New Celebrity Chef Joins Continental Airlines Congress of Chefs
March 23 2009 - 11:48AM
PR Newswire (US)
REEF's Bryan Caswell to offer creative direction to Continental's
award-winning menus HOUSTON, March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) today announced the addition of
Chef Bryan Caswell, owner of REEF and Little Bigs restaurants in
Houston, to its Congress of Chefs. Caswell joins the 14-member
congress, including top chefs Roy Yamaguchi of Roy's Restaurant;
Michael Cordua of Americas, Churrascos, Artista and Amazon Grill in
Houston; James Canora of the original Del Monico's in New York
City; and Paul Minnillo of The Baricelli Inn in Cleveland.
"Continental is pleased to welcome Bryan Caswell to our Congress of
Chefs," said Sandra Pineau, Continental's staff vice president of
food services. "We will draw on Bryan's extensive culinary
knowledge and world travels to continue to provide the best
possible dining experience for our passengers." Having won numerous
awards for its international BusinessFirst service, Continental's
Congress of Chefs and Sommeliers carefully select menus and wines
for each country the airline serves. The Congress of Chefs provide
creative direction and offer new ways to keep menus updated to
reflect current food trends. As a result, Continental's menus are a
fusion of world foods and flavors, derived from the regions where
service is offered. In addition to restaurant chefs, the Congress
includes airline chefs, caterers and food suppliers. "I am honored
to be included alongside so many accomplished chefs as part of the
Congress of Chefs. I look forward to contributing my culinary
experience and passion for food to Continental's award-winning
menus," said Caswell. Caswell attended the renowned Culinary
Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. While there, he
secured a coveted externship under Chef Jose Muneisa at ViaVeneto
in Barcelona, Spain. Following graduation, Caswell continued
apprenticeships under New York's finest, including Aureole Chef
Charlie Palmer and Gotham Bar and Grill Chef Alfred Portale. He
also worked alongside celebrated Union Pacific Chef Rocco
DiSpiritio. Under the tutelage of Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten,
owner of Restaurant Jean-Georges in Trump Tower, Caswell worked at
Jean-Georges restaurants in Hong Kong, Bangkok and Paradise Island.
Caswell then joined the renowned Houston-based Pappas Restaurants,
where he developed recipes, established cooking and training
procedures, provided problem solving support and executed special
events. Prior to opening REEF, Caswell was the chef at Bank, a
Jean-Georges restaurant, in Houston's historic Icon Hotel. While
there, Caswell helped propel the restaurant to national acclaim.
Caswell is currently a semi-finalist for the 2009 James Beard Award
for Best Chef - Southwest and was also selected as the 2008
Restaurateur of the Year and 2008 Chef of the Year by My Table
Magazine. REEF has been featured in numerous publications including
Bon Appetit Magazine, which named REEF the top seafood restaurant
in the U.S. in December 2008. Continental Airlines is the only
major U.S. airline to offer complimentary meals at meal times in
economy class. The airline's BusinessFirst meal service includes a
wide variety of delicious menu selections as well as premium wines
and champagne. Continental Airlines is the world's fifth largest
airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and
Continental Connection, has more than 2,800 daily departures
throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 135 domestic and
132 international destinations. More than 650 additional points are
served via alliance partners. With more than 42,000 employees,
Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam,
and together with Continental Express, carries approximately 67
million passengers per year. Celebrating its 75th anniversary this
year, Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim
for both its operation and its corporate culture. For the sixth
consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine named Continental the No. 1
World's Most Admired Airline on its 2009 list of World's Most
Admired Companies. For more company information, go to
continental.com. DATASOURCE: Continental Airlines CONTACT:
Continental Airlines Corporate Communications, +1-713-324-5080, Web
Site: http://www.continental.com/
Copyright