Meet our chefs

Naveesh Laul, Director of Food & Beverage 

Born in New Delhi, India, Naveesh Laul always wanted to become a doctor and even gave it a shot. But destiny brought him to the world of culinary operations after joining the prestigious Institute of Hotel Management in Pusa, New Delhi. Laul, won multiple national level culinary competitions while representing the university, and after graduating, he was selected by the reputed The Taj Group of Hotels, Resorts and Palaces to join their Taj Management Training Program. Through this program, Chef Naveesh trained in some of the best 5 diamond French fine dining restaurants in the country including The Orient Express at Taj Palace New Delhi and Chambers at The Taj Mahal Palace and Towers Mumbai to name a few.

After completing the program, Chef Naveesh joined the team at Graze at The Taj MG Road Bangalore where he honed his skills in Avant Garde Modern European cuisine. Laul moved up the ladder quickly and became Chef de Cuisine for Vista Restaurant at Taj Lands End Hotel, Mumbai where he served many bureaucrats and Bollywood celebrities. Over the next several years, Chef Naveesh joined the iconic Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi heading the kitchens for Machan, Emperor Lounge and Ricks bar before getting promoted to lead the team for seven restaurants and banqueting operations at The Taj Bengal Hotel, Kolkata as their Executive Sous Chef. There he served many presidential diplomats and famous figures like Pelé, Ban-ki-moon and the Dalai Lama, to name a few.

In 2016, after being with the Taj Hotels for close to 11 years, Chef Naveesh moved to The United States and joined the team at Omni Fort Worth Hotel as Executive Sous Chef and was promoted in 2019 to executive chef. In January 2024, Naveesh was named as Director of Food and Beverage operations of Omni Fort Worth. In his spare time, Chef Naveesh enjoys reading culinary books and journals and is also a Sahaja Yoga Meditation Instructor at the Fort Worth Library.

Chef Naveesh has been an active participant in Fort Worth’s ever-growing culinary community and has been selected for two years in a row to participate in the Colonial Culinary Classic, an event sponsored by the James Beard Foundation showcasing his talents alongside the city’s top chefs at this prestigious culinary event.

With over 19 years of Food and Beverage experience, he helms our Food and Beverage Division as Executive committee member and provides mentorship and support to our leaders in Culinary, Banquets, Restaurants & Bars, Retail and Stewarding departments.

Andres Meraz - Executive Sous Chef

Andres Meraz was born and raised in the Bay Area, California. At a young age he started working in his grandparents Mexican Restaurant in Oakland. After finishing High School, he decided he wanted to be Chef and graduated from the California Culinary Academy in 2004 with an Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts. 

Andres spent a few years working at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay training under Xavier Salomon, Maitres Cuisiniers de France (French Master Chef). Later, he spent a year in Akelarre Restaurant in San Sebastián, Spain, a 3 Michelin star restaurant ranked #63 Best Restaurants in the World. 

Andres then became the opening Sous Chef for the St.Regis in Bal Harbour, Florida, at a Jean George concept restaurant before returning to the Ritz Carlton as Chef De Cuisine in South Beach. 

Andres and his wife moved to Texas and opened their own restaurant, Boca 31, in three locations (Denton, Keller and Fort Worth). When a major fire occurred in the Denton location, they decided to close the remaining restaurants.

In May 2024, Andres was hired as the Executive Sous Chef at Omni Fort Worth Hotel.

Chad William - Pastry Sous Chef

Born and raised in Dallas, TX, Chad started her career in 2012 at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel with 1,830 rooms and banquets serving up to 3,000 people. During this time, she attended Le Cordon Bleu – Dallas where she obtained a Bachelors in Patisserie and Baking.

Four years later, she joined the re-opening team at the Adolphus Hotel, Autograph Collection working under Executive Pastry Chef Eric Burrell. As the Pastry Supervisor, she over saw desserts at City Hall Bistro, Pastries at Otto’s Coffee and mignardise at the French Room.

Chad later joined forces with her former Pastry Jr. Sous Cristal Gonzles, now Pastry Chef, to open the Virgin Hotel Dallas in 2019. There she oversaw banquets, desserts at Common’s Club and Pastries at the Funny Library.