Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort announced the appointment Eric Chopin to the position of executive chef.
Chopin is a professional chef with more than 30 years of experience. Born in Guerande, Brittany, France, Chopin has been seasoning his way through the cooking world in Europe and America. Beginning his cooking experience at the early age of 14 in Paris as a charcutier, Chopin is classically trained in the art of making delicious, unique pastry and savory masterpieces, while always respecting their natural flavors and textures.
After graduating from Belliard Cooking School, Chopin honed his skills at restaurants in and around Paris. After moving to America in 1983, Chopin won the Gold medal in the Colorado Pastry Championships and started to accumulate numerous write-ups in newspapers and magazines. His specialties evolved to include macrobiotic and vegetarian recipes and catering to Hollywood’s elite when he moved to California and joined the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company. His next position as executive chef of The Ritz-Carlton, Tyson’s Corner in Washington, D.C., gave him the opportunity to cook for celebrities such as George Bush Sr., George Bush Jr., and Luciano Pavarotti to name a few. He also assisted in developing The Fine Art of Cuisine, an annual event which showcases chef talent.
While working for the Ritz-Carlton, he moved to Buckhead Atlanta, Georgia, where he hosted some of the most exclusive affairs and many celebrity chefs such as, Iron Chef Morimoto, Jean Banchet, Michel Richard and Fabio Trabocchi. He has had the chance to try daring, non-traditional recipes as he continued to develop his cuisine described as “Classical with a Twist!” Chef Chopin left his beloved position at The Ritz-Carlton to open a new boutique hotel, The Mansion on Peachtree, and then on to a new experience as the executive chef of The American Airlines Arena in Miami, Fla., Chef to the NBA World Champions- Miami Heat.
Chef Chopin has now taken on the role of executive chef at a top resort on Florida’s Emerald Coast, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. He is a Maîtres Cuisiniers De France- French Master Chef and a professional member of Academie Culinaire de France and the Chaine Des Rotisseurs which keeps him involved with his peers, assisting with developing the next generation of chefs and current on culinary trends. He continues to build on what he knows by enhancing his already perfect dishes with new millennium twists. While the times and tastes of his guests may change, the one thing that stays the same is his focus on delivering fresh, beautifully prepared foods that preserve classic flavors.
