The Sea Island Culinary Team

Chef Jonathan Jerusalmy

Sea Island Culinary Director

Chef Jonathan Jerusalmy has traveled a long, winding, and delicious road throughout his distinguished culinary career. From his education at the Institute Technique des Métiers de L’Alimentation in Tournai, Belgium, to internships at Michelin-rated restaurants in France, to kitchens at top resorts, Chef Jerusalmy is one of only 350 Master French Chefs in the world. He has worked and traveled around the globe, committed to using home-grown, seasonal ingredients right here, at Sea Island.

Chef Bill Welch

Executive Chef, The Cloister, Beach Club and Sea Island Events

From his start in the kitchen as a dishwasher at age 13 to graduating from The Culinary Institute of America, Chef Welch began his professional career as Sous Chef at the Wequassett Resort and Golf Club in Chatham, MA, under Executive Chef Bill Brodksy. Chef Welch joined Sea Island in 2009 as Lead Line Cook in the Georgian Room, our Forbes Five-Star restaurant. He was instrumental in the opening Tavola in 2011, and was promoted to Sous Chef. In 2013, Bill assumed the role of Banquet Sous Chef and then Executive Sous Chef. Bill’s latest promotion has led him to his current role of Executive Chef of The Cloister, Beach Club, and Sea Island Events.

Chef Daniel Zeal

Executive Chef, The Lodge

Chef Zeal’s life has always revolved around sharing good food. His passion for creativity and the satisfying aesthetics of cooking were ignited at an early age. Today, he is a Forbes Five-Star award-winning chef. He’s come a long way since watching his earliest idol, the charismatic TV-cook Martin Yan. Chef Zeal began his professional career at The Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, FL, where he served as Chef de Partie of the resort’s AAA Five-Diamond Grill Room. Chef Zeal came to Sea Island in 2006 as Sous Chef of the Georgian Room, and then became Chef de Cuisine in 2009. He moved into his current role, Executive Chef of The Lodge in 2016.

Chef Eric Fullem

Executive Sous Chef, The Cloister and Beach Club

Chef Eric Fullem started his career at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Uniontown, Pennsylvania in 2004. Chef Eric has made it a personal goal to work at the highest level of luxury hotels and Forbes Five-Star rated properties across the country. In addition to his time at Nemacolin, Chef Fullem’s career has been molded at properties such as The Inn at Dos Brisas, Lacroix Restaurant at The Rittenhouse as well as Sea Island; his previous position held at Sea Island was Chef de Cuisine of the River Bar. Chef Fullem returned to Sea Island in February 2018 as Executive Sous Chef of The Cloister and Beach Club.

Chef Phillip Jackson

Executive Sous Chef, The Lodge

Chef Jackson is passionate about putting his considerable artistic skills to good use and gets a lot of satisfaction and joy from witnessing big smiles after a great meal. He began his career at Sea Island in 2006, where he helped open the new Beach Club. He then moved to Houston, Texas to become the Chef de Partie at the Renaissance Hotel. Jackson returned to Sea Island in 2010 to join The Lodge culinary team. Chef Jackson was recently awarded the 2015 Stevan Porter Emerging Hospitality Leader of the Year Award, presented by the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association.

Chef Chris Delissio

Chef de Cuisine, Southern Tide

Chef Chris Delissio studied journalism and played hockey at the University of Oregon, later deciding to attend the Culinary Institute of America, where he was the president of his graduating class. Upon graduation, Chef Chris started his professional culinary career at The Ritz Carlton in Naples, Florida. He later joined the Sea Island team as a Cook 2 in the Forbes Five-Star Georgian Room. His next move was to The Lodge at Sea Island as a Chef de Partie, which led to him being promoted to Sous Chef at Southern Tide. Chef Chris is inspired by his mother, who he has said is “the best chef I know and learned first from her. If you weren't at the dinner table at five o'clock each night you were in trouble.” Chef Delissio brings unwavering passion, creativity and structure into the Southern Tide kitchen.

Chef Armando Gomez

Chef de Cuisine, River Bar

Chef Armando found a passion for the art of cooking at a very young age. Growing up in Mexico City, he was influenced by one of the most unique and versatile cuisines in the world. Gomez’s best memories were created in the kitchen with his mother and grandmother. Chef Armando continued his culinary studies at the Glion Institute of Higher Education. His post-graduation travels took him to notable venues such as the Prestigious Trio at the Four Seasons, Austin, Texas, Guy Savoy’s, Las Vegas, Nevada and The Georgian Room. Now in the the River Bar, he exhibits both the classic French Cuisine, as well as those with a more modern twist on his menu.

Chef Matthew Krueger

Chef de Cuisine, Oak Room

Chef Krueger’s love and passion for cooking food developed at age 16 while working for a local bakery café. That passion led him to study at the Art Institute of Salt Lake where he quickly moved on to hone his craft in the mountains of Park City, Utah. His professional career began at Montage Deer Valley. Three years later he worked as both a Sous Chef and Chef de Cuisine at Promontory Park City. He was the Sous Chef at St. Regis Deer Valley’s J&G Grill before moving to Sea Island in the spring of 2018. Chef Krueger brings together with his team at The Oak Room, determination and commitment to creating delicious and memorable food.

Chef Cortney Harris

Executive Pastry Chef

While completing an externship program at the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Harris worked at the Grand Geneva Resort and Spa in Grand Geneva, WI. Upon graduation, Harris was promptly recruited by Sea Island and continued her career in the Sea Island Bake Shop. Over the next seven years, her talent, strong work ethic, and attention to detail enabled her to work her way through the leadership ranks and moved into her current role in January 2014.