After having been part of the leadership in several acclaimed kitchens, Chef Arnoldi proudly stepped into the executive chef role at The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland in late 2009. Chef Arnoldi has been a passionate member of The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott culinary teams since 1996, embracing the philosophy that “it really is all about the food.” Most recently the executive chef at The Grosvenor House in London, Chef Arnoldi also served as the executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C. and the executive sous chef at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes and The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island.

A Philadelphian with a Danish father and an Austrian mother, Chef Arnoldi has culinary expression woven into his DNA. He has dedicated his professional life to the study of food, and his quest for knowledge first began when he was working in his family’s three restaurants. There he studied under Danish Master Chefs, his father and grandfather, formally beginning his apprenticeship at age 13. In 1995 he was awarded a Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University in Providence Rhode Island.

After culinary school, Chef Arnoldi took his culinary skills to the United States Marine Corps where, over the course of six years, he advanced his knowledge of international cuisine by volunteering to work for restaurants across the world and trying his hand at Latin, Asian and Mediterranean inspired influences. Holding the belief that one of the key roles of food is making people happy, Chef Arnoldi’s culinary pursuits are designed to support that belief. He said of cooking, “My goal is not only to create meals that people will sit down and enjoy, but also ones that encourage them to explore their culinary palates and that make them feel whole.” As he continues his career, Chef Arnoldi’s goal is never to lose the drive to improve. He intends to follow his father’s advice of “the day you stop learning is the day you should leave the kitchen.”

Chef Arnoldi’s love of cooking began with his family and that is where it remains. He still enjoys making meals for his family, including his wife, son and daughter.

The banquet team at The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland has appointed a new leader with the addition of Ben Davison as Executive Sous Chef. After studying at the Colorado Institute of Culinary Arts, Chef Davison began working his way up the chain at a variety of independent restaurants around the Colorado area. When he reached the executive chef level, Chef Davison felt he had truly grown an appreciation for all levels of the culinary craft. What he wanted to do next was expand his own horizons and palate.

That desire led Chef Davison to move to Philadelphia, home to an expansive culinary landscape, and that is where he proved to himself once again that the best way to learn something is from the ground up. Davison went from an executive chef to a chef de poisons at Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia, knowing that he was on his way to discovering more about the industry and honing his skills to the point where he could truly understand what each individual contributions to the culinary team.

After earning the executive chef position in Philadelphia, Davison returned home to open The Ritz-Carlton, Denver and head up their restaurant Elway’s as the chef de cuisine. While there, he took the restaurant and culinary team to new heights, earning awards and recognition for the kitchen. Chef Davison took the opportunity to participate in task force and assist at various Ritz-Carlton properties in order to get a flavor for the culinary culture in the company as well as to continue enhancing his skills. One of the places he leant a hand at was The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland. He had such a knack for engaging our guests that he decided to make the city his home and joined the talented team as the leader of banquet functions in 2009.
Chef Davison excelled as the hotel's banquet chef and with experience in every facet of the culinary arts, he was appointed to Executive Sous Chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland in 2011.

Chef Davison’s cooking philosophy is one that relies on fresh, local and sustainable foods as much a possible. In every dish he cooks, he strives to impress with simple flavors that allow the ingredients to speak for themselves. His goal in the kitchen, now and always, is to cook meals that will look beautiful and remind guests of their favorite food moments of the past.