Paradisus Resorts, Meliá Hotels International’s luxurious all-inclusive brand, which is expanding its portfolio mid-November with two new Mexican properties, Paradisus Playa del Carmen La Esmeralda and Paradisus Playa del Carmen La Perla, announces its brand-wide partnership with seven-star Michelin Chef Martin Berasategui. The alliance will introduce a unique concept by Chef Berasategui, whose eponymous restaurant in Lasarte-Oria, Spain is the recipient of three Michelin stars, to every Paradisus property starting with Playa del Carmen, where Passion by Martin Berasategui will open its doors on December 12, 2011.  The collaboration is part of the brand’s mission to continue offering guests an uncompromised level of quality and service in every aspect of its all-inclusive experience.

Located in the prestigious Playa del Carmen enclave on Mexico’s eastern Caribbean shore, the resorts, La Perla for adults-only and La Esmeralda for everyone, are poised to become the area’s finest all-inclusive properties and will also become the only all-inclusive hotels in the Americas to boast cuisine by a Michelin-starred chef.

“By partnering with a chef of prestigious caliber such as Martin Berasategui, we are elevating the Paradisus brand and guest experience to a very unique level, one that is traditionally not associated with all-inclusive resort properties,” said Bernard Wyss, Managing Director of Paradisus Playa del Carmen and Area Vice President for Paradisus Resorts. “This agreement also allows us to train and develop our kitchen and service staff at Berasategui’s Lasarte restaurant under his direct supervision. We believe that this partnership reinforces Paradisus’ commitment to providing our guests with an extraordinary food and beverage experience, one which exceeds what other properties in the region are offering.”

An innovator of Basque cuisine, Chef Berasategui is known for utilizing fresh seafood in his cuisine, which is light, extremely imaginative and crafted with masterful technique. He will bring to Paradisus Playa del Carmen a concept that elevates guest experiences and exceeds expectations by showcasing unprecedented flavor profiles to guest’s palates. The dishes and tasting menu at Passion by Martin Berasategui, where local seafood will play a starring role, will be designed for pairings featuring the resort’s most exquisite wines. Guests will be able to choose pairings from three separate wine lists that have been created exclusively for the restaurant. Passion by Martin Berasategui will be an adults-only gastronomic experience, serving dinner nightly and featuring indoor and outdoor seating. Guests who book Paradisus’ trademark Royal Service or Family Concierge upgrades will be invited to one complimentary dinner at Passion by Martin Berasategui during their stay, reservations required. Additional guests of Paradisus Playa del Carmen are welcome to experience the superb cuisine for a surcharge, giving them access to the restaurant’s a la carte menu or its tasting menu. Passion by Martin Berasategui will also be accessible to local residents and visitors.

“With this new venture, my first in North America, I wanted to create an elegant restaurant incorporating Caribbean flavors into my signature cuisine in addition to a showroom for my team’s service standards,” said Chef Martin Berasategui. “I am extremely proud to open Passion by Martin Berasategui in Mexico introducing my cuisine to a country, culture, and heritage I have the deepest respect for; it is a privilege.”

Passion by Martin Berasategui will be a fine dining restaurant that juxtaposes Chef Berasategui’s philosophy and style with the remarkable local ingredients of the Mexican Caribbean.  One of the world’s most accomplished chefs, Chef Berasategui started cooking in his teens, helping his mother and aunt in their family-owned eatery in San Sebastian, Spain. Training in France in addition to other unique culinary countries and cultures, influenced Chef Berasategui’s approach to service and techniques.

Today, Chef Berasategui leads the culinary direction at Lasarte y Loidi at the Hotel Condes in Barcelona, the MB Restaurant at the Abama Resort in Tenerife, the Santo by Martin Berasategui at the Eme Hotel in Seville, the DOMA at the Silken Gran Domine Hotel in Bilbao and the Martin restaurant in Shanghai. Passion by Martin Berasategui will become his first restaurant in the Americas.

To access all the latest information about the world’s major hotel companies via one mobile platform visit hotel.city.mobi/.