Robert Fasce, Jr., CEC, Chris Jones, CEC, and Michael Wedderburn have been appointed to the top culinary positions at the properties in New York, Florida and the British Virgin Islands.

These announcements were recently made of new Executive Chef appointments at club and resort properties:

• The Genesee Valley Club in Rochester, N.Y., has welcomed Executive Chef Robert A. Fasce Jr., CEC, to its management team. An icon in the club culinary world, Fasce previously served as Executive Chef of Cherokee Town and Country Club in Atlanta, Ga., which for more than a decade has been rated the number-one private club in America. His new appointment brings Chef Fasce and his wife, Sharon, who are both natives of Auburn, N.Y., back to upstate New York. “It is quite an honor to have been selected to charge the culinary team at the Genesee Valley Club,” said Fasce. “The club has a long revered history of excellence that I am fortunate to be a part of now. I am looking forward to contributing to its continued evolution as well as to creating a place for inspired culinarians to come and get a valuable experience, concentrated on excellence through sound cooking principles, world-class products and cooking with deep, sincere interest for providing our members and guests a memorable, hospitality-focused experience.”

Prior to joining Cherokee, Fasce served as Executive Chef for three other Platinum Clubs of America: Rolling Rock Club in Ligonier, Pa.; Sailfish Club of Florida in Palm Beach, Fla.; and Lost Tree Club in North Palm Beach, Fla. He was also a finalist for the White House Chef position during former President George W. Bush’s second term in office. “All of us at the Genesee Valley Club are delighted to have Chef Robert leading our culinary brigade,” said Tom Spellman, CCM, CCE, the Genesee Valley Club’s General Manager/COO. “For many years, we have prided ourselves on providing the premier dining experience in the region. Chef Robert’s commitment to culinary excellence and dedication to member satisfaction is already taking our dining program to new heights. In addition to be being a great chef, Robert is a teacher, mentor, and a leader. We fully expect that the club will become a magnet for aspiring culinary professionals.”

Prior to working in private clubs, Fasce was the Executive Sous Chef at The Inn at Little Washington, a Mobil 5-Star and AAA 5-Diamond property in Washington, Va., where he ran the daily culinary operation for the legendary Chef Patrick O’Connell. During Chef Robert’s tenure as Executive Sous Chef, The Inn at Little Washington was named Restaurant of the Year by the James Beard Foundation. Chef Fasce has also served as Executive Chef of Rosalie’s Cucina in Skaneateles, N.Y., where he was a partner with renowned restaurateur Phil Romano, and The Lincklaen House in Cazenovia, N.Y. He holds an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree in Restaurant Management from SUNY Cobleskill and an Associate in Occupational Studies (AOS) degree in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America.

• The Naples (Fla.) Sailing and Yacht Club has named Chris Jones, CEC, as Executive Chef. Chef Jones brings 25 years of culinary experience and a wealth of knowledge, energy, and technical expertise to the club. He previously served as Executive Chef at The Aerie Resort in Malahat, Canada, as well as the famous Nicklaus North Course in Whistler, Canada, among other appointments. He was most recently Executive Chef and Director of Food and Beverage at the exclusive Old Collier Golf Club of Naples. Chef Jones is a two-time American Culinary Federation Gold Medalist (2008 and 2012). He was awarded the ACF Caxambas Chapter Vision Award for Leadership in 2012 and was named Culinary Educator of the Year in 2013. He has been featured in numerous local, national and international media outlets including the San Francisco Chronicle, The Globe and Mail, The Vancouver Sun, Robb Report, Condé Nast, Food Network, and the Naples Daily News ‘Taste of Life’ series. Neapolitans may remember Chef Jones as one of the chefs featured at the 2012 Naples Wine Festival, where he prepared an $80,000, six-course dinner for five couples featuring wines from the legendary 1982 Bordeaux vintage.

• Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina, the first luxury resort development in the British Virgin Islands in more than 15 years and first member of the Autograph Collection® in the Caribbean, has announced the appointment of Michael Wedderburn as the resort’s new Executive Chef and Katie Rowles as the new Executive Sous Chef. Jamaican-born Chef Wedderburn will oversee the resort’s three main restaurants: Caravela, the fine-dining outlet featuring refreshing modern Caribbean cuisine with an American twist; Tierra!Tierra!, a casual, open-air restaurant overlooking the pool; and One Shoe Beach Bar & Grill located on North Beach.

In addition to the restaurants, Wedderburn will draw on his extensive banquet experience to direct the resort’s catering, room service and special event operations.

 Wedderburn will refresh all resort menus, as well as revamp the fine-dining Caravela to emphasize locally grown produce, Caribbean seafood and traditional cooking methods with an innovative twist on the modern palate. A 25-year veteran of the culinary industry, Wedderburn’s rise to epicurean fame began with humble beginnings as a line cook in number of Jamaica’s notable hotels and restaurants. Now an accomplished chef specializing in French, Caribbean and Mediterranean cuisines, Wedderburn has held leadership roles at a number of prestigious resorts, including The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead in Atlanta, and in Florida, The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, and The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. He was also Executive Sous Chef at Hershey Lodge in Hershey, Pa., where he oversaw banquet operations for the renowned 665-room property with more than 100,000 square feet of meeting space, preparing meals for groups of 10 to 2,000 guests. As Executive Sous Chef, Rowles, a native of Suffolk, England, will oversee all daily kitchen operations, while ultimately assisting Executive Chef Wedderburn’s vision to distinguish Scrub Island’s cuisine as among the finest in the Caribbean.

Chef Rowles’s primary duties will encompass planning and directing food preparation, managing kitchen staff, training and scheduling, expediting production, and ensuring a high level of quality control and presentation for the resort’s patrons and guests. Rowles has been in the culinary industry for nearly a decade and her expertise includes housemade sausages, pates, terrines and pastry products.

Prior to joining Scrub Island Resort, Rowles held positions at the Portofino Bay Hotel in Orlando and The Lion Inn in Chelmsford, Essex. Most recently she was a rising star as head chef at The Essex Pig Company in her hometown of Ipswich, Suffolk in England. “With their vast experience and varied skill set, Michael and Katie will make a great addition to our exceptional culinary team at Scrub Island Resort,” said Anura Dewapura, Scrub Island Resort’s Managing Director. “Michael will use his expertise in utilizing only the finest available premium ingredients to dazzle our guests and enhance their dining experience at the resort, while Katie will also to revamp our Gourmet Market including the addition of a European style bakery.”