Luca Brunelle has been appointed executive chef of The Gideon Putnam in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The historic Gideon Putnam is operated by global hospitality company Delaware North on behalf of New York State.
In his role, Brunelle will oversee all culinary operations for the 124-room resort’s modern American eatery, Putnam’s Restaurant, as well as the seasonally-operated Putnam’s Patio. He will be responsible for production and catering management for the resort’s meeting spaces, including the newly renovated grand ballroom, as well as the training and development of kitchen staff.
Brunelle joined Delaware North after more than 20 years of experience in the food service industry. He previously ran the kitchens at Cornell’s in Little Italy in Schenectady, N.Y.; Nicole’s Restaurant in Albany, N.Y.; and Brown’s Brewing in Troy, N.Y. His extensive experience includes event management, quality assurance of recipes, and crafting special and new menu items with a focus on waste minimization.
The chef has also been an active figure in the local food and beverage community. He is a participant in the annual Cor-CIA programming with Master Chef Dale Miller, creating a joint scholarship program benefitting Cornell University and the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Albany Country Club. He has executed cooking demonstrations on local television stations, and has earned two People's Choice Awards from the Albany Culinary Cornucopia and gold medals and awards from more than 20 American Culinary Federation-sponsored competitions.
Brunelle earned an associate’s degree in culinary arts from the CIA.
