The Family Reunion

Chef Adrienne Cheatham grew up in the kitchens and dining rooms of the restaurants her mother managed in Chicago, Illinois. She attended Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida and graduated Magna Cum Laude, before heading to NYC to attend the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE). While at ICE, Adrienne was referred to the kitchen at Le Bernardin where she started as a commis. During her eight years at the three-Michelin star restaurant, Adrienne made her way up the ranks, eventually becoming Executive Sous Chef. Adrienne went on to work with Marcus Samuelsson as the Chef de Cuisine of the Marcus Samuelsson Group, opening Streetbird, where she received a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide, and Marcus' Bermuda before being promoted to Executive Chef at Red Rooster.

Adrienne competed on season 15 of Top Chef, making it to the finale and finishing second. She has been featured as a speaker at Cherry Bombe Magazine's annual Jubilee festival and was the subject of a New York Times documentary series titled “Tastemakers.” Adrienne has appeared on Good Morning America, Live with Kelly & Ryan, The Good Dish, Food Network's Star Plates with Mindy Kaling, Food & Wine, US Weekly, Sports Illustrated, Grubstreet, Eater, and more. She is the founder of Sunday Best, a pop-up series held in various locations around Harlem, and recently published her first cookbook also titled Sunday Best, from Clarkson Potter.

Alexander Smalls is no stranger to culinary curating and storytelling; his most recent undertaking has been the creation—the founding and orchestrating—of Alkebulan: the first modern contemporary African dining hall, which opened in October of 2021 for Dubai Expo 2020. The dining hall, whose prototype includes ambitious plans for opening additional venues in London and Harlem, expects a total of 15 million visitors to the Dubai location by the end of March.

Smalls has been featured on television on numerous occasions. He recently appeared twice on The Dish, CBS Saturday Morning’s show, that boasts close to 2.5 million in viewership. He was also spotlighted, along with Chef Kwame Onwauachi, on CBS This Morning’s Trailblazers, a series that features trailblazers: luminaires and trendsetters that have defied the odds and achieved extraordinary accomplishments. In 2021, he was on a national ABC special, with Deborah Roberts, that celebrated the African-American holiday, Juneteenth.

Additionally, Smalls has had a role on many food shows. He served three times as a celebrity chef judge on Top Chef. He’s appeared on The Chew with Carla Hall, and Extra Virgin with Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos, and was recently featured in the Hallmark series The Peete’s with actress Holly Robinson Peete. He has been a four-time judge on Throwdown with Bobby Flay, and served as a judge on yet another Food Network show, Recipe for Success. However, Smalls’ publicity is by no means limited to television; In 2020 Alexander Smalls was celebrated and featured in Food and Wine magazine’s cover story, the October issue.

Alexander Smalls’ prolific path is marked by a plethora of copious achievements: he is a James Beard Award winning chef, author, and raconteur was the visionary co-owner of renowned restaurants Minton’s and The Cecil — NYC’s first Afro-Asian American restaurant, which was named “Best New Restaurant in America” by Esquire in 2014. Over the past three decades, this South Carolina native has traveled the world studying the cooking techniques and foodways of the African diaspora.

Smalls has always brought elements of his birthplace into his menus. As the former chef-owner of celebrated restaurants, including Café Beulah, the first fine dining African American restaurant in NYC, Sweet Ophelia’s in Soho, and Shoebox Café at Grand Central Station, Smalls has received great acclaim in the restaurant scene, including cooking at the James Beard House, being named one of Zagat’s “NYC Restaurant Power Players You Need to Know” and being honored with the Legacy Award in 2014 by The Amsterdam News, one of the oldest African American newspapers in the country.

Furthermore, in addiiton to the accolades, Smalls has had many awards bestowed upon him. He received a 2019 James Beard Award, with chef JJ Johnson and Veronica Chambers, for their cookbook, Between Harlem and Heaven. In 2020, Smalls was bestowed the Creative Spirit Award from the Black Alumni of Pratt by his dear friend the inimitable Ms. Cicely Tyson. He’s received additional recognition for his other written work, dating back to his first memoir and cookbook, Grace the Table, foreword by Wynton Marsalis, which features recipes from his upbringing he calls Southern Revival cuisine. His most recent book, Meals, Music & Muses: Recipes from my African American Kitchen, has been acclaimed by New York Times and Los Angeles Times.

Smalls’ work goes way beyond the kitchen; he is also a world-renowned opera singer and the winner of both a Grammy Award and a Tony Award for the cast recording of George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” with the Houston Grand Opera. Smalls will debut his new recording title, “Let us Break Bread together,” in June 2022.

Alexander Smalls sees his career in the world of hospitality as an activist and advocate for the foodways of the African Diaspora. He is dedicated to elevating, educating, and expanding the narrative, visibility and brilliance of African food in the world. When he’s not traveling, Alexander Smalls resides in Harlem, where he is active in the community on nonprofit boards and with community initiatives.

Chef Andre Fowles is a Jamaican born chef based in New York City. He’s a three-time Food Network “Chopped” champion, and has been recognized by Star Chef New York. Over the years, Chef Fowles’ contemporary approach to Caribbean cuisine has been featured in the New York Times, Thrillist, Bon Appetit, Vice Media, Good Morning America, and The Today Show. Andre has hosted multiple dinners at the prestigious James Beard House, and has contributed to some major food events in America and Jamaica – Food & Wine Festival, SOBE Wine & Food Festival, and the Observer Food Awards. He’s currently working on publishing his first cookbook; opening his first restaurant; and launching his hot sauce line – “Mama Cherry” – which pays homage to his Jamaican grandmother who inspired him to become a chef.

Website: https://chefandrefowles.com

Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Executive Chef Brian Jupiter has always believed that Southern comfort food is a true art form. Pulling inspiration from closely held family secrets and recipes, Jupiter spent his childhood alongside his grandmother in her kitchen.

After beginning his professional career at the age of 16 in the kitchen of New Orleans’ famed Aurora Steakhouse, Jupiter eventually moved to Miami, Florida to pursue degrees in Culinary Arts and Food & Beverage Management. In 2003, Jupiter made the move to Chicago to ll the role as Chef de Cuisine, and eventually Executive Chef, at Narcisse Champagne and Caviar Salon. He later became an integral part of the menu development for the opening of Frontier in 2010 and Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods in 2018 as Executive Chef of Pioneer Tavern Group.

Chef Jupiter has since been heavily involved in philanthropic work within the Chicago community and beyond, continuously donating time and resources to nonprofit organizations and charity events while also serving as a fundamental support to other local (and national) chefs.

Bryan Furman is living his pitmaster dream as an owner of BBQ restaurants in Atlanta, GA. He has showcased his pitmaster skills all over the US and Europe. Bryan smoked for the Stone Barn Center in New York and Meatopia in the United Kingdom. Bryan is looking forward to opening his new location in the Riverside area of Atlanta, GA which is slated for 2023. In addition, Bryan has opened a second location in the State Farm Arena, home of the NBA Atlanta Hawks. While his restaurant is being built, he will continue to collaborate with Pop-Ups throughout the country. Bryan Furman has been named one of Food & Wine Magazine's 2019 Best New Chefs (the first Pitmaster to ever receive the title), also receiving a 2019 and 2020 James Beard Foundation semifinalist nomination for Best Chef Southeast.

Bryan Furman is well known for his award-winning standards in all categories of barbeque. His pitmaster standards are well above most. Furman insists on using Heritage hogs for his meats. The Heritage hog is a perfectly marbled source of meat for smoking. He carefully selects woods for creating his signature smoke favors. He also carefully selects woods for smoking and making his own side dishes using locally sourced produce with a blend of unique ingredients. In 2022, he released Bryan Furman 1432 BBQRub and Bryan Furman 1432 Brisket Rub which is now available for sale. In January of 2023, Bryan Furman released his three famous BBQ sauces, ATL Red Sauce, Peach Mustard BBQ Sauce, and Carolina Spicy Vinegar.

