New Leadership at Philadelphia Fine Dining Destination The Rittenhouse Hotel has appointed Joshua Quintana as Chef de Cuisine of Lacroix, its AAA Four Diamond signature restaurant overlooking Rittenhouse Square. Quintana will oversee kitchen operations, staff development, menu execution, and culinary standards at the restaurant, which has shaped Philadelphia's culinary scene since 1994. Quintana brings over 15 years of professional kitchen experience across Philadelphia and beyond. Most recently, he served as Executive Sous Chef at Fork, part of High Street Hospitality Group, where he developed seasonal modern American menus and managed daily kitchen operations. He has also held Executive Chef positions with Schulson Collective, Constellation Culinary Group in Philadelphia, and Rat's Restaurant at Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton Township, New Jersey. Earlier in his career, he developed seasonal rotating menus and created the opening menu for The Study at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore while working with The Study Hotels.
Menu Direction and Sourcing Strategy "My vision for Lacroix is to continue honoring its legacy while evolving the dining experience through thoughtful, seasonal, ingredient-driven cuisine," said Joshua Quintana, Chef de Cuisine of Lacroix. "The goal is to create a menu that showcases my Puerto Rican heritage through French techniques while remaining timeless and unmistakably Lacroix." At Lacroix, Quintana will evolve the menu seasonally while making whole-animal butchery central to his approach. He plans to collaborate with regional growers, artisans, and purveyors to source produce from farms throughout New Jersey and Lancaster, emphasizing the tri-state area's agricultural community. Quintana's expertise spans classical French technique, butchery, dry aging, wood-fire cooking, banquet operations, and seasonal menu development. Throughout his career, he has created menus for multiple dining outlets and catering programs, designed multicourse tasting menus for special events, and led ticketed cooking classes.
Why It Matters
Lacroix's shift to a chef-driven seasonal model with emphasis on whole-animal butchery and regional sourcing reflects broader fine-dining trends toward transparency and ingredient storytelling. For operators, Quintana's appointment signals the restaurant's commitment to evolving its modern French positioning while maintaining its Four Diamond status—a balance that increasingly defines competitive luxury dining in major metropolitan markets.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors
