Volunteer
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kentucky
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- Maryland
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- North Carolina
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Alabama
Chris Hastings
CHRIS HASTINGS
Birmingham, AL
Chef/Owner
Hot and Hot Fish Club
Chris Hastings is chef of the nationally-celebrated Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, AL, which he owns with his wife Idie. Located in a historic building on the city’s Southside, the award-winning restaurant has earned a reputation for warm hospitality, seasonal cuisine with Southern influences and a beautiful space filled with the work of local artisans. Chef Chris Hastings and Hot and Hot Fish Club have been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bon Appétit, Food Arts, Nation’s Restaurant News, Santé Magazine, Coastal Living, Metropolitan Home, Executive Traveler, Cooking Light Magazine, Garden & Gun, Time Magazine, Southern Living, and Delta’s Sky magazineas well as “Good Day Atlanta,” “Good Day Alabama,” the Food Network’s “Best Of,” Top 5 and NBC’s “Roker on the Road.” In addition Chris has appeared on the “Martha Stewart Show” and the CBS “Early Show.” Chris has been nominated four times for the James Beard Award in the Best Chef South category. He released his first cookbook: The Hot and Hot Fish Club Cookbook, A Celebration of Food, Family and Traditions.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
Food Network – “Iron Chef America” winner (2012)
James Beard Foundation – Best Chef South (2012), Best Chef South finalist (2007, 2008, 2009)
Wine Enthusiast – Award of Distinction (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)
Wine Spectator − Award of Excellence (14 consecutive years)
Robert Mondavi Culinary Award of Excellence – Best New Restaurant (1998)
BOOKS:
Hot and Hot Fish Club Cookbook, A Celebration of Food, Family and Traditions (Running Press, 2009)
Chris Lilly
CHRIS LILLY
Decatur, AL
Chef/Partner
Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q
Chef Chris Lilly is one of America’s best-known barbecue pitmasters. Lilly emerged on the barbecue scene in 1992 when he began working for the world-famous Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q restaurant in Decatur, AL. Lilly is also head chef of the award-winning Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q Competition Cooking Team, and the winner 10 World BBQ Championships, including three Memphis in May Grand Championships and eight state barbecue grand championships across the Southeast. Lilly has served as a guest chef at the James Beard Foundation and the American Institute of Wine and Food, was a presenter at the Low-Country and Caribbean Food Conference at Johnson and Wales University, and recognized as a Celebrated Chef by the National Pork Board.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
The Wall Street Journal’s “Best Pork Barbecue in the Country”
Kingsford Charcoal National Spokesperson
Memphis in May World Champion (1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004)
National Barbecue Association’s “Book of the Year” (BIG BOB GIBSON’S BBQ BOOK, 2009)
BOOKS:
Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book: Recipes and Secrets from a Legendary Barbeque Joint(Clarkson Potter, 2009)
Drew Robinson
DREW ROBINSON
Birmingham, AL
Chef & Pitmaster
Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q
A native of Alabama, Drew Robinson cultivated a love of traditional Southern food as a child but felt called to explore what was beyond his home region. Drew attended the New England Culinary Institute and, after completing his studies, moved to Northern California to work in restaurants that would help to expand his knowledge of technique and ingredient-driven food. After settling back in Birmingham, Drew started working with legendary Southern chef, Frank Stitt at Highlands Bar and Grill where he rose through the brigade to become chef de cuisine. Chef Robinson yearned to apply his formal training to traditional Southern food and started working with Birmingham’s Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q, proving that when prepared with great ingredients and care, old, Southern standard recipes are as special as food served in fine restaurants. Drew loves the ritual of preparing the fire, turning on some great blues music and cooking a pig overnight, waiting patiently for it to reach perfection.
Frank Stitt
FRANK STITT
Birmingham, AL
Chef/Owner
Highlands Bar & Grill, Bottega, and Chez Fonfon
Chef Frank Stitt’s fondness for humble Southern ingredients comes from his own roots in rural Alabama. Chef Stitt feels “a real spiritual connection to the food and to the land” as a result of his upbringing and supports produce from area farmers markets in his own restaurants as much as possible. Chef Stitt’s flagship, Highlands Bar & Grill, takes Southern staples and blends them with French sauces and braises creating a new look at Southern tradition.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
James Beard Foundation – Outstanding Restaurant semifinalist (2009, 2010, 2011,2012, 2013); “Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America” inductee (2011); Outstanding Chef semifinalist (2008); Best Chef Southeast (2001); Best Chef Southeast semifinalist (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000)
Wine Spectator – Award of Excellence (2001)
BOOKS:
Frank Stitt’s Southern Table: Recipes and Gracious Traditions from Highlands Bar and Grill
(Artisan, 2009)
Frank Stitt’s Bottega Favorita: A Southern Chef’s Love Affair with Italian Food (Artisan, 2009)
James Boyce
JAMES BOYCE
Huntsville, AL
Chef/Owner
Cotton Row, James Steakhouse, Pane e Vino, Humphrey’s Bar and Grill, and Commerce Kitchen
As chef and owner of Cotton Row, Pane e Vino, Commerce Kitchen, Humphrey’s Bar and Grill and James Steakhouse—all located in the charming city of Huntsville, Alabama—Chef James Boyce has built an incredible culinary career of more than 25 years upon authentic appreciation for pristine American ingredients and dynamic leadership in the kitchen. Boyce began his culinary journey at Le Cirque in NYC. From Le Cirque, Boyce played significant roles in the award-winning kitchens of Mary Elaine’s at The Phoenician in Arizona, Palace Court at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, and in California at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort and Studio at the Montage Laguna Beach. Among the many accolades bestowed upon the restaurants during his tenure, Boyce is particularly proud of bringing Mary Elaine’s and Studio to national prominence with the much-lauded Mobil Five-Star award. Chef Boyce’s elegant and relaxed cooking style has brought him acclaim from journalists and diners alike.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
James Beard Foundation – Best New Chef semifinalist – Pacific (2009)
James Beard Foundation – Best New Chef semifinalist – Southwest (2002)
Mobil Travel Guide – 5-Star Status (2009)
Wine Spectator Magazine – Best of Award of Excellence (Cotton Row, 2011)
Arkansas
Mark Abernathy
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Chef Abernathy has more than 40 years’ experience in the restaurant industry as a chef, owner, manager, consultant, and developer. His numerous critically-acclaimed, award-winning restaurants including Abernathy’s, The Bijou, Juanita’s, Blue Mesa Grill, Bene Vita, Loca Luna, and Red Door, have landed him more than 425 televised cooking demonstrations. NATIONAL VISIBILITY: Bon Appétit, COOK’S, Delta Sky Magazine, Food Network’s Rachael Ray’s Tasty Travels, Gourmet, The New York Times, Southern Living, FOOD ARTS, and The Washington Post. |
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District of Columbia
Greg Engert
GREG ENGERT
Washington, D.C.
Beer Director
Neighborhood Restaurant Group
As the beer director for Neighborhood Restaurant Group, Greg Engert draws on his extensive beer knowledge to source beers for the company’s ten concepts which include Birch & Barley, ChurchKey, Buzz Bakery, Columbia Firehouse, EatBar, Evening Star Cafe Rustico in Alexandria & Rustico in Ballston, Tallula and Vermilion as well as Planet Wine, a specialty gourmet shop. To create unparalleled selections, Engert sources from both widely and little known breweries around the globe to find the best beers available.
He also draws on his own formula of beer “flavor profiles” – Crisp, Hop, Malt, Roast, Smoke, and Fruit & Spice – to influence all aspects of his work from menus and food pairings to beer classes and brewery dinners.
Recognized for his work, Engert was nominated in February 2012 by the James Beard Foundation for “Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional.” In April 2010, Food & Wine named Engert one of its “Sommeliers of the Year,” the first time the publication recognized a beer professional for this honor. He was also selected to receive a StarChefs Rising Star Award in 2010, making him the first beer professional to receive their Sommelier honor. Engert has also been featured in some of the most prestigious media outlets in the country including The New York Times, USA Today, Food & Wine, Food Arts, The Washington Post, Washingtonian, Men’s Health, Slate, Beer Advocate, Imbibe, Draft and Mid-Atlantic Brewing News and appeared on national television programs such as Cooking Channel’s Foodography.
Engert’s appreciation for craft beer began at a young age. The earliest influence was his father who supported then little-known microbreweries, such as Samuel Adams and Saranac, and made a lasting impression on his son. While in college at Middlebury in Vermont, Engert grew interested in local New England craft beers from Otter Creek and Long Trail, and frequented Vermont Pub and Brewery, which is today, one of the most recognized brewpubs in the country. While studying abroad in Munich and Dublin, he cemented his passion for international beer styles, the brewing process, and the history of craft beer. Soon after Engert enrolled in Georgetown University to pursue a graduate degree in English Literature, he o cially entered the beer industry at the venerable Brickskeller in Washington DC, where Engert quickly rose to manager, and focused on developing both his beer knowledge and palate.
In 2006, Engert signed on as the Beer Director at beer-centric restaurant Rustico in Alexandria, and worked closely with the team build a strong selection of craft beers that would both educate and appease every type of beer drinker. It was at Rustico, he also began to examine how food and beer flavors fit together. Three years later, Engert expanded his position to Beer Director for all of the Neighborhood Restaurant Group and played an integral role in the opening of Birch & Barley and ChurchKey. This restaurant and beer concept includes a ground- breaking list of 555 beers, and has elevated the notion of pairing refined cooking with excellent beer. At Birch & Barley and ChurchKey, Engert manages a range of beer-focused events, as well as the rotating selection of 500 bottles, 50 drafts and five cask-conditioned ales. Engert also helped build the program’s unwavering attention to detail and service, which includes precise temperature control and proper glassware for every beer.
His work has helped earn ChurchKey notoriety as a top beer destination in Washington, DC, and numerous recognitions from industry publications. In 2010, The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington awarded ChurchKey the RAMMY award for “Hottest Bar Scene of the Year.”