Furman has been featured on CBS Saturday Morning's The Dish and named Atlanta's BBQ King. Southern Living magazine selected his barbecue restaurant as one of "The South's Top 50 Barbecue Joints 2018 and the New York Times recently mentioned that his restaurant is the only barbecue restaurant in Atlanta turning out whole-hog barbeque with heirloom-breed hogs.

Carla Hall first won over audiences when she competed on Bravo’s "Top Chef" and "Top Chef: All Stars" and shared her philosophy to always cook with love. She is a trained chef who has worked in several professional restaurant kitchens in and around the Washington, D.C. area and believes food connects us all, a belief she strives to convey through her work, her cooking, and in her daily interactions with others.

Carla spent 7 years co-hosting ABC’s Emmy award winning, popular lifestyle series "The Chew", and is currently featured on the Food Network in shows such as "Thanksgiving, Holiday and Halloween Baking Championships" (judge), and "Worst Cooks in America". Her latest cookbook, Carla Hall's Soul Food: Everyday and Celebration, was published in 2018, landing on annual "Best Cookbook" lists across the country and receiving an NAACP Image Awards nomination.

Hall published her debut picture book, Carla and the Christmas Cornbread, in November 2021
with Denene Millner Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. Illustrated by Cherise Harris, Carla and the Christmas Cornbread is a heartwarming tale loosely based on Hall’s childhood growing up in Nashville, TN, that celebrates family traditions, old and new, and also includes a child-friendly Christmas cornbread recipe perfect for the holidays.

Want to learn more about Carla? www.CarlaHall.com

Chef Charles Gabriel

Chef Charles Gabriel was born on Sunday, October 12, 1947 in Huntersville, North Carolina to hard working parents. As in so many stories of acquired greatness, he too was birthed in struggle with the motivation to succeed against all odds.

Chef Charles destination of greatness was groomed in humble beginnings which taught him the essentials of hard work and responsibility. Chef Charles had 19 siblings. He and his siblings had to commit to picking cotton in the cotton fields with their parents. After long day's of picking cotton, he and his family would all cook together, each child having a specific responsibility. At the age of 8, Chef was responsible for cooking the chicken. This responsibility included going to the chicken coop, picking a chicken, killing, plucking and preparing it for cooking. Chef Charlee’s remained committed to this household responsibility until the age of 19. It was through his continued commitment and dedication to his family responsibility, juxtaposed with his mother's tutelage that he was able to master the art and skillset of Pan-fried Chicken.

At the age of 19, Chef Charles migrated to Harlem, New York. He came with the purpose to work at his brother Hollis' restaurant named Gab Restaurant. Charles then went to work at Copeland’s, at 547 West 145th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. Eventually, he would venture on his own and start cooking and selling plates of food out of his home kitchen. After saving enough money, Chef Charles bought a table and started selling his food outside in front of his building. Subsequently, he saved enough money to purchase a food truck which allowed for him to eventually purchase his first brick and mortar on 153rd Street and 8th Avenue. The name of his restaurant was Charles Country Pan-fried Chicken. Chef Charles eventually acquired his second location at 2461 Frederick Douglass Boulevard as he continued to rise to Chef stardom in the Harlem community. Following a similar format birthed in the South, he continued the responsibilities of planning, preparing and managing his food preparation. He labored daily for hours often getting only 4 hours of sleep before repeating the process all over again. For more than 30 years this was the daily routine of Chef Charles which produced greatness and the continued success of his business.

As in any business venture Chef Charles experienced ups and downs but always braved the storm valiantly and successfully. Unfortunately, the pandemic brought about a different set of circumstances. These circumstances culminated in the closing of Chef's two restaurants, leaving the Harlem community void of one of their beloved restaurants. While the world continued to travel through its dark pandemic journey, Chef Charles was trudging on through his own. Through his dark journey he never gave up and continued looking for the light. Chef Charles is coming back with not one, not two, but three new locations, 340 West 145th Street /146 West 72nd/125th Street. Chef Charles Gabriel and Chef Quie Slobert his COO, will bring Harlem an enhanced version of Charles Pan-fried Chicken. With a new look and new additions to the menu, he cannot wait to reintroduce himself to the world.

Chef Quie

Chef Quie Slobert is the COO of Charles Pan-Fried Chicken and the owner/creator of Cooking with Shirley's Son.

Cooking with Shirley's Son is a program that allows our youth to foster positive images in themselves. The program allows for young people to align themselves with their passions by participating in the Chef Quie experience through cooking. Essentially cooking is the tool utilized to ignite an elevation of their positive mental fortitude in a society filled with a plethora of negative distractions.

Building partnerships with institutions that propels the mission is extremely vital. Partnering up helps in the fulfillment of Chef Quies' mission. Aligning himself with an organization that promotes growth and development of our community adds new dimensions to his purpose. Chef Quie who was born in Harlem and raised by a single parent understands struggle. His experience fuels his tireless ambition to succeed in his desire to help young people ignite that go getter within.

With the belief that "all cultures celebrate, grieve, and come together around a table," Chef de Cuisine Damarr Brown brings his culinary expertise from Roister and mk to VirtueRestaurant. Brown cooked under Chef and Owner Erick Williams at nationally acclaimed mk for seven years, building a strong reputation and relationship, citing Williams as his mentor.

As a proclaimed food and beverage enthusiast, Brown graduated from the Cooking andHospitality Institute in Chicago. He grew up immersing himself in the cooking styles ofEmeril Lagasse and Julia Child and often cooked with his mother who supported his skills by preparing meals together and buying him cookbooks.

Brown spent two years at Roister, the Alinea groups hearth focused concept. He further honed his craft as sous chef under the tutelage of Michelin starred Chef, Andrew Brochu. Chef Brown reunited with Chef Williams to open Virtue, with the mentality that food connects people from a variety of backgrounds. Brown believes Virtue is an important part of Chicago's dining scene, as it was founded to provide inclusivity, and a culture of equity. His culinary focus at Virtue draws from familiar flavors he grew up with, pairing them with his learnings and takeaways from past kitchens.

In late 2022, Brown collaborated with his mentor Chef Williams on a second project - TopThis Mac N' Cheese, serving delectable mac and cheese topped with an array of different toppings. The takeout and delivery concept had a cult following from the start and continues to gain popularity.

A high point in his career, Brown competed on Bravo TV's Top Chef Houston, where he made it to the final four contestants and also was voted, "Fan Favorite." Months following in September 2022, Brown was named a Food & Wine Best New Chef in America for his work as Chef de Cuisine at Virtue. Brown continues to be recognized, winning the Emerging Chef category by the James Beard Foundation for the 2023 Awards.

Damarr Brown supports the ideology of community and enjoys dining at eateries near and abroad. Music history is a favorite pastime, alongside his continual search for new or forgotten flavors and technique.

@h3irloom_baltimore

Chef David Thomas is a chef and entrepreneur from Baltimore, MD, where he grew up watching his grandmother prepare culinary masterpieces from scratch. In her small kitchen, he learned at an early age that quality ingredients are the foundation of great food. This is the guiding lesson that led to the success of his restaurants, Herb & Soul and Ida B’s Table, and the foundation of H3irloom Food Group.

