Three Restaurants and Culinary Team Announced by JW Marriott Austin

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- JW Marriott Austin announced today the names and concepts behind the hotel's three restaurants: Osteria Pronto, Corner and Burger Bar. New culinary team members and the food and beverage director were also announced.

Executive Chef Juan Martinez was appointed in July 2014 and will oversee culinary operations for the three restaurants as well as banquets and events.

Osteria Pronto is a full-service regional Italian restaurant. Using a thoughtful approach to cooking from scratch and a sincere commitment to fresh, local ingredients, Osteria Pronto's menu is designed to offer a twist on classic Italian dishes with simple, distinctive flavors.

General Manager Kris Johnson and Executive Chef Gilberto Ramirez will lead the culinary team at Osteria Pronto. Johnson brings more than a decade of restaurant experience to the hotel having held a number of managerial positions at popular restaurants in Dallas including Sullivan's Steakhouse, Cool River Cafe and Bob's Steak & Chop House. Before joining the JW Marriott Austin team, Johnson served as the general manager at Bob's Steak & Chop House in Austin.

Ramirez's passion for cooking began at the age of 13 while working in his family's restaurant and helping his father raise goats, chickens and pigs on their family farm. In 2005, he earned his culinary arts degree from the Orlando Culinary Academy and began his career at the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes Resort restaurant, Citron. Ramirez excelled at the resort and became the chef de cuisine for world-renowned Chef Melissa Kelly at the famed Primo restaurant located inside the resort.

"We are excited and proud to have such a talented and experienced team in place," Scott Blalock, general manager of the JW Marriott Austin, said. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to provide the best culinary experience possible for our hotel guests as well as the local community."

Corner is a lively restaurant that will feature Texas-inspired cuisine using fresh local ingredients and will highlight uniquely crafted Tequila cocktails. The menu will feature a selection of grilled meat and fish, a variety of local craft beers on tap, as well as several Texas wines and spirits.

Executive Chef Jennifer Etzkin will lead the culinary operations at Corner, and Brian Jaymont will serve as the general manager.

Jaymont brings more than 15 years of restaurant experience to the Corner team. He previously worked at the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel where he held the position of director of restaurants. In this role, Jaymont oversaw the hotel's all-day dining restaurant, in-room dining, Bar Novo, and Illy Cafe. 

Etzkin brings a variety of experiences to her role as the executive chef at Corner. She graduated with honors from The Institute of Culinary Education of New York City and has worked at renowned restaurants including Eleven Madison Park and Atlantic Grill, both located in New York City. She joins the JW Marriott Austin from her recent role as director of culinary training for the Hillstone Restaurant Group.

Johann Runarsson will be joining the JW Marriot Austin team as the new director of food and beverage (F&B) for the hotel. Runarsson is a native of Iceland and earned a degree in hotel management and F&B operations from Cesar Ritz Colleges in Switzerland and a degree in hotel and restaurant administration from Washington State University. After completing his education, Runarsson moved to the Boston area and served as the banquet manager for hotels including the Hyatt Regency in Cambridge, MA and the Westin Copley Place Boston Hotel. Prior to joining the JW Marriott Austin, Runarsson was the director of F&B at the Park Hyatt Resort in Beaver Creek, CO.

The third restaurant at the JW Marriott Austin, Burger Bar on Congress, has a walk-up food truck-style window on Congress Ave. Burger Bar will serve burgers, hand-cut fries and shakes at lunchtime and the early evening.

Set to open on Friday, Feb. 13, 2015, the 34-story JW Marriott Austin will not only be the largest hotel in Austin, but also the largest JW Marriott in North America and the second-largest JW Marriott in the world. More than 512,000 room nights have already been contracted, with the first groups arriving the day the hotel opens.

JW Marriott Austin recently announced that the hotel is now hiring employees for all of its hourly positions, including restaurants, food and beverage service, banquets, culinary and more. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply online at: http://www.whitelodging.com/yourcareer/findandapply.

About the JW Marriott Austin
Construction on the JW Marriott began in August 2012. The hotel is designed to host large conventions and meetings, with more than 112,000 square feet of event space, 42 meeting rooms and 1,012 guest rooms. The hotel will also achieve a LEED Silver certification and two-star Austin Energy Green Building rating. Upon completion in February 2015, the 34-story hotel will not only be the largest hotel in Austin, but also the largest JW Marriott in the United States and the second-largest JW Marriott in the world.  JWMarriottAustin.com, @JWMarriottATX and facebook.com/jwmarriottaustin

About JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts
JW Marriott is part of Marriott International's luxury portfolio and consists of beautiful properties in gateway cities and distinctive resort locations around the world. These elegant hotels cater to today's sophisticated, self-assured travelers, offering them the quiet luxury they seek in a warmly authentic, relaxed atmosphere lacking in pretense. JW Marriott properties artfully provide highly crafted, anticipatory experiences that are reflective of their locale so that their guests have the time to focus on what is most important to them. Currently, there are 69 JW Marriott hotels in 26 countries; by 2019 the portfolio is expected to encompass more than 100 properties in over 30 countries. Visit us online, on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Media Contact:
Lindsay Ketchum or Lia Pette
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SOURCE JW Marriott Austin

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