Joel Antunes, of Le Logis in Cognac, France, has been named the third chef-in-residence at 1856 – Culinary Residence.
Located in the Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center on the campus of Auburn University, 1856 is a teaching restaurant where students work under the guidance of a chef in residence to prepare and serve an a la carte lunch menu and tasting menu format for dinner. Each year, an acclaimed chef works alongside the Ithaka Hospitality Partners team, as well as Auburn University faculty and staff, to create a unique restaurant concept, providing a one-of-a-kind, ever-changing culinary experience for students and guests alike.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Chef Antunes to Auburn,” said Hans van der Reijden, founder and CEO of Ithaka Hospitality Partners. “His global culinary experience, especially when combined with his experience as a James Beard Foundation Award winner and recipient of a Michelin Star, will provide an invaluable resource for students.”
Chef Antunes learned his craft in France. He then worked as executive chef at the Bangkok Oriental Mandarin Hotel before moving to London to open Les Saveurs, where he earned a Michelin star. He then relocated to the United States, joining the Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, before venturing south to Atlanta to open Restaurant Joel, for which he earned the James Beard Foundation Award. He later served at One Eleven in Arkansas, before returning to France where he served at Le Logis.
“I am very excited to learn how 1856 – Culinary Residence and Auburn University combine an educational experience with horticulture, hospitality and dining,” said Antunes. “I can’t wait to spend time in the classroom and in the kitchen, helping shape the next generation of culinary professionals.”