David’s 25+ years in the industry began in 1992 when he and his wife, Tonya, started a catering company that they owned and operated for eight years. From there, David continued to expand his breadth of knowledge in the catering and restaurant industries, working at Maryland establishments large and small over the years, including Metropolitan Kitchen/Lounge in Annapolis, MD, where he unveiled his true culinary vision and developed his signature cuisine: modern soul food. Looking to make a mark of his own, David, alongside his wife Tonya, opened Herb & Soul, a farm-to-table and sustainably driven carry-out restaurant, in 2012, and later became the executive chef and partner of Ida B’s Table in 2016. Both restaurants have been recognized for numerous awards for David’s inspired approach to soul food.

In 2019, Chef David was asked to be a part of a James Beard Foundation Juneteenth Celebration Dinner that brought together African American chefs from all over the country who are solidifying the roots of soul food. He was also given the opportunity to collaborate and cook with world renowned chefs from all over the globe at Guinness Meatopia, taking his culinary community global. David traveled with well-known chefs to Senegal and Cameroon, is a 2021 & 2022 JBF Bootcamp Alum, cooked at the Bayhaven Food & Wine Festival for 3 years, Charleston Wine & Food for 2 years, The Family Reunion Food & Wine Salamander Collection for 2 years, speaker at SXSW 2022, and a 2023 JBF Legacy Advisor.

In 2020, David and Tonya stepped away from their restaurants to establish H3irloom Food Group with long-time friends Floyd and Linda Taliaferro, and in 2024 acquired full ownership. Today, the 100% Black, Woman-owned company’s portfolio includes dining experiences, catering, restaurant concepts, food service management and the award-winning H3 product line, working together to uplift the Black food narrative and provide a deeply personal approach to the Black food experience that’s rooted in history and culture. In 2025 H3irloom will introducing two new restaurant concepts, one being Nostalgia Diner.

David has been featured on multiple television shows, including Sara Brown’s Tasty Travels’, CBS This Morning, Sherry Shepard, and Food Networks Bite Club Champion 2019. He has now competed on Food Network’s Chopped competition three times. Ultimately, he earned the title of Chopped Grand Champion in February 2020. He has gone undefeated three times in the Chopped Kitchen. Today, David also works on several passion projects, such as Tastewise Kids in Maryland and joining other chefs and cultural creatives to establish the Muloma Heritage Center on 38 acres on St. Helena Island, South Carolina. Through each of his ventures, David has remained true to his aim of reclaiming the narrative around African American cooking and soul food traditions, sharing its legacy and being part of its evolution.

During this extraordinarily challenging time to be a chef in the kitchen, Chef Douglass Williams continues to inspire and bring people to the table.

Chef Douglass Williams is thrilled and honored to be nominated by the James Beard Foundation as a Best Chef Northeast 2023 semifinalist. "Above all I am grateful to my family, team and community. Everyone works just so damn hard. When we opened MIDA with a mission of generosity, we had no idea if we’d be in business a year later. And now here I am living my dream, bringing people together at the table. It is heartening to know that people are noticing and they care" shares Douglass. "All we want to do is to make everyone feel welcome, feel good with yummy pasta and walk away with a better outlook on the day and the future."

This most recent James Beard Foundation honor is in addition to Douglass’ nominations for James Beard Foundation Outstanding Chef in the Country/2022 and Best Chef Northeast/2020. Soon after opening his first restaurant, MIDA Boston, Douglass was recognized as a Food & Wine Best New Chef, and by Boston Magazine as Best of Boston/Best New Restaurant, Best Pasta and Best Chef General Excellence. Williams is known for his bright smile, generous hospitality and creative talent in the kitchen. In perpetual motion, you will find Williams on the line leading his teams at MIDA South End, MIDA Newton, and at APIZZA in Boston’s Hub Hall.

Williams learned at an early age that he was most comfortable in the kitchen. Diagnosed with Crohn’s disease as a teenager, Williams committed to healing himself through a new approach to food. His journey brought him from his hometown of Atlantic City, NJ to culinary school and then to traveling the world learning from the best. From Thailand to Paris, New York City to Boston, he worked and staged at some of the world’s most acclaimed restaurants, including Radius and Coppa/Boston, Corton/NYC and Akarme/Paris.

Recognized as one of the leading chefs in the nation, Williams is committed to bringing the community together. "To be a Black chef/owner here in Boston is an honor and a responsibility I take very seriously. I am fortunate to have successful restaurants, an incredible team and supportive community. By giving my time and energy to the neighborhood and by putting my passion for cooking, storytelling and teaching to good use, I can help build bridges in the community through food and conversation. I truly believe the world can come together over a delicious bowl of pasta."

www.midarestaurant.com

Dr. Jessica B. Harris, considered by many to be one of the ranking authorities on the food of the African Diaspora, is the author, editor, or translator of eighteen books including twelve cookbooks documenting the foodways of the African Diaspora. She is a sought-after speaker and has lectured widely and written extensively for scholarly and popular publications. Harris consults internationally and conceptualized the award-winning cafeteria of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture. She is currently leading the Culinary Institute of America's new African Diaspora Foodways initiative. Dr. Harris is also lead curator for the exhibit African/American: Making the Nation's Table to be presented by New York's Museum of Food and Drink in 2022.

Dr Harris holds numerous awards and accolades including our 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award and an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Johnson & Wales University. In 2019, her food-related works were inducted into the James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame and she is the 2020 James Beard Lifetime Achievement awardee. Dr. Harris taught at Queens College/CUNY, New York, for five decades and is currently professor emerita at that institution.

It is with inimitable persistence, passion and drive to propel today's dining experience that Erick Williams - Owner and Chef at Virtue Restaurant & Bar and Mustard Seed Kitchen - has carved a special niche in the restaurant industry.

Opened in November 2018, Virtue is Williams’ first solo concept, and is nestled in the heart of the historic Hyde Park neighborhood, located on Chicago's south side. The restaurant, which attracts guests both from throughout Chicagoland and around the globe, unites his 25 years of fine dining expertise, his love of Southern cuisine and his insatiable study of history and art as they relate to food culture.

A Chicago native with a formidable career, Williams’ foray and eventual establishment in the culinary scene began at mk The Restaurant working alongside admired chef Michael Kornick. His home for nearly two decades, Williams held the position of Executive Chef at mk, where he was extolled for his farm-to-fork, seasonal approach. During his tenure, the restaurant amassed a fiercely loyal patronage while consistently receiving accolades from coast to coast. The expertise Williams built over the years is reflected at Virtue with his precise sense of timing, immaculate presentation, deeply considered menu and a mantra of leading every guest experience with kindness.

Since opening, Williams and Virtue have been featured in a host of local and national journals and television programs. The New York Times named him one of America's black chefs changing food dialogue in America (2019). Virtue also earned its place on Esquire magazine’s annually anticipated list of Best New Restaurants (2019). Television writer and producer Phil Rosenthal included Williams in his hit Netflix series, "Somebody Feed Phil" (2020). He was also named, "A Chicagoan of the Year" by Chicago magazine (2020). In 2021, Williams was honored with Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Mayoral Medal of Honor for his work feeding frontline workers during the pandemic and also his advocacy for social justice in the Black community. He has been featured on ABC’s Live With Kelly and Ryan as part of the show’s Hometown Chef Summer Cooking series and was the featured subject of CBS Saturday Morning’s "The Dish" segment. A natural orator, Williams was a featured speaker at the Philly Chef Conference (2019, 2022) and was named a Smith Symposium Fellow by the Southern Foodways Alliance (2019). In 2022 Williams was named Jean Banchet Chef of the Year and after being nominated twice (2020 and 2022), he was named Best Chef: Great Lakes by the James Beard Foundation making history as the first Black chef to win in this category.

