Warwick Melrose Names Pacheco Executive Chef

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. August 12, 2011

August 11, 2011 - Chef Mike Pacheco has been named Executive Chef at the Warwick Melrose Dallas Hotel, overseeing the culinary team of the famed Landmark Restaurant and The Library bar, along with all banquet and catering services.

“We have a history of cultivating breakout chefs, especially for a city like Dallas known for its many great restaurants,” said Larry McAfee, General Manager at Warwick Melrose Dallas Hotel. “We are very excited to welcome Chef Mike into this role and know from his proven track record at the hotel that these are shoes he will fill perfectly.”

Pacheco attended Texas Culinary Academy in Austin, Texas, graduating in 2003. He went on to work at the Westin Riverwalk, and came to the Warwick Melrose in 2006 as the sous chef. He then earned the spot of Chef d'Cuisine and now Executive Chef.

“No matter how hard or tough someone's day has been, good food can always put a smile on someone's face,” says Chef Mike. “Seeing that smile on their face is why I love this job, and what my team and I strive for each and every day in the menus we create and the food that leaves our kitchen.”

As a member of a Texas family that owns a cattle ranch, Pacheco knows the great potential of fresh local Texas agricultural products. He estimates that almost half of his menu's primary ingredients are produced in the state, whether it's beef and watermelon from South Texas or greens from Dallas, as well as cheese from Brazos Valley Cheese in Waco. “Our menus at the Landmark Restaurant and The Library bar reflect today's global influences, which is especially important because Warwick is an international collection of hotels,” says Chef Mike. “My challenge is to create my kind of food - fresh and casual - and uphold the standards of a AAA Four Diamond restaurant. I'm having a lot of fun with that challenge.”

The Landmark Restaurant is one of only 12 restaurants in North Texas to have earned the AAA Four Diamond rating, and has done so multiple years. According to AAA, “A Four Diamond restaurant is geared to individuals in search of a distinctive fine-dining experience.” The restaurant also received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Located just minutes from downtown Dallas, the Warwick Melrose Hotel (www.warwickmelrosedallas.com) is a perfect mix of character, charm and modern luxury. The hotel opened in 1924 and was named a Dallas historic landmark in 1983. The 184 spacious guest rooms and suites received a complete, multi-million dollar renovation in 2009, and approximately 6,400 square feet of banquet and meeting space are available for events of up to 300 guests. The Landmark restaurant is open for breakfast seven days a week, including a three-course Sunday brunch. Lunch is served Monday-Friday, and dinner is served Monday-Saturday. The Library bar, long considered one of Dallas' best hotel bars, serves an upscale bar menu seven days a week. Menus can be viewed at www.landmarkrestodallas.com.

ABOUT WARWICK INTERNATIONAL HOTELS
WIH was founded in 1980 with the purchase of Warwick New York, a hotel originally built by William Randolph Hearst for his Hollywood friends. The WIH Group now includes more than 50 prestigious Hotels, Resorts & Spas worldwide, located in city centres and resort destinations in the United States, Caribbean, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, South Pacific and Bali. More details available at: www.warwickhotels.com.