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Christopher Graham of Park Place Event Centre and
Ferrari’s Ristorante Receives Annual Award
Des Moines, Iowa
(November 26, 2007) – The Iowa Restaurant Association named Christopher
Graham, Executive Chef for two of Cedar Falls-based Barmuda Corporation’s
properties—Park Place Event Centre and Ferrari’s Ristorante, 2007 Chef of the
Year. Graham was honored at the Association’s annual Celebrating Excellence
ceremony.
“The Iowa Restaurant Association Chef of the Year award
recognizes creativity, culinary excellence and service to the industry,” said
Doni DeNucci, president and CEO for the Iowa Restaurant Association.
“Christopher has helped establish Park Place and Ferrari’s in Cedar Falls as two
of eastern Iowa’s most exquisite dining experiences.”
Graham started in the industry 25 years ago, when at the
age of 17 he was hired as a line cook at a local restaurant. He studied art at
the University of Northern Iowa and then worked as an apprentice under Chef
Christian Wolfgang Schmidt III at the Inverness Hotel and Golf Club in
Englewood, Colorado. He became Executive Chef at Park Place Event Centre and
Ferrari’s in 2005. His entrees are phenomenal, but it his skills in the
preparation and presentation of cold foods that have become renown. In fact his
hors d’ oeuvres and buffet displays are signature trademarks of Park Place Event
Centre.
Graham was selected by a panel of Iowa restaurateurs who
noted the chef’s unique blend of culinary excellence, presentation savvy, and
operational experience, as well as his willingness to teach up-and-coming chefs,
as the reasons for his selection.
Event Features National Restaurant Association Chairman
This year’s Celebrating Excellence was held at the Meadows Events and
Conference Center in Altoona and featured tasting salons with culinary
competition dishes from eight Iowa chefs, as well as wine, beer and spirits
tastings. The evening culminated with a dessert salon presented by five Iowa
dessert specialists. On hand to help make Graham’s award presentation was
National Restaurant Association Board Chairman Dick Rivera. Rivera is a
principal of Rubicon Enterprises LLC, a restaurant operations and development
company based in Sarasota, Florida.
About the Iowa Restaurant Association
Headquartered in Des Moines, the Iowa Restaurant Association is the professional
association of the restaurant and retail beverage industries in Iowa. In
addition to representing the industries’ legislative concerns, the Iowa
Restaurant Association provides industry training programs, and works to help
its members to operate efficiently, safely, and profitably and to promote
quality and professionalism in the industry. For more information, visit our Web
site at
www.restaurantiowa.com.
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Media Contacts:
Doni DeNucci, CAE
Iowa Restaurant Association
515- 276-1454
ddenucci@restaurantiowa.com
Jessica Dunker
Iowa Restaurant Association
515-
202-6786
jessica@dunker.com
© Copyright Iowa Restaurant Association 2005-2006
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