Ocean Room at The Sanctuary appoints Kevin Ives as Chef de Cuisine

Chef joins Kiawah Island’s signature restaurant from The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla.   KIAWAH ISLAND, SC – When he was younger, Kevin Ives dreamed of becoming a photographer. However, he eventually set his sights on developing his culinary talents, not prints, to become one of the nation’s top chefs. Now, he is heading to the picture-perfect location of Kiawah Island, SC, as chef de cuisine at the Ocean Room at The Sanctuary – the signature restaurant at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. “We look forward to the passion and professionalism Chef Ives will bring to our team and, more importantly, to the Ocean Room,” says Robert Wysong, The Sanctuary’s executive chef. Located on the third floor of The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort – the AAA Five Diamond-rated, 255-room hotel and spa – the Ocean Room features a sweeping view of the Atlantic coast. The restaurant opened along with the hotel in August 2004, and instantaneously became one of the region’s top dining destinations. In 2005, it was named “Restaurant of the Year” in the highly competitive Charleston area by the Post and Courier newspaper. “We are excited to hire a chef of Kevin’s caliber,” says Alex Berentzen, the Ocean Room’s general manager. “His innovative cuisine and talent will elevate our dining experience to a new level.” Ives moves to Kiawah from L’Escalier, the AAA Five Diamond restaurant at The Breakers resort in Palm Beach, Fla., where he had been the restaurant chef since 2004. His first day at work will be June 18, and he will immediately begin an overhaul of the Ocean Room’s menu. Ives replaces Chris Brandt, who departed in the spring to help open a concept restaurant in New York Ives brings with him an eclectic mix of influences – ranging from North Africa to France, and from Spain to South East Asia. Some of the new dishes he plans to introduce include: Wine Lees and Rosemary Poached Loin of Rocky Mountain Elk with Summer Truffle Scented Corn Pudding, Brown Butter Rapini and Bitter Chocolate Sauce.  “Salad Lyonnaise” with Crispy Poached Hen Egg, Duck Confit and Foie Gras Hollandaise. “I’m eager and excited to get into the kitchen and start cooking,” says Ives. “I’ve already been working hard on the new menu concept and can’t wait to see it materialize over the course of the next month.” After graduating from the Florida Culinary Institute in 1996, Ives worked for several chefs with whom he credits instilling him with his core values, as well as the knowledge that cooking is a process of continual learning and refinement. This understanding, and an appreciation for hard work and discipline, earned Ives jobs in the kitchens of John Farnsworth (John’s Island Club, Vero Beach, Fla.), Matthias Radits (The Breakers) and Peter Merriman (Merriman's Bamboo Bistro, Maui, Hawaii) The Ocean Room, which serves dinner only, features a mahogany paneled bar furnished with a variety of leather and equestrian accents, and a main dining room with a domed ceiling and a selection of different seating options. Two grand wrought-iron gates, weighing more than 600 pounds each and depicting a Kiawah nature scene, frame the restaurant’s entrance.

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