In November 2021, inspired by his experience providing takeout only during the pandemic, Williams opened Mustard Seed Kitchen in Chicago, a takeout and delivery-only concept featuring a menu of high-quality approachable meals. Less than a year later in August 2022, Williams’ third concept, Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern which evokes the vibrancy of New Orleans through its most celebrated sandwich, opened in Hyde Park just steps away from Virtue. Months after Daisy’s opened, Williams collaborated with Virtue Chef de Cuisine Damarr Brown to open Top This, a delivery and takeout concept offering a variety of delectable mac and cheeses with delicious toppings.

On multiple occasions, Williams has had the honor of organizing and serving high-profile events for civic leaders and celebrities, both on his own and alongside fellow industry leaders nationwide. Outside of the restaurant, he donates his time and talent to those less fortunate by partnering with charities across the region. He is particularly devoted to making a positive impact on the future of Chicago’s inner-city youth as well as the hospitality industry, offering his time as a keynote speaker advocating for small businesses.

Georgiana Viou, chef at ROUGE restaurant in Nîmes (1* MICHELIN), was born in Cotonou. In 1999, while dreaming of becoming a conference interpreter, she left her native Benin to pursue her studies in foreign languages at the Sorbonne, but her other passion, cooking, gradually imposed itself through daring, chance encounters.

After landing a job in a communications agency in Marseille, she entered the world of gastronomy through several culinary competitions, where her instinct and energy hit the mark. One thing led to another, and she gained experience in a number of top establishments in Provence and Paris, before deciding to strike out on her own in 2011. Phocéens discovered her cuisine, rooted in the Mediterranean and enlivened by Beninese touches, first at L'Atelier de Georgiana, then at Chez Georgiana and LaPiscine.

Her world quickly attracted the attention of Gault & Millau, which twice awarded two toques to her establishments and selected her as one of the Jeunes Talents 2015. In 2021, as she blossomed at the ROUGE piano, she received the prestigious "Grand de Demain" trophy, again from the yellow guide. In 2023, ROUGE was awarded a star by the MICHELIN Guide.

Gregory Gourdet is a three-time James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef, best-selling author, and television personality. He is best known for his award-winning cuisine, bevy of TV appearances, and trendsetting role in the culinary boom of Portland, Oregon.

A native of Queens, NY, Gregory attended the Culinary Institute of America, becoming the school’s first student to land an internship with celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. For nearly seven years, Gregory honed his culinary skills at three of Jean-Georges’ trailblazing restaurants, climbing the kitchen ranks to become one of his chef de cuisines. Gregory ran the kitchen at Portland’s Departure Restaurant + Lounge for 10 years, leaving in 2019 to focus on opening Kann. 

An avid traveler and lifelong student of food and culture, Gregory has made a name for himself by infusing methods and ingredients from all over the world, balanced together with his Haitian heritage, and creating signature flavors adored for their seasonality, boldness, complexity, and spice. 

He was named “Chef of the Year” by both Eater Portland and the Oregon Department of Agriculture, and is a two-time Bravo Top Chef finalist.

In 2021, Gregory released his first cookbook, Everyone’s Table: Global Recipes for Modern Health, the ultimate guide to cooking globally-inspired dishes free of gluten, dairy, soy, legumes, and grains. The book is a national bestseller and a 2022 James Beard Award winner for Best General Cookbook. 

August 2022 brought about the opening of Kann, a live-fire dinner house that showcases traditional Haitian flavors alongside dishes inspired by the cuisines of the African and Caribbean diaspora. Kann was quickly recognized by Eater, The New York Times, and Robb Report as a “Best New Restaurant”; Esquire named Kann the #1 “Best New Restaurant in America.” Portland Monthly and The Oregonian also named it restaurant of the year. Kann was named the James Beard Foundation Awards 2023 “Best New Restaurant.”

In September of 2022, Gregory opened Sousòl, Kann’s subterranean sibling cocktail bar. Sousòl draws inspiration from the greater Pan-Caribbean for its food and drink menu. It also features a full zero-proof menu for an inclusive experience for drinkers and non-drinkers alike. In 2023, Sousòl was named one of Esquire’s “Best Bars in America.”

In 2024, Gregory’s culinary career was recognized by the James Beard Foundation Awards, which named him “Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific.” The same year, Kann was featured on the inaugural “25 Best Restaurants in Portland, OR Right Now” list by The New York Times and was featured on La Liste’s 2025 list of the world’s best restaurants. 

In his role as Culinary Director of Printemps New York, opening March 2025, Gourdet will oversee five concepts, ranging from fine dining to a casual cafe—each a celebration of artistry, unparalleled quality, innovation, culture, and creativity.

Gregory sees food as nourishment and is committed to moving the restaurant industry forward sustainably and equitably. He is a member of the US State Department’s American Culinary Corp. He is also an ambassador for the Marine Stewardship Council.

He spends his spare time trail-running in the woods for hours.

Jamila Robinson is the editor in chief of Bon Appétit and Epicurious. She leads an award-winning team that shapes the culinary world and the way global audiences think about food through ambitious recipes and storytelling about culture, cooking, and restaurants. Robinson serves as the North American East Academy Chairfor the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, selecting the voting panel for one of the highest honors in the restaurant industry. Recognized as one the most influential people in food media, Robinson was most recently the assistant managing editor for food and culture at The Philadelphia Inquirer, where she led the digital transformation of its food and dining coverage and won an Emmy Award for Wildest Dreams, a multiplatform projecton the Black experience. Robinson has also held senior leadership roles at Atlantic Media and the USA Today Network where she directed strategy across dozens of media brands.

Harlem bred Chef James "JR" Robinson, Founder and Executive Chef of Kitchen Cray began his culinary journey at the age of 11. Inspired by watching his grandmother create unique recipes, he became obsessed with the creation of food. "JR" had a not-so-easy childhood. In and out of homeless shelters and foster care, he maintained a passion to follow his culinary pursuits as he flourished in culinary school into entrepreneurship into the limelight, featuring on Season 13 of Gordon Ramsey's Hell's Kitchen.

Robinson's professional career included stints at several high-end restaurants before he decided to branch out on his own and create Kitchen Cray with partner Sudon Williams. With locations on the H Street Corridor and Lanham, KitchenCray, prepares meals for every taste. Our mission is to change how the world views what we like to call, "The New Chef Culture." We take five-star dining experiences and recreate them to cater to every lifestyle-from the struggling student to the flourishing business executive.

@Unwine101

Ken Pettus resides and works in New York City as a WSET-certified sommelier, wine & spirits educator, and enthusiast. His introduction to the wine world started while living abroad in Europe. With 15 years of experience in the wine industry, He’s currently a consultant in Metro NY, Events Director of The Veraison Project, and the founder of Unwine101. Unwine101 is a series of events that celebrate BIPOC-owned wineries while combining the joy of wine tasting with the excitement of culture, food, art, karaoke, as well as live musical performances. This unique experience aims to create a vibrant and inclusive atmosphere in many cities around the country, where attendees can indulge in exquisite wines, groove to the rhythm of music, and support black entrepreneurs in the wine industry. 

Kwame Onwuachi is a James Beard Award-winning chef, and author of the critically acclaimed cookbook “My America” and memoir “Notes from a Young Black Chef,” which is being turned into a feature film by A24. Kwame has been named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs, Esquire Magazine’s 2019 Chef of the Year, and is a 30 Under 30 honoree by both Zagat and Forbes. He’s also been featured on Time’s 100 Next List and has been named the most important Chef in America by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Kwame appeared as a judge on season 18 of Top Chef in April 2021. He first appeared as a contestant on the show in season 13. He also was the host of the 2021 and 2022 James Beard Awards in Chicago.

Kwame currently serves as Food & Wine’s executive producer. In this newly appointed role, Kwame will collaborate on big brand moments and events, including the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, as well as the creator of “The Family Reunion: Presented by Kwame Onwuachi,” an annual multi-day event taking place in Middleburg, Virginia that celebrates diversity in the hospitality community.

