The Seagate in Delray Beach, Florida Announces New, Award-Winning Culinary Team

Bon appétit! The Seagate has announced an award-winning team of Chefs to the well-established and successful culinary program at its Hotel & Spa, Beach Club, Yacht Club, and Country Club.  

Leading property-wide culinarian efforts is Chef Gordon Maybury, Director of Culinary, who most recently held the same title at the award-winning JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Club in Aventura, Florida, where he oversaw the culinary program for the Turnberry Members Club, Tidal Cove Waterpark, and the JW Marriott Turnberry Resort.

Chef Maybury studied at the Dublin College of Catering and earned a Master Certificate in Essentials of Hospitality Management from Cornell University. Gordon started out doing a traditional apprenticeship in Dublin followed by a progression to Michelin-starred restaurants and hotels in Ireland. He has held positions in award-winning restaurants and hotels internationally from The Arizona Biltmore – A Waldorf Astoria Resort, PGA Resort Palm Beach, the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, Peninsula Hotel New York, and Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman. Former host chef for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival Tribute Dinner, Chef Maybury collaborated on two cookbooks, participated in the Lufthansa Airlines Starchef program, and prepared “A Taste of Miami” menu at the prestigious James Beard House, earning rave reviews.

Chef Maybury has assembled a highly talented team of epicurean professionals including Garrette Gray as Resort Executive Sous Chef, Derrick Connor, Executive Chef of the Country Club, and Ivan Acevedo, Executive Chef of the Beach Club, joining The Seagate’s already established chefs, Glenn Rogers and Mitzu Nozaki. 

Chef Maybury and The Seagate have appointed: 

Garrette Gray, Resort Executive Sous Chef 

Garrette Gray comes to The Seagate from the Turnberry Resort in Aventura where he held several positions during his tenure there such as Resort Executive Sous Chef, Chef de Cuisine at Cascata Restaurant, Chef de Cuisine at the Turnberry Members Club and Chef de Cuisine at the Grill. Chef Gray’s prior locations include Marriott Harbor Beach, The Mayfair Hotel, Tarpon Bend Restaurants, and even his own dining establishment. A Johnson & Wales University alum, every summer, Garrette and his son, who are heavily involved in Boy Scouts, spend months teaching cooking classes to a handful of kids and cook daily for up to 500 children and teens ranging in age from 12 to 18 at the Joseph Citta Scout Reservation in New Jersey.

Ivan Acevedo, Beach Club Executive Chef 

Chef Ivan Acevedo joins The Seagate from The Fontainebleau Hotel where he was Chef de Cuisine at both of Michael Mina’s restaurants, Pizza & Burger, and Strip Steak. Prior to this, he has held Chef de Cuisine & Sous positions at The Faena Hotel, Trump National Doral, and Seagrape at the Thompson Hotel in Miami Beach. He also worked with celebrity Chef Gaston Acurio at La Mar at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Brickell. Chef Ivan studied at Le Cordon Bleu and apprenticed at the Loews Hotel in Miami Beach.

Derrick Connor, Country Club Executive Chef 

Originally from Atlantic City, Chef Derrick Connor joins The Seagate from the Turnberry Resort in Aventura where he was the chef for Corsair Kitchen & Bar. Chef Connor has received two culinary certifications, both as Certified Chef De Cuisine, one through the American Culinary Federation, and the other through the World Association of Chefs’ Societies.

“Chefs Maybury, Gray, Connor and Acevedo join a stellar culinary team at The Seagate, and we are so pleased to welcome them to the family,” said Alex Schnoeller, Managing Director of The Seagate. “We offer such a wide array of dining options, from the Beach Club overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, to our signature Atlantic Grille at the Hotel to our Country Club dining room, and more.”

Other professionals on the culinary team include:

Glenn Rogers, Chef, Atlantic Grille at the Seagate Hotel.  Originally from Massachusetts, Chef Rogers moved to Florida in 2012 and has worked at Palm Beach restaurants Buccan and Meat Market. He most recently served as Executive Chef at Lionfish in Delray. He joined The Seagate in 2021.

Mitzu Nozaki, Executive Pastry Chef.  Chef Mitsu joined the Seagate in 2021. A classically French trained pastry chef, Mitsu believes food should be simple, yet beautiful with taste being the most important element. She trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, also obtained a pastry degree from the Le Cordon Bleu in Orlando, Florida.  She was named Chicago’s best new pastry chef in the 2013 Time Out Chicago Eat Out Awards.

Additional notable Food and Beverage team additions at The Seagate:

Laura Cook, Assistant Director of Food & Beverage 

Laura Cook joined The Seagate from her position as Director of Food and Beverage; Waterstone Resort & Marina, a Curio by Hilton property in Boca Raton. Laura was responsible for both restaurants at the Waterstone, Boca Landing and Waterstone Rum Bar & Grille, in addition to overseeing the banquet department and in-room dining. She successfully launched Seaspray Inlet Grille, a new poolside bar and restaurant which opened post-pandemic. She has also held Food and Beverage Director positions with Gleneagles Country Club in Delray Beach and the Ritz Carlton Golf Club in Jupiter and served as General Manager of the Ocean Grill at The Breakers in Palm Beach. She is a graduate of the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. 

Burak Yalcindag, Director of Beach Club Operations 

Burak Yalcindag joins The Seagate from Marriott International in Miami where he served as Director of Food & Beverage for the property including the restaurants and conference facilities. Burak developed a new wine list and menus for the property and oversaw all food and beverage training for the staff. Prior to that, he was Director of Operations for Chotto Matte Restaurants in Miami Beach, and Assistant Director of Food & Beverage for the Eden Roc/Nobu in Miami Beach. He has served in management positions at the Turnberry Isle Resort in Aventura and the Ritz Carlton in Coconut Grove and is a graduate of the University of Cukurova in Turkey.

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ABOUT THE SEAGATE 

The Seagate Hotel is ideally located less than 30 minutes from the Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach and 40 minutes from Fort Lauderdale International Airport.  The 154-room property is situated on lavish Atlantic Avenue and a frisbee’s toss from the Atlantic Ocean. Wellness warriors will want to book an appointment at the Spa, an 8,000-square-foot retreat that promises to transport guests to another dimension of soulful rejuvenation.

The property includes The Seagate Beach Club with beach service, a beachside pool, and restaurant, and The Seagate Country Club with championship golf, tennis and pickleball, all available to hotel guests. 

The Seagate Hotel & Spa is located at 1000 E. Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach. For more information, call (561) 665-4800 or visit seagatedelray.com.

ABOUT ATLANTIC GRILLE AT THE SEAGATE HOTEL & SPA

The Atlantic Grille is open for brunch Monday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner 5 to 10 p.m. The new dinner menu features a Raw Bar with market oyster, shrimp cocktail and a Seafood Tower; simply grilled fish including Grouper, Jumbo Shrimp, Mahi Mahi, and Scottish Salmon; as well as a Filet Mignon, New York Strip, Ribeye Steak, and Cowboy Steak.  The restaurant also features an array of entrees including Vegan Pasta Bolognese, Red Snapper Veracruz, Roasted Sea Bass, Lobster Risotto, Mushroom Pasta, Apple Spiced Pork Chop, and Islamorada IPA Braised Short Rib of Beef, as well as a variety of salads, bowls, and bites.