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John-Michael Hamlet Joins Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro

December 18, 2013

Reston, VA [December 18, 2013]Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro has appointed the talented John-Michael Hamlet as the restaurant’s new executive chef. He joins Vinifera’s culinary team after spending the last two years as District Executive Chef at Compass Group USA, Inc.

A native of Northern Virginia, Chef John-Michael Hamlet developed his passion for fine cuisine at an early age. In high school, he worked in various restaurant kitchens throughout the region and was awarded a coveted 2-week stint at Le Cordon Bleu, in London, England by Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP). His extraordinary talent, coupled with his fervor and dedication, ultimately earned him a degree from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York in 1996.

In 2002, Chef John-Michael returned to the Northern Virginia region and worked as the Executive Chef at Stone Manor Inn in Middletown, MD. His stellar cuisine at Stone Manor Inn earned him critical acclaim and a slew of accolades, including a score of 27 for food in Zagat and a spot on Washingtonian Magazine’s “The 100 Very Best Restaurants” list.

In 2007, Chef John-Michael opened John-Michael’s Restaurant in North Salem, NY, fulfilling his lifelong dream of owning his own restaurant. In the 3 ½ years the restaurant was in operation, Chef John-Michael, his wife and their staff received numerous awards in the Westchester area and was ranked as one of the top 15 restaurants in Westchester by The New York Times. During this time, John Michael appeared as a contestant on the Food Network’s popular competition show “Chopped.”

Chef John-Michael is thrilled to be back in Northern Virginia with his wife and three children, Gavin, Samuel, and Olivia. He is proud to be heading Vinifera’s kitchen and looks forward to sharing his mouthwatering dishes with its patrons.

Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro is located in The Westin Reston Heights at 11750 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia 20191.  Hours of operation are 6:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. (breakfast), 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (lunch), and 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (dinner) with wine bar service available daily until 11:00 p.m.  Dress is casual chic.  For more information or reservations, please call 703.234.3550 or visit www.viniferabistro.com.  For all of the tasty details about upcoming events at Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro, follow the restaurant on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook