Skybeach Hotel & Marina Appoints Tom Legg as Executive Chef
SkyBeach Hotel & Marina, a 113-room resort located on the southern tip of St. Pete, facing Tampa Bay, announces the appointment of Tom Legg as executive chef. Legg has nearly 20 years of experience working in kitchens across a wide range of hospitality concepts, including private country clubs, AAA four-diamond hotels, privately owned restaurant groups and cruise ships. He was born and raised in Dunedin, Florida, and graduated from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America. He has a passion for bold, local flavors and elevating comfort food to appeal to all tastes.
"We are delighted to welcome Tom Legg to SkyBeach Hotel & Marina as Executive Chef," said Ben Willner, President & CEO of Willner Realty & Development Co (WRDC), the owner of SkyBeach Hotel & Marina. "Tom's impressive culinary background, paired with his passion for crafting bold, locally inspired dishes, makes him the ideal leader for our food and beverage program. We're confident that his creativity and commitment to excellence will elevate every dining experience at SkyBeach."
As Executive Chef, Legg will lead all of the resort's food and beverage outlets, including the two-story beachfront SkyBar + Grill; the signature restaurant, SouthSeas Tapas, which will open this spring featuring coastal-influenced cuisine and craft cocktails; and the property's catering program (SkyBeach Hotel & Marina will be introducing new meeting/event spaces this spring).
Legg joins SkyBeach Hotel & Marina after working as executive chef of Cabot Citrus Farms, a high-end golf club community in Brooksville, Florida; as executive sous chef at 1905 Family of Restaurants, a Tampa-based, fifth-generation family-owned restaurant group; and as head kitchen manager for Great American Restaurants, which operates over a dozen restaurants in the Washington, D.C., area. He also held high-ranking positions with Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa in New Hampshire, Samonset Resort in Maine and Royal Caribbean International.
"I'm in the business of creating memories," he said. "I've spent countless hours researching the specific ingredients I use and, to an extent, the level of uniqueness they carry. I want to feature items that no one else has (or possibly has never even heard of) to offer that WOW factor for the guest experience."
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