Executive Chef
Born in North Carolina and raised in Southern Alabama, Mike has grown up with deep roots in Southern restaurants and he learned the love of food at a young age. In his early career, Chef Mike worked in many restaurants and catering companies throughout Atlanta, Dothan, and Troy where he worked his way up the ranks in every establishment. In 2007, Mike’s love of cuisine brought him to Le Cordon Bleu in Atlanta where he studied classical French style and earned a degree in Culinary Arts. He has been continuing his education to learn as much as possible about cuisine ever since. Chef Mike spent the last 18 years of his career with PCH Hotels and Resorts. He is currently the Executive Chef of the legendary Grand Hotel. Recently he was the Executive Sous Chef over Catering at the Marriott Shoals where he was the culinary driving force behind the award-winning 360 Grille. Before the Shoals, he was a Sous Chef at the Renaissance Montgomery. In July of 2023, he was promoted to Executive Chef. With over 20 years of experience in kitchens all over the Southeast United States, Chef Mike has a passion for southern food and loves all cuisines.
Executive Sous Chef - Restaurants
A native of Germany, Chef Markus Haeusler began his culinary career as an apprentice under European Executive Chefs. After graduating with a culinary degree from Schloss Hotel in Karlsruhe, Germany, he honed his skills in some of Europe's finest restaurants, even working with a Michelin Star Chef. In pursuit of his childhood dream, he moved to the United States and joined the culinary team at the Grand Hotel as a Junior Sous Chef for three years. He then ventured out along the gulf coast to become Executive Chef at multiple establishments, cooking for guests, country club members, and an impressive list of celebrities. In 2014, Markus returned to the Grand Hotel as Restaurant Chef and became the Banquet Chef in 2017. In 2019 Markus was promoted to Executive Sous Chef for the restaurants.
Pastry Chef
Born in Delaware and raised in Alabama, Kimberly discovered her passion for cake decorating while working at an ice cream shop. After serving as their cake decorator for two years, she received her diploma in Pastry Arts from Culinard in Mobile, Alabama. Kimberly joined the Grand Hotel culinary team in 2013 as Pastry Cook, and after three years of tireless work on the sweeter side of the hospitality industry, she was promoted to Pastry Chef in 2016. Kimberly's confectionary masterpieces win the hearts of our guests, young and old alike.
Executive Sous Chef
Tevin fell in love with food and cooking as a child assisting his mother in her kitchen. This passion followed him through adolescence and led him to seek knowledge at The Heart College of Hospitality Services. Tevin then began working at Club Hotel Riu after graduating. In 2014, Tevin joined the culinary team here at the Grand Hotel to work through the J-1 training program where he focused on the specifics of Southern food while touring through the kitchens. After a short hiatus, Tevin returned to the Grand Hotel. With his unmatched determination and passion for the craft, he was promoted to Restaurant Chef. Tevin was then promoted in July of 2023 to Executive Sous Chef.
Lakewood Executive Chef
Born and raised in the great state of Texas, a Houston native, Chef Moreno found his culinary adventure working at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, TX. This is where he grew up as a culinarian and found his calling in the industry by working in multiple restaurants within the resort. His hard work paid off when he was promoted to Chef in the Glass Cactus Night Club. After several years, he moved back to Houston to be part of the opening team and to work with French master Chef Jean Luc Royer at the first Forbes five-star hotel in Texas the Post Oak Hotel. During this time he was able to hone his craft with talented culinarians and find a whole new meaning to fine dining. After mastering this skill set Michael switched gears and moved to Birmingham, Alabama where he was in charge of 1,200 students and the campus presidential private dinners at Birmingham Southern College. Eventually, he found and relocated to Fairhope and started at the Grand Hotel in 2021 as Chef de Cuisine. After 1 year as Chef de Cuisine Michael was promoted to Executive Chef at the Lakewood Club in the Sweet Water restaurant.
