Joe Magnanelli has been appointed as Executive Chef at Kona Kai Resort & Spa

Executive Chef Joe Magnanelli brings more than two decades of worldly culinary experience to his role and has worked in hotels including The Ritz-Carlton, Washington D.C. Upon relocating to San Diego, he spent a decade with Urban Kitchen Group and most recently played a key role in the opening of Downtown San Diego's Animae. Responsible for leading day-to-day culinary operations at the resort, Magnanelli is focused on menu ideation and execution for signature dining concept Vessel Restaurant + Bar in addition to supporting culinary programming for meetings, groups and events. At Vessel, he plans to introduce seasonally inspired menus focused on locally and thoughtfully sourced meats, seafood and produce with an emphasis on shareable plates for an added element of experiential dining.