April 8, 2010 - --ACME -- Joseph M. George is the new executive chef at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa.

He replaces Ted Cizma, who left this winter after three years at the job.

George started work Wednesday. He was the executive chef at LochenHeath golf club in Williamsburg from 2005 to 2008 and spent the last two years as executive chef at The Highlands golf club in Grand Rapids.

He said he'll continue the resort's tradition of using food from local farms.

"The more you manipulate food, the more you lose touch with food," he said.

The resort has four restaurants as well as banquet service and room service. George said he has eaten at Aerie, the Sweetwater American Bistro and the Grille, and has stayed at the resort. His wife, Mindy, used to work there, he said.

The couple has a daughter, Charlotte, 4, plus other family in the area, "so it's a good fit," he said.

He's eager to work with local farmers and will start by working with Cherry Capital Produce and other purchasers the resort already uses, he said. He's also bringing in Jay Labs, a colleague from Grand Rapids, to be sous chef at Aerie, the restaurant atop the resort's 16-floor tower.

George also has worked at the Dow Chemical Club/Midland Country Club, and has traveled and studied under chefs from Scotland to Napa Valley, Calif., including Thomas Keller of The French Laundry in California and David Dempsey of Gordon Ramsey's Amaryllis in Glasgow.

"He is a guy who celebrates the craft of the chef," said Randy Sahajdack, executive director of the Secchia Institute of Culinary Education at Grand Rapids Community College, where George held seminars for six years. "He is committed to learning everything about food, and he is so willing to pass it on."

George said French-style and Italian food are two of his favorite ways to cook, while cheese is his favorite food to eat.

"I love cheeses -- artisan, high-end gourmet cheeses," he said.

He went grocery shopping his first night in town and bought gouda and blue cheeses along with butter, milk, eggs and bread, he said.

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