National Hotel Miami Beach Appoints Gaston Sanchez as New Executive Chef
Chef Gastón's Menu Reinterprets Traditional Cuisine with Unexpected Pairings and Global Flavors
August 20, 2014 - As part of the $12 million renovation that was completed in early 2014, the National Hotel Miami Beach, an Art Deco landmark in the heart of South Beach, has appointed a new executive chef and has introduced a creative new menu. Chef Gastón Sánchez will oversee all of the National's culinary operations in the hotel's signature restaurant, Tamara Bistro, the poolside, Aqua Bar and Grill, its lounge area, Blues Bar, and all in-room dining and catering.
“We are extremely excited to reintroduce our beautifully restored property, our new executive chef and innovative new menu to visitors and locals alike,” stated Yaser Mohamad, the National Hotel's General Manager. “Chef Gastón's unique background and expansive culinary perspective will provide guests with an eclectic, one-of-a-kind experience they will not find elsewhere.”
Chef Gastón has an accomplished background that includes private chef to some of the world's most well known celebrities, Gloria Estefan and Sean Combs, where he learned to cater to the most exacting palettes. He has also held positions at some of South Florida's most popular restaurants.
Born and raised in Miami to Cuban parents, Chef Gastón developed his passion for food and cooking by traveling throughout the world at a young age and following his grandmothers around the kitchen.
He was formally trained at Johnson & Wales University and spent apprenticeships abroad. Under the tutelage of an Argentinean gaucho, he learned to select and grill meats. During a summer in Peru, he studied under the top cevicheros in the country. A stint in Spain under Ferran Adria, taught Chef Gastón the techniques of molecular gastronomy from the father of the genre.
Chef Gastón began his culinary career at Pikayo in the Museum of Modern Art in San Juan, Puerto Rico and went on to make his mark with his own restaurant, Gastón's Fusion Cuisine, in Murphy, North Carolina, where he fused ingredients from the Appalachian setting with the Cuban cuisine he grew up with.
“My dishes play off the traditional and evolve into modern interpretations that incorporate different cultures,” said Chef Gastón. “Similar to the National Hotel, my cuisine fuses the best of the Old World with the new.”
Some of Chef Gastón's new menu items include Steak Frite. Unlike the traditional French dish, it is a 10-ounce churrasco infused with blood orange mojo, paired with Yucatan fires in Muscovy duck comfit, incorporating Italian and Cuban elements. Camarones Wild is a take on the Spanish dish, Camarones Enchilado, with massive prawns in creole salsa with both green and ripe mofongo, the Puerto Rican plantain dish. A French Ratatouille is remade into a vegetable stir-fry with Israeli couscous and mojo marinated grilled tofu, incorporating Asian, Middle Eastern and Latin flavors.
Desserts receive Chef Gastón's artistic treatment as well. Turron Gastón takes its name from Spanish origins, but is reinterpreted with a guava swirl and añejo amaretto rum sauce that evokes Cuba, Italy and New Orleans.
Chef Gastón has been featured on the Food Network, NBC, Univision, The Miami Herald, WSVN's Bites with Belkys and is regularly sought after for cooking demonstrations and promotional events throughout South Florida.
About the National Hotel Miami Beach:
The National Hotel Miami Beach is an iconic Art Deco landmark located in the heart of South Beach. Opened in 1939, the oceanfront resort combines the style and glamour of the Deco era with contemporary luxury. After renovations were completed in 2014, this family-owned, timeless hotel has been meticulously restored to its original grandeur.
The 152-room hotel is a work of art, with a renowned collection of Art Deco artifacts, a 205-foot infinity-edge pool, beautifully designed guestrooms, and a truly unique three-story penthouse. Combined with modern conveniences and impeccable, anticipatory service, the National delivers a vintage Miami Beach experience for modern times and the discerning traveler.
Located at 1677 Collins Avenue, the National is in close proximity to the area's most noted shopping, restaurants, sightseeing, arts, lifestyle and cultural attractions.
The National Hotel has been awarded with the prestigious AAA Four Diamond and Forbes 4 ½ Star. It is affiliated with Preferred Hotels & Resorts and was recently inducted into Historic Hotels of America. The National Hotel is a sister property to the distinguished Hotel de Paris, St Tropez, which was fully renovated in 2013. For more information, please visit www.NationalHotel.com or call (305) 532 - 2311.
Visit the National's Facebook Page:www.facebook.com/NationalHotel follow the hotel on Twitter and Instagram: @NationalMiami
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