The Ritz Carlton, Fort Lauderdale appointed Adrienne Grenier, a renowned culinary expert in South Florida, as the new Chef de Cuisine for Burlock Coast, the resort’s signature restaurant. Grenier is returning to South Florida a year after her last role as Executive Chef of 3030 Ocean Restaurant at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa. She previously worked with Chef Paula DaSilva, the Culinary Director of The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale, at 1500 Degrees Restaurant, recognized as one of the “Best New Restaurants” in the U.S. by Esquire Magazine. Grenier also gained widespread recognition after competing and winning an episode of Food Network’s Chopped. During the pandemic, she even opened the kitchen of Pasta Louise, a neighborhood eatery in Brooklyn, before accepting her new leadership role with The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale.
In her new role, Chef Adrienne will incorporate her innate ability to combine flavors from locally sourced ingredients into the modern coastal cuisine featured on Burlock Coast’s diverse menu. Her lifelong passion for food began in her childhood kitchen in Hollywood Beach, which has inspired her to create a range of new seafood-rich selections. These new menu items include Coriander Roasted Local Wahoo with red chili pepper Kosho, cauliflower, and Florida oranges, Yellowfin Tuna Crudo with Castelvetrano olives, shaved fennel, and topped with Calabrian vinaigrette, Chilled Shrimp paired with tropical fruits and watermelon Aguachile. There’s also the Grilled Bone-In Ribeye Steak with summer corn, jalapeno succotash, and charred green onion, the N.Y. Strip with Gratitude Farm mushrooms, sunchoke puree, and green garlic butter, the Whipped Ricotta Toast with Chef Paula DaSilva’s carambola jam, and East Coast Oysters with key lime Kosho and ponzu sauce.
“One of my favorite dishes to make is the Cedar Key Littleneck Clams and Spinach Cavatelli or “Cavatelli with Clams,” inspired by a simple dinner that my busy single mother would make on special nights for my brother and me,” Adrienne says. “Through my journey as a chef, some of my favorite dishes to cook are handmade pasta and fresh clams, so I made a dish to honor the one my mom used to make. The cavatelli are handmade with fresh spinach and the clams are local from Florida. The brothy sauce has a little heat and lemon, lots of fresh herbs, and it’s finished with garlicky buttered breadcrumbs.”
Grenier, who graduated from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale culinary school, also earned a Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Nutrition from Florida State University. Her career in the restaurant industry began in 2005 when she got her first job as a cook at 3030 Ocean restaurant. There, she worked alongside Chef Dean Max and started her ongoing partnership with Chef Paula DaSilva.
Having mastered the intricacies of the trade and honed her culinary skills to perfection, Grenier made her way to southern California. She relished the region’s abundant natural resources, spending countless hours exploring the landscape on foot and immersing herself in the local farmer’s markets, where she gained valuable insight into the world of organic produce and experimented with various flavor combinations. Grenier even had the opportunity to showcase her skills at the renowned Michelin-starred restaurant at the London Hotel in Los Angeles, working alongside the legendary Chef Gordon Ramsey. However, after a fruitful stint on the West Coast, she eventually returned to her hometown of South Florida in 2010. Today, Chef Adrienne is thrilled to be at the helm of Burlock Coast, one of the most highly-regarded restaurants in Fort Lauderdale, situated in one of the finest hotels in the area.
