TAMPA, Fla. (August 2, 2022) – Epicurean Hotel in the trendy Hyde Park historic district of South Tampa announced today the return of Jon Atanacio as executive chef. Atanacio will direct daily culinary operations at the hotel’s signature Élevage SoHo Kitchen & Bar, and EDGE Rooftop Cocktail Lounge, while also overseeing food and beverage offerings for the Epicurean’s 5,200 square feet of function space for meetings, corporate parties, local catering events and special occasions.
Atanacio became a member of the Mainsail Lodging & Development family in 2013, serving on the hotel opening team as chef de cuisine at Epicurean Hotel for five years, and as the opening executive chef at The Karol Hotel in Clearwater for one year. Prior to joining the Mainsail family, Atanacio honed his craft and worked his way up through various esteemed restaurants in New York City, where he gained much of his culinary experience.
“We’re delighted to welcome Jon back to take center stage at Epicurean,” said Joe Collier, president and founder, Mainsail Lodging & Development. “His knowledge of the property and expertise in the kitchen will bring even greater depth, energy and excitement to the dining experience for our guests.”
With nearly 20 years of culinary experience, Chef Atanacio draws on his Puerto Rican and Italian heritage to continue to raise the bar in the local dining scene. Atanacio was most recently culinary director at Bern’s Steak House in Tampa, where he oversaw the culinary and pastry departments while managing the entire culinary operation on a daily basis. Before moving to Tampa, he worked nearly 15 years in New York City as chef de cuisine at Aquagrill Restaurant and chef de cuisine at Olives in the W Hotel, Union Square by Todd English.
The food-focused Epicurean Hotel features a state-of-the-art culinary classroom known as the Epicurean Theatre; Élevage SoHo Kitchen & Bar signature restaurant; EDGE Rooftop Cocktail Lounge; Bern’s Fine Wines & Spirits wine shop; Evangeline full-service spa; Chill Bros. Scoop Shop; and 5,200-square feet of flexible event space. The Epicurean Hotel was developed in collaboration with Mainsail Lodging & Development and the legendary Bern’s Steak House and is the first newly constructed hotel property in the United States to join the prestigious Autograph Collection® of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR). For information and reservations at the Epicurean Hotel, call (855) U-AWAKEN (829-2536) or visit EpicureanHotel.com.
