Omni Frisco Hotel Appoints New Food and Beverage Leaders

Executive Chef Named for New Luxury Hotel; General Manager Appointed for Neighborhood Services

FRISCO, Texas (January 17, 2017) – Omni Hotels & Resorts announced today new leadership appointments for Omni Frisco Hotel. Michael Salerno will serve as general manager for Neighborhood Services overseeing all financial, managerial, and operational aspects of the American fare dining establishment. Richard Blankenship was named as executive chef and will oversee the hotel’s culinary endeavors for Neighborhood Services, the hotel’s rooftop pool bar and grill, in-room dining, banquets and catering.

A north Texas native, Salerno brings more than 10 years of leadership experience in food and beverage to the Omni Frisco Hotel. He joins Omni from his role as general manager for Neighborhood Services in Addison, Texas. Prior to that, he served in assistant general manager positions for Fireside Pies in Plano, Texas, The Front Room at Hotel Lumen in Highland Park, Texas, and Salerno’s Restaurant in Flower Mound, Texas.  

Also deep rooted in the north Texas food scene, Chef Richard Blankenship brings nearly 10 years of expertise in creating upscale culinary experiences for patrons in Dallas. He joins the luxurious Frisco hotel from his role as executive chef for CBD Provisions at the Joule Hotel where he secured top ratings for the restaurant from the city’s regional newspaper. Before that, Blankenship was executive chef for Nick & Sam’s Grill. His culinary career started at Charlie Palmer Group where he worked his way up to executive sous chef. Chef Blankenship honed his skills at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.

“We aim to tie in each of the communities we serve to provide local flavor for our guests, and this is a great example of excellent local talent that’s coming to us from prestigious Dallas restaurants,” said Jeff Smith, general manager for the Omni Frisco Hotel. “With Michael and Chef Richard leading our culinary offerings, guests will be sure to enjoy an unforgettable, upscale Dallas dining experience.”

The luxurious 16-story Omni Frisco Hotel, set to open in June 2017, will serve as the  cornerstone hotel of The Star development, which is anchored by the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and the Ford Center. The hotel will showcase 300-finely appointed guest rooms and suites, and 24,000 square feet of meeting space, inclusive of a 13,000-square foot ballroom. The Omni Frisco Hotel, in conjunction with the Dallas Cowboys, also offers planners and attendees access to additional meeting and exhibit space in the Ford Center, as well as events on the plaza. Guests may enjoy Neighborhood Services, a lobby coffee and wine bar, and a rooftop pool bar and grill. The hotel will also have a luxury retail outlet featuring unique finds made by local designers as well as artwork including sketches of Cowboys Ring of Honor inductees. Situated on the fourth floor, the rooftop pool and deck can accommodate 300 to 400 guests and has stunning views of the plaza and the Ford Center. 

To book a group meeting or event, visit omnihotels.com/frisco or contact Gayla Guyse at gguyse@omnihotels.com. For more information on other property offers, guests may visit omnihotels.com or call 1-800-The-Omni. Travelers or media can also follow Omni at Facebook.com/OmniHotels and Twitter.com/OmniHotels.

About Omni Hotels & Resorts
Omni Hotels & Resorts creates genuine, authentic guest experiences at 60 distinct luxury hotels and resorts in leading business gateways and leisure destinations across North America. With over 20 world-class golf courses and award-winning spa retreats, to dynamic business settings, each Omni showcases the local flavor of the destination while featuring four-diamond services, signature restaurants, Wi-Fi connectivity and unique wellness options.  Known for its distinguished, personalized service, Omni leaves a lasting impression with every customer interaction, with a heightened level of recognition and rewards delivered through its Select Guest loyalty program and the company’s “Power of One” associate empowerment program. The brand is frequently recognized by top consumer research organizations and travel publications and was ranked “Highest in Upper-Upscale Segment Guest Satisfaction” in the J.D. Power 2016 North American Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study^SM. As a founding member of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), Omni’s loyalty program is further expanded through the DISCOVERY^® loyalty program offering members additional global benefits. Committed to reducing hunger, Omni is on a mission through its Say Goodnight to Hunger initiative to help provide more than 18.2 million meals each year for food banks to feed children, families and seniors in communities in which it operates. To get additional information or book accommodations, visit omnihotels.com or call 1-800-The-Omni.