Engert has also appeared and delivered presentations at notable trade gatherings such as the Star Chefs International Chefs Congress in New York City, The Great American Beer Fest, The National Beer Wholesalers Association’s National Conference, and at the popular SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience. Most recently, he delivered a series of beer and food pairing lectures for Saratoga Beer Week, as well as at several Central Market locations in Texas. Engert serves on the Beer Committee for the Good Food Awards, which recognizes artisanal producers who demonstrate dedication to the environment and their communities.
Engert is currently working to open Bluejacket, a boutique production brewery and restaurant in Navy Yard district of southeast Washington, D.C.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
James Beard Foundation—Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional (2012)
Food & Wine—Sommelier of the Year (2010)
Starchefs.com—Rising Stars Award (2010)
Karen Nicolas
Karen Nicolas
Washington, D.C.
Executive Chef
Karen began her culinary career at Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island where she graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts in 1995. After graduation, Karen made her first West Coast venture to the San Francisco Bay Area and worked for acclaimed chef Bradley Ogden at the Lark Creek Café. He is recognized as pioneering the transformation of traditional American food into refined American dining. In 1996, Karen chose to pursue a position in the kitchen at Hawthorne Lane. At the time, Hawthorne was considered one the best new restaurants in San Francisco. She worked under the tutelage of chefs David and Anne Gingrass. Karen was exposed to the beautiful bounty of seasonal foodstuffs that the West coast is known for. Working under Chef Ogden and the Gingrass’s was her first true lesson in cooking with refined technique and developing a palate for diverse flavors.
In 1998, Karen ventured on a culinary sojourn for several months to Sydney, Australia. She independently explored the best of Australia’s eastern and southern coasts. During this time, she was able to learn about the land’s indigenous food products and dine at many of the country’s top restaurants. Karen spent most of her time in Sydney and pursued her way into some of Sydney’s top restaurants at the time. She cooked under Kylie Kwong at Wockpool, Neil Perry at Rockpool and Peter Doyle at Cicado.
Upon returning from Australia, Karen sought out to work under Chef Charlie Palmer, a highly acclaimed chef known for his progressive American Cuisine. Karen’s first venture with Chef Palmer was at Aureole in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her second venture with Chef Palmer was at the Dry Creek Kitchen in Sonoma County, California. She was a part of the opening team for the restaurant and was quickly promoted to Sous Chef after just six months of the restaurant’s opening
Her next move took her to the much-admired Gramercy Tavern restaurant in New York City under celebrated chef Tom Colicchio. Karen describes this time as the most challenging and influential experience she has had in her career. Attention to detail, bold flavors, consistency in technique and ambitious determination are just of few of many lessons she acquired. Karen completed her time at Gramercy Tavern as their Executive Sous Chef in 2007.
Following her time at Gramercy Tavern, Karen worked at the Metropolitan Club as their Chef de Cuisine and earned 3 stars in both the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun Times. Most recently, she has held the title of Executive Chef of Equinox Restaurant in Washington DC. Her modern American cuisine has gotten the attention of Food & Wine Magazine who recently recognized her as a Best New Chef of 2012.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
FOOD & WINE — Best New Chef (2012)
Kathy Morgan, MS
KATHY MORGAN, M.S.Washington, D.C. |
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Master Sommelier Kathy Morgan is an award-winning sommelier and wine director. She currently teaches classes for wine professionals and consumers, and runs her own consulting firm, handling restaurant wine programs and private events. Morgan has spent the last twelve years working in Washington, DC. Her experience began at DC’s historic Occidental Grill where she dramatically improved the wine list, and increased the visibility of what had been a struggling wine program. She later served as sommelier and wine director at other top restaurants in the area, including the elegant Italian, Ristorante Tosca, and the modern American, 2941 Restaurant. Most recently, she ran the vast and highly esteemed French focused wine program for Michel Richard at Citronelle Restaurant in Georgetown. Under her direction, 2941, Tosca and Citronelle all earned nominations for “Best Wine and Beverage Program” from the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES: Washington City Paper – Best Sommelier in Washington (2010)
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Kyle Bailey
KYLE BAILEY
Washington, D.C.
Executive Chef
Churchkey and Birch & Barley
Kyle Bailey brings an impressive culinary background, a deep commitment to fresh, seasonal ingredients and a passion for beer to his position as Executive Chef of Birch & Barley and ChurchKey in Washington, DC. His pioneering approach has earned him the honor of Rising Culinary Star from the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington and The People’s Best New Chef from Food & Wine. Kyle’s innovative menu earned Birch & Barley three stars from The Washington Post, the RAMW Best New Restaurant award in 2010, as well as features in Food & Wine, The New York Times, Washingtonian and Food Arts.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, Bailey has worked in world-famous luxury resorts in the Caribbean and Florida, including Restaurant St. Michel in Coral Gables, Florida, and the La Palme d’Or at the historic Biltmore Hotel in Miami, as well as several notable New York City destinations before finding his way to the nation’s capital.
Bailey spent three years at Cru, the critically acclaimed, wine focused wine bar and restaurant located in New York City. It was here that Bailey not only developed a deep understanding of the art of food and beverage pairings, but also perfected his classic techniques under the tutelage of Chef Shea Gallante. During his tenure at Cru, the Greenwich Village restaurant was named one of the “Best New American Restaurants” by Travel + Leisure, and earned a three-star review from The New York Times.
In 2007, Bailey headed north to work for renowned chef Dan Barber at his critically acclaimed restaurant, Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown, New York. At Blue Hill, Bailey manned the pantry, fish and pasta stations, while absorbing Chef Barber’s farm-to-table philosophy. It was also here that Bailey first began to explore the new world of food and craft beer pairings, thanks to Chef Barber’s increasing interest in the subject.
In 2008, Bailey assumed his first executive chef position at Allen & Delancey, a Michelin-star restaurant in New York City. During his tenure, Bailey’s style was quickly defined by his inventive creations and dedication to farm fresh products. Allen & Delancey also awarded Bailey his first opportunity to pair his food with cocktails, a subject of much interest to him and one that helped round out his expertise with food and beverage pairings.
In his position as Executive Chef of Birch & Barley and ChurchKey, Bailey draws from the finer points of his past experiences, melding his farm-to-table approach with the beer-forward mission of both establishments. Kyle’s commitment to local food is illustrated by his involvement with non-profit organization Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture, where he regularly works on the farm, serves produce harvested from their land and forages with his kitchen team in surrounding forests.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
FOOD & WINE – People’s Best New Chef Mid-Atlantic (2011)
Tiffany MacIsaac
TIFFANY MACISAAC
Washington, D.C.
Executive Pastry Chef
Neighborhood Restaurant Group and Birch & Barley
As the Executive Pastry Chef at Neighborhood Restaurant Group (NRG), Tiffany MacIsaac is the guiding force behind Buzz Bakery’s desserts and baked goods. She also oversees the dessert programs at NRG’s collection of upscale, chef-driven restaurants including Tallula, Eatbar, Vermilion, Evening Star Cafe, Columbia Firehouse, and Rustico. MacIsaac devotes an extra dose of her attention to kitchen at Birch & Barley restaurant and ChurchKey where the Executive Chef, Kyle Bailey, also happens to be her husband. There, she offers an exceptional bread program and creates innovative desserts to complement the cuisine at the beer-centric restaurant.
A graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, MacIsaac began her career as a pastry assistant at the busy Union Square Café in New York, under pastry chef Deborah Snyder, before spending time in the pastry kitchens at ILO and Tuscan Restaurant. She then rose to the Pastry Chef role at CRU restaurant in New York, where her menu included a nightly selection of more than 20 ice creams and sorbets. Prior to joining NRG, she was the Pastry Chef at Allen & Delancey, where she created imaginative desserts to complement the restaurant’s modern American dishes. MacIsaac was also responsible for the in-house bread program at the award-winning restaurant.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
Starchefs.com—Rising Star (2010), James Beard Foundation — Outstanding Pastry Chef Semifinalist (2013)
Florida
Andrew McNamara, MS
ANDREW MCNAMARA
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Master Sommelier/Director of Fine Wine
Premier Beverage Company
Prior to arriving at Premier Beverage Company, Andrew was a member of the prestigious sommelier team at the Breakers Palm Beach. Shortly after arriving at L’Escalier, McNamara passed the three-part Court of Master Sommelier’s Advanced Sommelier Exam and the following year, he competed in the Finals of the Best Young Sommelier in America Competition. Then in March 2007, he became the 10th person to win the Krug Cup – a prestigious award given to a person who passes the Master Sommelier Exam on the first attempt with the highest score, joining a group of just 13 other individuals who hold that accolade. Andrew oversaw the beverage operations of L’Escalier, a winner of the AAA Five Diamond award and the Wine Spectator Grand Award since its inception in 1981, as well as the Tapestry Bar. Prior to departing the Breakers, he designed and ran the beverage program for the Phillips Point Club by the Breakers.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
Wine & Spirits — Best New Sommeliers (2008)
Guild of Sommeliers — Board of Directors
Court of Master Sommeliers Americas — Board of Directors
Brandon McGlamery
BRANDON MCGLAMERYWinter Park, FL |
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After graduating from the California Culinary Academy, Chef Brandon McGlamery passionately pursued his culinary career seeking exposure to both domestic and international techniques and experiences. He attributes much of his inspiration and success to time spent at notable Northern California dining destinations, including Delfina in San Francisco, French Laundry in Napa, and Chez Panisse in Berkeley. Additionally, Chef McGlamery apprenticed at Gordon Ramsey in London and Guy Savoy in Paris. Since 2006, Chef McGlamery has served as the Executive Chef at Luma on Park, where he has assisted the restaurant in achieving much critical acclaim, including top reviews from critics and Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence. With the opening of his second restaurant Prato, Chef Brandon hosts guests with Italian-inspired plates crafted from market-fresh ingredients authentically prepared in imported Acunto oak-burning ovens.
