Carefree, AZ � April 11, 2006 � Doug Zeif, vice president of food and beverage for LXR Luxury Resorts, is pleased to announce the appointment of Chef Wendy Little as Chef de Cuisine at The Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa, in Carefree, Arizona.  A self-described culinary artist, Chef Wendy brings more than fourteen years of experience in organic cooking to the resort, which she has already implemented in its signature award-winning restaurant, Latilla.  Future plans include transforming The Boulders into an all-organic resort, with large-scale gardens on the grounds that will produce a variety of produce, herbs and spices for its kitchens. 

�When I visualize a dish, I see it as a palette on which I create a culinary work of art, presented by the juxtaposition of the color of the various organic ingredients,� says Chef Wendy.  �There is nothing more striking to me than a plate perfectly arranged with fresh, seasonal ingredients bursting with color and flavor.� 

Classically trained in Paris, one of Chef Wendy�s most profound moments took place while on one of her daily strolls though a local farmer�s market in the city, when she happened upon the beautiful arrangements of French breakfast radishes and baby lettuces.  She became instantly enchanted with the color of this fresh produce and immediately knew she was in the right field.

It is this type of creativity and vision that Chef Wendy has delivered to The Boulders.  With a resume that reads like a virtual �Who�s Who� of West Coast restaurants, Chef Wendy has brought her expertise and art form in organic cuisine to a number of properties, from Santa Barbara to Oregon.  With a serious passion for choosing only the freshest seasonal ingredients from some of the most respected organic farms and purveyors in the country, Wendy strives for absolute excellence from the very beginning of the process beginning with the soil, all the way through to the final presentation of her creations.  She describes herself as a �straightforward cook,� and her food as �honest,� and is adamant about respecting the ingredients she uses, which means letting the ingredients speak for themselves.

�I�ve seen a growing trend of people wanting to eat healthy and tasty food and to feel good about what they are eating without sacrificing any of the taste,� says Chef Wendy. �And this is the essence of organic cooking.�

Wendy began her career at the legendary San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, and made such an impression on the owner, that he offered to send her to Paris for a formal education, which she gratefully accepted.  After receiving her degree in Culinary Studies from Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne, she returned to Santa Barbara and took a position as Executive Chef at San Ysidro.  From here she moved to the Napa Valley and worked as a Chef at one of the region�s most popular restaurants on the wine trail, Mustard�s Grill.  After spending some time in Northern California, Wendy moved back down to Santa Barbara, where she spent two years at The Four Seasons Biltmore, gaining a remarkable wealth of knowledge in the fine dining arena.

With this experience, she accepted a position as Executive Chef at award-winning Sierra Mar restaurant at Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, California, where she began her foray into the world of organic cooking.  She stayed at Post Ranch for six years until opening her own restaurant, ZigZag, in Carmel, California, which specialized in organic cuisine.  She also opened another restaurant in the coastal community called Corkscrew Café.  From here she moved North to Oregon to the Jacksonville Inn which won a highly coveted Five Diamond Award from AAA under her tutelage.

An exclusive desert hideaway, The Boulders features 160 guest casitas and 55 one-, two- and three-bedroom villas, seven restaurants and a lounge, two championship Jay Morrish-designed golf courses, eight tennis courts including three classic clay surfaces, five premier cushion courts and a full-service Golden Door Spa. 

The Boulders is part of the LXR Luxury Resorts collection, a portfolio of independent properties distinguished by a style and spirit that captures the unique qualities of their setting.  LXR properties are located throughout the United States and the Caribbean. The collection also includes the renowned Golden Door Spa brand.

The Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa
480-488-9009
www.TheBoulders.com