Executive Chef Paul Kahan is acclaimed for pioneering the chef-driven farm-to-table movement. A James Beard Award winner, he co-founded Chicago’s One Off Hospitality, creating institutions like avec and The Publican. Blackbird held a Michelin star for nine years. Kahan mentors young chefs, co-founded Pilot Light, and authored two award-winning cookbooks celebrating community and Midwestern food.
Gene Kato, a James Beard-nominated chef, is Executive Chef/Partner at Momotaro and Itoko. Previously, he founded Japonais and owned Sumi Robata, showcasing his expertise in traditional Japanese grilling. Under his leadership, Momotaro earned critical acclaim and a Michelin Guide mention. He continues to elevate Japanese cuisine with authenticity and innovation.
Husband and wife Zach Kaylor (baker) and Chloé Berlioux are the owners and operators of Moulin, an artisan bakery that focuses on naturally leavened breads and viennoiseries using a variety of whole grains that are milled in house on their stone mill.
Chef Gavin Kaysen is the award-winning chef and owner of Soigné Hospitality Group in Minneapolis known for his nationally renowned restaurants and cafés in the Twin Cities as well as his leadership in the culinary profession. Chef Kaysen is the recipient of two James Beard Awards, “Rising Star Chef of the Year 2008” and “Best Chef: Midwest 2018.”
Born in Detroit, planted in Sonoma, Doug brought his midwest work ethic to San Francisco back in 1998. Along the way, he stopped at Cornell University for a degree in Hotel Management and in New York City where he earned his self-described “master’s degree” cooking in some of the finest restaurants in the world.
Chef Christopher Kearse graduated as valedictorian from the Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in 2005. After working in top kitchens in America and the UK, he opened Will BYOB in 2012 to rave reviews. Kearse was named “Best New Chef,” a Philadelphia Rising Star, a James Beard semifinalist, and earned 3 Bells for Forsythia in 2019.
Thomas Keller is the only American-born chef to hold multiple three-star Michelin ratings—for The French Laundry and Per Se—and one star for The Surf Club Restaurant. He is the most honored American chef by the Michelin Guide and the first American male chef named a Chevalier of The French Legion of Honor, France’s highest decoration.
Frederic Kieffer trained at L’Ecole Supérieure de Cuisine Française, Ferrandi, and honed his craft at Taillevent, Le Chiberta, and Lutetia Hotel. He managed catering for The Museum of Natural History, re-opened Windows on the World, and launched l’escale. A farm-to-table advocate, he is Corporate Chef and Partner at multiple Greenwich Hospitality Group restaurants.
Sky Haneul Kim, born in Asan, South Korea, honed her craft in top restaurants nationwide. She blends bold Korean flavors with fresh, local ingredients. A James Beard Semifinalist for “Best Emerging Chef” (2024) and “Best Chef Northeast” (2025), she now showcases her culinary voice at Gift Horse, highlighting Rhode Island’s produce and seafood.
Kim, a graduate of Triton and Kendall College, trained under chefs Pierre Pollin, Jean Banchet, and Charlie Trotter. He opened urbanbelly (2008), Belly Shack (2009), bellyQ (2012), and The Table at Crate (2019). His cookbook Korean BBQ debuted in 2018. In 2024, he launched new restaurants with Cornerstone in South Korea’s Inspire Entertainment Resort.