NATIONAL VISIBILITY: Oprah.com, Esquire.com, Huffington Post – Find. Eat. Drink., FoxNews.com, Departures, CNN Eatocracy NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Best Chef South semifinalist (2013) |
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Jeff McInnis
JEFF MCINNIS
Miami Beach, FL
Chef/Partner
Yardbird Southern Table and Bar
A graduate of Johnson & Wales University in South Carolina, Jeff McInnis he began his travels cooking through the Virgin Islands, San Francisco and Virginia, where he worked at Keswick Hall, an exclusive 5-star hotel owned by the Orient Express.
In 2008 McInnis was selected to appear on the popular television show, “Top Chef,” putting McInnis and his talent front and center on a national stage. Following his television debut, McInnis became the Executive Chef for the Miami based restaurant, gigi. Utilizing his signature culinary style, McInnis developed a highly acclaimed menu, catapulting gigi into the limelight as one of Miami’s most popular new restaurants.
With the tremendous success of gigi and more than twenty years of embracing and absorbing cuisines as a student of food, McInnis returned to his true culinary roots and helped bring a little taste of the south to Miami Beach. McInnis left gigi, in March of 2011, to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming Executive chef/partner for Yardbird Southern Table & Bar. Yardbird continues to be one of Miami’s most celebrated and successful restaurants.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
James Beard Foundation — Best Chef South semifinalist (2013)
Norman Van Aken
NORMAN VAN AKENMiami and Orlando, FL |
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Chef Norman Van Aken is known as “the founding father of New World Cuisine.” He is the sole Floridian to be inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s “Who’s Who of Cooking and Beverage in America.” In 2006, he was honored as one of the Founders of the New American Cuisine, alongside Alice Waters, Paul Prudhomme, and Mark Miller at Spain’s International Summit of Gastronomy, “Madrid Fusion.” He was the first chef in America to become a member of the James Beard Foundation’s Board of Trustees and is on the James Beard Foundation’s National Advisory Board. In addition to overseeing his acclaimed restaurants, he is a member of The Culinary Institute of America’s Latin Cuisines Advisory Council Executive Committee. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – “Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America” Inductee (2003); Best Chef Southeast (1997); Outstanding Restaurant in America semifinalist (NORMAN’S, 2005); Book semifinalist (New World Kitchen, 2004); Best New Restaurant in America semifinalist (1995) New York Times – Best Chef Cooking Light – 10th Anniversary Enlightened Chef Award 1st Olympic Culinary Team, member (2002) BOOKS: Norman Van Aken’s: Feast of Sunlight (Ballantine Books, 1988) The Great Exotic Fruit Book: A Handbook with Recipes (Ten Speed Press, 1995) Norman’s New World Cuisine (Random House, 1997) New World Kitchen (Ecco, 2003) My Key West Kitchen (Kyle Books, 2012) |
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Timon Balloo
TIMON BALLOO
Miami, FL
Executive Chef
SUGARCANE Raw Bar Grill
Chef Balloo’s experience began at award-winning Domo Japones in Miami before working at SUSHISAMBA park in NYC, then back to Miami to gain experience at La Broche, Azul and Chef Allen’s before coming to SUGARCANE Raw Bar Grill. His zeal and vivacity are not only manifested in the energy of his team, but also in the flavors of his dishes. Developed in the spirit of “eating well,” the conceptual robata, hot kitchen and raw bar menu spotlights Balloo’s signature creations. The restaurant succeeds in capturing Miami’s laid-back nature and South America’s spirit- while playing into the world’s culinary creativity. Dishes are made to be shared and enjoyed in the moment, but leave a lasting memory.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
James Beard Foundation—Best New Restaurant semifinalist (2011)
FOOD & WINE — People’s Best New Chef Nominee (2012)
Georgia
Anne Quatrano
ANNE QUATRANOAtlanta, GA |
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Chef Anne Quatrano lives by turning the basic into the spectacular. From the fifth generation farmland she resides on to the six restaurants she operates with husband Chef Clifford Harrison, she approaches everything with a love for simplicity and all things organic and sustainable. Chef Quatrano has gone on to be recognized nationally not only for her culinary talents, but also for the beautiful homestead she has created with her husband. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Best Chef Southeast Nominee (2000, 2002) Best Chef South (2003); Outstanding Chef Semi-finalist (2013) Chef Magazine – Chef of the Year finalist (2010) FOOD & WINE – Best New Chefs (1995) Star Chefs – Rising Stars Award (2007) Women Chefs and Restaurateurs – Golden Whisk Award (2008) Discovery – Chefs of the Year (1991) |
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Asha Gomez
ASHA GOMEZAtlanta, GA |
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Long before tickets to supper clubs were selling out instantly, Asha Gomez was just beginning to introduce a few lucky Atlantans to the tastes and flavors of Kerala, the southwestern Indian state where she grew up. Gomez began the Spice Route Supper Club and it instantly became one of the can’t-miss events on the food scene. It was so successful that Gomez took the next step to open Cardamom Hill in early 2012. Cardamom Hill is named for Kerala’s mountainous, spice-growing region, which departs from the typical Indian restaurant by highlighting ingredients indigenous to the subcontinent’s Southwestern region. It is one of the few upscale restaurants in America to pay homage to this specific region of India, and has gained national recognition from Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Southern Living, and more. The Third Space, which Gomez describes as a “culinary conversation,” opens in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta in Spring 2013. Featuring high-end Miele appliances, The Third Space is an upscale and comfortable home kitchen in which she plans to host intimate cooking classes and events, test and develop recipes, and invite other chefs to do the same. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation — Best New Restaurant semifinalist (2013) Bon Appetit: Top 50 Best New Restaurants of 2012 |
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David Bradley
DAVID BRADLEY
Atlanta, GA
Executive Chef
Lure
With more than 12 years of career experience with Fifth Group Restaurants, Executive Chef Bradley knows what it takes to run a successful kitchen. Bradley’s goal is to make Lure a prominent destination for delicious coastal cuisine in Atlanta.
“Sourcing only the freshest sustainable seafood and seasonal produce is crucial to what we want to offer at Lure,” says Bradley. “It’s the only way to ensure we serve the finest food to our guests every day,” he adds.
Although he has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Emory University, Bradley’s true passion lies in the kitchen. His culinary career with Fifth Group Restaurants began in 2000 when he started as a server at La Tavola Trattoria. Bradley soon worked his way up to line cook and then took a position as saucier at another Fifth Group Restaurants establishment, the former Food Studio. Eventually he moved on to Ecco, where he started as a sous chef when the restaurant first opened in 2006. Two years later, Bradley was promoted to chef de cuisine. During his time at Ecco, Bradley was able to gain invaluable experience as a chef and in other areas of the restaurant from recipe development and product sourcing to staff management to special event planning.
Bradley currently resides in the Grant Park area of Atlanta where he is an active member of the Grant Park Conservancy. Outside the kitchen, he enjoys spending time with his daughter, Alice, tending his vegetable garden and playing tennis.
Duane Nutter
DUANE NUTTERAtlanta, GA |
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Chef Duane Nutter delivers chef-driven “southernational’ cuisine at One Flew South. Nutter has truly come into his own as one of Atlanta’s most innovative chefs, impressing diners and critics with his signature modern spins on classic dishes for more than 15 years. Chef Nutter began his culinary career in 1994, studying under well-respected Chef Daryl Evans at the Four Seasons Hotel in Atlanta. Chef Nutter went on to work at the Ritz Carlton in Palm Beach, FL before making his next big move in 2004 to Louisville, KY’s Seelbach Hilton’s 48 AAA Five-Diamond restaurant, Oakroom. Nutter became chef de cuisine and received incredible reviews. In 2006, Nutter was invited to compete on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America and he cooked at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City the following year. In 2008, Nutter became the Executive Chef at One Flew South. He blends Southern ingredients with world influences into the dishes for the first upscale travel-dining restaurant in the world’s busiest airport. NATIONAL VISIBILITY: Esquire – One of the “Best Bars in America” (2011) Frommer’s Travel Guides – 10 Best U.S. Airport Restaurants (2011) Concierge.com – One of the “World’s Best Airport Bars” (2010) Food Network “Iron Chef” competitor (2007) Comedy Central – Laughing Riots Competition “The Mad Chef” semifinalist (2001) |
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Eric Crane, CWE
ERIC CRANE, CWE
Atlanta, GA
Advanced Sommelier
Empire Distributors, Inc.
