In this ongoing quest to provide an excellent culinary experience for park guests, Delaware North Companies has recently named two accredited culinarians to top posts at The Ahwahnee: Percy Whatley as Executive Chef and Kees Thuys as Executive Pastry Chef. In addition, Delaware North proudly announces that Michael Gover, Yosemite Lodge at the Falls� Executive Chef, has recently earned the professional certification of Chef de Cuisine by the American Culinary Federation.

Percy S. Whatley CCC, Executive Chef of The Ahwahnee
Percy Whatley has been appointed to the prestigious post of Executive Chef for Yosemite�s world-famous, historic national landmark hotel, The Ahwahnee. Whatley oversees a culinary staff of 60 responsible for preparing an average 1,500 meals per day for The Ahwahnee Dining Room, The Ahwahnee Bar, room service, banquets and special functions. His responsibilities include menu development, kitchen operations and food production in addition to managing specialized culinary events such as the annual Vintners� Holidays and Chefs� Holidays programs, Bracebridge Dinner series and New Year�s Eve Dinner Dance.

The promotion to Executive Chef caps an impressive culinary background that includes numerous positions within Yosemite, beginning in 1989 as a cook at the Curry Village Pizza Deck. For the next 17 years, he held a variety of positions including Manager of White Wolf Lodge, Lead Line Cook, Executive Sous Chef and Food & Beverage Manager for The Ahwahnee and Executive Chef at the Wawona Hotel.

Whatley took two brief departures from Yosemite to pursue educational degrees including an Associates of Science degree in Business Management from The College of the Redwoods in Eureka, California and graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York. In 2002, he earned the distinguished Certified Chef de Cuisine accreditation through the American Culinary Federation.

Cornelius J. (Kees) Thuys, Executive Pastry Chef of The Ahwahnee
Kees Thuys has been appointed as Executive Pastry Chef of The Ahwahnee, responsible for all baked goods, pastry and desserts for the national landmark hotel.

Most recently of The Wigwam Resort and Golf Club in Arizona, Thuys brings more than 23 years professional experience to the position including serving as Executive Pastry Chef of The Sagamore Resort in New York, Hotel Dupont in Delaware and Caesar�s Palace in Atlantic City. His background also includes several years pursuing work experience abroad in some of Holland and Switzerland�s most discriminating bakeries, hotels and palaces.

Thuys holds a Masters degree in Pastry from St. Nicholas Pastry School in Amsterdam and has completed numerous continuing education courses in New Jersey and Delaware. He is fluent in Dutch, German and English.

Michael Gover CCC, Executive Chef of Yosemite Lodge at The Falls
Michael Gover has successfully earned the respected Certified Chef de Cuisine (CCC) accreditation from the American Culinary Federation (ACF). This designation follows 30 hours of coursework study in the areas of sanitation, nutrition and supervisory management, plus the successful completion of a 100-question written exam in one hour, and a three hour official ACF practical exam conducted in the ACF sanctioned laboratory kitchen at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley.

The Chef de Cuisine certification is awarded for five years and must be renewed by providing documentation of required continuing education including nutrition, sanitation and supervisory management.

Established in 1929, the ACF operates the only comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States. With an organizational mission to �make a positive difference for culinarians through education, apprenticeship and certification,� the ACF has certified more than 20,000 chefs since 1973.

The Ahwahnee and Yosemite Lodge at the Falls are operated by Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, an affiliate of Delaware North Companies and the authorized National Park Service concessionaire overseeing lodging, dining, guest recreation, retail and transportation for Yosemite�s 3.5 million annual visitors. Reservations and further information may be obtained online at www.YosemitePark.com or by calling 559-253-5676.

About Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts
Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, a subsidiary of Delaware North Companies, is a leading hospitality provider with significant experience in hotel, retail, food service, recreation and transportation operations. The company�s portfolio includes some of the unique properties in North America, including Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex; Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Sequoia and Yellowstone national parks; Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite; Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa near Vancouver, British Columbia; Old Town San Diego State Historic Park; Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds; Niagara Falls State Park; Jones Beach State Park; Deer Creek Resort & Conference Center, the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia and Denver; The Lodge & Conference Center at Geneva State Park, Ohio; and The BALSAMS Grand Resort Hotel.

About Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is one of the world�s leading hospitality and food service providers. Its family of companies includes Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment, Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services, Delaware North Companies Sportservice, Delaware North Companies International, TD Banknorth Garden, Delta Queen Steamboat Company, and American Park �n Swap. Delaware North Companies is one of the largest privately held companies in the United States with revenues approaching $2 billion annually and 40,000 associates serving half a billion customers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.DelawareNorth.com.
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Media Contact:
Kenneth R. Karst
209-372-1445

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