His restaurant concept Tatiana, opened at the Lincoln Center in November 2022. Since its opening, it has had numerous top accolades, including “The #1 Restaurant in New York City,” by the New York Times, “The One to Watch” by World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and La Liste’s “World's Best Restaurants List.” His DC restaurant, Dōgon earned a spot as #2 on Washingtonian’s list of Best Restaurants in D.C., and is on Condé Nast Traveler’s Best New Restaurants in the World: 2025 Hot List.

Chef Lamar Moore is a seasoned culinary professional with over 25 years of experience in the industry, blending the rich flavors of Southern American cuisine with a passion for creating unforgettable dining experiences. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Moore’s love for cooking began at a young age, inspired by his grandmother, who passed down a deep appreciation for Southern food and culture.

After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu in 2003, Moore’s culinary journey took him from San Jose, CA, to Chicago, where he worked at various prestigious restaurants and became the sous chef for the Chicago Bears. He later made his mark as a chef and restaurateur, cooking for major events, including the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, as well as for notable figures like Barack and Michelle Obama. Along the way, he appeared on TV shows like Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay, and Vegas Chef Prizefight, where he emerged as the winner and earned the role of Head Chef at Bugsy & Meyer’s Steakhouse in Las Vegas.

Now, as the chef/owner of Etc Restaurant in Chicago, Moore continues to share his Southern roots, crafting a menu that celebrates the flavors of the South while offering a modern twist. With a philosophy rooted in cooking from the soul, Moore is dedicated to creating dishes that foster connection and community. His advice to aspiring chefs: “Don’t stop cooking, feel food from your soul, take care of your team, never stop learning, and humble your ego.”

Throughout his career, Moore has made it his mission to honor his family, his heritage, and the people he serves—showcasing the power of food to bring people together.

Mashama Bailey is the award-winning executive chef and co-founder of the critically acclaimed restaurant The Grey. Along with her co-founder and business partner Johno Morisano, they founded Grey Spaces hospitality group, which includes The Grey and The Grey Market in Savannah and The Diner Bar and The Grey Market in Austin. The Diner Bar and The Grey Market in Austin, which was lauded by The Austin American-Statesman and Austin Monthly Magazine as one of the city’s Best New Restaurants for its distinct take on Port City Southern fare.

Prior to opening The Grey, Mashama’s career includes a dozen years cooking throughout New York City, the last four of which were at Prune on Manhattan’s Lower East Side under the tutelage of Gabrielle Hamilton. In 2019 and with the premier of Netflix’s Chef’s Table Season 6, Mashama became the first African American chef to star on the show.

Together with Morisano, Mashama co-wrote Black, White and The Grey (Ten Speed Press/Penguin Random House) which explores the business partners’ challenges navigating race, class and culture while building businesses, relationships, and community in the South, as featured on CBS Sunday Morning.

Winner of the 2022 James Beard Outstanding Chef -- the first Black woman to receive the honor -- and winner of the 2019 James Beard Best Chef: Southeast, Mashama serves as the chairwoman of the Edna Lewis Foundation, whose mission is to honor and extend the legacy of Edna Lewis by creating opportunities for African Americans in the fields of cooking, agriculture, food studies, and storytelling.

Originally from Kalamazoo, Michigan, Matthew has lived in the Washington, DC area for over 30 years. He began practicing yoga consistently in 2014. After several years of practicing Bikram Yoga, Matthew sought to broaden his practice with Vinyasa, Yoga Nidra, Yin, and restorative. He became inspired to teach in 2016 and completed his RYT® 200-hour teacher training in May 2017. Matthew also completed a 100-hour Yin yoga teaching training in June of the same year. Subsequently, Matthew has received comprehensive training for Yoga Nidrā, restorative yoga, and sound healing. He is a committed student and practitioner of the many paths of yoga. Matthew brings a calm, mellow vibe into his classes and workshops, with the intention of making yoga accessible and fulfilling to each person’s body and spirit.

Maya-Camille Broussard is the chef and owner of Justice of the Pies, a bakery that specializes in sweet and savory pies, quiches and tarts. Located on the South Side of Chicago, Justice of the Pies is a social mission-based bakery that considers itself to be a steward for fairness and equality and focuses on initiatives surrounding food issues.

Maya-Camille is one of the stars of Bake Squad, which aired its second season in January 2023 on Netflix. She was handpicked by Chef Christina Tosi of Milk Bar and has been anointed the “Flavor Maven” for her keen sense of smell and taste. Broussard was also a finalist for Outstanding Baker in the 2022 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards. Justice of the Pies opened its flagship storefront location in September of 2023, transforming her mother’s childhood dentist office into a production kitchen complete with a retail area and teaching kitchen. In December of 2023, Justice of the Pies was named one of the Best New Restaurants and Maya-Camille was named Pastry Chef of the Year by Esquire magazine.

Maya-Camille released her book titled, Justice of the Pies: Sweet and Savory Pies, Quiches, and Tarts plus Inspirational Stories from Exceptional People: A Baking Book (Clarkson Potter) in the fall of 2022. The book was named one of the best cookbooks for the fall of 2022 by Food & Wine magazine, Bon Appetit magazine, and OprahDaily.com.

As a member of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, Broussard is an advocate for people living with disabilities. Maya-Camille is also the founder of the Broussard Justice Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that focuses on food-related and health-related issues. It works to eradicate food insecurity and decrease health disparity issues in underserved communities.

Mawa McQueen’s success as a chef, restaurateur and small business owner – she was a 2022 semifinalist for the James Beard Award Best Chef West – is not just about the community that she has established in Aspen, CO. It also stems from part of much larger story that begins in West Africa. Mawa was born and raised on the Ivory Coast, the oldest of 20 siblings, and was moved to the ghettos of Paris at 13. While in Paris, she was tasked with caring for her siblings and pulled from the varied cultures around her (Vietnamese, African, Indian, etc.) to create delicious meals to bring her family together.

Mawa attended culinary school in Paris and moved to London after graduating, eventually winning the green card lottery that brought her to the United States in 2002. It was an episode of The Young & The Restless that gave Mawa the idea to move to Aspen, where after working in front-of-house at a high-end resort in town, she returned to her back-of-house roots and launched her own private chef and catering business that has since evolved into her flagship restaurant Mawa’s Kitchen. At Mawa’s Kitchen, guests can enjoy a unique cultural experience with dishes that pull from her life experiences; think West African comfort food featuring locally sourced Colorado ingredients with a French-American-Middle Eastern twist.

Today, Mawa is the proud owner of three restaurants, MICHELIN recommended restaurants, Mawa’s Kitchen, Mawita, and The Crepe Shack, which she recently opened a second location in downtown Aspen. Her life experiences on the Ivory Coast, in Europe, and the United States were the foundation that ignited her passion for bringing food and comfort to people from all walks of life. In January 2023, she launched her first cookbook, Mawa’s Way. The cookbook is not only a collection of fan favorite recipes from Mawa’s Kitchen but also a story of grit and perseverance to achieve one’s dreams. Along with her restaurants and highly successful catering business, Mawa McQueen is also the prominent owner of a granola company where she produces her own variation of granola called Mawa’s GrainFreeNola. Her GrainFreeNola is a delicious gluten-free, protein-rich, and vegan granola.

James Beard nominee, Melba Wilson, is a true Harlem native, embodying the essence of New York as one of the most successful African-American women in the restaurant and catering industries. Her remarkable achievements and stellar reputation have made Melba's Restaurant a beloved New York landmark, frequented by a diverse array of patrons, including music, TV, and movie stars like Zendaya, Katy Perry, Prince Harry, Tom Holland, Michael Strahan, A$AP Rocky, Sherri Shepherd, D-Nice, Kendrick Lamar, and more, as well as locals and travelers from around the globe.

