MANLEE SIU NAMED CHEF DE CUISINE OF ANGLE AT EAU PALM BEACH RESORT & SPA
Le Cordon Bleu graduate to helm flagship restaurant at the AAA Five Diamond Resort
PALM BEACH, Fla. (September 10, 2015) – Executive Chef Josh Thomsen of Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, the AAA Five Diamond resort in Palm Beach, is pleased to announce that Manlee Siu, a native of Hong Kong and a graduate of both the University of California and Le Cordon Bleu, is poised to officially debut her culinary skills when the resort’s flagship restaurant, Angle, begins its winter season schedule on Wednesday, November 4.
Siu joined the culinary team at Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa along with award-winning Chef Thomsen, who has called Siu his “best ingredient” in their culinary collaborations over the years.
“Chef Siu and I have worked together at some of the country’s best restaurants, but joining the team at Eau Palm Beach and partnering on the new menu for Angle has been one of our most exciting ventures,” said Thomsen.
Siu has unveiled an updated menu in Angle, showcasing what she describes as “contemporary American cuisine using locally-sourced and sustainable ingredients influenced by South Florida’s incredible bounty of produce, fresh fish, and honey, to name a few.” Dishes such as Chef Siu’s signature poached shrimp “cocktail,” with lemon caviar and beet-horseradish sauce will be among those featured Wednesdays through Saturdays at Angle, a warmly-appointed sanctuary where candlelight dances on a glass wall filled with the finest wines and champagnes – a feature that has earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence two years in a row.
“Food is always changing and you’re always learning something new,” said Siu, who curates the menu daily depending on the availability of seasonal, fresh ingredients. “I love that Eau Palm Beach prides itself on crafting unique luxury experiences for its guests; I feel I can do the same with Florida’s finest foods in Angle.”
Becoming a chef was a major life change for Siu, who earned a bachelor’s degree in managerial economics from UC Davis before joining her family’s restaurant operations. After 10 years she knew her true passion was cooking – taught to her as a child by her mother after the family moved to northern California when Siu was 4 – and decided to formally study cooking at Le Cordon Bleu in San Francisco. Upon graduating, she immediately joined the staff at Gary Danko in San Francisco. Not long after, she met rising star Chef Josh Thomsen, and the two collaborated to open the Meritage restaurant at the Claremont Resort & Spa in Berkeley, CA, where Siu was Chef de Cuisine.
Following her time at Meritage, Siu became Chef de Cuisine at Revival Bar & Kitchen in Berkeley. There, she began exploring and teaching the concept of “snout to tail, root to shoot and farm to table,” a restaurant philosophy shared by Thomsen that seeks to provide guests with the highest-quality, freshest food while eschewing waste and non-seasonal ingredients. “Preserving the seasons” through pickling and fermentation became a hobby of Siu’s, and making everything in-house became a standard way of ensuring the finest ingredients and preparation.
Siu joined Thomsen in re-locating to the east coast to launch a true farm-to-table restaurant, Agricola, which operates its own 120-acre farm in Princeton, New Jersey. Agricola was named one of the top restaurants in just its first four months of opening and one of the Ten Best New Restaurants in the United States in 2014 by Gayot.
When she is not in the kitchen, Siu can be found unwinding with a new cookbook or seeking out a local farm to find new ingredients for Angle. She is a supporter of James Beard Foundation, the March of Dimes and Meals on Wheels.
About Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa
Situated on a secluded private beach on seven acres of the Atlantic coast with breathtaking ocean views and lush tropical gardens, the AAA Five Diamond Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa was recognized as one of Florida’s top resorts in the 2014 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. Spacious accommodations designed by iconic potter, designer and author Jonathan Adler give a Capri meets Santorini meets Palm Beach vibe and feature private balconies with hanging chairs to enjoy ocean views. The resort’s many amenities include the Forbes Five-Star, award-winning 42,000 square foot Eau Spa, three Har-tru tennis courts, two pools, and outstanding child and teen clubs and programs. With over 30,000 square feet of meeting and event space, Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa accommodates groups from 10 to 1,000 and offers a wide variety of indoor and outdoor venues for private events. Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa has four restaurants and is just minutes from the lively Palm Beach nightlife and shopping. For more information, please visit www.eaupalmbeach.com, contact your travel professional or call 1.800.EAU.0170 or 561-533-6000.
Situated on a secluded private beach on seven acres of the Atlantic coast with breathtaking ocean views and lush tropical gardens, the AAA Five Diamond Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa was recognized as one of Florida’s top resorts in the 2014 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. Spacious accommodations designed by iconic potter, designer and author Jonathan Adler give a Capri meets Santorini meets Palm Beach vibe and feature private balconies with hanging chairs to enjoy ocean views. The resort’s many amenities include the Forbes Five-Star, award-winning 42,000 square foot Eau Spa, three Har-tru tennis courts, two pools, and outstanding child and teen clubs and programs. With over 30,000 square feet of meeting and event space, Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa accommodates groups from 10 to 1,000 and offers a wide variety of indoor and outdoor venues for private events. Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa has four restaurants and is just minutes from the lively Palm Beach nightlife and shopping. For more information, please visit www.eaupalmbeach.com, contact your travel professional or call 1.800.EAU.0170 or 561-533-6000.