Patina Restaurant Group

Meet the wonderful Chef Michael Gabriel, Executive Pastry Chef! Born and raised on Staten Island in New York, Chef Gabriel knew from a young age that he wanted to pursue a career in the culinary arts. Growing up in a proud Italian-American home, food was at the heart of every special occasion.     Upon graduating college and culinary school, Gabriel held an apprenticeship in Antwerp, Belgium at a local pastry shop. After returning to the United States, he took a sous chef position at Charlie Palmer’s Chef Cuisinaire Club, followed by a head assistant pastry chef position at Aureole - both in New York City. In time, Michael assumed the role as executive pastry chef for Aureole. His journey eventually brought him to Rockefeller Center as Executive Pastry Chef, where he spent 15 years running the pastry team, creating delicious desserts and confections for an assortment of locations and private events. Gabriel then assumed a new role working under the renowned leadership of Vice President of Culinary, Chef Lou Piuggi, setting up several pastry programs across Delaware North's Sports, Travel, Gaming and Parks and Resorts divisions.    In February of 2021, Gabriel was presented the exciting position of Executive Pastry Chef of Patina Restaurant Group in Orlando. In his current role, he oversees the pastry departments for all of our Disney offerings at EPCOT and Disney Springs. Since his time in Orlando, Gabriel has achieved much success, including being a part of the opening team for Gelateria Toscana and the incredibly successful Space 220 restaurant at EPCOT.

At the recent Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, we brought flavor and flair to motorsports hospitality – serving a rotating all-inclusive menu across four Fan Zones. Guests enjoyed standout creations such as the Farro Mediterranean Bowl, Mushroom Tinga Taco and our exclusive Baffle™ (a delicious burger pressed in a waffle maker!). This activation would not have been possible without the incredible leadership of our Patina Catering team including Stephanie Edens, Eric Custis, Jacqueline Kelly, Gina Carr and so many other team members from around the country. Thank you to all for bringing the spirit of Radical Hospitality to this unique experience, making our first motorsports event unforgettable! 

We’re thrilled to share that Paseo, our elevated Mexican dining concept in the Downtown Disney District in Anaheim, California, has earned the No. 9 spot on Yelp’s “Best New Restaurants of 2024” list! Since opening its doors in May 2024, Paseo has quickly become a standout destination, drawing acclaim for its innovative approach to Mexican cuisine. This milestone is a testament to the vision of Chef Carlos Gaytán – the first Mexican-born chef to receive a Michelin star – and the collaboration with our incredible Patina Restaurant Group culinary team. #culinary #culinaryexcellence #radicalhospitality https://lnkd.in/eqGAzdzH

We’re excited to share that the PGA of America has extended its partnership with Patina Restaurant Group through 2034!   As the official catering partner, we’re honored to continue delivering exceptional hospitality experiences at iconic events such as the PGA Championship, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and Senior PGA Championship—and we’re thrilled to expand our role to include three Ryder Cups!   Check out the video below for a sneak peek at the highly anticipated 2025 Ryder Cup. 

In the spirit of the season, several restaurants from #PatinaRestaurantGroup’s Orlando-area operations (The Edison, Enzo’s Hideaway, Morimoto Asia and Space 220) on Nov. 9 participated in the 12th annual “Cows ‘n Cabs” in Winter Park, Fla. The charity fundraising event featured mini-dish tastings from more than 35 gourmet local restaurants paired with over 200 wines, craft beers and cocktails. The event unites members of the Orlando hospitality community to raise funds for several organizations for child services in Central Florida, including After-School All- Stars Orlando, 4 Roots and Winter Park Day Nursery. “Cows ‘n Cabs raised more than $1 million for the second consecutive year to support local causes for children, and our team enjoys showcasing a taste of our amazing Patina Restaurant Group locations in Orlando,” said Yuhi Fujinaga, director of culinary for Patina Orlando. “The event also allows our team members at different locations to come together and display their food and beverage talents for a good cause.”

