Dan
Higgins’ impressive seven
year resume has led to his current Chef de Cuisine position at Hyatt
Key West
Resort & Spa. Prior to joining the resort’s renowned culinary team,
Higgins
began his career at Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay where he quickly moved up
from a cook
at Armani’s Restaurant to Culinary Lead at Armani’s and Oystercatcher’s
Restaurants. From there Higgins took over as Culinary Supervisor for
Petey
Brown’s, Oystercatcher’s and the hotel’s banquets division. Before
leaving his
tenure at Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, Higgins was promoted to Sous
Chef/Banquet Chef
for the banquets and transitioned to Chef de Cuisine at Petey Brown’s
Restaurant. Now serving as full-time Chef de Cuisine at Hyatt Key West,
he can
further his professional growth and add to the seasonally-changing
culinary
experiences at SHOR American Seafood Grill and Blue Mojito Pool Bar
&
Grill.After serving three years as catering coordinator at Hyatt Regency Bonaventure, Jillian Pahren joins the Hyatt Key West team as catering manager. She will deploy her talents to achieve the resort’s monthly catering and sales quotas. Pahren’s responsibilities also include booking and planning all catering events, ranging from wedding ceremonies to receptions and reunions, liaising with the hotel staff to ensure smooth running of events and acting as an on-site contact for clients. Her prior experience includes a sales coordinator position at The Mansion on Main Street.
Hyatt Key West Resort & Spa is pleased to welcome Miki Hirakawa as the newly appointed Spa Manager. A Hyatt veteran, Hirakawa’s experience began as a spa receptionist at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea where she learned the necessary skills to move on as an esthetician at Elements Spa & Salon in Honolulu, Hawaii. From there Hirakawa made the decision to join the Hyatt family where she stayed for three years as an esthetician at Hyatt Regency Waikiki. Her passion for the spa and hospitality industry led her to complete the brand’s Corporate Management Training program at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch ultimately leading her to her current role as Spa Manager of the resort’s award winning Jala Spa.
About Hyatt Key West Resort and Spa
Located within walking distance of the world-famous Duval Street and Key West’s top restaurants and attractions, Hyatt Key West Resort and Spa is a sanctuary on the Gulf of Mexico. The tropically-inspired, full service resort features 118 spacious rooms with private Gulf-view balconies, Hyatt’s signature Grand Bed, deluxe bathrooms and wireless Internet access. Other amenities include Jala Spa, which blends the natural delights of the local culture with the science of wellness; a 24-hour StayFit@Hyatt gym; and an outdoor swimming pool with spacious sundeck. Fresh favorites of the Keys are on the menu at the casual Blue Mojito Pool Bar and Grill and the classic SHOR American Seafood Grill. For more information or for reservations, visit keywest.hyatt.com or call 1-800-55-HYATT. For the latest news from the resort, visit facebook.com/hyattkeywest or follow us on Twitter @hyattkeywest.