Join The Chapel C lub to receive exclusive offers!

PRESS
KIT
Join The Chapel Club to receive exclusive offers!
chapelgrill.com
811 7th Street South | 239-206-4310
(Corner of 7th Ave. S. & 8th St | Across from Cambier Park)
CHAPEL GRILL FACTS:
ADDRESS
811 7th Avenue South
Naples, FL 34102
(Corner of 7th Ave. South and 8th St. | Across from Cambier Park next to City Hall)
www.chapelgrill.com
239.206.4310
ABOUT US
The First Baptist Church is a 65-year-old Naples landmark being restored to its original glory. The church, which once
rung with the voice of famed evangelist Billy Graham, is being renovated and refashioned into what, will be one of
Naples newest dining spots.
The original congregation relocated in 1975, and the building has sat dark for the past few years. We will reopen in
the fall as The Chapel Grill, specializing in fresh local seafood and specialty steaks of the highest quality.
Our casual dining restaurant will have a full bar, indoor and outdoor seating, private dining, and valet parking. With a
list of fun specialty cocktails along with silky smooth wine offerings it is love at first sip. Join us in the fall for a truly
inspiring dining experience that will feel like a little bit of Heaven right here in Paradise.
DINING HOURS – Open 7 days a week
Monday thru Saturday: 5pm-Close
Sunday Brunch: 10am-2pm
The Chapel Tavern is open for cocktails and light food offerings from 4pm until close on weekdays, and until 2am on
weekends.
SOCIAL MEDIA
www.thechapelgrill.com
Facebook: .facebook.com/thechapelgrill
WINE CLUB FOR CHARITY
At The Chapel Grill, we are offering diners the chance to participate in our new and exclusive 811 Wine Club. Here's
how it works…
The first time you purchase a single bottle* for $250 or more, you will be initiated into the Wine Club. After you sign
the bottle you selected, it will be displayed in the front foyer on a special wine rack. We will donate $100 of the
proceeds from each Wine Club bottle purchased to a designated charity, and at the end of the year, at a special dinner
for all of the Wine Club members, we will present the check from our donations to the charity we have chosen.
There are 66 membership spots available, and they will turn over annually. So come in to reserve your spot soon, and
support a good cause with your purchase!
*Excluding Magnums, Big Champagnes, and Turleys
STAFF BIOGRAPHIES:
JORGE NOLASCO
Jorge Nolasco is head chef and passionate foodie at Chapel Grill.
Nolasco’s passion for food was born during an internship as a line cook, where fell in
love with the kitchen. He became the Executive Chef of The Edge Water Beach Hotel
during the golden age of the Crystal Parrot, from 2000-2005. From there he moved
on to be Executive Chef at the Plantation Club at the Dunes, where numerous
fundraisers were held to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina and support the work of
Homes for Humanity, an organization building homes in Jamaica. After holding the
position for a year and a half, Nolasco accepted the position of Executive Chef at the
Quarry, where he oversaw the building of its two clubhouses and assisted in events
such as The Ace Group Classic of 2010 and 2011.
As head chef at the Chapel Grill, Nolasco has crafted a style of cuisine he calls Floribbean Cuisine – a mixture of
Caribbean food paying homage to his Dominican Republic roots, and Florida food in the form of the freshest local
produce and seafood available, all with his unique and classical twist.
Nolasco looks forward to welcoming guests to the Chapel Grill to try his innovative cuisine and enjoy the ambiance of
the restaurant after its grand opening in November.
STEPHEN FLESICHER
Stephen Fleischer is owner and founder of the Chapel Grill, and purchaser of the
historic church building that now houses the restaurant.
Originally from New York City, Flesicher worked in insurance for thirty years before
setting his sights on Naples, Florida. He became a permanent Naples resident in
2005, and moved out of retirement to open his first restaurant, Trilogy, in 2007.
When Fleischer saw that a local landmark church was up for sale in 2010, he felt
called to save the building and repurpose it. Fleischer bought the building on June 8th
2011, and created the Chapel Grill: a casual, high-end restaurant offering a fine
dining experience in an affordable and relaxed venue.
Fleischer brings his years of business skills and restaurant experience to the Chapel
Grill, and looks forward to welcoming customers to a unique dining experience when
the restaurant opens in November. He is married with one son, currently attending
Loyola University.
J. BRUBAKER TUCKER
J. Brubaker “Bru” Tucker is the Event Coordinator and Private Dining Manager for
the Chapel Grill, specializing in helping guests coordinate any and all private dining
needs.
Tucker began his career in hospitality over 30 years ago as the Assistant to the
Director of Special Events at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., where
he executed events for national museum openings, members of congress, and
foreign dignitaries.
His love of hospitality has taken him everywhere from Aspen, CO to Atlanta, GA, and
provided him with the opportunity to work in some of today’s finest restaurants and
nightclubs. Tucker has extensive experience planning and producing weddings,
dinner parties, business meetings, and a wide variety of formal and casual events,
catering to each client’s particular preferences.
In his new position at the Chapel grill, Tucker will assist customers in creating the perfect venue and atmosphere for
their event, as well as choosing the best menu for their taste and budget.
From private luncheons to special dinners, Tucker looks forward to providing the best experience and highest
standards for each customer’s dining needs.
HISTORY
Stephen Fleischer, owner and founder of the Chapel Grill, was not actively looking to open a new restaurant when he
came across the historic church building along 7th Avenue in Naples, Florida. But the First Baptist Church was up for
sale, and Fleischer felt called to save the local landmark, so he purchased it in June of 2011 and converted into the
restaurant it is today.
Although the church now serves a different purpose, Fleischer says he wanted to retain the original structure and
design of the building, and his renovations reflect that wish. The building façade remains unchanged, and visitors to
the restaurant will find themselves dining under beautiful vaulted ceilings left intact. They will also see a plaque
commemorating the building to the parents of Mr. & Mrs. William Y. Hutchinson, which was discovered on the church
during the building process. The plaque was briefly removed during renovations, and is now reinstalled in the
restaurant.
Fleischer and his team were able to locate the Hutchinsons
mentioned on the plaque near the Naples area, and were
saddened by the news of Mr. Hutchinson’s passing back in
2006. The couple was well-beloved in their Chicago community;
through their business and local endeavors, as well as the
Hutchinson Scholarship program for eligible students, William
and Winifred made a wonderful impact in the lives of others
around them. Winifred Hutchinson resides in Pelican Bay, and
the Chapel Grill will be rededicated to her when it opens.
In addition to the plaque on the church, the Hutchinsons also have a sculpture on display at the Naples Museum of Art.
Fleischer and his staff at the Chapel Grill are honored to be caretakers of the historic Baptist Church property, and look
forward to sharing their love of the building with guests who come to dine at the restaurant.
RECENT MEDIA:
November 15, 2011: Naples News, “Restoring the past: Businessman hopes to convert historic Naples
church to restaurant”
November 22, 2011: Naples News, “Editorial: give something to get something downtown”
December 1, 2011:
Florida Weekly, “Strike a holiday pose in front of an historic ‘place that matters’”
December 7, 2011:
Naples News, “Naples City Council Notebook”
February 15, 2012:
Naples News, “In the Know”
June 10, 2012:
Naples News, “As good as it once was Naples landmarks getting makeovers”
October 8, 2012:
Naples News, “Photo Gallery: The Chapel Grill”
October 10, 2012:
Naples News, “In the Know”