Neal Swidler has been appointed as Executive Chef at NOPSI Hotel, New Orleans

NOPSI Hotel, New Orleans, a luxury hotel and community gathering place located in the heart of the Central Business District, is pleased to announce the appointment of Neal Swidler as its new executive chef. In this role, Swidler will be responsible for overseeing the hotel's entire culinary operation, including all food and beverage outlets, in-room dining, catering and banquet offerings.A longtime New Orleans chef, Swidler draws from an impressive career spanning more than 20 years of executive-level experience at some of the most acclaimed kitchens in the area, including 10 years with Emeril Lagasse's New Orleans restaurants, serving as chef de cuisine at both NOLA and Emeril's Delmonico, as well as corporate chef and concept development at NHS Restaurant Consulting, followed by executive chef and owner of the award-winning pan-Asian restaurant, Lucky Rooster. Known for his bold flavor combinations that are unpretentious and approachable, Chef Neal specializes in building environments that utilize excellence and autonomy to enhance staff performance, with a proven track record of creative menu development and vast portfolio of personally designed cuisine.A dynamic leader with an adaptable style and hands-on approach to management, Chef Neal joins NOPSI Hotel from his most recent appointment at Broussard's Restaurant, where he functioned as executive chef. In this role, Swidler gave new life to the restaurant by modernizing the menu to revitalize interest in the original New Orleans Grand Dame, successfully achieving an increase of revenue by $2 million in the first year, while successfully coordinating and executing more than $1 million in banquet and private sales per year.A dean's list graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, Chef Neal began his career with a six-month teaching fellowship - further refining his culinary skills while gaining top-notch perspective under the direction of his instructors, including the acclaimed James Beard award-winner Janos Wilder, a chef-proprietor in Tucson, Arizona.