Eric S. Crane is a Georgia native and the Director of Training for Empire Distributors, Inc. in Atlanta. He is also a Certified Wine Educator and an Advanced Sommelier.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
U.S. Sommelier Championship Finalist (2010)
Wine Australia—Regional Wine Education Ambassador (2008)
Ford Fry
FORD FRYAtlanta, GA |
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Ford Fry’s culinary inspirations cover many years and much of the country: from eating out with his family as a child in Texas, to studying at the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont, to spending time as a fine dining chef in Florida, Colorado and California—and eventually as a corporate chef in Atlanta. Although the corporate chef position didn’t stick, Fry’s love for Atlanta stuck with him. In January of 2007, Fry put down roots in Atlanta with the opening of his first restaurant – JCT. Kitchen & Bar. Regulars love JCT.’s refined comfort food, Southern-style. Fry opened his second restaurant, No. 246, in Decatur, Georgia, in July 2011. The Optimist and Oyster Bar at The Optimist, opened in Westside in May of 2012. His next restaurant, King + Duke, is set to open in April 2013 in the Buckhead area of Atlanta.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Outstanding Restaurateur semifinalist (2013) Esquire – Restaurant of the Year – The Optimist (2012) StarChefs.com – Best New Restaurant Concept Rising Star Award (2007) |
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Gerry Klaskala
GERRY KLASKALAAtlanta, GA |
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Chef Gerry Klaskala’s perpetual passion for food and art has brought him much success throughout his career and now serves as the underlying theme of his menu at Aria. Klaskala’s goal is to leave his guests both fulfilled and intrigued at every visit. He focuses on products which are grown with the utmost integrity and respect for tradition. Klaskala has been recognized as a respected voice in the national dining scene. His award-winning cuisine has been featured in highly-acclaimed publications like Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Esquire, FOOD & WINE, The New York Times, and Southern Living. His principles include fresh ingredients, simple flavors, and time-honed techniques; he puts a modern take on fine American cuisine.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES: Robert Mondavi Award of Excellence (2001) Esquire – Best New Restaurant (2000) AAA Four-Diamond Award Winner (10 years in a row) DiRoNA Award Winner
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Greg Best
GREG BESTAtlanta, GA |
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Originally hailing from New York’s Hudson Valley, Greg Best has been credited with kick-starting the craft cocktail movement in Atlanta with his work behind the bar at the award-winning Restaurant Eugene and Holeman & Finch Public House. Although Best is a certified sommelier, he continues to focus on the “spiritual” side of things. Best’s free time is spent hunting down boutique spirits and up-and-coming American distillers to celebrate, and writing a cocktail column for Atlanta’s Creative Loafing weekly newspaper. One can safely say that Best has officially made the South his home. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Outstanding Bar semifinalist (2012, 2013) Playboy – America’s Top 10 Mixologists (2009) Bon Appétit – Bloody Mary (2009) |
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Justin Amick
JUSTIN AMICK
Atlanta, GA
Advanced Sommelier
Concentrics Restaurants
Justin Amick is no stranger to the restaurant business. His father, Bob, has managed, consulted and owned restaurants Justin’s entire life. As a child, Justin watched his father grow the Peasant Restaurants Group to more than 42 locations nationally. Today, Justin and Bob work side by side in their family business, Concentrics Restaurants, based out of Atlanta. Concentrics Restaurants, which owns and develops nationally successful restaurant concepts, currently boasts 15 properties in Atlanta, St. Louis, Montgomery, AL and Winter Park, FL.
After graduating from Tulane in 2004, Amick moved to New York City where he was hired into CRAFT Restaurant’s “Management Training Program.” After working various positions within the company for three years, he relocated to Napa Valley to work on the winemaking team for Trinchero Family Estates.
Following his time on the West Coast, Amick re-located to Atlanta where he joined the “family business.” Upon his return, Amick managed TWO urban licks and became the General Manager and Beverage Director for Parish Foods & Goods; both located in Atlanta. Today, he can be found as the General Manager and Advanced Sommelier of Chef Richard Blais’ The Spence.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
Court of Master Sommeliers—Rudd Scholarship (2011)
Kevin Gillespie
KEVIN GILLESPIEAtlanta, GA |
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Chef Kevin Gillespie’s true passion lies in incorporating the use of fresh, organic and sustainable ingredients in all of his dishes. He graduated from the Art Institute of Atlanta and went on to hold positions at several well-known Atlanta restaurants including Atlanta Grill at The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta, TWO Urban Licks and Woodfire Grill. In the summer of 2008, Gillespie became Woodfire Grill’s executive chef, and in early 2009 he also became a partner in the restaurant. That same year, Gillespie earned a spot on Bravo’s award-winning series “Top Chef” for the show’s sixth season in Las Vegas. Kevin stepped down from Woodfire Grill to open his new restaurant, Gunshow, which will debut in April 2013 in Atlanta’s Glenwood Park neighborhood. He is a member of Slow Food Atlanta, Southern Food Ways Alliance, Chefs Collaborative, Georgia Organics and the Society for the Preservation of traditional Southern Barbecue. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – “Rising Star Chef of the Year” semifinalist (2010, 2011, 2012) Forbes – “30 Under 30” (2011) FOOD & WINE – People’s Best New Chef Southeast semifinalist (2011) Celebrity Chef Ambassador – Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program (2010) NATIONAL VISIBILITY: Bravo – Top Chef’s “Fan Favorite” (2009) BOOKS: Fire in My Belly (October 2012)
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Kevin Rathbun
KEVIN RATHBUNAtlanta, GA |
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Chef Kevin Rathbun has worked his way up the culinary ladder working under celebrity chefs including, Bradley Ogden, Emeril Lagasse, and Stephan Pyles. Chef Rathbun introduced the city of Atlanta to Southwestern cuisine working under Pano Karratossos at Nava. After 30 years in the restaurant business working and learning from others, Chef Rathbun opened his namesake restaurant, Rathbun’s, followed by Krog Bar, and Kevin Rathbun Steak. Today, Chef Rathbun continues to be a pivotal and driving force in the local and national restaurant scene. He has perfected not only his technique in the kitchen, but his passion for owning and operating his own businesses. His fourth concept, KR Steakbar will open in 2013 in the Peachtree Hills neighborhood of Atlanta. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: FOOD & WINE − Best Steak in the U.S. (2012) Everyday with Rachel Ray – Top Eight Steakhouses in the U.S. (2012) Playboy − Best Steakhouse in Atlanta (2008) Esquire − Top 21 Restaurants in the U.S. (2004) Travel + Leisure − Top New American Restaurants in America (2004)
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Kristen Hard
KRISTEN HARDAtlanta, GA |
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Kristen Hard’s passion for culinary creativity began at the tender age of five. That initial curiosity has led to years of rigorous research, which propelled Hard’s success to a level commonly reserved for tenured chocolatiers well beyond her age. Hard, 32, hails from Atlanta and is a true daughter of the South. After traveling the world as a chef, she brings her culinary pride and recognition back to her hometown. It is through her experiences abroad, that the evolution from chef to chocolate maker has taken place. After college, Hard traveled to Rome and was hired as a private chef aboard boats crossing the Atlantic and sailing the Caribbean. After returning to Atlanta, Hard began her wholesale company, K Chocolat, in 2004. Just five short years later, she opened her first storefront, Cacao Laboratoire du Chocolat and Boutique, in Atlanta’s Inman Park neighborhood, and has since opened additional stores in the Buckhead and Virginia Highland neighborhoods. Each step in Hard’s journey has been a progression of getting closer to the source of chocolate. Hard’s evolution continued as both the first bean to bar chocolate maker in the Southeast and the first female bean to bar producer in the U.S. Since then she actively sources her own cocoa beans, working hands on with farmers in the harvesting and fermentation process and is heavily involved in elevating cacao farming practices. NATIONAL VISIBILITY: 1st Female Bean to Bar Chocolate Maker in the U.S. 1st Bean to Bar Chocolate Maker in the Southeast Travel + Leisure, Southern Living, CNN, Bon Appétit, FOOD & WINE, Country Living, Condé Nast Traveler, Go: AirTran Magazine, and Southern Accents.
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Kristine Lassor
Linton Hopkins
LINTON HOPKINSAtlanta, GA
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Chef Linton Hopkins is an Atlanta native with a deep passion for Southern food and beverage traditions. His commitment to celebrating the rich bounty of Georgia farms is evidenced in each meticulously- and lovingly- created meal. Chef’s house-made preparations of natural meats and fresh, local product have garnered him national acclaim. Teaming with his wife, Sommelier Gina Hopkins, Chef also shares his passion for local ingredients with his hometown through the Peachtree Road Farmer’s Market, which he founded. Chef Hopkins is president of the board of the Southern Foodways Alliance and the founder of the Fellowship of Country Ham Slicers. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Best Chef Southeast 2012; Best Chef Southeast semifinalist (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) Travel + Leisure – America’s Best Fried Chicken (2010) FOOD & WINE – Best New Chefs (2009)
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Michael McNeill, MS
MICHAEL MCNEILL, MSAtlanta, GA
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Michael McNeill, MS, was the first (and for several years the only) Master Sommelier in the State of Georgia. During the last two decades, McNeill has worked alongside numerous world-renowned, five-star chefs including Gray Kunz at Lespinasse, Craig Shelton at the Ryland Inn and Guenther Seeger and Bruno Menard at The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead. McNeill is a two-time national champion of the “Best Sommelier in America.” He represented the U.S. in two world finals; at the Sopexa Gran Prix du Sommelier in Paris in 1994—which entitled McNeill to serve as President of the Jury for the U.S. competition that followed in 1997—and the Concours Mondial du Sommelier in Tokyo in 1995. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: American Sommelier Association – “Best Sommelier in America” (1994, 1995) Court of Master Sommeliers – Master Sommelier (1993) |
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Olivier Gaupin
OLIVIER GAUPINAtlanta, GA |
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Chef Olivier Gaupin joined the Loews Atlanta Hotel in 2010 as Executive Chef overseeing the hotel’s signature restaurant eleven, Bar eleven, banquet services and catering. Eleven’s Southern-styled cuisine is prepared in a Mediterranean style with an emphasis on natural ingredients. A native of Orleans, France and a 1989 culinary graduate of France’s CFA Charles Peguy School, Chef Gaupin permanently relocated to the United States in 1994 and was names executive sous chef at Provence Restaurant in Washington, DC. In 1996, Chef Gaupin continued his work in hotels and resorts as the Dining Room Chef for the Pfister Hotel Milwaukee, WI, The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta, GA, and The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis, MO. |
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Shaun Doty
SHAUN DOTYAtlanta, GA |
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Atlanta Chef and Restaurateur Shaun Doty has made significant contributions to the Atlanta food scene since his arrival in 1991. A graduate of Johnson and Wales, Doty spent his formative years working in Charleston, SC, Dallas, TX and New York, NY, and also staged at several Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe, including Comme Chez Soi and Restaurant Troisgros. Upon his arrival in Atlanta, GA, Chef Doty worked with renowned Chef Guenter Seeger at The Ritz-Carlton in Buckhead and Mumbo Jumbo before opening his own restaurants – MidCity Cuisine in 2005, and then Shaun’s in 2006. At Shaun’s, Chef Doty spent four years creating ingredient-driven, seasonal and creative American cuisine that earned him a great deal of praise until he closed the restaurant in 2010 to focus on other endeavors. Currently, Doty is co-owner and executive chef of Bantam + Biddy, and he will also be opening Chick-a-biddy, a whimsical, modern diner, serving classics made with quality ingredients and expert, creative cocktails, in April at Atlantic Station. Doty is a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance and Georgians for Pastured Poultry, and is actively involved in fundraising for causes relating to Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder. |
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Steven Satterfield
STEVEN SATTERFIELDAtlanta, GA
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Chef Steven Satterfield’s 15 years of experience in restaurants has yielded a fruitful relationship between his culinary talents and the local products of Georgia’s farms, dairies, and creameries. As a child, Satterfield spent summers in Asheville, NC, with his grandmother, Hilda, who taught him everything from stringing pole beans to making the perfect biscuit. Her simple approach to cooking, canning, preserving and using local ingredients is a philosophy that he references daily. Today, Chef Satterfield uses old school cooking techniques with as little manipulation of the freshest ingredients as possible to create and serve dishes at his restaurant Miller Union, which is located on the site of the old Miller Union Stockyards. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Best Chef Southeast semifinalist (2013), Best New Restaurant semifinalist (2010) Esquire – Best New Restaurants (2010) Bon Appétit – 10 Best New Restaurants in America (2010) |
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Tim Gaddis
TIM GADDISAtlanta, GA |
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Tim Gaddis began his cheese career at Murray’s Cheese in New York City while attending The French Culinary Institute. After graduation, Gaddis returned to his hometown of Atlanta, GA where he took a job as cheese monger for Anne Quatrano at Star Provisions. Today Gaddis oversees the cheese and specialty food departments at Star Provisions and manages the cheese selections for Bacchanalia, Quinones, Floataway Cafe and Abattoir. Gaddis has consulted with Southern Living and Bon Appétit. He has served as a judge at the 2009 American Cheese Society competition and has been asked to judge at the 2012 American Cheese Society competition in Raleigh, NC. NATIONAL VISIBILITY: Southern Living, Bon Appétit, Cooking Light, and Atlanta Magazine |
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Todd Ewing
Atlanta, GA
Untied Distributors, INC.
