Paula DaSilva has been appointed Director of Culinary and Beverage at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale
The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale has appointed Paula DaSilva to Director of Culinary and Beverage of the property. Since she first came on the South Florida dining scene in 2000, DaSilva has been a culinary darling; first as a rising star and later as an executive chef and one of the areas foremost talents in the realm of soulful, farm fresh cuisine. A member of the The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale family since 2017, she initially joined the culinary team as Chef de Cuisine of its acclaimed restaurant Burlock Coast Seafare & Spirits. In her newly appointed role, DaSilva is directly responsible for the property's culinary outlets, beverage and wine program, in-room dining, Club Lounge, stewarding, purchasing and receiving and banquet operations. In addition, she continues to refine and strengthen operational and financial excellence with a substantial focus on elevating the customer experience. She brings more than 20 years of expertise in professional cooking, kitchen management and an unyielding dedication for excellence to the property.
Prior to this position, DaSilva served as Executive Chef, a role in which she executed innovative and speed-to-market offerings to position Burlock Coast amongst Fort Lauderdale's top culinary destinations.
A native of Brazil, DaSilva attended the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, where she earned a degree in Culinary Arts in 1999. That education proceeded a young love affair with cooking spent in her family owned restaurants in Massachusetts and, later in South Florida. After graduating, she joined the Marriott organization in a kitchen position at 3030 Ocean at the Harbor Beach Marriott in Fort Lauderdale under Chef Dean James Max. The 3030 gig delivered a twofold education - real world knowledge in fine dining as well as the ins and outs of hotel F&B, both of which would come into play for DaSilva over the course of her storied career. Years of hard work and training paid off when DaSilva auditioned for and earned a slot on Season 5, in 2009, of FOX's Hell's Kitchen with Gordon Ramsey; she finished as the season's runner-up and fan favorite, cementing her place as one of Florida's celebrity chefs. After the show her profile skyrocketed and, in 2010, DaSilva took her talents to South Beach as the executive chef of 1500 Degrees at the illustrious Eden Roc Hotel.
It was here where DaSilva truly came into her own as a culinary leader and creative visionary. The chic farm-to-table concept earned rave reviews and popular acclaim for its soulful, seasonal, rustic cuisine - which have now become synonymous with DaSilva's style of cooking. Her culinary skills at 1500 Degrees earned massive praise and wide-ranging appeal, including a nod from Esquire magazine as one of the "Best New Restaurants in America" as well as a Semifinalist nomination in 2012 for "Best Chef: South" by the esteemed James Beard Foundation. With a change in hotel management and major changes afoot at the property, DaSilva departed and enjoyed a bit of downtime, traveling and consulting. She then returned to 3030 Ocean as executive chef and during her second stint there, DaSilva revitalized the menu, injecting her now-signature soulful cooking style into the restaurant's seafood centric menu.
