Jill Kuehler, founder and CEO of Freeland Spirits, one of the nation’s few woman-owned distilleries, brings her background in agriculture and community food systems to distilling. Inspired by her grandmother, she champions a “grain-to-glass” philosophy. With Master Distiller Molly Troupe, she creates award-winning spirits. Freeland embodies innovation, sustainability, and empowerment, complementing this celebration of culinary artistry and mentorship.
Mourad Lahlou, pioneer of modern Moroccan cuisine, opened Aziza in 2001, earning the first Michelin Star for a Moroccan restaurant in the U.S. in 2010. In 2015, he debuted Mourad, showcasing his evolving Moroccan-Californian cuisine, earning another Michelin Star. A self-taught chef, Lahlou blends tradition and innovation, inspired by his Marrakesh roots and family influences.
Chef Pauline Lam, born in Hong Kong and raised in Northern California, trained at Le Cordon Bleu London and worked with renowned chefs. She served nearly a decade at Google as Executive Pastry Chef before becoming Chef de Cuisine. In Hawaii, she held prominent pastry roles and now leads Mālolo Provisions, her full-time endeavor.
Chef Amanda Langler, Executive Chef of Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro, has led within Bartolotta Restaurants since 2010. As Executive Chef of Mr. B’s – A Bartolotta Steakhouse, she helped earn recognition as “One of America’s Top Steakhouses” by *The Daily Meal.* She holds culinary and mathematics degrees from Kendall College and UW-Madison.
A Rhode Island native, Sarah’s love of baking began at eleven, inspired by her father and cooking with her parents. After attending Johnson & Wales University and interning at Ron Ben-Israel Cakes, she returned to develop chocolate and cake programs. In 2023, Sarah became Pastry Chef at Giusto.
Kate Lasky and Tomasz Skowronski are co-chefs and co-owners of APTEKA. The couple opened their hyper-DIY spot in 2016 as an exploration of Central and Eastern European food with an entirely scratch-made vegan menu. In 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, the couple were semi-finalists for James Beard Best Chef Mid-Atlantic, finalists for the award in 2023, and the restaurant was recognized by The New York Times as one of their fifty favorite restaurants as well as twenty-five favorite dishes of 2022. They are life-long Pittsburghers.
Claude Le Tohic is a Michelin-starred French chef and restaurateur. He earned three Michelin stars at Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas and a star at O’ by Claude Le Tohic in San Francisco. Chef/Partner at ONE65, he won Best Chef: Southwest (James Beard), Meilleur Ouvrier de France, and led Team USA to World Champion at ICC 2023.
Originally from Lebanon, PA, Chef Nicholas began cooking at five with his grandmothers and worked his first job at 13 alongside his mother. After training locally and at the Culinary Institute of America, he worked with Tom Colicchio, Chefs Club, and Gunter Seeger in NYC, Hudson Valley restaurants, and Noma in Copenhagen, before founding Farm2ChefsTable.
Chef Gregory León spent 18 years cooking in San Francisco before launching Amilinda in Milwaukee, first as a pop-up in 2013, then a restaurant in 2015. A James Beard Award finalist, he mentors emerging chefs and co-founded Tables Across Borders. He actively supports LGBTQ+ voices, local organizations, and initiatives fostering inclusivity in the culinary world.
Eddy Leroux trained in France, becoming a finalist for best French apprentice at 18. He honed his craft at Michelin 3-star Lucas Carton, worked in Thailand, then moved to New York. Rising at DANIEL, he became Executive Chef in 2021. Co-author of Foraged Flavor, his cookbook earned a James Beard nomination.