Todd Richards
TODD RICHARDSAtlanta, GA |
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Chef Todd Richards’ commitment to using naturally raised or grown ingredients is the cornerstone of his culinary philosophy. His passion for food as a work of art began at a young age and has translated into his culinary skill and career today. Chef Richards strives to create the perfect flavor balance in all of his meals, following the idea that every flavor in each ingredient must complement the others. Chef Richards treats each meal as an exquisite example of his talents and ambitions, reflecting both beauty in presentation and taste. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation — Best Chef Southeast semifinalist (2006, 2007, 2008, 2013) Esquire — Best New Chef (2011) AAA 5 Diamond Restaurant Award Winner (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) Food Network — Iron Chef competitor (2007) Southern Foodways Alliance — Glory Foods Scholarship Award |
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Vajra Stratigos
VAJRA STRATIGOS
Atlanta, GA
Beverage Director
Fifth Group Restaurants
Vajra Stratigos is the multi-talented, multi-tasting beverage director for The Fifth Goup, an Atlanta restaurant group with five restaurant concepts around the city. Much of Stratigos’ experience comes from his family of Greco-Italian restaurateurs who put him to work at age 10; since then he has worked the back and front of the house at restaurants around Boulder, Colorado, trained with a pastry chef from Chez Panisse in Berkeley, worked with Bernard Lefoy of Il Fournil in France and Paolo Marccini in Avezzano, Italy. The “Daily Bread” bakery concept that he helped develop while in Boulder was ultimately purchased by Whole Foods Market, which led to a tenure as the head of the specialty department (wine, cheese, and specialty goods) for Whole Foods Market in Plantation, Florida.
Stratigos approaches wine from a practical, playful, interactive level. He takes a 360° view of the pairing process, taking every factor of the situation into account, and throwing fun elements into the mix – like small wooden coasters for the diner to take home, stamped with information about the wine that they held. Stratigos has completed level two of the sommelier certification program from the International Wine Guild, as well as an intermediate level wine certificate from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, and a Society of Wine Educators CSW certificate. He also designs the cocktail education programs for all Fifth Group restaurants and is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
Star Chefs – Rising Stars (2007)
Kentucky
Anthony Lamas
ANTHONY LAMASLouisville, KY |
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Chef Anthony Lamas’ soulful combination of Latin spice and Southern seasonal ingredients honors the diversity of Kentucky’s culinary traditions at Seviche, a Latin restaurant. By working with local farmers and committing to sustainable seafood on his menu, Chef Lamas has attracted local and national acclaim, including the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Ambassador award. Chef Lamas’ appetite for a challenge has led him to participate in several exciting culinary adventures, including a winning performance on Food Network’s Extreme Chef. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Best Chef Southeast semifinalist (2010, 2011, 2012) Monterrey Bay Aquarium – Seafood Ambassador Award (2011) USA Today – “10 Great Places for Latin Flavor and Flair” (2009) |
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Brett Davis, MS
BRETT DAVIS, M.S.
Louisville, KY
Master Sommelier and Managing Partner
Doc Crow’s Southern Smokehouse & Raw Bar and La Coop: Bistro a Vins
Brett Davis is a Tennessee native whose career began in 1985 when he started working at the famed Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. It was there that he discovered his passion for food and wine, which led him to pursue a career as a Sommelier. He held positions at Michael’s in Santa Monica, Calif., Geronimo in Santa Fe, N.M., BIN 54 in Chapel Hill, N.C. and many other fine dining establishments across the country. In 1999 he joined the team of fine wine importer/distributor Vintner Select in Mason, Ohio, where he directed sales in the three state region of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky of over 2500 wines from around the world. He left the distribution side of things to partner and oversee beverage program at Doc Crows in Louisville in 2010, which went on to receive national acclaim from Esquire, the New York Times and Food & Wine Magazine. In 2012, he partnered to open La Coop, a French bistro also in Louisville.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
Court of Master Sommeliers—Master Sommelier (2009)
Edward Lee
EDWARD LEELouisville, KY |
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Chef Edward Lee’s story – and his food – could only happen in America. One part Southern soul, one part Asian spice and one part New York attitude, Chef Lee’s passion for food is only surpassed by his sense of adventure; it is, after all, what brought him to Louisville from a successful career in New York City. Chef Lee’s idiosyncratic culinary style draws inspiration from his heritage, his classical training and his adoptive hometown, while celebrating the best ingredients from local farms. His restaurant 610 Magnolia serves upscale Southern food with an Asian spin. His newest venture, MilkWood, is Chef Lee’s interpretation of Southern bar food with an Asian pantry.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Best Chef Southeast semifinalist (2010, 2011, 2013); Best Chef Southeast finalist (2012) NATIONAL VISIBILITY: Bravo – Top Chef (2012) BOOKS: Smoke & Pickles (Artisan 2013) |
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Julian Van Winkle
JULIAN VAN WINKLELouisville, KY |
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Julian P. Van Winkle, III is the third generation Van Winkle to produce bourbon whiskey in Kentucky. He joined his father, Julian, Jr., in 1977. At that time, Old Rip Van Winkle produced only two labels of their wheated bourbon whiskey. Since then Julian has added 12-year, 15-year, 20-year and 23-year bourbon labels to the Van Winkle selection of premium bourbon whiskeys. He has also added a 13-year premium rye whiskey to the whiskey portfolio. All of these whiskeys have received ratings in the 90’s by the Beverage Tasting Institute in Chicago, with the 20-year, “Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve” receiving a 99 rating. Van Winkle’s son Preston joined the company in June of 2001, the fourth generation of Van Winkles to venture into the whiskey business. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional (2011); Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional semifinalist (2009, 2010) Southern Foodways Alliance – Fellowship of Southern Farmers, Artisans, and Chefs Inductee (2010); Fellowship of Southern Farmers, Artisans, and Chefs semifinalist (2009) |
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Louisiana
Adolfo Garcia
ADOLFO GARCIANew Orleans, LA
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Chef Adolfo Garcia cooks from an historical perspective to bring the old flavors of New Orleans into new dishes made with the freshest seafood and best ingredients. Growing up a Panamanian in New Orleans, Chef Garcia became aware of the cultural heritage around him and cultivated over time his love of history and food to create the unique experiences he offers at his New Orleans based restaurants. Chef Garcia’s culinary talents have brought him recognition as one of the best Latin chefs in the country and his fusion of Spanish and Latin American cuisine has set him apart. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation — Best Chef South semifinalist (2010, 2011); Best New Restaurant semifinalist (2010) Hispanic Magazine — “Top 8 Chefs in the Country” FOOD & WINE — Best Steak in the U.S. (La Boca, 2012) |
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Donald Link
DONALD LINK
New Orleans, LA
Executive Chef/Chief Executive Officer
Link Restaurant Group
Inspired by the Cajun and Southern cooking of his grandparents, Louisiana native Chef Donald Link began his professional cooking career at 15 years old. Recognized as one of New Orleans’ preeminent chefs, Chef Link has peppered the streets of the Warehouse District of New Orleans with several restaurants over the course of 10 years. Herbsaint, Link’s contemporary take on the French-American “bistro” was Link’s first restaurant. Cochon, opened with chef-partner Stephen Stryjewski, is where Link offers true Cajun and Southern cooking featuring the foods and cooking techniques he grew up preparing and eating. Cochon Butcher is a tribute to Old World butcher and charcuterie shops which also serves a bar menu, sandwiches, wine and creative cocktails. Calcasieu is Chef Link’s private event facility that takes its name from one of the parishes in the Acadiana region of southwest Louisiana. In the spring of 2013, Chef Link looks forward to the opening of Peche Seafood Grill in New Orleans in Spring of 2013.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
James Beard Foundation — Outstanding Chef nominee (2012) Outstanding Chef semifinalist (2013), Best American Cookbook (2009)
Gourmet — Top Restaurants in America (2012)
BOOKS:
Real Cajun (Clarkson Potter, 2009)
John Besh
JOHN BESHNew Orleans, LA |
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Chef John Besh is a chef and native son dedicated to the culinary riches of southern Louisiana. In his restaurants, entrepreneurial pursuits, and public activities, he preserves and promotes ingredients, techniques, and heritage one mouth-watering dish at a time. Chef Besh grew up in southern Louisiana and has set the benchmark for fine dining in New Orleans – a town whose identity is bound to its food. Each of his nine acclaimed restaurants – August, Besh Steak, Lüke, La Provence, The American Sector at the National World War II Museum, The Soda Shop, Domenica at the Roosevelt, Borgne and Lüke San Antonio on the River Walk – celebrates the bounty and traditions of the region. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Outstanding Restaurant semifinalist (2012); Best Chef Southeast (2006); Best Cookbook – General Cooking semifinalist (My Family Table, 2011); Best New Restaurant semifinalist (2013) FOOD & WINE – Best New Chefs (1999) Food Arts – Silver Spoon Award (2009) Gourmet –“Guide to America’s Best Restaurants” (Restaurant August); “America’s Top 50 Restaurants” (2006) IACP – “American Cookbooks of the Year” (My New Orleans, 2009) National Restaurant Association – Restaurant Neighbor Award (2007) NATIONAL VISIBILITY: Bravo – Top Chef Masters (2009); Top Chef Guest Judge (2008, 2012) Food Network – The Next Iron Chef runner-up (2007) Sundance Channel – Iconoclasts (2007) BOOKS: My Family Table (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2011) My New Orleans (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2009) |
