Marco Island Yacht Club Welcomes New Chef

Marco Island Yacht Club has hired Loren Cogswell as Executive Chef and Beverage Manager.  

"We're pleased to welcome Chef Loren to the Marco Island Yacht Club family.  His background and experience are extraordinary, and he will be an important contributor as we open the new Clubhouse this fall. Loren and the rest of our staff are excited to leverage our newly renovated facility to create an exceptional experience for our members and guests," commented Chairman Dave Everitt.  General Manager Missy Duffy adds, “We are thrilled to have chef Loren Cogswell join our team here at MIYC. His reputation precedes him; we know he will bring his exceptional creativity and skills to our new clubhouse. We are excited about this upcoming season and look forward to many seasons with Chef Loren! “ 

With more than 17 yearsof experience working in fine dining and upscale restaurants in the Cayman Islands and Naples, FL, Chef Cogswell brings a unique culinary perspective and blend of flavors to the Club. Graduating with a BS in Aquatic Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, he soon discovered he wasn’t loving the work.  Loren cooked for friends and roommates during college and found his passion for the culinary arts. He left his current job and decided to pursue his passion, so he enrolled in the California Culinary Academy.Loren graduated at the top of his class. He worked at a Premier restaurant in Grand Cayman for a 3 Michelin Star Chef, was the Chef de Cuisine at the Ritz Carlton in Naples, helped owner and Executive Chef Petar Al Kurdi open Petar’s Restaurant in Bonita Springs, and most recently was the Executive Chef at the Island Country Club on Marco Island.   

Loren was attracted to MIYC due to its size, location, and collaborative team. After meeting everyone and feeling welcomed from the beginning, he looks forward to the Club's reopening, sharing his talents for fine dining, and hearing from members about the menus and their favorite dishes.  

“I look forward to working with the team and bringing my style and the flavors I’ve developed over the years to MIYC. A Club differs from a restaurant in that I can appreciate receiving direct feedback from members. I look forward to making the Club a culinary destination for the members and guests.” 

Cogswell will join current Chef de Cuisine Mark Goldhammer and cooks Brandon and Eric Clark. Together, they will create the new menus for when the Clubhouse reopens after the renovation.