St. John, U.S.V.I. (July 20, 2017) – Caneel Bay Resort on St. John, U.S.V.I., announces the appointment of Kyle Woodruff as Executive Chef. In his new role, and second turn at the historic resort, Woodruff will oversee all dining operations, menu creation and procurement of the freshest, most flavorful ingredients for Turtle Bay Estate House, Caneel Beach Terrace, Caneel Beach Bar & Grill and Cannella. He also manages private dining and room service, as well as banqueting for special events and weddings.
Caneel Bay Resort, Managing Director, Nikolay Hotze: "We are excited to have Chef Woodruff join the Caneel Bay Resort team. We look forward to him leading the culinary department using his expertise in coastal cuisine and working with the best ingredients for our guests' enjoyment. Chef Woodruff will be essential to the relaunch of our fine dining restaurant, The Turtle Bay Estate House, in November."
Chef Woodruff brings extensive culinary knowledge and skills to Caneel Bay Resort. He is enthusiastic about quality and flavorful dishes, always with the freshest produce. "I am super excited to be back at Caneel Bay Resort & look forward to developing a creative and consistent experience, as well as something new for the large volume of repeat Caneel Bay guests. Three words I am in keeping in-mind when developing a new concept for the re-launch of the Turtle Bay Estate House concept are: fresh, island and vibrant. We are working with local farmers and providers to source as many local ingredients as possible to serve quality dishes and a high level of overall dining experience." While serving traditional flavors creating vibrant and exciting dishes, Chef Woodruff seeks opportunities to infuse menus with Caribbean cooking techniques, offering locals and resort guests a true taste of the region.
Following graduation from New Kent High School in Virginia, Woodruff launched his career working at restaurants in Colonial Williamsburg. Woodruff previously worked at Caneel Bay Resort back in 2008 for a Caribbean Externship. More recently, Woodruff worked closely with Chef Hans Schadler, who was also Caneel Bay Resort's executive chef from 1968-1974 and worked closely with Laurance Rockefeller. After Chef Woodruff's experience with Chef Hans Schadler, he went on to open two restaurants in Virginia including River Inn Seafood and Grill in Norfolk and Waypoint Seafood and Grill in Williamsburg. In 2011, at the age of 28, he was honored as "Chef of the Year" by ACF Virginia Chefs Association.
When not in the kitchen or chatting with guests at tableside, Woodruff, his wife, Emily and their brown Labrador Retriever Marley enjoy exploring the beauty of St. John.
For more information on Caneel Bay Resort or to make reservations, please visit www.caneelbay.com.
