New Garden City Hotel Executive Chef Returns to NY Roots

The Garden City Hotel has named Michael Mandato the new executive chef at its popular restaurant, REIN.

Mandato, a native of the South Shore of Long Island, brings nearly 30 years of world-class culinary industry experience and has led culinary teams at locations around the globe, most recently serving as executive chef of the Taj Boston hotel.

He joins an experienced team of industry pros at the hotel, including new restaurant director Georgio Paraponiaris whose experience includes the New York Palace Hotel, among others, and restaurant and lounge manager Victor Herrera whose work includes New York City locales such as The Mark, The St Regis and Jean-Georges at the Trump International Hotel & Towers.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Mandato began his culinary career working with top chefs at French restaurants in New York City. He then went on to work as Chef de Cuisine with Consulting Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten at New York’s Brandywine restaurant, a new concept that blended classic Alsatian cuisine with an American steakhouse.

Chef Mandato also served as executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis and provided his expertise to the hotel company’s teams in Kapalua, Maui; Grand Cayman and Ft. Lauderdale. A member of the Chaine des Rotisseurs, he worked for seven years with Fairmont Hotels and Resorts in Canada, where he was executive chef at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in Alberta. While there he had the distinction of serving the Queen of England and the Duke of Edinburgh.

His other Toronto experience includes working as Sous Chef with Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel and at a series of restaurants and jazz clubs, where he developed cuisine for a range of concepts that included Eastern Mediterranean and fine dining Portuguese. While in Canada, he made appearances on Food Network Canada, Breakfast Television and CTV in Calgary and Edmonton.

“We are excited to bring someone with Michael’s outstanding background to serve our guests in REIN,” J. Grady Colin, general manager of the Garden City Hotel, said. “While he brings a global perspective to the position, he is very familiar with this area and will be leading a fantastic team.”

For Mandato’s part, coming home to Long Island was an added benefit to working at a location with an already exceptional reputation.

“It is a real thrill for me to be back home on Long Island and serving our guests here at this fantastic restaurant and hotel,” Mandato said. “I’ve had the privilege of working at some great locations both around the country and the world but there is no place like New York. I’m looking forward to working within the community and making sure people know that when they come to REIN and The Garden City Hotel, they are going to enjoy an outstanding and memorable culinary experience.”

REIN is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with brunch offered on Sundays. For reservations call 516-663-7346. For information or to book a room at The Garden City Hotel, visit www.GardenCityHotel.com or call 516-747-3000.

Story submitted by the Garden City Hotel

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