The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, April 2016 … Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has named Armando Galeas executive chef for Costa d’Este Beach Resort & Spa, a Personal Luxury property located in Vero Beach, Florida. Chad Olson, Benchmark’s general manager at the resort, made the announcement.

“It is such a pleasure to welcome Armando to our resort,” said Mr. Olson. “His passion for cooking, as well as his vast experience in luxury resort settings within Florida, will be invaluable to our resort’s culinary success!”

Armando Galeas was previously chef de cuisine for Temple Orange at the Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa, located in Manalapan, Florida. During his tenure there, the resort obtained the prestigious Forbes 5 Star rating and successfully maintained its 5 Diamond status. Chef Galeas has also served in culinary leadership positions for the PGA National Resort and Spa of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, as well as the Boca Raton Resort & Club, located in Boca Raton, Florida. Earlier in his culinary career, Mr. Galeas was part of the opening team for Celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse’s Emeril’s Miami Beach and Emeril’s Tchoup Chop, Orlando, restaurants.

Chef Galeas was born in La Ceiba, Honduras, where he learned the joy of cooking at an early age in the kitchen with his mother and grandmother. This love of cooking with family continues to this day with his wife and young daughter. Mr. Galeas is a graduate of Saint Isidro College in Honduras. He has also held a culinary apprenticeship with Delgado Community College in New Orleans. Chef Galeas and his family are relocating to Vero Beach.