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Neal Bodenheimer
NEAL BODENHEIMERNew Orleans, LA
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Born in New Orleans, Bodenheimer began working in a bar at age 18. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, he embarked on a trip around the world getting to know the food and beverage traditions of New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, India, Turkey, and Europe. Hungry to get back to the states, Bodenheimer moved to New York City where he worked for B.R. Guest Corporation, Danny Meyer, and studied under respected mixologists, Eben Klemm and Junior Merino. After Hurricane Katrina, Bodenheimer felt the call back to New Orleans, where he opened CURE in 2009. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Outstanding Bar Program semifinalist (2012, 2013) |
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Maryland
Clayton Miller
CLAYTON MILLERBaltimore, MD
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Clayton Miller is the Executive Chef at Wit & Wisdom at the Four Seasons, Baltimore. Chef Miller began his career as Chef de Cuisine of the five-star restaurant launched by Guenter Seeger in Atlanta; then as Managing Director and Executive Chef of a four-star hotel restaurant in Orlando; and, finally, as opening Executive Chef and Partner at Trummer’s on Main in Clifton, Virginia. While at the helm of Trummer’s on Main, Chef Miller gained recognition as Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chef in 2010, and Rising Star Chef from StarChefs.com. He also played a key roll in the restaurant being selected as a semi-finalist for Best New Restaurant of 2010 by the James Beard Foundation.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation –Best New Restaurant semifinalist (2010) FOOD & WINE – Best New Chefs (2010) Star Chefs — Rising Star Chef (2010) |
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Mississippi
Derek Emerson
DEREK EMERSONJackson, MS |
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Chef Derek Emerson was born and raised in Beverly Hills, CA and later moved to Mississippi as a teenager. After getting his feet wet in the kitchens of Brick Oven and BRAVO! restaurants, he attended culinary school in Memphis, TN. Seeking to further hone his skills, Chef Emerson moved to Atlanta and worked at such renowned establishments as Nava, Buckhead Bread Company and Blue Ridge Grill. He soon accepted the Executive Sous Chef position at Dick & Harry’s. During his time there, Dick & Harry’s was voted “Best New Restaurant” by Atlanta Magazine. After six years in Atlanta, he returned to Mississippi to become Executive Chef at a new restaurant, Schimmel’s. It was at Schimmel’s that Chef Emerson met his future wife, Jennifer. The two joined forces to purchase a Jackson landmark, Walker’s Drive-In, in 2001. Under Chef Emerson’s keen eye, Walker’s Drive-In has become a local favorite recognized in local and national publications. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Best Chef South semifinalist (2008, 2009, 2010) |
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John Currence
JOHN CURRENCEOxford, MS |
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Chef John Currence’s first cooking job was while working offshore as a deckhand on a tugboat in the Gulf of Mexico. He saw his first kitchen job while in school at the University of North Carolina where he started washing dishes at Bill Neal’s Crook’s Corner. Chef Currence moved on to the Brennan family of restaurants in New Orleans to open Bacco before finally settling in Oxford in 1992 and opening City Grocery. Since then, City Grocery Restaurant Group has seen a number of openings, including Nacho Mama’s, Kalo’s, Ajax Diner, City Grocery Catering Company, Bouré, Big Bad Breakfast and Snackbar. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Best Chef South (2009) Great American Seafood Cookoff – Winner (2008) Southern Foodways Alliance – Guardian of Tradition (2006) NATIONAL VISIBILITY: Bravo – Top Chef Masters (2011) |
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North Carolina
Andrea Reusing
ANDREA REUSINGChapel Hill, NC |
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Chef/owner Andrea Reusing collaborates with nearby family farms in her marriage of North Carolina ingredients and Asian flavors at her Chapel Hill, NC restaurant, Lantern. Since opening in 2002, the restaurant has been named one of “America’s Top 50 Restaurants” and “best farm-to-table restaurants” by Gourmet, one of “America’s 50 Most Amazing Wine Experiences” by FOOD & WINE and “Restaurant of the Year” in 2009 by The News & Observer. A 2010 James Beard Nominee, Reusing, partners with local farms on a dinner series, The Lantern Table and serves on the boards of the Center of Environmental Farming Systems and Chefs Collaborative. She has written for Saveur, Domino, Fine Cooking, Gourmet.com and The News and Observer. Reusing’s first book Cooking in the Moment: A Year of Seasonal Recipeswill be published by Clarkson Potter in April, 2011. She lives with her husband and their children in Chapel Hill.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation — Outstanding Restaurant semifinalist (2013); Best Chef Southeast (2011); Best Chef Southeast semifinalist (2010) New York Times — Most Notable CookBOOKS (2011) Gourmet — Best Farm-to-Table Restaurants (2007); America’s Top 50 Restaurants (2006) FOOD & WINE — America’s 50 Most Amazing Wine Experiences (2007) BOOKS: Cooking in the Moment: A Year of Seasonal Recipes (Clarkson Potter, 2011) |
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Ashley Christensen
ASHLEY CHRISTENSENRaleigh, NC |
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The combination of food and community has always played an integral role in Chef Ashley Christensen’s personal and professional life. Chef Christensen began cooking for friends and family in college. Bringing people together at intimate dinner parties helped her recognize her passion for the craft of cooking and sharing food. When Chef Christensen landed her first professional cooking job at 21, she knew she had found her life’s work. In December 2007, Chef Christensen opened Poole’s Diner; a former shotgun diner of the same name with 70 seats that had been one of Raleigh’s oldest dining establishments. Chef Ashley Christensen has returned Poole’s to its diner roots. Marrying a clean aesthetic with retro-chic charm, she has restored and highlighted the “bones” of the original restaurant. Since opening Poole’s, Chef Christensen has expanded her restaurant portfolio to include Beasley’s Chicken + Honey, Fox Liquor Bar and Chuck’s. An ardent supporter of North Carolina farmers, Chef Christensen’s dishes are all inspired by the seasons and reflect the local growers and artisan producers from whom she sources her ingredients. Chef Christensen’s work has gained national attention from Bon Appétit, Gourmet, The New York Times and Southern Living and she holds the title of The Independent Weekly’s“Best Local Chef” four years running.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Best Chef Southeast semifinalist (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) Bon Appétit – Female Chefs of Next Generation (2008) |
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Katie Button
KATIE BUTTON
Asheville, NC
Executive Chef/Owner
Cúrate
Chef Katie Button draws much of her inspiration from her varied background and the unusual path she took to get to the position of Executive Chef/Owner of Cúrate.
In 2007, Button, a Cornell University graduate with a master’s degree from L’Ecole Centrale in Paris, France, was about to start a prestigious PhD program in Neuroscience. Instead she left her previous career in pursuit of passion, life, and happiness. She sought out a job at a restaurant called Cafe Atlantico/Minibar in Washington DC one of José Andrés’ amazing restaurants. Button describes it as fate that brought her to the doorstep of a José Andrés restaurant. It was there that she fell in love with restaurants, food, cooking, and Félix Meana, a service manager from elBulli, Ferran Adrià´s famous restaurant in Spain.
After some time working with Johnny Iuzzini at Jean Georges in New York and then at the Bazaar by José Andrés in Los Angeles, she finally made it. With only a couple of years professional cooking experience, Katie entered a 7 month stage at the best restaurant in the world. That experience changed her life. In January 2010, immediately after finishing her internship at elBulli, she moved to Asheville, North Carolina to focus all of her attention on opening her own restaurant with her husband Félix, her mother Elizabeth Button (alumna of French Culinary Institute), and father Ted Button. They have since developed the parent company Heirloom Hospitality Group and opened their first restaurant Cúrate, a bar de tapas www.curatetapasbar.com.
Since the opening of Cúrate in March 2011 Chef Button has been featured in numerous national publications such as: Southern Living, Food & Wine, GQ, Food Arts, Martha Stewart Living, Robb Report, Departures, and The Local Palate.
Button has been chosen as a 2012 James Beard Rising Star Chef Semi-Finalist, nominated for Food and Wine magazine’s People’s Choice Best New Chef 2012, and won the Robb Report Culinary Master Competition where she presented a dinner to 50 judges, besting the four other chefs nominated by Eric Ripert, Masa Takayama, Charlie Palmer and Michael Mina. In January 2013 she was bestowed the Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, Golden Whisk Award, recognizing excellence in the kitchen and honoring a woman whose passion and excellence as a chef or cook serves as a role model for others.
Chef Button has also traveled as a culinary demonstrator to The French Culinary Institute and Johnson & Wales University, where she was honored with the Distinguished Visiting Chef Award in October 2012.
