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A hole has been filled in the kitchen at Delta Hotels Grand Okanagan Resort, as Chef Daniel Craig takes over as the resort’s new executive chef.
Craig comes to the Grand from Toronto, where he spent the last year working as executive chef at the Ritz Carlton.
Mark Jeanes, the resort’s director of food and beverage services, says the Grand is “excited” to see Craig “take the helm” at the resort.
“His style of honoring classic dishes, while promoting tastes that are fresh, relevant and innovative will be a perfect alignment with the culinary team’s passion to explore the amazing food and beverage ingredients we have in the Okanagan Valley,” Jeanes says.
Craig’s culinary career began at the age of 12, when he landed a job as a dishwasher at his friend’s parents’ cafe. That gig helped Craig fall in love with food, and he decided to pursue a career as a chef.
As a young man he apprenticed at a few resorts before graduating with Red Seal Certification from Vancouver’s Camosun College. From there he spent time competing abroad, where he was the first Canadian chef to ever receive a gold medal in the prestigious Chaine des Rotisseurs Jeane Chef Concours.
Upon his return to Canada, Craig was part of the opening team of the Delta Burnaby in 2008. He then opened the Delta Toronto, before moving to the Ritz Carlton in 2016.
During his tenure as Executive Chef he has won many awards, including the Marriott ACE Award for Best Executive Chef in 2017, and BC Chef of the Year in 2014. He also holds a place with Team Canada in the 2019 Bocuse d’Or international competition.
Jan. 8, Craig started at Delta Hotels Grand Okanagan Resort, stepping into the position formerly held by celebrated chef Iain Rennie, who died Aug. 14, 2017.
Rennie lead the resort’s culinary team for three years, during which the resort said he was “an incredibly talented Chef, dedicated mentor and great friend to all those who knew and worked with him.”
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