Born in Illinois and raised in Naples, Florida, Brian’s passion for food began early, evolving from picking strawberries to working in top Chicago restaurants. In 2016, he moved to Nashville to open The Mockingbird. A “Chopped” Season 24 winner, he reconnected with Maneet Chauhan, inspiring their restaurant concept.
Chef Gloriann Rivera graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in 2012 and worked with esteemed chefs Brandon McGlamery and Brian Cernell at Prato and Luma. In 2016, she joined Chef Norman Van Aken at 1921, leading the pastry and baking programs. She cooked twice for The James Beard Foundation and has been integral to Chef Van Aken’s team for nearly a decade.
Executive Chef, Philippe Roussel, is among New York’s finest, with a career shaped at iconic establishments like Windows on the World and Restaurant Daniel. His unwavering commitment to culinary excellence is evident in every dish, earning praise from the New York Times, Wine Spectator, Eater, Forbes, and more.
Chef Henrique Sá Pessoa of Portugal studied at the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts, before working abroad in London and Australia. After winning 2005 Chef of the Year in Portugal, he starred in cooking shows before opening Alma, which holds 2 Michelin stars since 2019.
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Chef Alexander Sazama brings 18 years of culinary expertise to Benson’s Restaurant Group. He has been instrumental in opening beloved Milwaukee restaurants, including The Bridgewater Modern Grill, The Edison, Onesto, Smoke Shack, and Blue Bat Kitchen.
Michael Schwartz, James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of The Genuine Hospitality Group, transformed South Florida dining with Michael’s Genuine® Food & Drink in 2007. Known for fresh, local ingredients and seasonal sourcing, he authored two cookbooks, supports arts and charities, and earns acclaim for innovative, authentic restaurants like Harry’s Pizzeria®.
Jeremy Sewall is the Chef and Partner of Row 34 in Boston’s Seaport, Cambridge’s Kendall Square, Burlington, MA and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Row 34 is a progressive, neighborhood-focused oyster bar that continues the team’s mission of celebrating New England’s rich seafood traditions.
Chef Jess Shadbolt is a British born chef, restaurateur and soon to be cookbook author. Along with her partners she opened King — a restaurant that changes the menu daily — in 2016. In 2018 Jess was one of Food and Wine’s Best New Chefs. King gained a two-star review from Pete Well’s in The New York Times later that year.
Alon Shaya, born in Israel and raised in Philadelphia, discovered his love for food cooking alongside his mother and grandmother. A Culinary Institute of America graduate, he began his career in Las Vegas before cooking in St. Louis, Italy, and settling in New Orleans in 2001. Since then, he has been honored with five James Beard nominations.
Sahar Siddiqi, Chef de Cuisine at Chai Pani Decatur, specializes in South Asian cuisine with local, seasonal ingredients, fostering community through food. Gabriel Johnson, Executive Chef at Houston’s Atlanta and a Navy veteran, blends Italian influences into his cooking, with a passion for fresh pasta and Southern flavors.