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Naples-The famous southwestern Florida chef and entrepreneur Brian Roland was seriously injured in what a close friend described as a "strange and weird accident."

Roland and his wife Nicole co-own Crave Culinaire, a Bonita Springs catering company, and he was trapped under the freight elevator platform of a Ferrari dealership in Naples at No. 41 in Naples on December 4th. Roland participated in the Saturday night event. According to an accident report from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, the accident occurred at approximately 9:30 pm. The report stated that Roland "was rescued from under the elevator and was taken to Lee Memorial Hospital."

An employee who answered the call at Crave Culinaire on Tuesday said that Roland was in the intensive care unit of Lee Memorial Hospital at the time, adding that "we cannot provide any details at this time." A Lee Health spokesperson told business observers that Roland was in critical condition.

When news of the accident was reported, Roland’s Facebook page and other social media sites were filled with dozens of prayer and blessing posts—many of which were tagged with #BStrong and #thisishowweroland. Family friend Beth Oliver, Sales and Marketing Director of Offshore in Fort Myers, said that the latter label "This is Roland" fits Roland's witty sense of humor, and he has been using it for several years. . Nautical school. Oliver said that she has known Roland for many years and organized a charity event with him earlier this year for CHEF, a culinary hotel and educational foundation in southwest Florida.

"Brian is an outstanding, generous, creative and innovative entrepreneur," Oliver said, adding that he has mentored many rising stars in the culinary world of Southwest Florida. "He is compassionate, he is flawless, and his steps are outstanding."

Oliver also stated that both Brian and Nicole Roland have publicly stated that they wish to start a family together. Their first child Remy was born on November 9.

Roland graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and was the executive chef of M Waterfront Grille in Naples. His wife founded Crave Culinaire in 2013. The company has grown rapidly, hosting some of the most attended events in Naples and surrounding areas.  

In a July report by Business Observer, Rolands talked about how they changed some of the company's focus during the pandemic, including the Crave 2 Go department, to provide food at home. They also collaborated with other local businesses, including Norman Love Confections and Narrative Coffee Roasters, to purchase goods at Crave Pantry, where shoppers can buy items such as eggs, vegetables, bread and ready-to-eat protein, as well as essential sanitizers such as toilet paper and hands.

As of July, the company has about 100 employees-and Rolands is optimistic about the rest of the year and 2022. "This is very promising," Brian Roland said. "We can look at everything we have experienced and feel safe knowing that there is a bright future ahead."

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