Melba's journey towards success began early, showcasing her keen eye and insightful nature. Her introduction to the restaurant business at Harlem's iconic Sylvia's Restaurant paved the way for her innovative ideas, such as the popular Sunday Gospel Brunch, which garnered widespread acclaim within the industry.

Collaborations with renowned figures like former Executive Chef Michael Lomanco and partnerships with esteemed restaurateurs Drew Nieporent and Robert DeNiro have further solidified Melba's position as a trailblazer in the culinary world. In 2004, she made the bold decision to venture out on her own, establishing a series of successful businesses under the Melba brand, Melba’s Harlem, Melba’s Central Park, Melba’s at The Prudential Center in Newark, Melba’s Catering and Melba’s Grand Central and Melba’s 550 which will both open this year, each earning rave reviews and accolades from prestigious publications and culinary experts.

Melba's influence extends beyond her businesses, as she makes regular appearances on national news and talk shows, serves as a judge on various cooking competitions, and has been featured in documentaries that celebrate her achievements. Recognized for her outstanding contributions, Melba has received numerous awards and honors, underscoring her significant impact on the hospitality industry and beyond.

As a dedicated mother, author, philanthropist, community advocate, as well as sole owner and investor in each of her ventures, Melba continues to be a beacon of excellence and empowerment, supporting various causes and organizations in Harlem and throughout New York City including God’s Love We Deliver, NYC Tourism & Conventions, Harlem Village Academies and President Emeritus of The NYC Hospitality Alliance. With a legacy of 19 years in business and over 11 million meals served, Melba's commitment to culinary excellence and community engagement shines brightly.

For more information, contact:

Jaret Keller at KeyGroup WorldWide: 917.628.0480 | [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

Chef Nicola Blaque is a restaurateur and chef based in San Antonio, Texas. Chef Blaque is the executive chef and owner of the Jerk Shack, a Jamaican-inspired restaurant in San Antonio. The restaurant that offers fare like jerk chicken, braised oxtail, and more quickly became a staple after opening in 2018. In 2024, The Jerk Shack was awarded a Bib Gourmand designation from the prestigious Michelin Guide. In whatever she does, Chef Blaque is passionate about making food that tells a story. In early 2024, she opened Freight Fried Chicken at the popular Pearl district in San Antonio - a restaurant that pays homage to formerly enslaved women that sold fried chicken as a way to support themselves in post-Civil War Virginia.

In addition to running successful concepts that have been recognized by GQ, Eater and more, Chef Blaque is an Army Veteran, a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio, a private chef for members of the San Antonio Spurs, a two-time CultureMap San Antonio Chef of the Year, a James Beard Award nominee, a wife, mom and more. She also serves on the board of Visit San Antonio in a culinary advisory role. Having been born and raised in Jamaica until she was five years old, Chef Blaque is passionate about introducing people to the flavors of the Caribbean. Though she’ll be the first to tell you that the dishes she’s serving up aren’t always traditional Jamaican dishes, she’s passionate about infusing those flavors into cuisine her patrons know and love.

Nina Oduro is an entrepreneur, cultural curator, and culinary ambassador. As co-founder and CEO of Dine Diaspora, she connects people and brands to food rooted in culture and sustainability. Her accolades include recognition as a 2020 Change-maker in Washington, D.C.’s Food System by Washington City Paper. She has collaborated with Chef Alexander Smalls on co-authoring of The Contemporary African Kitchen.

Nyesha Arrington is the co-star of FOX’s hit culinary competition show Next Level Chef. She is also the host and producer of the digital series Plateworthyon Eater.

Nyesha started her culinary career at Michelin starred restaurants Mélisse in Santa Monica and L’Atelier and The Mansion in Las Vegas. She went on to open restaurants Leona and Native in Los Angeles, where she was celebrated for using farm fresh, locally and responsibly sourced ingredients. She has been named to Zagat’sBest Chef 30 Under 30 List as well as Eater’s LA Chef of the Year.

Nyesha hit the national stage as a fan favorite on Bravo’s Top Chef season 9 and has been a household name ever since. Her credits include FOX’s Master Chef and Hell’s Kitchen, Food Network’s Tournament of Champions, Guy’s Grocery Games and Diners, Drive Ins and Dives and ITV’s Next Level Chef U.K.

Nyesha draws inspiration from cooking through the seasons, traveling the globe and contemporary art. When she’s not in a kitchen, she can be found connecting with others over functional fitness and wellness practices. She lives in Los Angeles with her French bulldog, Bleu-Ginger and tuxedo cat, Mr. Robert Marle.

Trinidadian chef Osei Blackett better known as "Chef Picky" remembers his early days assisting his mother in the kitchen as some of his most cherished childhood memories. Taking an interest in the culinary arts at a very young age, Chef Picky eventually migrated to the US at the age of 20 to hone his skills and pursue his passion for cooking.

Osei is the Chef/ Owner at "Ariapita", "Chef Picky Events + Catering" and his extremely popular, "Pop up" food focused events referred to as "The Picky Experience".

Now, with almost 20 years' experience in the Food industry, his culinary journey has taken him to prestigious heights, executing menus at The James Beard House, Gracie Mansion and the United Nations Offices. Osei is one of the most sought-after West Indian Chefs in New York City. Remaining humble and connected to his roots he uses local events to convey his vision for the Trinbagonian/Caribbean culinary cuisine.

Ultimately his goal is the bring awareness to what makes Trinbagonian food so special, it has always been connected to memories of grandparents, parents, family and friends, moments in time, special days and community. He plans to use these cherished home recipes and his knowledge of the food industry to share it with foodies across America plate by plate.

@ghettogastro

Pierre Serrao is chef and co-founder of Ghetto Gastro, the Bronx-born culinary collective that celebrates food as culture. Serrao uses food as both an expression of culture-driven creativity and a tool to create health sovereignty.

Raised between Barbados and Connecticut, Serrao worked in restaurants throughout high school, then graduated from culinary school and the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners in Piemonte. He worked at award-winning restaurants in New York, Barbados, and Italy, styling an approach to cooking influenced by ancestral practices and innovation. 

The desire to create a culturally sound and iterative expression of food led Serrao to join forces with Jon Gray and Lester Walker, rounding out Ghetto Gastro. Fueled by international travel, enthusiasm for learning, and sheer curiosity, Serrao explores ways to bridge the global pantry with creative entrepreneurship.

Chef Preston Clark is the Executive Chef of Lure Fishbar, a part of the Mercer Street Hospitality. Chef Clark presides over Lure’s 3 locations including Soho, NYC, Miami, and the recently opened Chicago location.

Known for his emphasis on bold flavors, beautiful presentation and fresh ingredients, Chef Preston Clark has been honing his culinary skills since he was a child. Son of Patrick Clark, the late beloved James Beard Award winning chef who is credited with giving us what was called new American Cuisine, Clark grew up in the kitchen.

After earning his Bachelor’s degree from the Culinary Institute of America in 2002, Clark went on to work with some of the country’s top chefs, including Jean Georges Vongerichten, Charlie Trotter, Marcus Samuelsson, and Michael Lomonaco.

He took his cooking experience to California in 2011, where he opened El Paseo with Sammy Hagar and Tyler Florence. The restaurant earned a spot on the San Francisco Chronicle’s list of Top Ten New Restaurants and Clark was honored as a Rising Star Chef for putting El Paseo on the California restaurant map. The restaurant was named one of the Top 10 best new restaurants 2011, Top 100 in San Francisco and Clark was also nominated for the James Beard Rising Star Award.

