Executive Chef Randy Zweiban, who first brought Nuevo Latino cooking to Chicago with Nacional 27, has crafted a dynamic menu that is grounded in American cuisine and influenced by Central and South American and Spanish dishes.
Born in Queens, New York, Zweiban learned the restaurant world from a customer’s perspective. Working as a diamond-setter, pursuing a dream of being a drummer in a rock band, Zweiban explored New York’s tremendous restaurant scene with the passion and curiosity of a true gourmand. As he tasted through the cuisines of the world, available as only in Manhattan, he soon realized his passion was in the culinary field.
Zweiban enrolled in Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School (now called The Institute of Culinary Education) in the mid-1980s. After graduating, he opened a boutique catering business in Manhattan, creating food for exclusive gallery openings, private parties and other prominent events.
In 1989, Zweiban headed south to Miami, where he could open a catering company with a similar clientele in a warmer clime. He then went to work with celebrated chef Norman Van Aken, first at a mano and then at Norman’s, where he was Chef de Cuisine and partner. Over the seven and a half-year period that the two collaborated, Zweiban immersed himself in the vibrant culture and cooking of Miami’s Latino community, while continuing to work with Van Aken’s New World Cuisine. He also, during this period, took a one-year hiatus from Miami to work as Executive Chef at The Gate, a popular Los Angeles supper club.
In the summer of 1998, Richard Melman and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc. (LEYE) brought Zweiban to Chicago to unveil the city’s first Nuevo Latino concept. At the helm of Nacional 27, Zweiban received numerous accolades, including being named ” One of the Best New Restaurants” by Chicago magazine which Chicago magazine also recognized Province for.
Province was given a three out of four star review by the Chicago Tribune. Zweiban has been featured in Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Newsweek, Food Arts, USA Today, Metropolitan Home and Esquire, among other publications.
Rita French was the opening Chef de Cuisine at Randy Zweiban’s Province restaurant when it launched with the Westin Phoenix Downtown hotel in March 2011. The Province menu concept – Seasonal American with Latin soul and a strong farm-to-table approach – is the perfect showcase for her culinary talents and interests. With the Phoenix Downtown Market just a few blocks away and strong relationships with local farms and purveyors, she selects the products to serve hotel and restaurant guests.
French has come full circle in her culinary career. She was drawn to cooking and the family kitchen experience at the age of seven. Now, one the things she’s most dedicated to in the Province kitchen is fostering a family environment and mentoring the younger cooks on her team. They, in turn, describe her as caring, thoughtful, dedicated and driven. One of her protégés began as a dishwasher and French spends Sundays teaching him to make special dishes for the associate cafeteria. To further carry on her family’s legacy, she’s working toward membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution in memory of her grandmother.
Before her life in the kitchen, French served in the Army and trained in logistics while assigned to a combat engineering unit. After completing her military service and because she was mesmerized by the likes of Jeff Smith, Julia Child, Martin Yan and the Two Fat Ladies, French did an about face and enrolled in the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute in her home state. From there, she ventured to Colorado to work at Peaceful Valley Ranch, one of the state’s oldest and largest guest ranches in the Rocky Mountains.
Trading the mountains for the desert, French moved to Arizona in 2003 and landed an entry position at one of Phoenix/Scottsdale’s premier resorts, the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa. In just a few years, she advanced through the ranks to Chef de Cuisine at The Westin Kierland Villas, the Westin’s AAA Four Diamond vacation ownership property. Her obvious talent and leadership led to the opportunity at Province restaurant in the new Westin hotel in downtown Phoenix.
When Chef French isn’t in the kitchen, she can be found making a difference and creating a sense of family in her community in a number of ways. In addition to serving on the advisory board of the Phoenix Philanthropists, she generously gives of her time to the Children First Academy. She partnered with them in June 2010 as part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Chefs Move Schools Initiative and was personally invited to the White House to witness Mrs. Obama’s address to the nation’s chefs.
Currently, French is working with the Children First Academy, the nation’s largest school for homeless children, on building their own garden and has raised $7,000+ dollars to help them build a new kitchen. She’s extremely committed to ensuring they get better quality food and, once the kitchen is done, plans to do cooking classes for the kids. She’s already done recipe challenges, food and back to school drives, and adopted their entire 7th and 8th grade class for Christmas, where each child received a book, pair of shoes, and a toy by her friends and family.
French has also volunteered her cooking skills at the Ronald McDonald House, Tumbleweeds drop-in center for homeless teens, Phoenix Rescue Mission, Andre House and Home Base Youth Services.
The Westin Phoenix Downtown welcomes Alex Verkruijsse as the General Manager at Province. Most recently Alex was part of the restaurant management team at the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa. Growing up in the south of Holland, where fresh seafood, farmers markets and artisan bakeries are in great abundance, Alex grew up with the knowledge that dishes crafted from fresh food and real ingredients simply taste that much better. Moving to Miami, Florida to complete high school, Alex quickly developed a strong love for vibrant Latin food and flavors. Alex states, “It is very exciting to work for a restaurant where these fresh flavors, combined with exceptionally fresh ingredients can be experienced in each of our dishes; it is like a mash of my favorite childhood foods.”
As a high school student Alex began his career in the restaurant industry working at a deli. From his first exposure to the world of food and beverage he realized that this would become his career. After attending The Hotel Management School ‘Les Roches’ in Switzerland, several internships lead him to The United Kingdom and The French West Indies where he worked in various banquet facilities, kitchens and restaurants to lay a solid foundation for his Food and Beverage profession.
A challenging opportunity in Suzhou, China came along where Alex enjoyed working as the Food and Beverage Service Manager at the Sheraton Suzhou Hotel and Towers; managing the Front of House for several restaurants, bars and lounges located in the resort. After two and a half years in China, Alex transferred first to St. Regis Hotel in Houston,Texas and from there to Savannah, Georgia, all with Starwood Hotels & Resorts. From his varied experience both near and far Alex realized that “the prevailing factor of great restaurant service is a friendly smile and a genuine concern for what each individual guest would like to experience. This mentality will turn any type of dining establishment into a culinary retreat.”
Alex is excited to join the Province Phoenix team and looks forward to continuing to show hotel guests and locals alike a true sense American cuisine with Latin flair and the graciousness of Starwood hospitality.
