Esteemed Chefs Participate in “Great Chefs at the Lake”
Foodies unite with mouth-watering cuisine and cooking demos at The Abbey Resort & Spa

FONTANA, Wis. – Sept. 20, 2011 – “Great Chefs at the Lake” is back by popular demand with three new chefs coming to The Abbey Resort & Spa. The renowned chefs from Chicago and Lake Geneva will host cooking demonstrations and prepare their delectable cuisines during the weekend culinary events. 

The “Great Chefs at the Lake” series will take place over three weekends: Nov. 18-20, Dec. 9-11 and Jan. 20-22. The weekend packages at The Abbey Resort & Spa include a two-night stay, starting with a Friday evening wine reception with the guest chef, followed by a cooking demonstration on Saturday morning and a signature four-course dinner prepared by the featured chef Saturday evening.

The mouth-watering series kicks off Nov. 18-20 with Chef James Gottwald of Rockit Bar and Grill. A former chef at Chicago’s one sixtyblue and Wave, Gottwald found his place with Rockit Bar and Grill in Chicago as executive chef. Eschewing traditional bar eats for elegant comfort food, Gottwald has created his own niche in the competitive bar and grill industry.

The series continues Dec. 9-11 with Chef de Cuisine Mike Noll of Elate – a sophisticated spot serving modern American market cuisine in Chicago. Noll’s earliest culinary influences include his grandparents and his mother. He went on to cook in some of Chicago’s most haute restaurants such as Moto and Schwa. Noll’s talents include menu creation, execution, and an abundance of other culinary specialties.

On Jan. 20-22, Chef John Bogan of Lake Geneva School of Cooking will demonstrate his culinary skills during the last weekend of the chef series. For more than 30 years, Chef Bogan has electrified taste buds with fine foods. After 15 years at the French Country Inn, he purchased the Lake Geneva School of Cooking and began spreading his talents to students.
“The ‘Great Chefs at the Lake’ series celebrates superior culinary skills and interactive cooking demos for our guests while also enjoying a fun-filled weekend at the resort,” said Lori Sunie, director of food and beverage at The Abbey Resort. “We’re excited to welcome all three chefs - James Gottwald, Mike Noll and John Bogan - to the event and share their culinary talents, education and have the opportunity to enjoy a delicious meal.”

“Great Chefs at the Lake” weekend packages are $199 per person, plus tax and resort fees and based on a double occupancy. To make a reservation for the “Great Chefs at the Lake” series, guests can call 888-629-9594.

More About The Abbey Resort
Located just 80 miles from downtown Chicago and 50 miles from Milwaukee, The Abbey Resort & Spa is a treasured icon, nestled on 90 acres of beautifully manicured grounds. Totally renovated in 2005, it is the only full-service resort on the shores of Lake Geneva. The resort boasts a breath-taking setting, more than 40,000 sq ft. of award-winning meeting, conference, wedding and special event space, nearby championship golf courses and a wide range of outdoor activities. That only scratches the surface of all the activities and offerings that The Abbey Resort has; with impeccable customer service, the team at The Abbey Resort can meet the needs of the most discriminating guests and meeting planners. The 35,000-square-foot Avani Spa, which reopened in June 2008 after a $1.5 million renovation, enhances the resort experience with innovative spa treatments and the modern luxuries of a first class spa that today’s sophisticated spa consumers expect.

The Abbey Resort & Spa is managed and operated by Hostmark Hospitality Group of Schaumburg, Ill. For more information, please visit www.theabbeyresort.com or join The Abbey Resort on Facebook and Twitter at www.facebook.com/abbeyresort and www.twitter.com/abbeyresort, respectively.