Ben Jones has been appointed Executive Chef at Alderbrook Resort & Spa
Alderbrook Resort & Spa, located on the picturesque Hood Canal two hours west of Seattle, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ben Jones as Executive Chef. Chef Jones was most recently Executive Chef at The Resort at Paws Up in Greenough, Mont. and brings skills in fine dining, banquets, off-site catering and large specialty events. He also has extensive experience in fostering community relationships and utilizing local fare, which is a key pillar of Alderbrook's culinary program.
A long-time devotee to all things food – his first word was "ham" – Chef Jones knew at age 10 he wanted to become a chef and entered culinary school at Nelson Polytechnic in New Zealand at 17. He then completed a two-year training with Master Chef Harmut Handke in Columbus, Ohio before working at several restaurants and hotels in Chicago, including work alongside Graham Elliott at TRU and heading up the Garde Manger team while Rick Tramanto was writing his Amuse Bouche cookbook. Jones also served as opening Lobby Chef de cuisine at Peninsula Hotel, which received five stars and five diamonds in its first year. Five years later, Chef Jones made the move to Montana where he continued developing his palate in both restaurant and resort settings. He has tackled a variety of culinary experiences outside of the restaurant, which included cooking classes, television cooking demonstrations, and joining the James Beard House as a guest chef in March 2016.
In his role at Alderbrook Resort & Spa, Chef Jones will be responsible for overseeing the food and beverage operation while working to elevate the culinary program. His vision is inspired by "fresh and clean" cuisine with fresh catches, fresh harvest, and locally-sourced products at the center of his new menu, which guests can begin enjoying this spring. Some of his favorite ingredients include Hatch chiles, a nod to his upbringing in Albuquerque, N.M., and the Pacific Northwest's white truffles, fiddleheads and salmon, thanks to spending 11 years of his childhood in Rogue River, Ore.
