BOCA RATON, FLORIDA: The Boca Raton Resort and Club is pleased to announce the appointment of James Reaux as Executive Chef. Chef Reaux comes to the Resort from a number of luxury, sea-side resorts including Century Plaza Hotel and Towers in Los Angeles, California, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel in Hawaii and the Westin Resort in Hilton Head, South Carolina, where he utilized his sea's riches to his advantage in order to create a style of his own, Coastal Cuisine. Earning popular food critics' approval, he was noted not only in Los Angeles, but around the world for his unique technique of blending flavors from coast to coast.

Other previous culinary positions include tenures at the Plaza Hotel in New York, Victoria Jung-Frau from Interlaken, Switzerland and the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. "It was only at The Greenbrier that I began to realize the great potential of food and food combinations," he recalls. "We used only fresh ingredients and everything was cooked to order. Today, I still believe that a kitchen must operate with such a philosophy." With that, Chef Reaux utilizes Boca's 15 x 8 foot herb garden to provide his kitchens with truly the freshest ingredients. One of Reaux's most vivid memory of his childhood was from his own backyard in a sleepy, little Midwestern town in Michigan. His mother, who to this day is his secret advisor, was the one who developed his love of cooking and presented him with the basics of blending seasonal products to pronounce the tastes in his dishes. As a test, she would blindfold James and ask him to identify the herbs by their scent.

Chef Reaux has been gratifying palates on many coasts in the United States since his graduation from culinary school in Ohio. He has received numerous accolades in his 15 year career as a renowned Chef specializing in Florida Caribbean, Latin America, Asian and Mediterranean and New American cuisine:

• 1995 Japan Cooks Association honored Chef Reaux with the top prize -- The Gold.
• American Seafood Challenge awarded him with "top honors" for the three consecutive years at the famous Hawaiian Seafood and Pineapple Competition.
• The American Culinary Federation has presented seven gold medals for his diverse food preparation and presentation.

His cuisine, according to Chef Reaux's interpretation, is a melange of regional and cultural styles with an American contemporary flair-- Spiny Lobster Crabcakes and Baby Spinach with a Pineapple Lobster Dressing, Grilled Asian Flatbread with Eggplant, Goat Cheese and Stir-Fried Tomato Sauce, Yellow Fin Ahi, pepper crusted and seared rare with a Tamari Mustard Sauce and Avocado Papaya Relish and Roasted New Zealand Venison with Sundried Mango Compote and Exotic Mushrooms in a Vintage Port Sauce.

He cooks with accents of a European palate--Gratine of Maui Onion Soup with Aged Italian Cheese in Sourdough Crust, Grilled Fresh Foie Gras with Peppered Pineapple, Port Wine and Virgin Truffle Oil, Pacific Tiger Prawns with Lemon Pepper Angel's Hair and Ginger Cilantro Butter and Banded Chateau of Beef with Wild Mushrooms could be found in a bistro on the left bank of Paris, as well as his Pan-glazed Shallots and Truffle Potato Terrine. Reaux's sauces are subtle without being meaningless.

He emphasizes seafood, characterized by unusual savory combinations and skillful cooking. The dishes may have Hawaiian condiments and garnishes such as tropical fruit, herb or vegetable relish. Without question, Chef Reaux is noncommittal to one culture for the basis of his dishes. His combination of ingredients and dedication to using fresh herbs from his own garden, such as marjoram and cilantro, all of which define his melange of American Southern, Asian and European cuisine. Be on the lookout for the "signature" dish, which will be forever remembered by your tastebuds--Kalua Duck Lau Lau with Mission Figs and Cabernet Syrup. It is a style of cooking prevalent to the southern region of Hawaii. Chef Reaux digs a 3 foot ditch imu oven on the beach. He places volcanic rocks, which have been previously heated for 36 hours, on the bottom of the sand pit. He positions the ducks in the appropriate spot to cook the bird thoroughly. The process takes about 8 hours.

As a side note, Reaux not only pursues perfection in his kitchen but on the courts. In his spare time, you can find him playing tennis with his teammates who have been notable slammers such as the President of IBM, Martina Navratilova, Alexander Haig, Betsy Nagelson and more. His truly competitive spirit has honored him with memorable sets and awards--Kapalua Maui Club Champ, Maui Men's Club Island Champions and The City Championship in Switzerland. Ready for a match, anyone?

In his role at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, Reaux oversees the culinary operation of the Resort's kitchens which serves 10 restaurants, room service for 963 guest accommodations, and banquet services which cater up to 1,800 people per day. Since his arrival, he has created new menus and brought new service standards to each of these areas. You can find a selection of his signature dishes exclusively prepared at Chauncey's Restaurant, situated with a view of the Resort's golf fairways. Unique to grand resorts, the management noticed extraordinary talent. Therefore, they constructed his own private quarters adjacent to his office, complete with a kitchen table that can accommodate at least two people and no more than twelve.

Located in the heart of Florida's Gold Coast, the Boca Raton Resort & Club is one of the country's premier resort destinations and private club facilities with the most outstanding selection of dining options in all of Palm Beach County.