Khalid Benghallem who served as chef de cuisine for Caribe Royale and its estimable signature restaurant, the Venetian Room, has resigned. He is returning to his native Morocco to tend to his ailing mother. The news comes at the same time as the announcement that the restaurant has been award the AAA Four Diamond rating for the 10th consecutive year.

Benghallem opened the Venetian Room in 2002 and quickly made it one of the area’s most popular fining dining destinations. Prior to joining Caribe Royale, he was chef de cuisine at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin and executive chef of Shula’s Steakhouse. He was also a sous chef for the opening of Emeril’s Orlando.

Benghallem is a talented chef and his leaving is a loss for the area’s culinary community. A spokeswoman for the resort said that although he will be missed he had a “terrific team supporting him, and they remain in place, so the restaurant is still running smoothly.”

 {jcomments off}