Sunday Soirée at DANIEL

Cosme Aguilar is the chef/co-owner of Casa Enrique and Quique Crudo. His passion for food began in his hometown of Chiapas, Mexico’s southernmost state, where he was inspired by his mother’s passion for cooking. Along with his sister and aunts, he learned to cook Chiapas’s traditional dishes. His memories of his childhood’s flavors remain his inspiration as he brings New Yorkers a taste of a home-cooked Mexican meal.

It was never Cosme’s dream to become a chef. As a young man in Southern Mexico, his first passion was auto mechanics. When he ran out of money—the plight of the overzealous 20-something—he came to the United States and took a job as a porter, initially to make money to return to Mexico. But as time passed, he worked his way up the kitchen ladder. Trained in French cuisine, he used his knowledge and his mother’s old recipe book to craft a menu with time-honored Mexican dishes from different parts of the country. Today, Aguilar is the chef and co-owner of Casa Enríque, New York City’s first Michelin-starred Mexican restaurant. He has also been nominated for a James Beard award (2019).

Emma Bengtsson, known as an innovative and reputable mentor chef, has vibrantly taken hold of New York diners with elegant Nordic dishes that push the boundaries of simple flavors and favorite dishes of the region. Under her tutelage, the restaurant Aquavit in NYC was awarded two Michelin stars within the same year of her promotion to Executive Chef. This award made her the first Swedish woman to continuously hold two Michelin stars and only the second in the United States after Dominique Crenn. Chef Bengtsson was also granted the Mentor Chef Award by Michelin in 2003.

Born in the heart of Nazareth and making her way to New York City in 1974, Rawia Bishara is a visionary chef and proud Palestinian. Partnering with her daughter Jumana and supported by her entrepreneur husband Wafa and Hollywood actor son Tarek, Rawia has turned her passion for food into an iconic culinary destination.

Rawia’s journey started with a wide range of experiences—from selling life insurance to family business ventures and activism with the Union of Palestinian Women’s Association. After years of hosting unforgettable gatherings for friends and family, she realized her dream and opened Tanoreen in 1998.

Now, over 25 years later, Tanoreen stands as New York’s premier Palestinian restaurant, celebrated for its vibrant flavors and heartwarming hospitality. Rawia has written two cookbooks—Olives, Lemons, and Za’atar and Levant—and contributed to many others. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of OLZ, it will be republished with 16 new recipes! A three-time James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef NYC, her culinary genius has been spotlighted in major media, including New York Magazine, Bon Appétit, The New York Times, and The Food Network. Rawia and Tanoreen has nearly a decade of recognition in the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand category.

Rawia’s passion for sharing Palestinian culinary heritage continues to thrive at Tanoreen, where you’ll often find her personally welcoming guests with the same warmth and love that have made her a culinary legend.

Rachel Bossett was born and raised in a multi-racial and multi-cultural neighborhood in Seattle, Washington. She got her professional start at the rustic Grand Central Bakery before moving on to work with chef James Miller at Cafe Besalu. There, she realized that schooling would help with overall knowledge and advancement. She moved to New York City to attend The French Culinary Institute in 2010 and has lived here ever since. Before landing at Dirt Candy, she spent time learning chocolate from Håkan Martensson and continued learning in kitchens at Betony, Major Food Group, Marcus Samuelsson and others. Rachel is deeply interested in upholding and shining light on the African contribution to American foodways.

Matt Hoyle, born in Lancashire, Northern England, spent his formative years training in modern British restaurants upon graduating from Newcastle College. He joined the team at Nobu London in 1998 and it wasn’t long before he was singled out by owner, Nobu Matsuhisa.

Matt was asked to oversee, as Head Chef, the kitchens for two new Nobu projects — Matsuhisa Mykonos and Nobu, Badrutt’s Palace, in St. Moritz. In the spring of 2005, Matt left Europe for New York City to open Nobu’s trendy Midtown restaurant, Nobu Fifty Seven. He currently oversees kitchen operations as Corporate Chef for Nobu Restaurants.

JJ Johnson is a James Beard Award-winning chef, TV personality, and cultural tastemaker. He is the host of his own show called Just Eats with Chef JJ on CLEO TV and an author of two cookbooks. His most recent book “The Simple Art of Rice” was listed as one of New York Times Best Cookbooks of 2023. He is the founder of a rice-bowl shop called FIELDTRIP, with three locations in NYC and one in the Bahamas at the Atlantis Paradise Island. You can try more of his food in New York and New Jersey at Bankside across Wonder locations and in Ann Arbor, Michigan at Blue LLama Jazz Club.

Chef JJ is a thought leader, community champion, food justice, and equity advocate. He is currently involved with organizations, including Rethink Food, Harlem Grown, and Friends of the Children, where he uses his platform to evolve the culinary industry.