NEW YORK, June 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Water Grill Chicago, a member of the B.R. Guest Restaurant Group, is pleased to announce the appointment of Joel Dennis as the Executive Chef as of June 25, 2007. After three years working at Chicago's famed Tru as Chef de Cuisine, Blue Water Grill is proud to have Dennis in the kitchen to further showcase his talents. Before moving to Chicago, Chef Dennis spent four years under the tutelage of Alain Ducasse as sous chef. It is Ducasse whom he credits as the biggest driver in honing his personal style of focusing on the freshest ingredients and simplistic touch. Spending time in both Ducasse's New York and Paris kitchens enabled him to grow his eye for detail and the beauty of simplicity. "I was immediately impressed with Dennis' sensibility regarding seafood," says B.R. Guest founder Stephen Hanson. "With a pedigree and talent like his, he was a perfect fit to lead our team in the kitchen." Born and raised in Rochester, New York, Joel spent much of his childhood in the kitchen with his mother, who shared with him her love of cooking. While attending college, Dennis majored in English and Business and supported himself working in various restaurant kitchens. It was through these stints that Dennis quickly developed a strong interest the culinary arts. Upon graduating from college, Dennis took the obvious next step and attended the renowned Culinary Institute of America. After completing his tenure there, he worked for one year as a Saucier at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City and then moved on to Charlie Palmer's Aureole where he spent three years as sous chef. Guests at Blue Water Grill can expect to find his signature dishes such as Line Caught Halibut with Fresh Morels and Fava Beans and Day Boat Cod with Chickpea Puree, Chorizo, Tomato and a touch of fiery Espelette Pepper (from the Basque region of France) on the menu. Chef Dennis is also an avid supporter of green markets and sustainable products from local farmers. "Every meal is an education," says Chef Dennis. "And I look forward to bringing all I have learned to the table at Blue Water Grill." B.R. Guest Restaurants Since opening its first restaurant in 1987, B.R Guest founder Stephen Hanson and his team have redefined the restaurant experience through an emphasis on hospitality and quality. Current B.R. Guest properties in New York City include Atlantic Grill, Blue Fin, Blue Water Grill, Dos Caminos Park, Dos Caminos Soho, Dos Camino Third, Fiamma Osteria, Vento Trattoria, Ruby Foo's Dim Sum and Sushi Palace, Ruby Foo's Times Square and Level V nightclub. B.R. Guest locations outside of New York include Fiamma Trattoria in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and Blue Water Grill and David Burke's Primehouse in Chicago. In fall 2007, B.R. Guest will open two additional restaurants: Primehouse in New York City and Dos Caminos at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. Recently, Hanson inked a deal with hospitality giant Barry Sternlicht which appoints B.R. Guest as the exclusive restaurateur in Sternlicht's '1' Hotels and Residences, the first luxury, eco-friendly global hotel brand. In June, 2007 B.R. Guest took its obligation to the environment one step further by becoming certified by the Green Restaurant Association(TM) for its incorporation of sustainable practices within the restaurants. B.R. Guest's commitment to service and hospitality is also evident through its dedication of time and resources to community-based organizations including City Harvest, Share Our Strength, City-Meals-On-Wheels, Memorial Sloan Kettering, American Cancer Society, Publicolor, World Wildlife Federation, PENCIL, Momentum AIDS Project, American Heart Association and The James Beard Foundation. Executive Chef Joel Dennis Blue Water Grill Chicago Joel Dennis joins the team at Blue Water Grill as Executive Chef after three years working as Chef de Cuisine at Chicago's famed Tru. Dennis' passion and talent in the kitchen will now be showcased at the helm of another Chicago eatery. Born and raised in Rochester, New York, Joel spent much of his childhood in the kitchen with his mother, who shared with him her love of cooking. While attending college, Dennis majored in English and Business and supported himself working in various restaurant kitchens. It was through these stints that Dennis quickly developed a strong interest in the culinary arts. Upon graduating from college, Dennis took the obvious next step and attended the renowned Culinary Institute of America. After completing his tenure at the CIA, he worked for one year as a Saucier at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City and then moved on to Aureole where he spent three years as Sous Chef under the tutelage of Charlie Palmer. Dennis then moved on and became Sous Chef for Alain Ducasse, whom he credits as the biggest driver in honing his personal style of focusing on the freshest ingredients and simplistic touch. Spending time in both Ducasse's New York and Paris kitchens enabled him to grow his eye for detail and the beauty of simplicity. Guests at Blue Water Grill can expect to find his signature dishes such as Line Caught Halibut with Fresh Morels and Fava Beans and Day Boat Cod with Chickpea Puree, Chorizo, Tomato and a touch of fiery Espelette Pepper (from the Basque region of France) on the menu. Chef Dennis is also an avid supporter of green markets and sustainable products from local farmers. "Every meal is an education," says Chef Dennis. "And I look forward to bringing all I have learned to the table at Blue Water Grill." Press Contact: Cheryl Perl 212.331.0305 DATASOURCE: B.R. Guest Restaurant Group CONTACT: Cheryl Perl of B.R. Guest Restaurant Group, +1-212-331-0305,

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