PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla — PGA National Resort and Spa has just undergone a stunning and extensive $100 million transformation that includes two new restaurants each with a celebrity chef.
"We're so excited to unveil our $100 million transformation," said
PGA National Resort's managing director Patrick Borphy.
The bar, once pushed off to the side, demands attention in the center of the lobby, fully upgraded guest rooms, two new golf courses, and two signature resaurants with two celebrity chefs.
"The butcher's club is kind of a modern take on a steakhouse," said Chef Jeremy Ford.
Ford wanted something different, so he did his research, "[The Buther's Club is] everything that I didn't like about other [steakhouses]. I tried to improve and make a little bit better here at the Butcher's Club."
Ford's busy managing his other restaurant on South Beach as well but said adding a location so close is manageable, "I think Palm Beach Gardens was like it was close enough to still be in my backyard."
Chef Lindsay Autry, known for her North Carolina southern cooking at the Regional in West Palm is showing off a new side.
"Honeybelle is a little bit more of the Florida side of me, I guess even though I've never considered myself a Floridian," said Autry.
But now, after 13 years in the sunshine state, she is embracing the culture.
The venue looks like a great place to relaunch the Golden Girls sitcom.
"I think that's one of the reasons I love the design so much is that it does remind me of Golden Girls," Autry said.
Honeybelle is downstairs at a spot most people didn't even know existed.
"I think for a long time this space was known as the place they serve breakfast," said Autry. Now the location will be open for lunch and dinner too.
Honeybelle will open to the public on March 7, and the new spa should open by the end of March.