Lotte New York Palace has appointed Christopher Nez as director of food and beverage. He takes over the culinary programme at the Midtown Manhattan hotel, with four named outlets plus in-room dining and private dining under the remit.
Nez brings more than 20 years in food and beverage management to the role. The hotel describes the hire as an addition to its leadership team as it continues work on its culinary offering.
The remit
Nez oversees Villard Restaurant, the Gold Room, Rarities and Pomme Palais. The remit also covers in-room dining and private dining.
The hotel’s own dining page carries the wider outlet list: Villard Restaurant, Gold Room, Autumn Bar, MITANI New York, Rarities, Pomme Palais and In-Room Dining. Villard Restaurant serves New American fare inside the Villard House. The Gold Room serves classic cocktails and shared plates on Madison Avenue. Rarities is a salon for rare wines, spirits and champagnes, with memberships available. Pomme Palais is the property’s boutique bakery. MITANI New York is the newest outpost of Tokyo’s Sushi Mitani, with pairing menus under Chef Mitani. The private dining form lists the Gold Room, Trouble’s Trust, Rarities, the Courtyard and a luxury suite as venue options.
The release names four of the seven outlets on that page. Autumn Bar and MITANI New York sit outside its list.
More than 20 years in food and beverage
Nez’s record covers New York properties: Park Central, The Plaza Hotel, TWA Hotel, JW Marriott Essex House and Gordon Ramsay at The London. He was named Leader of the Year in 2018 during his tenure at The Plaza Hotel. The release credits him with developing high-performing teams, driving revenue growth and delivering guest service.
The post he held before
Nez moved to Lotte New York Palace from Park Lane New York. That property, a Highgate-managed hotel on Billionaire’s Row, named him director of food and beverage on 25 March 2025. His remit there covered Calvert’s, the second-floor restaurant that opened in July 2024, Rose Lane, the lobby bar and restaurant, and Darling, the rooftop lounge.
Before Park Lane New York he was assistant director of food and beverage for Highgate Hotels, where he oversaw operations at the WestHouse Hotel New York and the Park Central Hotel New York. The Park Lane New York release records more than twenty years of hospitality experience behind that appointment.
The Lotte New York Palace announcement leaves the Park Lane posting out of its career list. It names Park Central, The Plaza Hotel, TWA Hotel, JW Marriott Essex House and Gordon Ramsay at The London, and it carries no detail on his time at the hotel he now joins.
Nez on the appointment
Nez said: “Lotte New York Palace has a remarkable history and a strong sense of identity, and I’m honored to join such a talented team at one of New York City’s most iconic luxury hotels.” He added that he looks forward to elevating the hotel’s food and beverage programme and creating experiences for visitors and New Yorkers alike.
The property
Lotte New York Palace sits at 455 Madison Avenue at 50th Street. It runs two guest experiences, The Palace and The Towers, and The Towers occupies the top 14 floors. The Villard Mansion on the site was designed by McKim, Mead & White. The hotel runs a guided tour of the mansion with its Palace Historian each Saturday at 10:00 am.
What the announcement does not state
The announcement names no effective date for the appointment, no predecessor in the role, no reporting line and no team size. It sets out no targets for the culinary programme.