Emily Dillport Appointed Chef de Cuisine of M bistro at The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans

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Emily Dillport Appointed Chef de Cuisine of M bistro at The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS, La. – June 1, 2011 – Chef Emily Dillport has been appointed to Chef de Cuisine of M bistro at The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. Since opening in January of 2010, M bistro has garnered critical acclaim, even appearing in the January 2011 issue of Travel + Leisure as one of the top four farm-to-table hotel restaurants in the United States.

Dillport, currently the Chef de Cuisine of the Great Bay Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, will be the hotel’s first female Chef de Cuisine. Great Bay is the property’s casual dining outlet. Her predecessors include Bradley McGehee, Matt Murphy and Frank Brunacci. Dillport currently works under the tutelage of Executive Chef Vincent “Vinny” Russo who accepted the position of Executive Chef at The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans on May 16, 2011.

“I've worked every station imaginable and got my culinary education from the school of hard knocks. My love of cooking comes from within. It's a passion that I cannot and would not want to escape. It’s my true first love, and everyday is an all you can eat buffet,” says Dillport. She likens her style of cooking to Paula Deen meets Thomas Keller, with a farm-to-table approach. Her signature dishes at Great Bay include Crispy Local Snapper with Shrimp ‘n Grits and Collards, Braised Beef Short Ribs with Warm Potato Salad and Rock Shrimp ‘n Chips with Sweet Potato Fries.

The Islands are coming to the city this June, thanks to the appointments of Russo and Dillport. Let’s hope they bring recipes for two classic Caribbean cocktails, the Bushwacker and the Painkiller. Adding beverages to the New Orleans lexicon that already includes items such as the Hand Grenade and Hurricane seems only natural, much like the synergy that Russo and Dillport will bring to the kitchen of The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans.

The letters “Mb” are a nod to the historic Maison Blanche building that houses the hotel. M bistro is situated on the third floor lobby level of The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans at 921 Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Chevy Chase, Md., currently operates 75 hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. More than 30 hotel and residential projects are under development around the globe. The Ritz-Carlton is the only service company to have twice earned the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, an award that originated in 1987. Its purpose is to promote the awareness of quality excellence, recognize quality achievements of companies and publicize successful quality strategies. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company won the award in 1992 and 1999. For more information, or reservations, contact a travel professional, call toll free in the U.S. 1-800-241-3333, or visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR).

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