David Sanchez, former owner of Apatite Cafe in Bee Cave, has been hired as executive chef of Soleil Bar & Grill, a restaurant in the Oasis, Texas, development.

Sanchez is rolling out a new menu at Soleil Bar & Grill in January, moving the restaurant's fare from Mediterranean- and Italian-heavy offerings to include more international flavors, for what he deems "new-American" cuisine.

He said he will be bringing the same passion and creativity he had at Apatite to his new menu.

"The passion for the food and guest dining experience is really what I'm all about," Sanchez said. "I'll still be able to be out in the dining room talking to guests and interacting with them."

The new venue is much larger than Apatite, with views of Lake Travis, an indoor bar, several styles of seating indoors—from white tablecloths, to a more relaxed patio-style seating—and a large outdoor patio overlooking the lake.

"Soleil [Bar & Grill] is about the cuisine and the dining experience, with beautiful views to boot," Sanchez said.

While the menu will be easy to read, with many familiar items such as seafood, pasta and steaks, Sanchez said he will be adding "fun, creative twists to the food with the freshest ingredients available."

In addition to the menu, Sanchez has other plans that will eventually be introduced. He is considering adding a dgustation experience for diners looking for a more "foodie" experience. Dgustation is an offering of small tastings of the chef's most creative works—usually coming in several courses throughout an extended dining experience, often taking more than an hour or two at one sitting. He would offer the choice of having wine pairings to go along with the meals. Sanchez is also a sommelier and will be crafting, with the help of some wine experts he has befriended during his career, a new wine menu.

Sanchez said his staff at Apatite has been invited to join him in his new venture. Sanchez closed Apatite Cafe on Dec. 15 after about a year and a half of business.

Prior to opening Apatite, he was an executive chef for Vail Resorts Management Co. for many years in Vail, Colo.

Soleil, 6550 Comanche Trail, Austin, 266-0600, www.soleilaustin.com