New executive chef at Casino Aztar | Business

Casino Aztar has hired James Weflen as the new Executive Chef for the Evansville casino property.

A graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, Chef Weflen comes to Casino Aztar from the Disney Coronado Springs Resort & Convention Center where he was directly responsible for five food outlets, including an upscale regional restaurant, a short order café, an action station ala carte buffet, a staff cafeteria, a pool bar kitchen, an upscale lounge, and in-room dining for a 2,000-room convention hotel. Chef Weflen led five Sous-chefs and 60 frontline employees in this operation.

“Chef Weflen will supervise all culinary operations and kitchens at Casino Aztar including Cavanaugh’s, Riverside Cookery, Max & Erma’s, Temptations Buffet, Diamond Deli, Riverview Coffee Company, Blush Ultralounge, Le Merigot Hotel Guest Room Service, and Convention Services. We’re excited about the level of creativity and expertise James is bringing to Casino Aztar!” says Casino Aztar General Manager, Ward Shaw.

The Chef’s culinary history includes employment at the St. Louis Adam’s Mark Hotel (now Hyatt) which includes a AAA-rated Four Diamond restaurant; The Rock River Country Club, a private country club in Rock Falls, Illinois; the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Resort, a AAA-rated Five Diamond, Mobil 4 Star restaurant which featured Mediterranean and French cuisine; The Campton Place Hotel, a AAA-rated Five Diamond restaurant; and the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee.