Grand Traverse Resort Names Cizma Exec Chef
JANUARY 30, 2007. Renowned Chicago-area Restaurateur and Chef Ted Cizma has been named Executive Chef of the award-winning, 900-acre Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, near Traverse City, Mich. In his new position, Executive Chef Cizma oversees all culinary staff and operations for the Resort's food & beverage outlets including three restaurants, and all menu and food planning and preparation throughout the property including banquets seating up to 2,000 persons.
Grand Traverse Resort & Spa Executive Vice President & General Manager Grant Channing said, "We are very excited that such a highly talented professional as Chef Ted has joined our team. We know that he will bring our entire food & beverage operation to entirely new levels of excellence, and his expertise will be extremely important as we introduce a new and exciting restaurant on the 16th Floor of our Tower this spring."
Executive Chef Cizma comes to Grand Traverse Resort & Spa following an illustrious decade-long career as a Chef, Restaurateur, Caterer, and Consultant in Chicago and its suburbs. His professional career highlights include, most recently, Executive Chef of Sodexho, overseeing the entire multi-million dollar on-site food & beverage operations at Chicago's John G. Shedd Aquarium, a position he held since 2005. His most notable restaurant experience is as Creator and Executive Chef of the award-winning Grace Restaurant in Chicago in 1999 and Elaine Restaurant in Naperville, Ill. in 2001. Earlier he was Executive Chef of The Outpost Restaurant in Chicago from 1995 to 1999.
Since 2003, he also has been an independent Corporate Event Planner, Caterer and Educator for such diverse clients as Walt Disney World, Maple Leaf Farms and Clear Channel Entertainment, and was the Chef/Caterer for the 2006 and 2005 ESPN Winter X Games in Aspen, Colo.
Among Executive Chef Cizma's accomplishments are accolades as Food and Wine Magazine "Best New Chef" 2000, continuous "three-star" rating from the Chicago Tribune 1996-2003, continuous "three-star" rating from the Chicago Sun-Times 1996-2003, Chicago Magazine "Best New Restaurant" 1997 (The Outpost), 2000 (Grace), 2002 (Elaine), Wine Spectator "Award of Excellence" 1997 through 2003, and Meals on Wheels Honorary Chef 2003 and 2004.
Executive Chef Cizma holds a Bachelor's Degree from Loyola University in Chicago. He also holds a certificate from the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago and is a Culinary Foundations Certified Trainer with the Culinary Institute of America.
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