“Top Chef” Winner Blais Opening Orlando Restaurant
Richard Blais, the highly acclaimed chef and first-ever winner of “Top Chef All-Stars,” will open a new restaurant inside the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in the near future. The restaurant is set to have a tropical theme, which would be new for the inventive culinary expert.
The new eatery will replace Hemigway’s at the resort, which is located just outside of the Walt Disney World Resort area. Despite its location, the resort is not a Disney Good Neighbor hotel. The resort sits about three miles to the northeast of Disney Springs, the retail merchandise and epicurean epicenter of Walt Disney World.
“I love having fun with my concepts and menus and I’m so excited about what we’ve got in store for this restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. We’re looking forward to adding a memorable and innovative offering to Orlando’s already incredible food scene,” said Blais in a press release cited by Orlando Weekly.
Blais specializes in New American cuisine with restaurants around the country. Blais’ popular FLIP Burger Boutique already resides in the Southeast with two locations in Georgia.
The new partnership with Hyatt Regency is also not the chef’s first venture with the hotel chain. Blais previously opened Ember & Rye inside of the Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, California as well.
Currently learning Trail Blais, his innovated culinary group, Blais has also appeared on a wide variety of cooking competition shows, including “Iron Chef America,” “Chopped,” “Master Chef,” “Guy’s Grocery Games,” and as a host on show like Food Network’s “Halloween Baking Championship.”