HONOLULU – June 15, 2015 – Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort has announced the appointment of Charles Charbonneau as the resort’s executive chef.
Charbonneau will oversee the culinary efforts at the 22-acre Waikiki resort, which includes Bali Steak & Seafood, Tropics Bar & Grill and Rainbow Lanai. He will also work with the catering and banquet teams on creating new and innovative menus for the many functions held at the resort.
Prior to assuming his new role at Hilton Hawaiian Village, Charbonneau was the executive chef at the Hilton Waikoloa Village on Hawaii Island. He is credited for repositioning all of the resort’s food and beverage outlets through concept changes, menu development and staff and management training.
Chef Charles attended the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, where he learned from the European Masters teaching at the Institute. Following his schooling, Charbonneau spent more than 18 years at Interstate Hotels and Resorts, including a position as executive chef at Sawgrass Marriott Resort and Spa in Florida. During his tenure with the Sawgrass Marriott Resort, he was the food and beverage task force commander for the openings of the Marriott Moscow Grande and the Marriott Royale Aurora Bolshoi both located in Moscow, Russia. Chef Charles was instrumental in the designing, layout and supervision of the resort’s $24 million convention center kitchen and spa expansion. He also served as regional executive chef for 14 Florida and Gulf properties for Interstate Hotels and Resorts, troubleshooting operations and mentoring executive chefs and their culinary teams.
Chef Charles was previously corporate chef and corporate director of food and beverage for Interstate Hotels and Resorts. He was responsible for setting corporate food and beverage standards, new restaurant concept development, recruiting food and beverage executives, purchasing, troubleshooting and quality control for third party ownership of the nation’s largest independent hotel management company with more than 400 hotels and annual food and beverage revenues of more $600 million. Chef Charles also held various culinary positions at the Ritz Carlton Hotel Corporation, which took him to such cities as Laguna-Niguel, Boston, Atlanta and Cleveland.
Charbonneau also had the honor of being selected as President Clinton’s personal chef during a summer vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts in 1994. Chef Charles also was affiliated for many years with the NFL as the representing chef to the Jacksonville Jaguars™ at the national “Taste of the NFL®” event held each year the night before the Super Bowl®.
“It is our pleasure to welcome Chef Charles to the Hilton Hawaiian Village,” said Tracy Walker, general manager, Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. “His 30 years of experience in the hotel and restaurant industry will be a great asset to our resort.”
In addition to his degree Associate Degree in occupational studies from the Culinary Institute of America, he also studied Macrobiotics at The Kushi Institute of Japan.
