Sedona, AZ — There’s a new culinary force leading the kitchen at Ambiente in Sedona, North America’s first landscape hotel and Arizona’s only Two MICHELIN Key property.
Chef Kyle Rhodes has taken the helm as executive chef, overseeing Ambiente’s culinary programming at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Forty1. Situated in the heart of the property, Forty1 offers a seasonal, ingredient-driven menu that highlights organic and locally sourced produce from the surrounding Verde Valley. Chef Rhodes brings more than a decade of experience, including time at award-winning restaurants and luxury resorts, and is focused on delivering an elevated, place-driven dining experience.
As executive chef at Ambiente in Sedona, Arizona, Kyle Rhodes leads the culinary vision for one of the region’s most distinctive hospitality experiences. At the hotel’s signature restaurant, Forty1, he creates ingredient-driven, seasonal menus that highlight the organic bounty of Arizona’s Verde Valley. With over a decade of experience in both fine dining and large-scale operations, Chef Kyle brings thoughtful creativity, technical precision and a strong sense of place to every dish he serves.Chef Kyle’s culinary journey began early, inspired by his stepmother’s love for cooking. By 16, he was already working professionally at Bernard’s Surf in Cocoa Beach, Florida. After earning his degree from Keiser University’s culinary program, he rose quickly through the ranks at Walt Disney World’s Vero Beach Resort. He later held leadership roles at Dogfish Head Brewery in Delaware and at Disney Springs, before joining Norman Van Aken’s team at Norman’s Orlando. There, he contributed to the restaurant’s recognition as a James Beard Foundation Semi-Finalist in 2019 and returned years later to help earn accolades from Southern Living Magazine and Orlando Magazine.
Throughout his career, Chef Kyle has led culinary operations at high-profile resorts, including Atlantis in the Bahamas and the Westin Savannah Harbor, and played a key role in launching the Swan Reserve at Walt Disney World. Now at Ambiente, he brings together this diverse experience to offer a refined, yet grounded dining experience rooted in the region’s landscape.
When not in the kitchen, Chef Kyle enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and three dogs, playing golf, gardening, fishing or relaxing on the beach.
