Trudeau and Thiele Lead Culinary Team at Hotel Viking

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. October 14, 2008

NEWPORT, RI, February 2, 2007. As the Hotel Viking, a member of Historic Hotels of America, enters its 81st year, it continues its long tradition of allegiance to hospitality by announcing the appointment of industry veteran John D. Trudeau as director of food and beverage, and naming One Bellevue's former sous chef Kevin Thiele as executive chef.

"We're delighted to have Trudeau and Thiele spearhead our hotel's culinary program and bring us to a higher level of excellence," said Mark Gervais, general manager of Hotel Viking. According to Gervais, Trudeau and Thiele will also work in tandem to enhance the menus at Hotel Viking's signature restaurant One Bellevue, featuring seasonal New England cuisine inspired by global flavors.

Food and Beverage Director John D. Trudeau

Trudeau will be responsible for overseeing all day-to-day food and beverage operations, including One Bellevue, in-room dining, and the team that creates and serves the hundreds of banquet and special occasion meals for those who choose Hotel Viking as their destination for successful meetings, weddings and other special events.

Most recently, Trudeau was director of food and beverage at Mystic Marriott Hotel & Spa in Connecticut, where he worked since its opening in 2001. His vision and leadership were instrumental in the property's Octagon steakhouse receiving four coveted AAA Four Diamond Awards, as well as Wine Enthusiast magazine's Award of Distinction from 2004 to 2006.

Prior to that, Trudeau worked with Marriott International, where he was invited to work with the Vice President of Culinary Operations for Marriott and Renaissance Hotels to help develop a beef promotion for the entire chain. He was named 2003 Food and Beverage Manager of the Year by the Connecticut Lodging Association; and was one of 8 recipients chosen from a field of over 700 to earn the Award of Culinary Excellence from Marriott International in 2004.

He has also served in an advisory capacity to Johnson & Wales University, The New England Culinary Institute, the United States Navy, the Occupational Industrial Center of New London, the University of New Haven, the Connecticut Culinary Institute, and the Culinary Advisory Board for Marriott's North American Lodging Operations.

Executive Chef Kevin Thiele

Thiele will collaborate with Food and Beverage Director John D. Trudeau to create new menus, supervise the culinary team and continue to make One Bellevue at Hotel Viking a first-class dining destination.

Thiele joined Hotel Viking as a line cook at One Bellevue in 2004. His talent, devotion to all things culinary and hard work steadily moved him up the kitchen ladder in less than three years. His career trajectory has been most impressive since being jump-started by his boss at Cousin's Pizza in his hometown of Riverdale, New Jersey.

Thiele's formal culinary education took place at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Culinary and Food Service Entrepreneurship in 2004. While at culinary school, he managed a student dining facility at Brown University. His college internship took place at the famous Great Southern Hotel in County Kerry, Ireland where he was a rotational chef. He was also schooled in Koblenz, Germany for wine certification. Prior to that, he was sous chef at Fahrenheit Bar & Bistro in Providence; and also worked at the Mansion House Hotel on Martha's Vineyard. Most recently, Thiele's One Bellevue team's New England Clam Chowder took 3rd Place in Newport's Annual Great Chowder Cook-Off in 2006.