We were thrilled to bring the spirit of Radical Hospitality to the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix this past weekend, led by the incredible Patina Catering team on behalf of Patina Restaurant Group and Delaware North! The highly anticipated event, held November 21–23, welcomed an estimated 300,000 fans. Our team members from across the country united to deliver an all-inclusive food experience across four Fan Zones, ensuring every ticketed guest enjoyed exceptional culinary offerings. Under the visionary leadership of John Kolaski, President; Stephanie Edens, Vice President of Catering and Events; Eric Custis, Director of Operations for West Coast Catering and Events; Jacqueline Kelly, Chef and Director of Culinary; and many others, our team rose to the challenge of this extraordinary event. “This event truly showcased our world-class team’s ability to excel in a dynamic, fast-paced and temporary setting,” Edens said. “The logistics behind an event of this scale were extraordinary, and seeing fans enjoy our food and the overall experience was the ultimate reward for all the hard work.” Congratulations to everyone who made this monumental event a success! #F1LasVegas #RadicalHospitality #Teamwork #EventExcellence

We are on the ground at Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix! Meet Reed Pickering, our incredible Patina Catering coordinator, who is on-site supporting our team for this year's exciting event! Collaborating with colleagues from across the country, Reed is playing a vital role in bringing our vision of radical hospitality to life for over 100,000 fans. This unique event showcases the power of teamwork, passion, and dedication in delivering unforgettable experiences at scale. We are so grateful to Reed and all of our Patina Catering, Patina Restaurant Group, and Delaware North team members on the ground this week for their hard work and commitment during one of the year’s most thrilling events! #F1LasVegas #Teamwork #RadicalHospitality #PatinaCatering #EventExcellence

We were thrilled to sponsor the recent The James Beard Foundation Taste America: Seattle. Executive Chef Molly Demers represented our parent company, Delaware North, and Climate Pledge Arena for this nationwide initiative, celebrating the local and independent restaurants that are the heart of our communities. Each chef showcased their unique style and the distinctiveness of their restaurant or offering. Chef Molly wowed everyone with a dish that embodied Climate Pledge Arena’s unwavering commitment to sustainability and innovation. Her creativity transformed an entire carrot into a sensory masterpiece: “Carrot Jerky with Carrot Top Bubbles and Carrot Skin Fog,” using every part of the vegetable from the leafy top to the skin. Our team is honored to have taken part in the event with all of the other talented, Seattle-area participating chefs. Thank you to everyone who visited our table and all who made this special evening possible!

As the week begins, our world-class Patina Catering team is on-site at Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, gearing up to deliver an array of culinary delights throughout race weekend, November 21-23rd. Led by the incredible vision and expertise of Stephanie Edens, Eric Custis, Jacqueline Kelly and many others, team members from across the country have come together to embody the spirit of radical hospitality and serve more than 100,000 fans at one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year. This year, the team will provide a rotating menu of all-inclusive food including our signature Baffle™ pressed burger for fans in the Heineken® Silver Main Grandstand, T-Mobile Grandstands, West Harmon Grandstands, Heineken® GA+ and T-Mobile General Admission. For more information about the FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN SILVER LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX or to purchase tickets visit https://lnkd.in/eh5AK7G5.  

With nearly 30 award winning and unique dining experiences coast to coast, we are thrilled to share the news of several recent accolades garnered by our great teams! Inspired by some of the exciting flavors of the best plant-based cuisine, our Morimoto restaurant at Disney Springs in Orlando, Florida, has been recognized by @Forbes for elevating their food options for Disney visitors. Their unique kung pau cauliflower dish has been selected as one of the Top 23 Must-Try Vegan Dishes for World Vegan Month this November! Our Naples Ristorante e Bar, located at Downtown Disney in Anaheim, California, was also recently rated by @Yelp as a "Top 100 Pizza Spot" accordingly to Yelp Elites. Coming in at #22, the list is curated by Yelp's most passionate and trusted reviewers and influencers. Finally, our Patina 250 restaurant, located in downtown Buffalo, New York, was also recently recognized by @OpenTable and their 2024 Diners' Choice Awards in three categories: Good for Groups, Good for Special Occasions and Charming. Thank you to our teams around the country who continue to bring to life the very best of culinary excellence and radical hospitality!