red Snapper, Tomahawk Rib Eye, and daily fresh catch specials. Al fresco options for lunch and early evenings are enjoyed at Castaway Cantina, where elevated dishes such as Angus smash burgers, carnitas tacos, and crab cake bites are served. In the lobby, the upscale Rhum Bar features specialty cocktails paired with house-prepared items such as Calamari, Angus sliders, and specialty flatbreads, all served with spectacular Atlantic views. Chef Stephen also oversees customized culinary experiences in more than 20,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including a 5,200-square-foot, oceanfront ballroom with outdoor terraces, and expansive waterfront lawns, ideal for receptions, buffets and plated functions, complete with breathtaking beachfront views.  

There are currently over 800,000 job openings within the hospitality industry but over half of recruiting professionalssaid job boards are increasingly less effective in finding skilled employees. Coupled with employee turnover rates over 70% in hospitality, and growing hiring costs, businesses are seeking more efficient methods to connect with suitable candidates. 

Instawork, the leading platform for connecting hospitality businesses with hourly workers, announced today its latest product, Hiring. With this new addition to the AI-powered platform, Instawork now supports businesses in finding reliable, vetted workers for permanent, long-term temporary, or short-term temporary roles. In a recent survey, 74% of businesses indicated they would choose Instawork over current job boards for their permanent hiring needs.   

Instawork has over 7 million vetted hourly workers with rich profiles based on verified work and performance, including ratings, certifications, and skills assessments. The platform has facilitated over 600 million matches, allowing businesses to hire permanent workers with confidence. Instawork’s new offering builds on its AI investments following a $60M Series D fundraise to better match workers with businesses by verifying qualifications and assessing abilities. 

The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort is thrilled to announce the appointment of Christian Pedersen to Executive Chef. Drawing upon more than a decade of culinary and hospitality experience, Pedersen will oversee all culinary development, operations, and programming at the luxury resort.  

Most recently, Christian Pedersen was the Executive Chef at several notable properties including Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah, Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, Conrad Rangali Maldives, Six Senses Zil Pasyon, and Constance Lemuria. Trained at Copenhagen Culinary University, he is inspired by cultures and has traveled a large part of the world as a chef, soaking up flavors and techniques, which he brings to life in his menus. 

With Christian Pedersen as Executive Chef, resort guests can look forward to sustainable menu options incorporating local ingredients as a way to support the natural beauty of the private island and surrounding marine ecosystem. Christian Pedersen will also take a zero-waste approach in an effort to minimize waste at the resort. Guests can look forward to unique and flavorful dishes such as Upside-Down Potato & Mushroom Tart, Red Snapper with Kulhafilha, Curry, and Rihaakuru, and a Breakfast Powder Bar, utilizing Vegetable Peels.  

SAVOR, the culinary division of ASM Global, has announced that chef David Teig has been selected as new director of culinary for Moscone Center, San Francisco’s premier meeting and exhibition facility.  

Teig began his career as a chef in private restaurants, including the Michelin 3-Star Les Maisons De Bricourt, in Cancale, France. He eventually transitioned to the hotel industry, working for Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Marriott International in various roles ranging from executive chef to director of food and beverage. Later, he oversaw the large-scale food and beverage program at the Fairplex in Southern California. 

More recently, Teig spent time with Aimbridge Hospitality working with transitions teams focused on hotel openings. He arrived in San Francisco at the iconic Palace Hotel before joining the team at the Moscone Center. Teig currently lives in San Francisco and spends his time as a judge in various food and wine competitions. 

As Moscone Center’s new director of culinary, Teig will manage all culinary activities including supervising and coordinating all large-scale food-preparation operations and daily food production; assisting staffing schedules; and directing training of chefs, cooks and other kitchen staff. He will oversee menu planning for all events and large functions, focusing on providing premium, sustainable, local and healthy menu options for all guests.