RIO GRANDE, PUERTO RICO (2026) — Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico is expanding its culinary leadership team with the appointment of Jorge Petterson as Executive Chef and Christian Muñiz as Director of Food & Beverage, bringing seasoned hospitality leadership to the 579-room resort and its expansive dining program. Together, they will oversee the resort’s robust food & beverage portfolio from its fine-dining steakhouse to poolside and beachfront concepts, ushering in a new culinary direction centered on local sourcing, distinct culinary identities and experiential programming. The evolution is already underway at the Water’s Edge restaurant, with refreshed breakfast and brunch offerings, a new Puerto Rican Rincón Criollo station, and a Mediterranean-inspired lunch and dinner menu.
Chef Petterson brings more than two decades of culinary experience shaped across Puerto Rico, Florida, Costa Rica, California and Texas. A Peru native and honors graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Orlando, he began his career while attending culinary school, working in the high-volume kitchens of the Orlando World Center Marriott before rising through the ranks at JW Marriott Grande Lakes. His career has since taken him from cooking at the James Beard House to leading culinary and banquet programs at luxury resorts and large-scale hotels, with stops at Condado Vanderbilt, La Concha Resort, Costa Rica Marriott, The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa and more. Along the way, Petterson has developed a culinary perspective rooted in seasonal ingredients, local sourcing, and letting the natural flavors of each product lead the plate.
At Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico, Petterson will bring a farm-to-table philosophy that puts Puerto Rico’s ingredients first - working with local farmers, fishermen and producers to spotlight everything from fresh seafood, plantains and yuca to tropical fruits, coffee, cacao, ají dulce and recao. His Peruvian roots will add another layer to that distinctly Puerto Rican foundation, using the bright acidity, ajíes, fresh herbs, marinades and bold sauces that are characteristic of his culinary background to complement the island’s flavors, creating food that feels familiar and rooted in place, but unmistakably his own.
“Coming back to Puerto Rico is an opportunity to bring everything I’ve learned throughout my career home and build something that feels genuinely connected to the island,” said Petterson. “For me, that goes beyond the plate. It means building a strong culinary culture, developing our team, supporting local producers and creating experiences that guests remember as part of their time in Puerto Rico.”
Joining him is Christian Muñiz as Director of Food & Beverage, whose career has taken him from Puerto Rico’s restaurant scene to some of the country’s leading luxury resorts. Muñiz got his start on the island, building his foundation at restaurants in Rincón and Old San Juan before stepping into resort leadership at Wyndham Rio Mar and Fairmont El San Juan Hotel. He later brought that experience stateside, helping steer complex, multimillion-dollar culinary programs at Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows and the Forbes Five-Star St. Regis Longboat Key before most recently overseeing a $30 million food and beverage operation at Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina.
“The opportunity is bigger than operating restaurants and bars; it’s about making food and beverage one of the defining experiences of the resort,” said Muñiz. “Each concept should have its own personality while still feeling unmistakably connected to Puerto Rico through the food and spirits, but also through local partnerships, music, and the overall energy of the island. Our goal is to give resort guests something new to discover throughout their stay while also creating experiences that bring the community through our doors.”
For both Petterson and Muñiz, the appointments also mark a return to Puerto Rico after careers that have taken them through leading hospitality destinations across the mainland U.S. and beyond. Together, they see the next chapter as an opportunity to bring that experience home - developing local talent, building relationships with Puerto Rican producers and creating a culinary program that gives guests a deeper taste of the island while establishing the resort as a dining destination in its own right.
About Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico
Approximately 19 miles from the San Juan city center in Rio Grande, the oceanfront Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico is located on a protected natural peninsula at the foothills of the El Yunque rainforest with a peaceful, laid-back atmosphere and country-club-inspired feel. Features include a secluded beach that’s ideal for swimming and enjoying a variety of non-motorized water sports, several oceanfront swimming pools that include Puerto Rico’s largest lagoon-style pool, a full-service spa, a 27-hole championship golf course designed by Tom Kite, 16 food and beverage outlets ranging from a prime steakhouse to Hibachi to classic Puerto Rican cuisine, and colorful tropical gardens teeming with local flora and fauna. The resort features 579 guest rooms, suites and villas, including the spectacular ocean-facing Regency Suites, which feature private pools and gazebos for lounging. Tucked away in their own area of the resort, 93 Villas en la Reserva offer king and queen bedrooms with separate living areas, dining tables, kitchenettes, and bathrooms with rainfall showers and large soaking tubs for the best comfort on the island. The property encourages guests to explore the surrounding nature by day and unwind and indulge by night, making it the ultimate destination to rest and reset in style.
