Joseph Santangini, CCC

About Joseph Santangini - Chef Santangini’s immersion into the culinary world began at a very young age. Raised in a close-knit Italian family, his earliest memories include long days making homemade pasta and secret family recipes. He quickly became enamored with the joys of cooking and soon his mom’s kitchen became his playground. What Chef Joe learned was that he could use his imagination to create almost anything. His passion for food and flavors led him to abandon high school football for a job in the kitchen at the local Holiday Inn.

Chef Santangini began his career in hospitality as a Rock resorts apprentice in 1984. For three years, he trained under the guidance of some of the country’s most reputable chefs. During his apprenticeship, he trained at the following resorts: the Woodstock Inn, Little Dix, Caneel Bay, the Greenbrier, and all three of the Grand Teton Lodge properties: Jackson Lake Lodge, Colter Bay, and Jenny Lake Lodge. This diverse culinary program gave Chef Santangini a glimpse into several resort markets, tropical, mountain, boutique, private club and an understanding that each calls for a unique dining experience.

Following his apprenticeship, he took positions at the Exeter Inn and the Woodstock Inn Country Club, increasing his exposure to both private club operations and New England cuisine. Becoming recognized in his field and ready to tackle a new challenge, Chef Santangini accepted a position at the historic Hotel Hershey in 1987. During his five years in Hershey, he took first place two years in a row for “Best Hot Food Served Cold” at the New York Food Show. He was active in teaching the ACF apprenticeship program at the hotel.

After five years with the Hotel Hershey, Chef Santangini was offered a wonderful opportunity at the Cloister in Sea Island, GA. His experience at the five star, five diamond Cloister proved to lay the groundwork for the future of his career. As Chef de Cuisine, he supervised the apprenticeship program and graduated five classes of students. He was awarded the 1997 ACF Southeast Chapter Chef of the Year. He also served as an adjunct professor at the Coastal Georgia Community College. His exceptional management and leadership skills led him to his next challenge, his advancement to Executive Chef.

Chef Santangini spent the next six years as the Executive Chef with the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Wyoming. During that period, he achieved several impressive milestones. He had 180 employees at nine locations, including four star, four diamond Jenny Lake Lodge. He orchestrated special events for such groups as the Federal Reserve, the Wildlife Film Festival, and the Travel Industry of America. During his years with the Grand Teton Lodge Company, he also consulted for the Rancho Mirage and the Lodge at Vail. In 1999, he received the Hermann Rush Award (1999) and the honor of being affiliated with the Resort Food Executive Committee. He also had feature articles in Ski Magazine and Better Homes and Gardens, and his recipes were published in several books including Dining at Great American Lodges and The Taste of Jackson Hole II.

Chef Santangini’s next position in Wyoming gave him the opportunity to cater to the world’s most discriminating clientele. Unlike the traditional properties he had previously worked for, the Amangani Resort in Jackson Hole pushed Chef Santangini to focus on cutting edge cuisine and the pure artistry of food presentation. Chef Santangini’s inspiration proved successful and, in 2006 and 2007, Amangani was listed as one of the top resorts in the world by periodicals such as the Robb Report, Conde’ Naste Traveler, and the Sybarite’s Journal. While with Amangani , he also appeared on the television shows “Fine Living”, “Travel Channel”, and “Fox News Sports” and had his recipes published in the Wild Game Cookbook: Recipes from North America’s Top Hunting Lodges.

In late 2008, Chef Joe decided to head for the sun and the sea. He landed on the beautiful Gulf coast, and is now in his fourth season as Executive Chef/Director of Food & Beverage at the prestigious Bird Key Yacht Club in Sarasota, Florida. In 2011, Chef Santangini was named an Honorary Member of the RFEC, thereby making Bird Key Yacht Club the first private club in America to be affiliated with this prestigious organization.

Over the past 25 years, Chef Santangini has prepared meals for U.S. presidents & politicians, world leaders, and countless celebrities. But whether serving a resort guest or royalty, Chef Santangini always strives to make the experience memorable.

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