Industry News for January 18, 2025Industry News for January 18, 2025

 Kohler, Wisconsin, the Midwest's premier luxury resort, is pleased to introduce Chef RJ Cooper, a James Beard Award winner, as its new Culinary Director. With a wealth of expertise in world-class culinary development, team mentorship, and resort restaurant operations, Chef Cooper will lead all aspects of food and beverage experiences at Kohler, Wisconsin. 

As Culinary Director of Kohler, Wisconsin, Chef Cooper will oversee all food & beverage outlets throughout the destination including Immigrant Restaurant, The Wisconsin Room, The Horse & Plow, Tavern on Woodlake, Blackwolf Run Restaurant, Whistling Straits Restaurant, and River Wildlife Restaurant. Cooper will create innovative, new menus and dishes while managing a vibrant team to help execute flawless cuisine and five-star service. 

With a focus on culinary excellence, innovation, seasonal ingredients, and regional flavors, Chef Cooper designed a new menu at Immigrant Restaurant centered on a chef-curated eight-course experience or five-course menu with options. All menus are accompanied by optional chefs' or Immigrant reserve pairings offering guests a one-of-a-kind fine-dining experience rich in character and historic elegance. 

With more than three decades of experience, Chef Cooper is a recipient of the prestigious James Beard Award, recognized in the category of Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic. Chef Cooper has held several prominent roles throughout his distinguished career including culinary and beverage director at the Forbes Five-Star, Wheatleigh Hotel. He also served as executive chef and owner of Saint Stephen and Acqua in Nashville and helmed the kitchens at Rogue 24, Vidalia, and Bistro Bis in Washington, D.C. 

Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina, a waterfront resort located on 342 acres of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, announces Robert Donis as Executive Chef. In his role, Donis will oversee all of the resort’s culinary operations, from mentoring his team and inspiring a new generation of culinarians to ensuring unforgettable food and beverage experiences for guests. 

Donis realized his interest in cooking at a young age. He and his mother would watch the “Galloping Gourmet” television show and then work together to make creations in the kitchen. While he originally received his Associates Degree in Political Science from Rutgers University in New Jersey, he decided to focus on a career in the culinary field and graduated from the Culinary Institutes of America in 1994. 

He began his career as an intern and trainee at several restaurants around the country including The Lark Creek Inn in San Francisco, Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia, La Côte Basque in New York City, and others.  

His tenure with Hyatt began in 1996 as the Chef de Cuisine at Park Hyatt Washington D.C.  He progressed his career within the company working at hotels around the country, from opening Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Florida to serving as Executive Chef at Hyatt Regency Austin in Texas.  

For nearly a decade, Donis served as the University Chef for the Office of the President at George Washington University (GWU) in Washington D.C. While at the university, he oversaw menus for special events and created a culinary medicine program in collaboration with the GWU School of Medicine designed to enhance community health. 

Donis’ cooking style focuses on creating dishes that are not muddled with complexity or competing tastes. His menus heavily showcase seasonality, regionality, and ingredients sourced from local farmers, ranchers, and watermen. At Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay, Donis looks forward to incorporating the best food from the Bay, from blue crab and oysters to rockfish and bay scallops, along with local rums, seasonings, grains, and market produce.  

Dedicated to making a difference in his community, Donis has volunteered for several organization including DC Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, DC Central Kitchen, and Habitat for Humanity. He also prepared and delivered weekly meals to a local shelter during his time working as the Executive Chef at Hyatt Regency Austin.