Riding a wave of awards and accolades, Chef Preston Clark returned to the East Coast as Executive Chef of Resto and sister restaurant, The Cannibal. After successfully running 2 New York City kitchens, Chef Clark was asked to take up his current position as the Executive Chef of Lure Fishbar where he would follow in his father’s footsteps of running a New York City Dining institution – Patrick Clark was Executive Chef of the Odeon and Tavern on the Green. Lure, as it’s called in the neighborhood, has been a New York institution in the heart of Soho for the past 17 years. Chef Clark has been at the helm for the past 7 years.

Rasheed Philips, affectionately known as The Gentleman Smoker™, is a culinary artisan who brings the rich flavors and traditions of his Jamaican heritage to the world of barbecue. His dishes are characterized by their distinctive use of spices, marinades, and open-fire grilling, which impart a unique depth of flavor and a touch of his homeland in every bite. Rasheed Philips has become a prominent figure in the barbecue community, participating in numerous BBQ events and showcases across the country. His expertise and unique style have garnered him a dedicated following among barbecue enthusiasts and food lovers alike. Rasheed's involvement in the BBQ scene extends beyond just cooking; he is a sought-after mentor and speaker at various barbecue competitions, where he shares his knowledge and passion for the craft. Rasheed's journey as The Gentleman Smoker™ is a testament to his commitment to excellence and his love for bringing people together through the universal language of food.

Rodney Scott has been cooking whole-hog barbecue, over wood coals burned down from hardwood, since he was in middle school. For the next 25 years he worked with his family in their bbq stop in Hemingway, SC until 2017 when he partnered with the Pihakis Group —including Chef Paul Yeck and seasoned restaurateur, Nick Pihakis —to open Rodney Scott's BBQ in the North Central neighborhood of Charleston, SC. In 2019 Rodney Scott's BBQ opened a second location in Birmingham, AL and third location in Atlanta, bringing whole-hog, South Carolina-style barbeque to a different part of the South.

Rodney's hard work, friendly manner and respect from his peers has offered Rodney many opportunities to travel around the world and cook alongside chefs and pitmasters in New York City, Belize, Uruguay, France, and Australia. He has been featured on popular television shows with the likes of Andrew Zimmern, and Anthony Bourdain and recently appeared on The Today Show helping Al Roker feed folks affected by devastating tornadoes in Alabama.

Chef Shorne creates with a disregard for rules, infusing traditional Caribbean cuisine with unexpected flavors from around the globe.

Chef Shorne’s keen sense of flavor and culinary experimentation began at the age of 7 in St. Lucia under the watchful eye of his grandmother, but he deferred this dream to become a stockbroker at Bank of New York Mellon on Wall Street. Following the 2008 economic downturn, he returned to his first love: culinary. He went on to graduate from the prestigious French Culinary Institute and work alongside such renowned masters as Chef Jean-Georges at ABC Kitchen and Chef James Jermyn at Maloney & Porcelli in New York. In 2010, Chef Shorne joined Andaz 5th Avenue (Hyatt) as a chef. In 2022, Chef Shorne fulfilled his lifelong dream and opened up Fat Fowl in Downtown Brooklyn, a Caribbean-inspired fast-food eatery in Dekalb Market.

Over the years, Chef Shorne has added his unique signature to the dynamic realm of culinary artistry, a distinctive style known as New Age Caribbean®.

Chef Shorne's career highlights include an annual presentation at the illustrious James Beard Foundation and competing against Chef Bobby Flay on the Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay. Chef Shorne is a regular participant at the Food Network's Annual Wine and Food Festivals in New York and South Beach, at Citi’s Taste of Tennis events across the world, and at the Annual Rum & Rhythm Benefit Gala. Chef Shorne has appeared on TV as a guest chef on NBC’s “6 In the Mix” and WGN-TV Chicago’s “Midday Fix” cooking segments. In 2017, he added “winner” of the Grace® Jamaican Jerk Festival Celebrity Chef Throw Down to his resume. Chef Shorne also gained international acclaim as a guest chef at Mimo’s in London; featured chef at the British Virgin Island’s Food Fete; semi-finalist in the 11th International Iron Chef Competition in Toronto; participant in the 2015 and 2016 Food & Spirits Festivals in Haiti; and the inaugural chef for the 2016 Celebrity Guest Chef Series at the award-winning Cliff Restaurant located at the Five Star Cap Maison Hotel & Spa in St. Lucia.

@dakarnola

Three-time James Beard nominee and TIME 100Next honoree Serigne Mbaye is the Chef and owner of Dakar NOLA, a New Orleans pescatarian restaurant celebrating modern Senegalese cuisine. The tasting menu showcases local seafood and produce from south Louisiana farmers.

Born in Harlem and raised in Dakar, Senegal, Serigne learned to cook at his mother’s side. After graduating at the top of his class from the New England Culinary Institute in 2016, he honed his skills at Commander’s Palace, Atelier Crenn, and L’Atelier Joel Robuchon.

In 2020, Serigne launched the Dakar NOLA pop-up during the pandemic, opening his brick-and-mortar restaurant in 2022. Dakar NOLA quickly gained acclaim, earning Best New Restaurant of 2024 by the James Beard Foundation, along with recognition from USA Today, Bon Appetit, Eater, Esquire, and more. Featured in the New York Times, Saveur, and Garden & Gun, it’s one of the hottest new restaurants in New Orleans.

Tavel Bristol-Joseph is the Pastry Chef and Partner at Emmer & Rye, Hestia, Kalimotxo, Henbit and TLV in Austin, TX. He began his culinary journey as a young boy when he spent every Saturday afternoon baking cookies, cakes, and pies with his aunt. After moving to the United States from Georgetown, Guyana when he was seventeen years old, Bristol-Joseph attended the New York Restaurant School.

Bristol-Joseph worked in a variety of restaurants in New York before moving to Tucson in 2006, where he joined Fox Restaurant Concepts. He worked within the restaurant group for two years before going to Zona 78 where he met and began working with Chef Kevin Fink.

Fink and Bristol-Joseph decided to move to Austin to open Emmer & Rye in November 2015. Emmer & Rye has been included in Bon Appétit’s “America’s Best New Restaurants 2016” list, as well as named Austin American-Statesman’s "2018 Best Restaurant in Austin." In 2020, Bristol-Joseph opened Hestia with Fink which has been named "#1 Best New Restaurant in America" by Robb Report. Bristol-Joseph also received the StarChefs Rising Star Award in 2017 and was named one of FOOD & WINE Magazine’s "Best New Chefs of 2020."

Overcoming many struggles and challenges growing up have helped Bristol-Joseph continue his path towards success. He always believed he would have a brighter tomorrow, even though his childhood where he was poor, sleeping on floors for most of his life, he kept believing in himself and knew that through hard work he would reach his goals.

Bristol-Joseph is a proud father to 12-year-old twins and currently resides in Austin with his wife Brittany and his dog Gus Gus.

Beaumont, Texas native Tiffany Derry is the founder of Tiffany Derry Concepts and co-founder of T2D Concepts, the Texas-based purpose driven hospitality group behind Roots Chicken Shak, Roots Southern Table, and ‘Shef Tiffany spice and apparel line.

Tiffany knew her purpose was to be in the kitchen from an early age. Growing up on her family’s farm in the South, farm-to-table eating wasn’t a trend, it was a way of life—eating with the seasons, canning and preserving fresh picked fruits and vegetables, fresh pies on the counter, never letting anything go to waste.

Her grandmother always welcomed guests to her kitchen with love and taught Tiffany that cooking is more than just putting a few ingredients together—it’s a passion. This propelled Tiffany to apply to her first cooking job at the age of 15 at IHOP, which she was denied because of her race and gender and was hired as a server instead. Tiffany was eventually given the opportunity to cook when the kitchen was understaffed, and she stepped in and stepped up. In just a short amount of time, she was promoted to kitchen management, making her the youngest person to hold a managerial role in the restaurant.

