Royal Isabela Names Executive Chef

ISABELA, Puerto Rico - March 27, 2012 - Alex Yates-Shinn has been named the first-ever executive chef at Royal Isabela, the world-class, $100+ million golf community and private membership club located here within the 1,800-acre Costa Isabela community.

The Restaurant at Royal Isabela, scheduled to open in April, will offer fine farm-to-table dining from a distinctive menu created by Yates-Shinn, John Sergi, president of the New York-based Sergi Hospitality & Culinary Strategy, and David Pasternak, the award-winning chef and owner of New York City's acclaimed ESCA restaurant. The Restaurant is the culmination of their vision to dine sustainably and locally while "at home" at Royal Isabela.

With the benefit of our River Canyon Farm and Royal Isabela organic garden, Yates-Shinn said he uses European and American cooking techniques coupled with Puerto Rican locally-sourced ingredients. His daily menus will often include local seafood, such as grouper, cartucho snapper and mahi-mahi, and pastas, in addition to traditional Puerto Rican and Spanish dishes. A select variety of international wines will complement the daily menu options.

Prior to joining Royal Isabela, Yates-Shinn was the executive chef and manager for nearly nine years at The Restaurant at Leverick Bay in Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). While there, he transformed the property's food and beverage operations into one of BVI's most successful and highly acclaimed fine dining establishments.

Previously, Yates-Shinn served as executive chef for over three years at a series of food service outlets in Garmisch-Partinkirchen, Germany, that ranged from five-star fine dining to ski lodge restaurants.

He earned an invitation to serve as executive chef for the 2010 Virgin Islands Winemakers Dinner Series, a prestigious, weeklong event featuring celebrity chefs, gourmet food and award-winning wines.

Yates-Shinn, 40, is a 1998 graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, and went through the Masters of Wine Training at the Prague Wine Academy in the Czech Republic.

In addition to The Restaurant at La Casa, Royal Isabela will feature additional dining at The Bar at La Casa, on the terraces, and in the Pro Shop Grill".

For additional information, access the web site at www.royalisabela.com, or call (787) 609-5888
(855) 609-5888