The Celebration Hotel Appoints Renowned Chef Zachary Martin to Executive Chef of the AAA Four-Diamond Plantation Room Restaurant CELEBRATION, FLA. (April 14, 2008) – The AAA Four-Diamond Plantation Room Restaurant at the charming Celebration Hotel, a Kessler Collection luxury property, is excited to announce the appointment of famed Central Florida Chef Zachary Martin to executive chef. The culinary team also encompasses Sous Chef John Chaknis and Director of Food and Beverage Services Roger Calas. Chef Zack and Chef John both come from the Grand Bohemian Hotel in downtown Orlando.   Chef Zack's culinary expertise comes from over 14 years of widespread industry experience. He was most recently the executive chef of the AAA Four-Diamond Boheme Restaurant at the Grand Bohemian Hotel. Chef Zack joined The Boheme in 2003 as chef de cuisine and was integral in the banquets and stewarding operations at the hotel and was immediately promoted to executive sous chef within the first year due to his tremendous talent. He naturally progressed to becoming executive chef in 2006.   During his role at The Boheme, the outlet was awarded many prestigious accolades, including the reception of the DiRōNa designation (Distinguished Restaurants of North America), Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence and the induction of the restaurant into the Nation's Restaurant News' 2006 Fine Dining Hall of Fame.   The Boheme was also named Best Sunday Brunch by the Orlando Business Journal; one of the Top 20 Best New Restaurants in Florida” by Florida Trend Magazine as well as one of Florida Trend’s 500 Best Places to Dine, Best Power Lunch, and Best Sunday Brunch; and is the recipient of Orlando Magazine's Dining Awards, which include Best Hotel Restaurant, Best Power Lunch, Best Live Music, and Best Happy Hour (Bösendorfer Lounge).    Grant Bannen, General Manager of the Celebration Hotel, says, Chef Zack is a popular culinary artist well-known in central Florida. With his industry expertise and widespread following, I am confident he will lead the team successfully and flourish here at the property.   Prior to his role at the Grand Bohemian Hotel, Chef Zack owned Zack’s on Park Avenue, where he was responsible for the creation and development of unique menu items as well as maintaining the restaurant's daily operations and personnel. He also spent many years under the direction of Emeril Lagasse in his popular New Orleans and Orlando restaurants where he mastered pastry and sous responsibilities.    Mr. Calas is responsible for the direct supervision of all beverage, restaurant, and banquet operations. He was a team member of the hotel at its opening and has served with The Kessler Collection for over nine years. He joined the hotel as a restaurant server and room service server and has successfully progressed from captain to banquet manager and now director of food and beverage services.   Sous Chef John Chaknis returns to the hotel after his previous stint here from 2003-2004. He also previously served as culinary supervisor at The Boheme at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in downtown Orlando where he worked closely with Chef Zack. He was then named sous chef at McCormick and Schmick's restaurant in Orlando and then moved on to become specialty restaurant sous chef overseeing three outlets at the prestigious Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes in Orlando.   About The Plantation Room The AAA Four-Diamond Plantation Room restaurant is an intimate and upscale food and wine destination and is the ideal setting for relaxed gourmet breakfast, quick and delicious lunch and romantic, candle-lit dinner.  The restaurant offers fresh seafood and dry-aged North American beef amidst a setting of rich linens, antique paddle fans and tropical plants. Contemporary American specialties showcase the freshest local produce and are complemented by an eclectic wine list. Guests can enjoy martinis on the lakeside terrace among gentle breezes, or relax in the Piano Lobby Bar to the sounds of smooth jazz. Room service and on-site catering are also available for special occasions, conventions, banquets and meetings.    About the Celebration Hotel Located in the quaint town of Celebration, FL, the elegant, lakeside AAA Four-Diamond Celebration Hotel is reminiscent of a 1900’s Florida seaside inn. Orlando's only boutique hotel, it features 115 luxurious rooms, including six suites, with luxury linens, feather pillows, three phones with voice mail and data ports, monogrammed robes, mini-bars, 25” TV’s with digital programming, Nintendo and wireless Internet in guest rooms and throughout the hotel. The Celebration Hotel also features the Grand Bohemian Gallery, 24-hour fitness center, spa services, full-time concierge, valet parking and the nearby Celebration Golf Club. The hotel has been home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for six years in a row for their summer training camp.