South Seas Island Resort Appoints Louis Osteen Resort Chef
CAPTIVA ISLAND, FL, March 17, 2009 - South Seas Island Resort announces the appointment of award-winning chef Louis Osteen as resort chef, responsible for the culinary programs and development of new dining concepts for the property. With more than 30 years of experience and a James Beard Foundation award under his belt, Osteen joins the South Seas Island Resort team from Las Vegas where he opened two Las Vegas restaurants, Louis's Las Vegas and Louis Fish Camp Las Vegas.
"A chef of Osteen's caliber will advance dining options at South Seas Island Resort to a whole new level," said Rick Hayduk, managing director of the resort. "We are thrilled to have him on board and delighted to launch our Go Cook! program, allowing guests to participate in personal cooking lessons with Chef Louis himself."
Though prior ambitions led him out west, Osteen, author of Louis Osteen's Charleston Cuisine: Recipes from a Lowcountry Chef, was made famous by his original recipes and signature southern flavors. His passion for cooking and love of southern fare ignited his career with an apprenticeship under Atlanta's then most acknowledged chef, Francois Delcros.
In 1980, Osteen moved to Pawleys Island, S.C. and opened the Pawleys Island Inn where he used the rich bounty of the region and its culinary traditions to both champion and redefine Lowcountry cuisine. After nearly a decade in Pawleys Island, Osteen's desire to reach a larger audience led him to the Omni Hotel at Charleston Place where he redesigned their restaurant. In October 1989, Louis's Charleston Grill at the Omni Hotel opened to immediate praise, receiving national media attention when it was selected by Esquire magazine as one of the country's "Top 25 New Restaurants."
Osteen returned to Pawleys Island in 2002 and opened Louis's at Pawleys and the Fish Camp Bar. The Fish Camp Bar went on to be named in Esquire Magazine's list of "America's Best New Restaurants," and Saveur's list of "100 Favorite Places and People."
Seemingly adrift off Florida's Gulf Coast, the recently renovated South Seas Island Resort is a sprawling, yet personal village-style resort situated among 330 acres and located on two-and-half miles of shell-laden beaches lapped by turquoise tides. Tucked away at the northern end of Captiva Island, South Seas Island Resort is nestled in Pine Island Sound in the Gulf of Mexico, with more than half of the resort a dedicated wildlife preserve and estuary.
To enjoy Chef Osteen's specialties and capture the classic island charm of South Seas Island Resort, call (888) 2-CAPTIVA or visit www.southseas.com.
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