Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi Names James Beard Semifinalist Cristian Pontiggia Executive Chef

Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi named Chef Cristian Pontiggia its new Executive Chef in May 2025, bringing in a genuinely decorated figure from Santa Fe's own dining scene. Pontiggia was a 2025 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Southwest, recognition earned for his work at Sassella, the Santa Fe Italian fine-dining restaurant he co-founded in 2019.

His résumé extends further still: Pontiggia was named Chef of the Year by the American Culinary Federation in 2022 and by the New Mexico Restaurant Association in 2023, a run of consecutive regional honors that made him one of the most closely watched chefs in the Southwest before he ever joined Rosewood.

For a hotel whose name and design already draw directly on Ancestral Puebloan and Southwestern tradition, having a chef with this specific a connection to Santa Fe's culinary identity gives Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi a kitchen that matches the depth of its setting.

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