Benchmark has appointed Caleb Lara executive chef for The Essex – Vermont’s Culinary Resort & Spa, a Gemstone Collection property located minutes from downtown Burlington in the foothills of the legendary Green Mountains. Nic Barger, general manager, made the announcement.
“I am thrilled to welcome Caleb to our resort,” said Mr. Barger. “Highly credentialed and with experience gained at top restaurants in the United States, he is the perfect choice for this important leadership position at Vermont’s Culinary Resort & Spa.”
Caleb Lara brings over a decade of culinary experience to his new position at The Essex. He was previously chef de cuisine for the Chatham Bars Inn in Chatham, Massachusetts. Prior to this he served as executive chef for the Kemble Inn of Lenox, Massachusetts.
Earlier in his career chef Lara worked under the leadership of Certified Master Chef Derin Moore at the Ritz Carlton Resorts of Naples, Florida. He gained experience staging in New York City at the Michelin Star-rated restaurants Le Bernardin and The Modern. Caleb also completed professional chef certification under the mentorship of Certified Master Chef Dan Dumont.
Mr. Lara is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, New York. He developed his love of the culinary arts while growing up in San Diego, California. He has relocated to Essex, Vermont.
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Dr. Elinor Garely. Editor-in-Chief, Wines.Travel and TourismExecutives.com; Reporter, eturbonews.com and etn.travel
•Expert Witness: Hospitality, Travel /Tourism industry with TASA Technical Advisory Services for Attorneys
•Award winning international journalist/consultant
Former Professor of Management/Marketing; Coordinator - Hotel, Travel /Tourism program - CUNY, BMCC
•Former Professor - Business Management /Marketing faculty - Long Island University, NYU Stern School of Business, University of Shanghai, PRC
•International marketing and management executive with Playboy Clubs and Hotels, the Copacabana and related restaurants/ clubs; Helmsley Spear (Hospitality Consultant Division), Babcock and Wilcox
•Developed/implemented first hotel joint venture in Russia; first hotel/restaurant management program at University of Shanghai, PRC; designed/ implemented hotel management training programs for hotels in the United States, China (PRC), Malaysia and Caribbean
•Received Ford Foundation grant to study role of Community Colleges in PRC; consultant to the government of Kenya to explore new economic development opportunities in the USA
•Research includes an analysis of Guest Safety/Security at 5-Star/Luxury Hotels in Bangkok, Thailand, Cape Town, South Africa and Miami, Florida (Dissertation); Child Trafficking; eMarketing and We Know What Women Want in Hotels
•Former Real Estate Sales/Broker: Hotel Industry
•Doctorate in International Business from the University of Sarasota (Florida): focus on hotel, travel and tourism and guest safety/security
•MBA in International Marketing and Business Management from New York University, Stern School of Business with Honors from the American Marketing Association; Former Member of BGS Honor Society
• BS Degree, Lesley College, Art / Education
•Former Member - BOD, Sutton Area Community organization, International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association and HSMAI. Current Member - NY Travel Writers Association, Princeton Club of New York
