Viceroy Hotels & Resorts is excited to announce the promotion of Verlord Laguatan as Viceroy Chicago’s new Executive Chef.
Having honed his culinary skills and proven his exceptional talent over several years within the Viceroy brand, Chef Verlord Laguatan has ascended through the ranks. In his role as Executive Chef, Laguatan oversees all culinary operations at the hotel, from the acclaimed Somerset restaurant to the Devereaux rooftop lounge.
“We are thrilled to have Chef Laguatan continue forward in his career at the Viceroy Chicago,” said General Manager Lindsay Inman.
“Since starting with Viceroy, his innovative and creative approach to cuisine, combined with his passion for using local and seasonal ingredients, have made him the perfect fit for our hotel. We are excited to see him grow within the family and look forward to the impact his strong leadership skills will bring to the culinary team and our guests’ experiences.”
A graduate of Kendall College’s prestigious culinary arts program, Chef Laguatan began his career at the Wyndham Glenview, where his passion for working in the kitchen was solidified. From there, he worked his way up to Sous Chef at The Pump Room by Jean Georges in the PUBLIC Hotel in Chicago. Soon after, he joined the team at Sepia, a Michelin starred restaurant in the West Loop, helping the establishment retain its 10th Michelin star. While at Sepia, Chef Laguatan launched innovative pop-ups with Chef Zubair Mohajir, offering a fine dining South Asian concept boasting a 100% Halal menu — a concept that has since grown into Wazwan, a brick-and-mortar restaurant in West Town.
“I am excited to delve into this new role with Viceroy Chicago and to lead the culinary team in creating memorable dining experience for our guests, and to showcase the best of Chicago’s culinary scene,” said Chef Laguatan.
Part of Viceroy Hotel Group’s prestigious Icon Collection, Viceroy Chicago has been consistently named among the top hotels within the market of Chicago and within the United States. Most recently, the hotel was included in the T+L 500 list for 2023. Viceroy Chicago was also featured as the #1 hotel in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards for both Best City Hotel in the Continental U.S. and Best Chicago City Hotel, as well as named Best Rooftop Bar in Chicago (Devereaux) by Condé Nast Traveler.
