Hotel Icon, Houston Appoints Award-Winning Michael Kramer as Executive Fine Dining Restaurant Chef

HOUSTON – May 7, 2008 – Chef Michael Kramer was recently appointed the executive chef at Hotel ICON’s award-winning, fine dining restaurants in Houston. Hotel ICON is well known for its unique Houston dining experience and is proud to announce that Chef Kramer will oversee their VOICE restaurant, as well as the luxury hotel’s banquet services.

“Chef Kramer is one of the most recognized and respected chefs based in the South,” said Roland Maldonado, general manager of Hotel ICON. “He has quickly risen to the top of the culinary world and boasts an impressive history of training under some of the most famous chefs in America. We are confident his culinary excellence, coupled with his progressive style, will go a long way in further establishing Hotel ICON and its food as Houston’s leading personal luxury destination.”

After perusing his career as a cyclist, Chef Kramer decided to dedicate his life to food. He received an associate degree in Culinary Arts from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco in 1991.

The young hotel restaurant chef boasts an impressive pedigree training under some of the country’s most prestigious chefs, such as Roland Passot of La Folie, Wolfgang Puck of Spago and Granite, and Dean Fearing of The Mansion on Turtle Creek. He immersed himself in the teachings of these fine dining, restaurant chefs, and borrowed invaluable skills from each to create his own cuisine.

As a Houston fine dining, executive chef, Kramer’s food celebrates the rich bounty of American cuisine. “I like to draw on classic French techniques to combine local produce, fresh seafood and meat with simple yet elegant presentations to create ‘American Born Cooking’,” explains Chef Kramer. “I look forward to introducing Houstonians and Hotel ICON guests to my food. My frequently changing menu will allow me to feature fresh cooking approaches and techniques throughout the year.”

In 1999 Chef Kramer moved from California to Charleston to become chef and partner at the acclaimed restaurant, McCrady’s. He was instrumental in the restaurant receiving immense press coverage and awards, including Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in 1999, Wine Spectator’s “Best Of” Award of Excellence from 2000 – 2003, and Restaurant of the Year by Charleston’s Post & Courier. The restaurant also became a 2004 Distinguished Restaurants of North American DiRoNa Award Recipient and received the prestigious Four Diamond Award from the American Automobile Association (AAA) under Kramer’s tenure.

Chef Kramer also has worked at The Fat Duck in England, a Michelin three-star restaurant, and Daniel in New York City. He is joined in Houston by his wife and two dogs, Buddy and Roxie.

Hotel ICON, a 135-room property, is located in the heart of Houston’s arts, entertainment, business and sports districts. Formerly the Union National Bank building, this historic landmark underwent a $35 million renovation in 2004. Hotel ICON was originally built in 1911 and features 12 stories of custom-designed furnishings, upscale and edgy décor and original artwork. Hotel ICON also houses the award-winning VOICE restaurant, ICON Bar and Balance Day Spa.

Hotel ICON is one of 30 independent, luxury hotels, resorts and golf clubs in the United States managed by Destination Hotels & Resorts, the fifth largest independent hospitality management company in the country. For information on the properties in the Destination Hotels & Resorts collection, please visit www.destinationhotels.com.