Chef de Cuisine
Born and raised in Argentinean Patagonia, Chef Agustin Echazarreta graduated from Instituto Argentino de Gastronomia and earned certification at the Culinary Institute of America. His passion for high-end, sophisticated cooking led him to restaurants in the foodie capitals of Buenos Aires; New Orleans; and Melbourne, Australia, including at one of the Top 50 restaurants in the world. He began working at the Grand Hotel in 2022 as Chef de Cuisine. His fresh perspectives and passion for innovative cuisine can be seen in the menu at Southern Roots.
Chef de Cuisine
LaTasha Williams was born and raised in Mobile, AL. LaTasha's mother is an amazing cook who instilled in her a great love of food and the cultural flavors of the south. Her mother was the spark that ignited her passion for culinary arts and became her first teacher in the subject. This led LaTasha to New York City to pursue her interest professionally by enrolling in The Art Institute of New York, where she graduated at the top of her class with both culinary and pastry art degrees. She did her externships at Mercer Kitchen and Nougatine and JG by Jean Georges, where she was mentored by the elite Pastry Chef Johnny Iuzzini. She continued to work and learn as a chef in New York at establishments such as 24 Prince and Dennis Foy. There she was immersed in a sea of different cultures and palates that helped her hone the skills that she brought back home to Alabama. LaTasha has managed and operated many private catering events in Alabama and even won Best Baker for the City of Mobile in 2017, with the baked goods she made in her home. Currently, LaTasha is heading up the brunch at the Grand Hotel as the Chef de Cuisine, where she gets to bring all of her talents to the forefront. From learning in her mom's kitchen to her experiences in New York City, her culinary skillset brings a well-rounded dining experience.
Sous Chef
Born and raised in Mobile, AL. Growing up Patrice has always known she wanted to be a cook and has strived to always try to learn new things in the hospitality industry. Patrice graduated from the Virginia College culinary program in Mobile. She started at the Grand as a line cook and has made her way up the ladder to a Sous chef. She has been at the Grand for a little over 8 years and is looking forward to many more years to come.
Sous Chef for Restaurants
Raj was born in Calcutta India, but grew up here in Fairhope, Alabama. He fell in love with cooking at an early age while assisting his mom in the kitchen. He started his professional career in 2008 and joined the Grand Hotel in 2014 as a Lead Cook. In 2016 he transferred to one of our sister properties, the Battle House, as a Supervisor. He then went on to our Montgomery Renaissance property as a Banquet Chef from 2019-2021. After that, he gained more experience as a Restaurant Chef and Banquet Chef at the Marriott Shoals in Florence, AL from 2021-2023. Raj rejoined the Grand in late 2023 as a Sous Chef for the Restaurants.
Banquet Chef
Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, Nikolis’ first introduction to food was during holidays spent cooking with his large Italian family. He spent his teen years exploring his passion by attending his local high school’s culinary program and working night shifts in local restaurants. These experiences led him to attend The Culinary Institute of America, where he originally joined the Grand Hotel as an intern. Two years after obtaining his culinary degree, he returned to the Grand as a banquet line cook and worked his way up to Sous Chef. In July of 2023, Nic was then promoted to Banquet Chef.
Pastry Sous Chef
Stephanie, a Pennsylvania native, joined our team in 2015 as a student intern from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park Campus. After returning to school and earning her associate's degree, she spent over a year working in an artisanal chocolate shop creating hand-crafted chocolates. At this point, Stephanie decided to rejoin the Grand Hotel team as a Lead Pastry Cook. Through creativity, determination, and an unshakable need to always provide the best for her team and guests, she was promoted to Pastry Supervisor in the year 2021. In less than a year in her new leadership role, Stephanie impressed not only the Executive Pastry Chef, but Executive Chef prompting them to create a new role for the Culinary Team, Chef Stephanie currently holds the title of Pastry Sous Chef and continues to find ways to impress our guests at every opportunity!
