Santa Fe, NM - June 8, 2007 - Eldorado Hotel & Spa is pleased to announce Brian Cooper as the new chef de cuisine at the award-winning The Old House restaurant. A seasoned chef with 21 years of experience, Cooper specializes in southwestern and Mediterranean cuisine making him the perfect addition to the culinary team at this Santa Fe four-diamond eatery. He will work under the guidance of Charles Kassels, Eldorado Hotel & Spa's executive chef, who will continue directing the culinary teams at the hotel.

"I'm thrilled and honored to join the team of this famed restaurant," says Cooper. "The Old House fosters a culture where the front and the back of the house work together as one team, which is my culinary cardinal rule."

Cooper honed his southwest culinary skills and quickly climbed the ranks throughout his nearly two-decade tenure at various Arizona eateries and highly acclaimed hotel restaurants. His most recent position was executive sous chef at LON's at The Hermosa Inn, a four-diamond property, where he was responsible for banquets, wine cellar dinners and developing menu specials. Prior to that, Cooper was restaurant sous chef at T. Cook's, at Royal Palms Resort and Spa. During Cooper's reign at T. Cook's, the eatery was awarded the number one restaurant in Phoenix/Scarsdale by Food & Wine magazine. Cooper has catered various events throughout his career such as Lisa Murkowski's Senator Fund Raiser, International Society of Food and Wine Dinner and participated in three James Beard Foundation charity dinners.

Cooper has been honored with many accolades throughout the years, including Hospitality Employee of the Year for the State of Arizona in 2000. He received an Associates Degree from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute. A chef by trade, Cooper's passion extends beyond the kitchen and into the depths of the sea, as he is a certified scuba diver.

For further information, please visit www.eldoradohotel.com or call (800) 955-4455.

Santa Fe's premier four-diamond luxury hotel, the Eldorado Hotel & Spa is located next to the historic Santa Fe Plaza. The hotel is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the ultimate luxury collection featuring more than 150 exceptional hotels and resorts in the most desirable locations around the world. All 219 lavish non-smoking guestrooms boast 32" flat-screen HD-compatible televisions, terry-cloth bathrobes; a hairdryer; an iron and an ironing board; a workstation with task light, a cordless phone with voicemail and high-speed internet access; overstuffed easy chair paired with a reading lamp and tables; a remote-control color television with in-room movies; a refrigerated mini-honor bar, and twice daily maid services. Deluxe rooms, in addition to offering more space, feature 37" flat-screen HD-compatible televisions, a wood-burning kiva fireplace and shared terrace. Junior and one-bedroom suites are also available as well as a 2,000 square foot Presidential Suite. For dining, the Eldorado Hotel & Spa's The Old House is New Mexico's original four-diamond restaurant. The famed eatery serves up contemporary global cuisine with a regional flare. The Eldorado Court & Lounge offers a casual and comfortable environment for breakfast and lunch and is a perfect spot for evening drinks and entertainment. The hotel also features 20,000 square feet of meeting and function space, including Santa Fe's largest ballroom, a rooftop pool and whirlpool, and a business center. The 4,300 square foot posh Nidah Spa features seven treatment rooms and offers a bevy of relaxing and rejuvenating treatments. Eldorado Hotel & Spa ranked in Condé Nast Traveler's 2006 Gold List of world's best hotels as readers selected it as one of New Mexico's premier hotels. Santa Fe is known for its superb restaurants, southwestern shops and chic art galleries, which generate approximately $200 million yearly, making it the second largest art seller in North America.