{Orange shrub by Cory Cuff}
Cocktail aficionados in the Lone Star State will soon have new talent shaking up its cocktail scene: Cielo bar and restaurant manager Cory Cuff has accepted a position as the operations manager at Four Seasons Hotel Houston. His last day at Cielo is Sept. 26. “It’s an amazing opportunity,” he said. “I’ll miss all the friends I’ve made in St. Louis, but I’m happy that Houston is the next step.”
Cuff, who joined the Four Seasons – St. Louis team in May 2011, said his new responsibilities will involve coordinating the hotel’s culinary and beverage services, like banquets, room service, poolside dining and more. He also looks forward to taking Houston’s bar program to the next level. “I can’t wait to drive that home like I did for Cielo, to build on what I’ve learned here and grow it in a new market,” he said.
While he’s excited for the next step in his career, Cuff said he will miss the rising St. Louis culinary scene. “This city is on the upward swing with food and beverage, and I can’t wait to see what it looks like in five years,” he said. “Not just Cielo, but everything from amazing talents of Ted and Jamie Kilgore (of Planter’s House) to Kevin Nashan (of Sidney Street Cafe and Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co.) and Gerard Craft (of Niche Restaurant Group) and the next generation as well.”
This is the second change-up among Cielo’s staff this year. Chef Gian Nicola Colucci took the kitchen’s helm in April after Fabrizio Schenardi left for a position at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World. Cuff and the Four Seasons – St. Louis staff are currently reviewing candidates to fill his position here.
-photo by Carmen Troesser
This article appears in September 2014.