Tiffany earned her culinary degree from the Art Institute of Houston and deepened her appreciation for various cuisines and cultures through the study abroad program that took her to Costa Rica, Mexico, Italy, France, China, and Hawaii.

Tiffany went on to cook in esteemed kitchens throughout Texas including Pesce, Grotto Cucina Napolitano, and Go Fish Ocean Club. In 2010, Tiffany teamed with the Halston Group to open Private|Social in Dallas to much fanfare, including a 4-star review and a “Best Chefs in DFW” title from The Dallas Morning News.

Tiffany then decided to break out on her own and founded Tiffany Derry Concepts in 2013, a company established to support her business and culinary ventures including television shows, brand partnerships, a fast-casual concept,

The Cupboard by Tiffany Derry. Tiffany stepped into the spotlight when she appeared on Bravo’s Top Chef Season 7, earning the title of “fan favorite” and finishing in the top four. Derry’s quiet confidence, warm southern charm, and culinary expertise made her a natural selection for Top Chef: All-Stars, where she was again a finalist. Tiffany’s enthusiastic personality has led to many more television appearances on shows such as Chopped, Chopped Kids, Top Chef, The Great American Recipe, Beat Bobby Flay, Tournament of Champions, The Great American Soul Food Cook-off, Bar Rescue, Top Chef Junior, Top Chef Amateurs, and more. In 2016, Tiffany and her business partner Tom Foley, Esq. founded T2D Concepts, which operates her current restaurants and her spice and apparel line.

Fueled by a spirit of service and a deep-rooted hunger to drive social change, T2D aims to bridge the gender and racial wealth gap in the hospitality industry through the power of good food and meaningful dialogue around the table.

In 2022, the group made the NRN Power List, the definitive list of 50 industry leaders who are not only setting trends today, but also shaping them for tomorrow.

Tiffany’s authentic approach to Southern cooking landed her on the 2022 James Beard Award finalist list in two categories—Best Chef: Texas and Best New Restaurant for Roots Southern Table. Outside of her restaurants, Tiffany is a fierce advocate for social justice and equity across gender, race, and food access.

She spends much of her spare time lobbying politicians to pass sustainable and healthy food polices—she was integral in getting the farm bill updated in 2013. Tiffany serves as a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier and a spokesperson for the James Beard Foundation’s sustainability efforts.

@ladytthomas77

Chef Tonya Thomas is a chef and entrepreneur from Baltimore, MD who has always had a passion for when food, family, and community meets culture and tradition. Tonya has been in the industry for over 25 years, and alongside her husband, Chef David Thomas, operated a catering company and opened several restaurants, including the nationally recognized, award-winning Herb & Soul Gastro Café and Ida B’s Table.

In 2020, Tonya and David stepped away from their restaurant to establish H3irloom Food Group with long-time friends Floyd and Linda Taliaferro, and in 2024 acquired full ownership. Today, the 100% Black, Woman-owned company’s portfolio includes dining experiences, catering, restaurant concepts, food service management and the award-winning H3 product line, working together to uplift the Black food narrative and provide a deeply personal approach to the Black food experience that’s rooted in history and culture. In 2025 H3irloom will introducing two new restaurant concepts, one being Nostalgia Diner doing a creative soulful and modern take on comfort food.

Playing a critical role in all of H3irloom’s culinary endeavors, Tonya is the principal of Nostalgia Baking Company, a pop-up concept inspired by her late grandmothers’ and great-grandmother's legacy of baking and the strong spirit instilled in her as a child. Infusing modern savory and sweet techniques into classic baked goods, Tonya has created a cult following with her Sweet Potato Sticky Bun Biscuit and vegan-friendly Honey Bun Biscuit.

Through each venture over the years, Tonya’s goal has been consistent: to reclaim the narrative and share the legacy around African American cooking and soul food traditions, while playing an active role in its evolution. She has been fortunate for the opportunity to assist with a dinner at the James Beard House, traveled with well-known chefs to Senegal and Cameroon, Les Dames Escoffier, is a 2021 & 2023 JBF Bootcamp Alum, JBF WEL 2022, 2023 JBF Legacy Advisor, cooked at the Bayhaven Food & Wine Festival for 3 years, Charleston Wine & Food for 2 years, The Family Reunion Food & Wine Salamander Collection for 2 years, speaker at SXSW 2022, and 2024 Black Women in Food Culinarian Awardee.

Tonya has been featured on Sara Brown’s Tasty Travels’, CBS This Morning, Sherry Shepherd Show, to name a few. Today, her work continues to extend beyond the kitchen with TasteWise Kids, an organization that offers food education to children to inspire a lifetime of healthy eating habits, in Maryland. as well as the Muloma Heritage Center in St. Helena Island, SC.

Vallery Lomas was the winner of The Great American Baking Show and the first Black winner of the Great British Bake Off franchise. Her debut cookbook, Life is What You Bake It, Clarkson Potter (2021), was named a year's best cookbook by the Boston Globe, Washington Post, Food Network, and others. She hosts the digital show Vallery Bakes Your Questions on Food Network’s website. She has also appeared on CNN, the Today show, Live with Kelly & Ryan, the History Channel, and the Hallmark Channel. Originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Vallery attended college and law school in Los Angeles, practiced law in Washington D.C., and spent a gap year in Paris—where she perfected both her French and pastry skills—before settling in Harlem. She has a column with the Wall Street Journal, “The Bakeaway,” and is a frequent contributor to the New York Times.

Virginia Ali is a truly incredible woman. Her earthly life began on her parents' Virginia farm on December 17th, 1933, and today she is as vibrant as ever. She smiles whenever recounting her fond memories of childhood on the farm, her deep involvement in her family's country church, her college studies at Virginia Union University, and moving to Washington, DC as a young woman to find her destiny.

As her beloved DC community knows so well, Virginia's historic destiny found her the day she met Ben Ali, her husband and partner in life, love, family, and business. The dynamic newlyweds opened the doors of the now iconic Ben's Chili Bowl on August 22, 1958. Today, 63 years later, this institution has become a place of fond memories for countless friends from DC, Maryland, Virginia, and all around the world.

Known affectionately as "Mom" or Mrs. Ben, Virginia has touched the lives of everyone she has encountered. Although she has achieved near celebrity status, her demeanor has never changed – with all her natural poise and sophistication, she still exemplifies the pure, wholesome values instilled by her parents. She lives a philosophy of giving love and kindness to everyone she meets, and as a result she is cherished and respected in a way that is very rare these days. In fact, at this point she is considered the "Matriarch of U Street" and countless DC residents call her "Mom."

In addition to all the hours she has put in at Ben's Chili Bowl, Virginia has also made time for many other meaningful endeavors. She has served on the Board of Directors of For Love of Children, The Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage, the Islamic Society of the Greater Washington Area, and Cultural Tourism DC among others. Over the years, Virginia and Ben have received countless awards and accolades including the prestigious America's Classics Restaurant Award from the James Beard Foundation. They were inducted into the DC Hall of Fame in 2002 and were later given the Key to the City by Washington, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty. More recently, the Smithsonian placed Ben's Chili Bowl on its list of the 20 Most Iconic Food Destinations Across America.

With all that she has accomplished thus far, Virginia isn't resting on her laurels. As her family, friends, and employees will attest, she is a true dynamo who encourages those around her to live fully and strive for excellence in all areas of life. She gives generously of herself and her time, and despite all the recognition and accolades, she is perhaps best known for her kind, loving nature and her very sound wisdom. Virginia is truly a people person, and we are all very thankful for everything she gives us by simply being herself.

For more information on Mrs. Ali, contact Vida Media Group: [email protected] or (310) 859-4730