Still early in her career, Chef Button focuses time each year to professional development and continued education. In the winter of 2012, she traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark, to stage at Renee Redzepi’s Noma, and then in January of 2013 she had the opportunity to complete another stage with Ferran and Albert Adria at Tickets and 41˚ in Barcelona, Spain.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
James Beard Foundation — Rising Star Chef of the Year semifinalist (2012, 2013)
Robb Report — Culinary Master (2013)
Women’s Chefs and Restaurateurs — Golden Whisk Award (2013)
FOOD & WINE — People’s Best New Chef nominee (2012)
Scott Crawford
SCOTT CRAWFORD
Cary, NC
Food & Beverage Director
Herons @ the Umstead Hotel & Spa
Executive Chef Scott Crawford leads the helm at the Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond Herons restaurant at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary, N.C., combining his love of the dining room with his allure in the kitchen. The Pennsylvania native has made a name for himself in the South, cooking across most of the region, and blazing a trail of culinary prestige everywhere he’s worked, including his previous post at The Georgian Room at the Cloister Hotel in Sea Island, Georgia.
Crawford is currently a semifinalist for “Best Chef: Southeast” in the 2013 James Beard Foundation Awards (his third nomination with the prestigious organization, for which he cooked in New York City in 2011). Under his direction, Herons was named one of 2012’s “101 Best Places to Eat in the World” by Newsweek, in addition to accolades by Food & Wine, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and Southern Living among others.
When Crawford is behind a project, critical acclaim follows: He first earned five stars from Mobil Travel Guide for his regional American cooking as executive chef of Woodlands Resort & Inn, the Relais & Chateaux property and Gourmand Dining Room located in Summerville, South Carolina, before being hired away in 2006 as executive chef of The Georgian Room. It was there that Crawford’s coastal Georgian cuisine earned five coveted stars from Mobil Travel Guide and critical praise including Esquire Magazine’s Best New Restaurant accolade.
Formally trained, Crawford credits most of his culinary prowess to his role as stagiaire at restaurants in San Francisco, but most notably at the now-shuttered Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead in Atlanta, under then-Executive Chef Bruno Menard.
“I haven’t looked at food or cooking in the same way since,” says Crawford of his time with Menard. “After that, it all came together for me.”
Crawford takes great pride is showcasing local farms such as Chapel Hill Creamery, Elodie Farm and Cane Creek Farm throughout the seasonal menus at The Umstead. Crawford is dedicated to utilizing organic produce, farm-raised meats, and local dairy products and he incorporates his passion for them throughout The Umstead’s food and beverage program.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
James Beard Foundation—Best Chef Southeast semifinalist (2013); Best New Chef Southeast semifinalist (2008, 2011)
Newsweek— “101 Best Places to Eat in the World” (2012)
AAA Five Diamond Award, Herons (2013, 2012)
Forbes—Five Star Award, Herons (2013, 2012)
Wine Spectator—Best of Award of Excellence (2012, 2011, 2008)
Esquire—Best New Restaurant, The Georgian Room (2006)
South Carolina
Frank Lee
Frank LeeCharleston, SC
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Chef Frank Lee has a passion for combining French technique with his beloved Southern ingredients. Known as a guiding force in the Lowcountry’s culinary renaissance, Lee has mentored dozens of young chefs. He’s also helped grow the businesses of local farmers and crafts people. Local before it was cool, and sustainable before it was sexy, Chef Lee believes in trying the untried and doing the undone. It’s all a far cry from his first professional assignment, when he and his buddies pooled $5,000 to launch a vegetarian restaurant in Columbia, SC. Over the years, Lee traveled to numerous top kitchens throughout France and worked in as many across North America (Le Perroquet and Les Nomades in Chicago, Le Pavillion in Washington, DC, Restaurant Million in Charleston, SC). He has appeared on “ABC’s Good Morning America,” and has thrice served as guest chef at the James Beard House. His Maverick Grits earned a Golden Dish award from GQ Magazine, and he is featured on the “Great Chefs of the South” television series and its corresponding cookbook. NATIONAL VISIBILITY: ABC—“Good Morning America” |
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Matt Lee
Matt LeeCharleston, SC |
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Matt Lee grew up in Charleston, SC and in 1994 founded the Lee Bros. Boiled Peanuts Catalogue, a mail-order source for Southern pantry staples, with his brother. Matt Lee and Ted Lee write about food for magazines and newspapers and are the wine columnists for Martha Stewart Living. Since 2001, they have been contributing editors at Travel + Leisure. Their first cookbook, The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook, won the Julia Child Award from the IACP and the James Beard Foundation Award for “Cookbook of the Year.” The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern, their second cookbook, was nominated for a James Beard Award and recently won the IACP award for Best American Cookbook. They are regular contributors on the Cooking Channel show “Unique Eats.” Matt and Ted’s recipes and appearance schedule can be found at simplefreshsouthern.com NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation—CookBOOKS of the Year, The Lee Bros. Southern CookBOOKS (2007); CookBOOKS of the Year semifinalist, Simple Fresh Southern (2009) BOOKS: The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen (Random House, 2013)
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Mike Lata
Mike LataCharleston, SC |
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Mike Lata, the 2009 James Beard Foundation Award-winning Best Chef: Southeast, is chef/owner of Charleston’s beloved FIG (Food Is Good), and newly opened The Ordinary, a convivial oyster hall and seafood restaurant, in the city’s historic Upper King District. Known for his straightforward approach to cooking with pure, bright flavors and the highest quality ingredients, Mike’s longstanding and outspoken commitment to supporting local farmers, fisherman and purveyors has fortified his position as a leader and notable champion for Charleston’s dynamic culinary renaissance. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation — Best New Restaurant semifinalist (2013); Best Chef Southeast (2009) |
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Sean Brock
SEAN BROCK |
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| Many chefs have their first exposure to cooking at a young age. For Sean Brock, who was born and raised in rural Virginia, it was the experience of his family growing, cooking and preserving their own food that left a deep impression. These were the building blocks that Brock remembered as he began his career as a chef, inspiring a lifelong passion for exploring the roots of Southern food and recreating it by preserving and restoring heirloom ingredients. Leaving Virginia to attend school, Brock landed at Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, SC. He began his professional career as chef tournant under Chef Robert Carter at the Mobil Four-Star/AAA Four-Diamond Peninsula Grill in Charleston. After two years at Peninsula Grill, Chef Brock was executive sous chef under Chef Walter Bundy of Lemaire Restaurant at the AAA Five- Diamond Award/ Mobil Five-Star Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, VA. His success in Richmond led to his promotion within the Elite Hospitality Group in 2003 to executive chef at the AAA Five-Diamond Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, TN. Shortly after his return to Charleston, Chef Brock began the development of a 2.5-acre farm on Wadmalaw Island, experimenting in seed preservation and growing a number of heirloom crops including James Island Red Corn, Flint Corn, Benne Seed, and Rice Peas. In 2010, Chef Brock opened Husk, his second restaurant with the Neighborhood Dining Group. Husk Nashville is set to open in 2013.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Outstanding Chef semifinalist (2012, 2013); Best Chef Southeast (2010); Rising Star Chef (2008, 2009); Best Chef Southeast semifinalist (2009) Bon Appétit – Best New Restaurant in America (Husk, 2011) Food Network – Next Great Chef Challenge Winner (2010) |
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Ted Lee
TED LEECharleston, SC |
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Ted Lee grew up in Charleston, SC and in 1994 founded the Lee Bros. Boiled Peanuts Catalogue, a mail-order source for Southern pantry staples, with his brother. Matt Lee and Ted Lee write about food for magazines and newspapers and are the wine columnists for Martha Stewart Living. Since 2001, they have been contributing editors at Travel + Leisure. Their first cookbook, The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook, won the Julia Child Award from the IACP and the James Beard Foundation Award for “Cookbook of the Year.” The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern, their second cookbook, was nominated for a James Beard Award and recently won the IACP award for Best American Cookbook. They are regular contributors on the Cooking Channel show “Unique Eats.” Matt and Ted’s recipes and appearance schedule can be found at simplefreshsouthern.com NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation—CookBOOKS of the Year, The Lee Bros. Southern CookBOOKS (2007); CookBOOKS of the Year semifinalist, Simple Fresh Southern (2009) BOOKS: The Lee Bros. Southern CookBOOKS (W. W. Norton & Company, 2006) |
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Tennessee
Andy Chabot
Andy ChabotWalland, TN Sommelier/Director of Food and Beverage
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Andy Chabot has always had an interest in how things taste. After working his way through local restaurants, Chabot headed straight for the CIA to round out his education in the culinary arts and restaurant management. After a stint at Little Nell, Chabot found his true interest in the front of house. He graduated from the CIA in 2001 and moved to Walland, TN and began his career with Blackberry Farm in 2002. He soon became involved in the young wine program. In less than 6 years, Blackberry’s wine cellar grew from 17,000 bottles to 166,000. With Proprietor Sam Beall’s enthusiasm and passion and Chabot’s talent on the floor, the wine program has become synonymous with the success of Blackberry Farm. Chabot has proceeded past the second tier of the Court of Master Sommeliers Exam and was the recipient of the Michael Biccorsani Scholarship. Today, Chabot is responsible for all aspects of managing Blackberry Farm’s Grand Award winning wine program. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Outstanding Wine Service finalist (2012); Outstanding Wine Service semifinalist (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013) |
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Josh Feathers
Josh Feathers
Walland, TN
Corporate Chef
Blackberry Farm
It all comes down to the details. The perfect placement for the final piece of fennel on an afternoon masterpiece or the flawless purity of a simple Bartlett Pear, Blackberry Farm Corporate Chef Josh Feathers understands the importance of details in world-class cuisine.
An East Tennessee native who grew up with an appreciation for the region and its land, Chef Feathers understands and appreciates the flavors that the South has to offer, while adding touches of elegance he learned through his world-wide travels.
