Ameristar St. Charles Names Don Yamauchi, Executive Chef

ST. CHARLES, Mo., Feb. 02, 2016 -- Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles today announced that Don Yamauchi has been appointed Executive Chef and will oversee the culinary operations of its seven award-winning dining venues.  Chef Yamauchi joins Ameristar from Pinnacle Entertainment’s Belterra Park Gaming & Entertainment Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

One of the nation’s most honored and beloved chefs, Yamauchi was named in the "Top Ten New Chefs in America" by Food & Wine Magazine and the “Top Five Rising Chefs in America” by the James Beard Society.  A native Chicagoan, Yamauchi has held top positions in some of the Midwest’s finest restaurants including Carlos’ Restaurant in Highwood, Illinois, Gordon Restaurant in Chicago, Le Francais in Wheeling, Illinois, Tribute in Farmington Hills, Michigan, Forte in Birmingham, Michigan and Saltwater in Detroit.

Yamauchi blends his classic French culinary training with Asian-inspired flavors to craft innovative and inspired dishes that are all his own. His fresh take on upscale comfort-inspired foods has earned him notoriety among such influential publications as Chicago Magazine, Chicago Tribune, and Food and Wine Magazine.

“We are thrilled to announce Chef Don in his new role as executive chef at Ameristar St. Charles,” said Ward Shaw, Vice President & General Manager. “He is renowned as one of the most imaginative chefs in the Midwest, and Yamauchi will be leading an extremely talented team of culinarians.  We are excited for him to continue the recent momentum at our Ameristar outlets.  Our team has been creating new, innovative dishes and concepts, and we have many plans to continue that into 2016.  This plays directly into Chef Don’s strengths, and he will undoubtedly help cement Ameristar as a culinary destination.”

Yamauchi holds a Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts from Kendall College, Chicago.

About Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles
Located just west of Lambert-St. Louis International Airport in historic St. Charles, Missouri, Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles offers an exceptional gaming and entertainment experience in the St. Louis metropolitan area. The property features a 130,000-square-foot award-winning casino, AAA Four Diamond full-service luxury suite hotel with 400 well-appointed rooms, an indoor-outdoor pool; seven dining venues, 12 bars, an entertainment venue, a full-service luxury day spa and a 20,000-square-foot conference center. Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles is located at One Ameristar Boulevard, St. Charles, MO 63301. Call us at 636-949-7777 or visit www.ameristar.com/st-charles for more information.

Contact:

Roxann M. Kinkade, APR
Director of Public Relations
P 816-414-7007 |C 816-719-9494| [email protected]