Aidan, born in Vancouver, began in restaurants as a dishwasher and honed his skills in Montreal at Au Pied de Cochon and Toqué!. Moving to New York in 2010, he worked with Hugue Dufour and Ignacio Mattos before opening Chez Ma Tante in 2017, earning national acclaim. He later launched Le Crocodile and Bar Blondeau at Wythe Hotel, celebrated for innovative dining, natural wines, and award-winning cocktails.
Ken Oringer is a James Beard Award winning chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author. He owns and operates highly acclaimed restaurants around Boston including Coppa, Toro, Uni (formerly Clio), Little Donkey, Faccia a Faccia, and his newest project, Verveine Cafe + Bakery. Oringer has received numerous awards and recognition for his work.
Colleen Orlando, a Le Cordon Bleu San Francisco graduate, brings over 15 years of bakery and café leadership. In 2020, she and her partner Rian moved across the country and opened Little Loaf Bakeshop in 2022. The all-vegan bakery, now a full-scale café in New Paltz, NY, is proud to be woman and LGBTQ+ owned.
Maura O’Sullivan has been cooking professionally in Vermont for over 30 years. She has run kitchens in owner-operated restaurants that serve locally grown and sourced food to the Burlington. She caters private events and find great joy in collaborating with industry friends, especially for community good.
Dalida is run by husband-wife duo Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz, also behind Istanbul Modern. From Mexico and Turkey, the chefs met at The Culinary Institute of America and trained at Eleven Madison Park, Del Posto, Saison, and Mourad. Recently, Laura competed on Top Chef and together they were named ‘Chefs of the Year’ by San Francisco Magazine.
It all started with Bananas Foster, introduced by my uncle when I was about 9, sparking my curiosity for baking. Known as the “cake lady,” I baked for special occasions. In 2013, I enrolled at Santa Rosa Junior College. From event chef to production kitchens, I found my calling at Butter& as Production Manager and Head Designer.
Ángel brings decades of experience in traditional Spanish cooking and modern technique, leading Michelin-starred kitchens including La Broche and Martín Berasategui, and cooking at ElBulli. A Food & Wine Best New Chef and former professor at Basque Culinary Center University, he now leads Cúrate’s kitchen, sharing his knowledge and grounding the menu in Spanish culinary tradition.
Critically acclaimed chef Vitaly Paley, “The Dean of Chefs,” is a James Beard Award winner, Iron Chef America victor, and Top Chef judge. With over 40 years’ experience, the Belarus-born, French-trained chef helped define Northwest cuisine, blending passion, creativity, and technique. He believes cooking is soul-searching—“putting our heart and soul on the plate.”
Charlie Palmer, an early advocate of regional American ingredients, opened the acclaimed three-star Aureole in 1988. Over 30 years, Aureole earned 13 Michelin stars and two James Beard awards. His coast-to-coast empire includes award-winning restaurants and boutique hotels, such as Charlie Palmer Steak, AperiBar, and Dry Creek Kitchen, each offering distinctive experiences in historically significant locations.
Chris Pandel, known for Chicago favorites like The Bristol, co-founded Balena, which earned a James Beard nomination. He launched Swift & Sons, ranked among Chicago’s top steakhouses, and Cold Storage, a seafood concept. Expanding with Cira and Swift Tavern, he continues to shape Chicago’s dining scene, recently opening Zarella Pizzeria & Taverna.