3800 Ocean Appoints New Executive Chef Gustavo Calderon, Plans Menu Revamp

Diners visiting 3800 Ocean at the Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Resort & Spa can expect to see some changes at the hotel's signature restaurant offering American regional cuisine. The menu — inspired by the cultural backgrounds of each of its chefs, ranging from New England and Long Island to Mexico and Jamaica – will now be helmed by Houston-born Gustavo Calderon.

The establishment recently appointed Calderon as executive chef, who returns to South Florida after spending the past two years abroad as executive sous chef for the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain, and, prior to that, four years with Ritz-Carlton in Cancun and Naples.

"In my new position, I’m excited to work with some of the best seafood in the country and hope that my expertise will help the whole team continue to take advantage of the growing number of local producers in South Florida," said Calderon. "I’m so excited to be back in South Florida. The minute I stepped into 3800 Ocean, I knew it was where I wanted to work."

Calderon officially accepted the position in June and is currently in the process of updating the resort's food and drink offerings alongside former executive chef and current assistant general manager Larry LaValley, a process that will culminate with an all-new menu launch in October, the resort states.

By creating stronger relationships with local farmers, Calderon said his goal is to further enhance the restaurant's culinary experience and menu offerings, whether they be at the more casual pool and beach spots or the restaurant's 120-seat dining room.
The hotel offers guests a variety of dining options including the exclusive five-seat "Kitchen Table," available for groups of of five or fewer, a personalized dinner experience that takes guests into the 3800 Ocean kitchen for a five-course specialty menu created on the spot by the executive chef and his team. The option typically spans three hours, is available Thursday through Saturday, and is priced at $69 per person, with cocktail and wine pairings on request.

Later this fall, guests visiting 3800 can expect to see a number of new dishes from Calderon, who brings with him more than a decade's worth of professional experience thanks to a career that began in Saltillo, Mexico, where his grandmother owned a small family restaurant.

The chef furthered his education both in Mexico and stateside, receiving a bachelor’s degree in hotel management from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education and later earning a degree in culinary arts from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.

Exposed to fine dining during an internship at Le Bernardin under the legendary chef Eric Ripert, Calderon is returning to familiar environs at the Marriott. Calderon and LaValley once worked together at Mark’s South Beach and the Regent Bal Harbor, where Calderon honed his skills under James Beard-award-winning chef Mark Militello. 

"We're thrilled to have Gustavo as part of the team and look forward to sharing his culinary talent and experience with the area's residents and visitors," said LaValley. "His outstanding talent and creativity are a huge asset to 3800 Ocean."

The Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island. 3800 N. Ocean Dr., Singer Island; 561-340-1700; palmbeachmarriottresort.com.

Nicole Danna is a food writer covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on the BPB New Times Food & Drink Instagram.