Leading Bar Cocoa and Urban Sip’s expert team of chefs and pastry artists, as well as the banquets, catering and in-room dining divisions of The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte, is Executive Chef Jon Farace. A native of Toronto, Chef Farace has worked at such well-known Canadian properties as The Fairmont Algonquin in New Brunswick and The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in the Canadian Rockies. Chef Farace joined The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company in 2003, beginning as Garde Manger Chef and then Chef Tournant at The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta, advancing to the position of Executive Sous Chef for The Ritz-Carlton, Boston, and then gaining the title of Executive Chef for The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes. Chef Farace joined The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte in 2009 and personally designed the chef’s garden and famous honey-making/beehive activities established on the hotel’s green, vegetated roof.

Pastry artist Jennifer Augello joined Bar Cocoa and The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte in early 2013, following a successful pastry tenure at Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. An accomplished culinarian, she has achieved recognition not only for her chocolate and pastry creativity, but also for her leadership skills and ability to create dessert experiences for individual connoisseurs as well as large, high-profile dining groups. Chef Augello’s career has included not only her exceptional years at Aria, but also a four-year role as pastry chef for The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. Prior to joining The Greenbrier, Augello held similar pastry roles at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, The Grand Hotel Mackinac Island in Michigan, Hillsboro Club, Hillsboro Beach, Florida and the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida. She trained at Johnson & Wales University and has received further advanced specialty education focused on chocolate.