Andaz Wall Street Appoints New Executive Sous Chef

Chris Cummer Heads Up Food & Beverage Offerings at Lower Manhattan Hotel

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. January 14, 2015

NEW YORK - January 14, 2015 - Following the successful opening of Dina Rata restaurant in October, Andaz Wall Street is delighted to announce the appointment of Chris Cummer as Executive Sous Chef. Cummer brings over 18 years of culinary experience to his new position and has been with the Hyatt family for seven years, most recently serving as the Executive Sous Chef at Hyatt Regency Jersey City. In his new role, Cummer oversees the food & beverage operations at the hotel's new upscale American bistro restaurant Dina Rata, as well as the catering offerings for the hotel's meetings and events spaces.

"We are delighted to welcome Chef Chris Cummer to our team at Andaz Wall Street,” said General Manager Rusty Middleton. “Chef Cummer is a wonderful talent that will bring a great deal of creativity, passion and culinary expertise to Dina Rata and Andaz Wall Street. We look forward to introducing his innovative dishes to both our guests and local New Yorkers.”

Chef Cummer developed a love for cooking at a young age and in high school worked in his first restaurant, working his way up from the pizza station to lead saute cook. After majoring in Mathematics at Louisiana State University, Cummer decided to pursue his passion to become a chef and began his culinary career in Louisiana, working at multiple restaurants and catering venues. After Hurricane Katrina, Cummer moved to Texas in 2005 to work in the hotel industry, securing his first hospitality job as a Specialty Restaurant Chef at the Houston Airport Marriott. From there, Cummer joined the Hyatt family in 2007 as Banquet Chef at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines where he spent three years before moving on to Hyatt Regency Dallas as Chef de Cuisine. Prior to joining Andaz Wall Street, Cummer spent two years at Hyatt Regency Jersey City as Executive Sous Chef. Throughout his career, Cummer has grown deep roots in his surrounding communities. He has been featured as a celebrity chef at the State Fair of Texas, participated in multiple urban gardening ventures and has actively developed partnerships with farmers, fishmongers and other artisans.

Chef Cummer's cooking philosophy can best be described as regional cuisine focusing on sustainability, seasonality and innovation. Utilizing a combination of his signature cooking style and Andaz Wall Street's local culinary flavor and upscale American bistro-style cuisine, Cummer will add exciting and creative new dishes to Dina Rata's menu such as Beecher's Flagship Grilled Cheese with cranberry walnut bread and upstate apple butter; Free Range Chicken and Roasted Kohlrabi with cherry and poblano jam; and Braised Veal Cheeks with aged goat cheese, cauliflower and beet emulsion. In his spare time, Cummer enjoys vegetable gardening and preserving, and enjoys finding ways to incorporate these hobbies into his cooking.

“I love the Andaz culinary mantra of seasonality and regional cuisine as these are both hallmarks of my cooking,” said Chef Cummer. “I am excited about the opportunity to further my Hyatt career at Andaz Wall Street and collaborate with the team to take Dina Rata and the rest of the hotel's food & beverage offerings to new heights.”

For more information on Chef Cummer, Dina Rata and Andaz Wall Street, please visit: http://newyork.wallstreet.andaz.hyatt.com.

About Andaz Wall Street

Experience the rebirth of Lower Manhattan at the only hotel situated on iconic Wall Street. Andaz is devoted to providing attentive, uncomplicated service and indulgent amenities. The David Rockwell designed property features 253 guestrooms starting at a generous 345 square feet, making them some of the largest hotel rooms in New York City. Andaz offers a variety of on-site amenities, including over 10,000 square feet of event space, complimentary wifi and mini bars with non-alcoholic beverages and snacks, a 24-hour gym, and The SPA. Patrons can enjoy seasonal, farm-to-table cuisine and creative cocktails at the new Dina Rata restaurant. For additional information about Andaz Wall Street please visit www.andazwallstreet.com.

About Andaz

Global in scale while local in perspective, Andaz delivers an innovative hospitality experience and attentive, uncomplicated service designed to accommodate guests' personal preferences. Hotels in this unique collection reflect the spirit of their locale, and are dedicated to creating natural and vibrant living spaces where travelers can indulge in their own personal sense of comfort and style. For more information and reservations, visit www.andaz.com.