When you are the executive chef at a high-profile convention hotel, it can be a challenge to consistently turn out delicious meals, due in part to the sheer volume of food that must be produced on a daily basis.

Some chefs might be tempted to sacrifice quality for quantity, but that is not the case with Grand Hyatt San Antonio’s Executive Chef Jeffrey Axell. Every single item that is served in Achiote River Café and Bar Rojo, as well as all the room service and banquet fare, is in keeping with not only the high standards of the hotel, but also with the high standards this seasoned chef demands of everything that leaves his kitchen.

When you have been with the same company for 28 years, you learn a thing or two about how to stay innovative and fresh. For Axell, working at 11 different Hyatt properties gave him a unique insight into the various flavors and techniques of different regions across the country.

“That is why I enjoy moving across the country because you can try all kinds of new and exciting cuisines and experience different cultures,” Axell says. “It has been a constant learning experience for me, and as a chef, it is what keeps you motivated.”

Axell grew up in the picturesque San Francisco Bay area and attended California Culinary Institute. Immediately after graduation, he began his 28-year career with the Hyatt Corporation, which took him all across the country (including a stint at the Hyatt Hill Country Resort) before landing him back in his hometown of San Francisco. Along the way, he worked as the sous chef at the Capital Square Hyatt in Columbus, Ohio, where he got to know that property’s general manager, Tom Netting. More than a decade later, Netting was tapped to be the managing director of a new property set to open in San Antonio that would feature a new concept in Hyatt restaurants. Netting knew which chef to call.

“When I got the call from Tom, I said ‘I’m there,’” recalls Axell, who was intrigued with the Latin-infusion concept of what is now the Achiote River Café and Bar. Working closely with the Hyatt corporate chef, Axell began to research the bold flavors of that region and to experiment with recipes, keeping everything as pure and fresh as possible.

“You have to let the foods speak for themselves,” Axell advises. “You can’t overcook them or prepare them with too many seasonings or heavy sauces.”

Growing up and working in San Fransisco, Axell had access to one of the best farmer’s markets in the country. And, even though it is not as abundant in the Alamo City, fresh produce and locally grown ingredients are Axell’s secret weapons.

“I enjoy using fresh local or farm-raised ingredients and incorporating them into my recipes on a seasonal basis,” says Axell, who counts on local suppliers from San Antonio and Austin to get him the best and freshest of what’s in season.

Seasonal ingredients are such an important part of Axell’s culinary arsenal that he is implanting a seasonal banquet menu to debut at the Grand Hyatt San Antonio in May. “It’s a great concept for Hyatt in general,” Axell says. “No one else is doing this unless it is a customized banquet menu, and that is something else entirely.”

The idea is to take off on the popular “farm-to-table” concept by offering spring, summer and winter menus that feature only those items that are fresh and in season during those months. Spring might find lamb on the menu, for example, while the summer menu could be ripe with stone fruits.

“It’s so different from the traditional banquet menu because those tend to feature traditional items rather than what’s seasonal,” he explains.

Always looking for new ways to freshen up old favorites, Axell has created interesting ways of presenting his creations that keep people coming back for more. His signature paella, served in Achiote, is made to order. Customers simply select the ingredients they want, and Axell prepares it to their specifications. “It has been a huge hit for us,” he says proudly.

Another huge hit is the new Sansei sushi menu that recently premiered at Bar Rojo on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights. While you might not think of sushi as fitting into the Latin theme of the hotel’s other offerings, Axell says the raw fish delicacy is actually wildly popular in Brazil.

“Sansei is actually a Japanese term that refers to third generation Japanese born in South America,” he explains. “With Sansei sushi, we take Latin American influences and meld it with the traditional sushi preparation of the Japanese culture.”

As with all of his creations, Axell once again keeps the focus on freshness, using regionally grown produce and infusing the sushi with products that are indigenous to South America, such as Palm Hearts and Jicama. To compliment the flavors, Axell created Aji Rojo Satsuma Soy, a signature spicy citrus soy sauce.

“This is not your typical sushi bar,” he laughs. “It’s a little out there.”

When he is not planning banquet menus, developing new recipes or scouring the country for the best seasonal ingredients, Axell can be found tending his own backyard garden, where he and his family grow their own herbs and vegetables. They incorporate the ingredients into their own recipes that consist mostly of what Axell refers to as “comfort food.” The chef and his family can often be found dining on braised steak, homemade gravy and homemade mashed potatoes.

“We make almost everything from scratch,” he boasts.

Even Axell’s three children, two daughters and a son ages 14 to 19, enjoy getting in on the act. One even appears to be following in her father’s footsteps.

“My 17-year-old daughter loves cooking with me,” he says with pride. “She has even enrolled in the culinary program at her high school.”

His children and their enthusiasm inspire the chef, as do the Hyatt customers and his fellow employees. The open kitchen in the center of Achiote invites chef/customer interaction, and when he isn’t cooking, Axell is stopping by tables and interacting with diners. It is just one way this chef, who is so committed to freshness, keeps from getting stale.

“I want feedback,” he says sincerely. “It helps us to continue to move forward and constantly better ourselves.”

About Grand Hyatt San Antonio: Grand Hyatt San Antonio is a premier destination in the heart of downtown. For more information on Grand Hyatt San Antonio, Achiote River Café or Bar Rojo, please call 210-224-1234, or visit http://grandsanantonio.hyatt.com, www.achioterivercafe.com or www.barrojosa.com.