Finding his culinary inspiration and initial training in Naples, Italy, Chef Feathers discovered his passion for culinary arts while stationed overseas with the United States Navy. As sous chef for the Commander in Chief of Southern Forces in Europe, Chef Feathers prepared formal dinners and ceremonies for numerous dignitaries. He found inspiration in the culture and cuisine of Italy and its passion for food. From Naples to the Pentagon, Chef Feathers moved back to the United States to begin his next assignment with the Secretary of the Navy. Heads of State, Senators, Foreign Ambassadors and the Navy’s distinguished guests have all experienced the gastronomic talents of Chef Feathers.
Chef Feathers joined the Blackberry Farm culinary team 12 years ago, serving as Pastry Chef, Sous Chef and Executive Sous Chef, rising to Corporate Chef in 2007. As Corporate Chef, Josh oversees the operations of all food elements of Blackberry Farm including the operations of the preservation kitchen, cheese room and butcher shop, as well as the restaurants and dining rooms, creating the breakfast and lunch portion of the guest experience and overseeing special event and evening experiences.
Kelly English
KELLY ENGLISHMemphis, TN
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Chef Kelly English is inspired by the familiar flavors from his childhood in southern Louisiana and incorporates that inspiration into each dish he cooks. Chef English currently implements this inspiration for food and service in his premier restaurant, Restaurant Iris in Memphis, TN, and at Kelly English Steakhouse at Harrah’s St. Louis Casino & Hotel in St. Louis, MO. His passion for cooking and commitment to uncompromised service has catapulted him into the national culinary spotlight. English was named “Restaurateur of the Year” by the Memphis Restaurant Association, and appeared on the Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.” NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Best Chef Southeast semifinalist (2010) FOOD & WINE – Best New Chefs (2009) |
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Tyler Brown
TYLER BROWNNashville, TN |
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Chef Tyler Brown was named executive chef at the Capitol Grille after serving three years as chef de cuisine for the establishment. During his tenure, the Capitol Grille has not only earned the Four Diamond designation from the AAA, but was voted one of the best new restaurants in the U.S. by Esquire and one of America’s best restaurants by Gourmet (2004). Prior to his position with Capitol Grille, Brown was an executive chef at Southern Comforts BBQ & Soul in Charlotte, NC, sous chef at Fearrington House in Chapel Hill, and chef de partie at Peninsula Grill in Charleston, SC He has taking on the unofficial title of “Head Farmer” at the garden Brown has started at the historic Glen Leven farm. He is a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, and is currently on the board of the Slow Food USA – Nashville Chapter. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Best Chef Southeast semifinalist (2010, 2012, 2013) AAA Four Diamond designation – The Capitol Grille Esquire—Best Chef (2011); “16 Geniuses Who Give Us Hope: Chef” (2010) Gourmet—Best New Restaurants (2004) |
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Texas
Bryan Caswell
BRYAN CASWELLHouston, TX |
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Chef Bryan Caswell’s love for all things scaly is reflected in the menu of his award -winning restaurant Reef. Chef Caswell’s restaurant boasts more species of Gulf fish than any other restaurant in Texas. His culinary skill has been sharpened in waterside hot-spots all over the world from New York to Hong Kong, and Barcelona to the Bahamas. Most recently, Chef Caswell was featured in Food Network’s competitive cooking show, The Next Iron Chef, where he wowed the judges by “looking like a linebacker but cooking like a ballerina.” NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation – Best Chef Southwest semifinalist (2010) FOOD & WINE – Best New Chefs (2009) Travel + Leisure – 50 Best New Restaurants (2009) Bon Appétit – No. 1 Seafood Restaurant in America (2008) |
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Chris Shepherd
CHRIS SHEPHERD
Houston, TX
Executive Chef/Owner
Underbelly
Chef Chris Shepherd isn’t originally from Texas, but he got there as soon as he could. Even as a child in Oklahoma, he was inspired by fresh ingredients, often scouring farms in search of straight-from-the-vine tomatoes, fresh corn, and peas.
Two decades ago, he applied to several culinary schools in the South and ultimately decided on Houston—somewhere he’d never been before. As he attended the Art Institute, Chris became intrigued by the city’s cultural diversity. Chris began his career as a line cook at Brennan’s, working his way up to Executive Sous-Chef and Sommelier. He spent nine years at Brennan’s, nurturing his passion and talent in the culinary arts and developing his own style. Chris left Brennan’s to become Executive Chef of Catalan, where he maintained partial control of the menu for five years.
Underbelly is Chris’ first concept—one that pays tribute to the city’s abundant culinary resources, cultural diversity, and rich food history. Chris works with farmers and ranchers to raise herds and grow produce, and he commits to purchasing whole crops. Chris is also using by-catch, lesser-known gulf species caught during commercial fishing. This relationship between fishermen and chefs is unique to Houston and promotes sustainability and more responsible use of the gulf’s resources. In addition, Underbelly’s extensive butchering and charcuterie program further demonstrates Chris’ devotion to the responsibilities of a well-run kitchen and his passion for using the whole animal.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
James Beard Foundation — Best New Restaurant semifinalist (2013); Best Chef Southwest semifinalist (2013)
FOOD & WINE — Best New Chefs (2013)
Esquire — Best New Restaurants (2012)
Craig Collins, MS
CRAIG COLLINS
Austin, TX
Master Sommelier
Dalla Terra Winery Direct
Master Sommelier Craig Collins has been passionately exploring his love for wine since the day he turned 21 and began working at a local winery. His advancement continued after graduating from Texas A&M University and working for Glazers Fine Wine Division. It was through this appointment that Craig was introduced to the Court of Master Sommeliers and refined the professional skills and industry knowledge that would shape his career.
Craig moved to Austin, Tx in 2005 to manage Prestige Wine Cellars where he was responsible for the sales and marketing of over 300 boutique wineries. In 2011 he followed his love for all things Italian and began working for Dalla Terra as their South Central Regional Manager.
He currently lives in Austin, Texas with his wife April. Craig is also a board member of Texsom, an organization which is responsible for top-notch education of Texas wine professionals. In 2011, Craig became one of only 180 people in the world to have passed the esteemed Master Sommelier Exam.
National Accolades:
Master Sommelier, Court of Master Sommeliers, 2011
Kent Rathbun
KENT RATHBUNDallas, TX |
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Chef Kent Rathbun fosters the philosophy of unsurpassed guest service, quality of food and attention to detail in his many culinary endeavors. Chef Rathbun cultivated a style of Contemporary Global cuisine and draws on Southwestern, Mediterranean, American, Cajun/Creole and Pacific Rim influences for his signature blend of flavors. This blend of flavors became the foundation for Chef Rathbun’s restaurant Abacus and he has evolved this perspective into the “Gourmet Backyard Cuisine” of Jasper’s and the rustic yet elegant home-cooking of Blue Plate Kitchen. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation — Best Chef Southwest semifinalist (2001, 2002) Esquire — Best New Restaurants (2004) Wine Spectator — Award of Excellence (2001, 2002) |
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Plinio Sandalio
PLINIO SANDALIO
Austin, TX
Pastry Chef
The Carillon
Plinio Sandalio might have left Bolivia for Houston when he was just 8 years old, but even those eight years proved influential to Sandalio, who grew up on his grandmother’s native cooking. Moving to a city like Houston, with such diversity of culture, Sandalio was able to hold on to—and even build a career upon—the vibrant heritage of his youth, so many miles away.
After high school, Sandalio won a scholarship to the Rochester Institute of Technology, another journey of a thousand-plus miles from home. Only two years into his study, Sandalio knew he was on the wrong path. Sandalio returned to Houston to attend the Art Institute of Houston, studying culinary arts, no doubt with the memory of his grandmother always in his mind.
Graduating in 2005, Sandalio worked in various kitchens, jumping comfortably back and forth between savory, sweet, and mixology—a talent that would prove influential to his future. He was a sous chef at both Rickshaw and Soma and pastry chef at Noe, Gravitas, and Textile. In 2010, he worked as pastry chef at David Bull’s Congress in Austin, Texas, before joining Josh Watkin’s team at Carillon in 2011.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
James Beard Foundation — Best Pastry Chef nomination (2010)
Star Chefs — Rising Star Pastry Chef, 2012
Virginia
Aaron Deal
AARON DEAL
Roanoke,VA
Executive Chef
The River and Rail
Executive Chef Aaron Deal feels at home in Roanoke, where he returns to the South and the roots of his cooking. Growing up in North Carolina, Deal has been at helm of some of the most renowned restaurants in the country accumulating more than a decade of experience in various facets of culinary execution and management. Deal has garnered wide acclaim for his inventive approach to cooking, including being named a “Best New Chef Under 30″ by Chicago Social magazine, and nominated a semi-finalist in the Rising Star category of the James Beard Awards in 2009. Deal was also named one of Restaurant-Hospitality magazine’s “12 to watch in 2012.”
NATIONAL ACCOLADES:
James Beard Foundation — Rising Star semifinalist (2009)
David Guas
DAVID GUASArlington, VA
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With a list of accolades too numerous to mention, including being a finalist for both FOOD & WINE’s “People’s Best New Chef” and a James Beard Award, Chef David Guas has made an indelible impact in the world of desserts. Following his highly-acclaimed, 13-year pastry chef career and critically-acclaimed cookbook, Dam Good Sweet, Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth New Orleans Style [Taunton Press, 2009], the Louisiana native is seen muscling up gumbo to shouting out Louisiana parish names [meaning your order’s up] at his down-home restaurant, Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery. It is a rustic, ‘funkified,’ Southern-style hangout in Arlington, VA, featuring Southern comfort fare and his signature desserts. The hunting, fishing, Harley-riding chef personality is sharing his highly-praised, iconic Southern dishes and de-mystifying everything from jambalaya, gumbo, and pastry dough to Mardi Gras King Cakes to his fans nationwide. NATIONAL ACCOLADES: James Beard Foundation Finalist – Best Cookbook (DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style, 2010) FOOD & WINE – People’s Best New Chef Finalist, Mid-Atlantic (2012) BOOKS: DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style (Taunton Press, 2010) |
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