Chef McGowan Headshot

MARIGOT BAY, SAINT LUCIA – May 14, 2014  Brendan McGowan brings with him over 25-years of award-winning experience in managing some of the finest restaurants in the world. As Executive Chef at Capella Marigot Bay Resort and Marina, Saint Lucia, he will oversee all of the resort’s food and beverage operations and has also been tasked to create bold and inventive menus incorporating the unique flavors of Saint Lucia as well as flavors from America and Europe. McGowan will also helm the development of brand new dining establishments at the resort which will include a rooftop restaurant overlooking the treetops and the breathtaking waters of the bay and an intimate Rum Cave.

 

“I am looking forward to beginning a new phase of my career at Capella Marigot Bay,” said McGowan. “The Capella brand encourages chefs to explore new tastes and styles and it is going to be exciting to create an all-new global culinary concept and most importantly showcase Saint Lucian dishes, using local ingredients and working with local grocers and farmers to offer the freshest seasonal items.Before joining Capella Marigot Bay, Ireland-native McGowan was the Executive Chef for the St. Regis Hotel Doha in Qatar, a luxury hotel listed on Travel + Leisure’s International List as one of the “Best New Hotels for 2013.” McGowan oversaw the hotel’s culinary team development, formulating menus for all dining outlets and honing the property’s food presentation.

Prior to arriving in the Middle East, McGowan served as Executive Sous Chef at the Ritz-Carlton in Istanbul Turkey, where he assisted with assembling the culinary talent for the hotel as well as crafting special menus for events and meeting groups. McGowan has also worked for the Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel in Kuwait; the Four Season Hotel in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; the Four Seasons Hotel in Amman, Jordan; the Ritz-Carlton in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco, California; La Folie in San Francisco, California; and the Royal Garden Hotel in London, England.

McGowan began his career in 1986 at the Cathal Burgha College of Catering and Hotel Management. He then continued on to Canterbury College of Catering and Hotel Management, which he graduated from in 1990.

About Capella Marigot Bay Resort and Marina, Saint Lucia
Capella Marigot Bay Resort and Marina is located alongside Marigot Bay, once described by the legendary American author James Albert Michener as “the most beautiful in the Caribbean.” The resort is receiving an extensive multi-million dollar renovation and will re-open in the Summer of 2014. Once re-opened, the resort will feature 124 rooms that include 57 suites (most with their own private Jacuzzi pools) with spacious balconies and extensive views of the bay. New and exciting food and beverage concepts will be introduced including a fine dining rooftop restaurant delivering breathtaking views of the Marigot Bay cove area and an intimate Rum Cave which will house specialty local rums for connoisseurs to savor in a space that pays homage to an authentic distillery with a touch of elegance and warmth. Capella will also introduce its award-winning Auriga spa concept at the Capella Marigot Bay Resort & Marina. Inspired by Saint Lucia’s beautiful natural environment, the resort’s Auriga spa will be an outdoor spa surrounded by lush greenery.

The property will also be home to the newly re-designed, ultra-exclusive Capella Marina at Marigot Bay which will accommodate some of the most luxurious mega yachts in the world. Guests of the hotel will be able to arrange exclusive charters with a choice of various yachts including luxury and mega yachts. Capella Marigot Bay’s magnificent lush setting places guests nearby Saint Lucia’s majestic rainforests and pitons and provides easy access to recreational amenities including water sports, horseback riding fishing, diving, hiking and climbing. For more information visit www.capellamarigotbay.com.

About Capella Hotels and Resorts
Capella Hotels and Resorts serves today’s top-tier travelers and residential property owners and is setting a new standard in the hospitality industry.  Capella promises the unique benefits of the finest boutique hotels, including superb architecture and interior design, privacy, individualized service and attention to detail – combined with the amenities and activities of the world’s great luxury hotels and resorts.  Capella is a brand focused on customer choice, and offers choices that no other hotel company in the world can match.  Capella has opened world-class properties in gateway cities and high-profile resort destinations around the world, including: Breidenbacher Hof, a Capella Hotel (Düsseldorf, Germany); Capella Ixtapa (Ixtapa, Mexico); Capella Pedregal (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico); Capella Singapore (Sentosa Island, Singapore) and Capella Washington, D.C. (Georgetown) opened in March, 2013.  Capella has also announced plans for: Capella Bahia Maroma (Riviera Maya, Mexico); Capella Bangkok (Bangkok, Thailand); Capella Nahui (Riviera Nayarit, Mexico); and Capella Niseko (Niseko, Japan). Learn more at www.capellahotels.com.

Media Contact:
M. Silver – A Division of Finn Partners
Aik Wye Ng, 212.715.1600 ext. 7307aikwye.ng@finnpartners.com
Sarah Straub, 212.715.1600 ext. 6327sarah.straub@finnpartners.com