Antigua, West Indies (October 12, 2012) -There's a new culinary team in the kitchen at Jumby Bay, A Rosewood Resort. The AAA Five Diamond private island property off the coast of Antigua has announced the appointments of four new food & beverage professionals to oversee the finest dining experience in the region: Claudio Melis as Executive Chef; Fhonthip Jones as Pastry Chef; Scott Jones as Food & Beverage Manager; and Giovanni D'Alitta as Chef de Cuisine for The Verandah. All will be deeply involved in resort culinary operations at the inclusive resort's three restaurants, as well as in-room dining and private events.

Claudio Melis, Executive Chef
Sardinian by birth, Claudio Melis arrived as Executive Chef at Jumby Bay from the 5-Star Al Faisaliah Hotel, A Rosewood Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he launched La Cucinaas Chef de Cuisine in 2010. Previously, Melis held high-level positions at a range of restaurants across Italy including Executive Chef of Siriola Group overseeing two restaurants and a wine bar at Hotel Ciasa Salares in San Cassiano; a Chef de Cuisine at Michelin-starred La Siriola, also in San Cassiano; and Executive Chef at Biohotel Hermitage and Stube Heritage in Madonna di Campiglio. He got his start in the industry as an apprentice in 1987 before becoming Commis de Cuisine at Restaurant Capo Falcone the following year. Along the way to Jumby Bay he has worked at six different Michelin-starred restaurants, including Chef de Partie at the 3-star Gualtiero Marchesi in Milan.

Chef Melis first cooked with his mother, from whom he gained a lifelong appreciation of the potential of fresh, simple ingredients. He attended Hôtellerie School Scala di Giocca in Sassari, spending three years on kitchen practices and two at hotel management. He is grateful for his exposure to colleagues of many cultures and passionate about the great outdoors with mountain biking, marathons, snowshoeing and trekking among his avocations.

D'Alitta Giovanni, Chef de Cuisine, The Verandah
For his first assignment outside of his home country of Italy, D'Alitta Giovanni arrives at Jumby Bay as Chef de Cuisine of The Verandah. He joins the resort from Ristorante sul Mareon the Adriatic Coast in Tortoreto, where he spent much of 2011 as Sous Chef. Previously Giovanni held the same position at Hotel Restaurant Bertelli, a ski resort in Pinzolo, as well as at Hotel Ciasa Salares in Badia. Before that Giovanni held a range of Chef de Partie positions at hotel restaurants from Jesolo to Rome and Cologne to Siena, where he worked under Michelin-starred Executive Chef Paolo Lo Priore at Relais& Chateaux La Certosa di Maggiano. Giovanni got his start with two apprenticeships at seaside restaurants before being hired as Commis de Cuisine at Sho in Salo in 2005. Hailing from Melfi, Italy, Giovanni studied at Hôtellerie Institute of Melfi.

Fhonthip Jones, Pastry Chef
An award-winning and innovative pastry chef with experience at 5-Star and 5-Diamond addresses, Fhonthip Jones arrived at Jumby Bay from Four Seasons Resort Nevis, where she oversaw banquets and six food and beverage outlets. With titles ranging from Assistant to Executive Pastry Chef, Fhonthip worked steadily at Ritz-Carlton properties for more than ten years, including in Dubai, Maui, St. Thomas, and Jamaica. A native of Thailand, Fhonthip's career began with a decade-long run as Assistant Pastry Chef at Sheraton Hotel Grand Laguna in Phuket, Thailand in 1991.

Scott Jones, F&B Manager
Bringing broad food and beverage experience garnered over nearly 15 at highly rated hotels and resorts, Scott Jones is the new F&B Manager at Jumby Bay. He arrived from Four Seasons Resort Nevis where he served as Director of Conference & Catering Services as part of the resort's reopening team. Previously Jones was stationed in Dubai, spending over a year as Director of Sales and Conference and Events on the pre-opening team of The Yas Hotel, and before that as Director of International Catering & Group Sales for The Fairmont Dubai Hotel. Jones also worked in catering at The Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle and The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, Maui. Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Jones studied at the University of Nevada before launching his career as Catering & Convention Services Manager at Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas in 1998.

About Jumby Bay:
Jumby Bay, A Rosewood Resort is an inclusive luxury retreat set on its own enchanting 300-acre private island two miles off the coast of Antigua in the West Indies. Accessible only by boat, the resort offers upscale travelers a relaxed and authentic Caribbean escape with superb white-sand beaches and lush tropical environs. The ultra-luxe hideaway's $28 million resort-wide transformation introduced its first-ever Sense, A Rosewod Spa®, 28 new spacious suites and fully enhanced accommodations, new open-air Verandah, new Pool Grille bistro-style restaurant, and new multi-million dollar Estate Homes with private pools, tennis courts, and full access to the many amenities of Jumby Bay. For active travelers, Jumby Bay offers watersports, tennis, hiking and biking trails, a fitness center and a new oceanfront infinity pool. In 2012, Jumby Bay ranked among the "Top 25 Caribbean Resorts" on Condé Nast Traveler's Reader's Choice Awards and was included on Travel + Leisure's Top 500 World's Best Awards. The resort was also awarded the 2012 Grand Award by Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report. www.jumbybayresort.com

About Rosewood Hotels & Resorts:
Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts® manages one-of-a-kind luxury properties in the world's most desired destinations. Rosewood properties embrace the company's A Sense of Place® philosophy, reflecting the history, architecture, scale and sensibilities of the destination. With 18 properties in eight countries, the Rosewood collection includes some of the most legendary hotels and resorts in the world, including Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek® in Dallas, The Carlyle in New York, Rosewood Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda, as well as contemporary classics such as Rosewood Sand Hill® in California, Rosewood San Miguel de Allende® in Mexico, and, now, Rosewood Tucker's Point in Bermuda. Rosewood also offers Sense® spa - featuring treatments reflective of the location's culture and natural environment - available exclusively at select properties.