Colorado’s Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Names Kris Furniss as Managing Food & Beverage Director
The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Avon, Vail Valley is excited to announce that it has hired Kris Furniss to serve as Managing Food & Beverage Director.
Furniss brings more than 26 years of hospitality industry experience to the Vail Valley. In 2008, he co-founded and served as CEO of Caviar & Bananas, a gourmet market concept in Charleston, S.C. that grew to five locations before Furniss brokered its acquisition. He also previously served as a Senior Operations Manager for Dean & Deluca.
In 2018, he started The Furniss Group, which consulted on franchise start-ups as well as on luxury resort F&B outlets, including for the prestigious Kiawah Island Club. He has served as a guest speaker and mentor for the College of Charleston's School of Business.
Furniss holds a degree in Economics from New York's Hobart College and has studied at the French Culinary Institute in New York City. He began his career in the financial industry with positions at Maverick Capital and Morgan Stanley.
"We are excited to have Kris' entrepreneurial spirit and industry expertise during this challenging time," said Westin Riverfront General Manager Kristen Pryor. "He has a dynamic background that includes high volume, fine dining and catering & events and he brings a new energy to help us continue to offer top tier experiences for our guests in a thoughtful way."
Located in the heart of Colorado's Vail Valley, The Westin Riverfront is home to Maya, a modern Mexican kitchen created by Chef Richard Sandoval, which pours an extensive collection of more than 150 tequilas. The resort is also home to a Starbucks and The Lookout Lobby Bar, which serves bites, sandwiches, flatbreads and entrees, along with an extensive selection of craft cocktails and Colorado microbrews.
New for this winter, The Westin Riverfront is opening the Riverfront Market and creating additional spaces to be able accommodate more diners with social distancing precautions in place.
Owned and managed by Colorado's East West Hospitality, the award-winning Westin Riverfront offers 230 guest residences, each featuring a custom kitchen, five-piece bathroom, gas fireplace and Westin Heavenly Bed. Amenities at The Westin Riverfront include Spa Anjali, an Athletic Club offering 45+ group exercise classes weekly, Ski Valet service and a year-round outdoor pool and three infinity hot tubs. Skiers & snowboarders can enjoy direct access to the Beaver Creek Mountain terrain via the Riverfront Express Gondola.
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