Chef Eric A Truglas is a native of Paris, the first in his family to find his passion for cooking at a young age by watching his grandmother cook, and by spending time among merchants at the farmer market. He is a graduate of the Culinary State School and Hotel, Tourism and Restaurant Management University in St Quentin en Yvelines, France. To stay true to his roots, Eric travels back to his home country of France and to other countries as well regularly to meet with his peers and colleagues, in search of new trends, and cutting-edge ideas. Eric also like to meet regularly with wine makers, farmers and growers to share and learn. Chef Eric has served as Chef de Cuisine, Executive Chef, Food & Beverage Director and Culinary Director for hotels, resorts, and luxury private golf & country clubs, in California, Boston, US Virgin Islands, England and Florida for The Venice Simplon Orient Express, the Fouquet,s Paris, Le Meridien Hotels in Boston, NewPort Beach and San Diego, Sonesta Hotels & Resorts and Bonita Bay Beach & Golf Club in Florida, Westin Hotels & Resorts, in St John U.S.V.I. and Palo Alto, Sofitel Hotel in san Francisco, and his own restaurants as well in Florida and Washington state, connecting and creating lifelong friendship with several Michelin Macaron Awarded Chefs, Chef Gerard Vie, Chef Patrick Jeffroy, Chef Roger Verger, Chef Dominique Frerard among a few. In 2019 Chef Eric has joined the Benchmark Pyramid Hospitality Group as Executive Chef at The Ridge Hotel in New Jersey, which became his home base, he is also on the Corporate Culinary Council Board, and worked on several projects from Curacao Island in the Caribbean to the Pacific Northwest in Seattle and Portland. Chef Eric’s cooking philosophy is firmly rooted in the farm fresh flavors of the local bounty, with respect to seasonality and locally grown and foraged ingredients. Artisans, ranchers and fishermen are carefully chosen for their commitment to providing hand-selected superior products direct from their fields, boats, trees, streams or pastures. His scratch cooking style and love of house-made ingredients celebrates the commitment to sustainability and provides the perfect showcase for the fresh local flavors. Chef Eric is a member of various professional associations including Chaîne des Rôtisseurs as a Conseiller Culinaire, American Culinary Federation (ACF), and Maitre Cuisinier de France. Eric has authored and co-authored and published three cookbooks Cuisine du Soleil, Floridian Cooking with a French Flair, co-wrote 20/20 Vision Cuisine in collaboration with an eye surgeon and contributed to the creation of Master Chef of France USA Cookbook. Exemplifying the farm-to-table philosophy, Chef Eric love to stay inspire and passionate about cooking, making seasonal and modern dishes that are healthy, creative, and flavorful, utilizing the uniqueness that the bountiful coast and “Terroir” has to offer. Chef Eric believes in having a positive impact on others in the acts of giving back, teaching, mentoring, sharing and promoting sustainability. As Eric has written on his past menus: “Stimulation of the senses, Creative Innovation, Ritual of the Table and the Alliance between the Farmers and the Chefs….This is my Journey.”