World-Renowned Ahwahnee Hotel Names Executive Chef.

Business Editors/Food Writers

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 9, 2001

Yosemite Concession Services Corporation is pleased to announce the appointment of James Anile as executive chef of the world-renowned Ahwahnee hotel. Anile is formerly of the Bacara Resort and Spa in Santa Barbara as well as the Melrose Hotel in Dallas, a historic four-diamond hotel rated as one of the top 10 restaurants in Dallas.

Most recently the executive chef at the new luxury oceanfront beach resort Bacara Resort and Spa, Anile will oversee a culinary staff of 50 responsible for preparing an average 1,500 meals per day for The Ahwahnee Dining Room, The Ahwahnee Bar, banquets and room service. Anile's responsibilities will include menu development, kitchen operations and food production in addition to managing specialized culinary events such as the 20th Annual Vintners' Holidays at The Ahwahnee, the annual Chefs' Holidays program, Bracebridge Dinner and New Year's Eve Dinner Dance.

Born into a family of restaurateurs, Anile is a native of Allentown, Pa., who was raised in New York around the kitchens of his families' restaurants. In 1980, aware of restaurant revolution in Texas, his family moved to the Dallas/Fort Worth area and opened several Italian restaurants. Jim worked in the family business for five years during high school and college, cooking, and overseeing the catering operations.

This background paved the way for a career working among such highly regarded chefs as Dean Fearing of The Mansion on Turtle Creek, Jim Mills of the Houstonian & Hotel Crescent Court, Paul Gaylor of The Lanesbrough in London, and Richard Chamberlain of The Little Nell in Aspen, Colo.

Anile began his career in 1990 as banquet chef at the Crescent Club in The Hotel Crescent Court in Dallas. Promoted to rotisserie chef at the Crescent Club in 1993, he took a second job as sous chef at Tillman's Corner restaurant.

In 1994, Anile joined The Melrose Hotel, where he worked as sous chef and later executive chef of the 183-room hotel. In addition to serving as executive chef for the 92-seat Landmark restaurant, which was twice named among the Top 10 restaurants in Dallas, he oversaw the food operations for the famous Library Bar, the hotel's banquet space, and all outside catering events.

His culinary style, best described as "innovative American cuisine," features influences from France, Asia, the Mediterranean and the Americas. He recently worked in Bangkok, Thailand, to develop an Asian menu.

Anile's innovative menu at the Bacara Resort & Spa's Bistro restaurant features a "fusion of all the varieties of Mediterranean cuisine."

"We're very excited to have Jim join The Ahwahnee staff and lend his talent and international flavor to the culinary experience at The Ahwahnee," said Larry Ross, general manager of The Ahwahnee. "His impressive career has taken him to many of the world's fine resorts, and The Ahwahnee is fortunate to have Jim lead the vision of one of the nation's landmark hotels, especially as it marks its 75th anniversary this coming year."

Chef Anile has been featured in Bon Appetit, Conde Nast Traveler, Food & Wine, Texas Monthly, the Dallas Morning News and Taste of the Nation's Tenth Anniversary Cookbook. He attended Steven F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, where he majored in marketing.

The Ahwahnee hotel is operated by Yosemite Concession Services Corp., an authorized National Park Service concessioner and Delaware North Parks Services company.