Adam Sobel is a chef, restaurateur, entrepreneur, and builder of teams driven by one simple belief: hospitality is about how you make people feel. Today, as the founder of Aether Group, Adam is focused on creating soulful, culture-driven concepts that blur the lines between food, music, art, and community. That entrepreneurial drive extends beyond restaurants. Adam is the founder of Sobelini Pizza Crunch, a chef-driven CPG brand born from his obsession with bold flavor and texture.

Philip Tessier, an acclaimed chef, author, and mentor, serves as Chef Partner at PRESS Restaurant in St. Helena, California. Best known for its modern, refined American cuisine, PRESS has earned a Michelin star and the distinction of being a World’s 50 Best Discovery restaurant. Along with Owner Samantha Rudd and Managing Partner Justin Williams, Tessier recently launched Under-Study, a new culinary marketplace with a modern patisserie, counter-service café, and butcher shop next door to PRESS in May 2025.

Shola Olunloyo is a talented, passionate, and resourceful chef, and distinguished member of the Philadelphia restaurant community. At Studio kitchen, or “SK,” Olunloyo develops and plays with culinary concepts, global foods, and cuttin-gedge technology in an approachable laboratory setting. There, he sees ideas to fruition, from concepts for restaurants to innovations for food service equipment manufacturers.

Beau Schooler is a highly skilled and innovative chef based in Juneau, Alaska. With over two decades of experience in the culinary industry, Beau has become renowned for his ability to create unique and delicious dishes using local Alaskan ingredients. Beau has continued to push the boundaries of Alaskan cuisine as the Executive Chef at In Bocca Al Lupo, a popular Italian restaurant in Juneau.

Chef Marc Murphy is a Food Network personality and acclaimed New York City restaurateur known for hosting exclusive private dining experiences and pop-up dinners at his event space in Manhattan. A familiar face at food festivals and culinary events, he is a longtime judge on Chopped. He frequently appears on The Drew Barrymore Showand other Food Network programs. He and his brother produce Umbrian Gold, a premium olive oil , and he has thriving partnerships with Burlap & Barrel Spices and Chocolat

Moderne.

Chef Johnny Courtney is the chef and co-owner of Atoma in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood, operating out of a charming 100-year-old Craftsman home. The restaurant has earned significant recognition, including being named a 2025 James Beard Award finalist for Best New Restaurant and one of Eater, Robb Report and Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in 2025.

An early pioneer of seasonally driven fine dining, Chef Ken Frank has been in relentless pursuit of deliciousness since his teenage years living in France. At just 23, Ken opened the first La Toque on the Sunset Strip, Today, Chef Ken Frank continues to lead La Toque with the same curiosity and passion that sparked his career, blending classic French foundations with modern creativity. His cuisine remains rooted in seasonality, guided by craftsmanship, and dedicated to the simple pursuit of joy at the table.

Ilan Hall rose to national attention as the winner of Top Chef and went on to host and executive produce shows like Knife Fight and Food to Get You Laid, captivating audiences with his bold point of view and infectious energy. His culinary legacy lives on through his groundbreaking restaurants—The Gorbals in Los Angeles and Brooklyn, Esh, and Ramen Hood at LA’s Grand Central Market—each celebrated for pushing boundaries while fostering a deep sense of community.

Based in New Orleans, Nini Nguyen is a chef and cookbook author known for blending her Vietnamese heritage with Louisiana flavors. She began her culinary journey in some of the country’s most innovative kitchens, including Eleven Madison Park in New York, before stepping into the spotlight on Top Chef Season 16 and Top Chef: All-Stars Los Angeles, where she earned a dedicated fan following.

Amanda Shulman, Co-owner of Libbie Loup Hospitality and Executive Chef of Her Place Supper Club

Marc Vetri is the chef and founder of Philadelphia’s acclaimed Vetri Cucina. A Philadelphia native, he opened the storied restaurant in 1998 with partner Jeff Benjamin. Marc’s restaurant group has since expanded nationally and internationally. In 2020, he opened Fiorella, a pasta-focused bar in Philadelphia’s Italian Market; Mr. Maurice’s Italian at Ace Hotel Kyoto in Japan, honoring his grandfather Maurice Rotenberg; and Osteria Fiorella at Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa in Las Vegas, which transitioned from a pop-up into a permanent fixture. In 2022, Marc debuted Pizzeria Salvy in Philadelphia’s Xfinity Mobile Arena, later opening a flagship location in the Comcast Technology Center in 2023, celebrating his father Sal’s legacy with perfected pizzas, signature meatballs, and classic Italian fare. Most recently, Marc launched Fiorella Las Vegas at Durango Casino and Resort in December 2023, bringing the beloved pasta bar to the West Coast.

Chef Alex Kemp is the chef/partner of My Loup in Philadelphia with his wife Chef Amanda Shulman. The menu is influenced by their collective cooking experiences over the past six years, resulting in a mix of French inspired market cuisine with an emphasis on freshness.. The menu is French Canadian with a lighter touch.

Chef Peter Cho is the chef and co-owner of Han Oak and Jeju in Portland, Oregon. His cooking draws from his Korean heritage, and his formative years in New York kitchens, a commitment to honest, ingredient-driven food rooted in community and family.

Bar Le Côte Executive Chef, Co-Owner 

At Bar Le Côte, which opened in 2021, he leads a talented team of cooks with a shared love of coastal cooking. His soulful, seafood-forward dishes have earned widespread attention, including his savory caviar cheesecake, named one of the LA Times’ Best Bites of 2024.

ANDY RICKER worked in restaurants, fields, factories, shops and construction sites all over the world before opening his first restaurant, Pok Pok, in Portland, Oregon, USA in 2005. He has since gone on to open and close several other restaurants of a similar ilk in Portland, Los Angeles, Ls Vegas and New York City and is the founder and managing director of Som beverage company. A two time James Beard Award winner and a once upon a time holder of a Michelin star for Pok Pok Ny in Brooklyn, NY, Andy lives in Chiang Mai, Thailand with his wife and partner Kung and their six cats. He is also the author of three cookbooks, Pok Pok: Food and Stories from the Streets, Homes and Roadside Restaurants of Thailand, Pok Pok: The Drinking Food of Thailand, and Pok Pok: Noodles.   

Marc-Olivier Frappier is a partner-chef of Mon Lapin, a 50-seat bistro in Montreal’s Little Italy and Rôtisserie La Lune. Mon Lapin was named Canada’s Best Restaurant 2 years in a row by C100B, and received a Michelin Recommendation.

Tracy Malechek- Ezekiel and her husband Arjav Ezekiel own and operate Birdies restaurant in Austin. Birdie's is an award-winning, forward thinking concept we like to call "fine-casual," which means you can expect that we take the same care in sourcing and preparing your food and curating our wine as a fancy joint, but in a no frills, counter service setting.

Chef Aitor Zabala is a visionary chef known for his mastery of modernist cuisine and his ability to craft immersive dining experiences. In November 2024, Aitor reintroduced Somni as an independent venture. This latest iteration continues to reflect his Catalan heritage while embracing the rich culinary landscape of Southern California, where he has made his home. 

You can take the man out of Kansas City, but not Kansas City out of the man. Missouri-native Darryl Bell Jr.knows that eminently. He’ll be the first to acknowledge that this city, steeped in history, jazz, and world-class barbecue, flavored and seasoned his upbringing in countless ways that linger. Since its founding ten years ago, Stateline Road BBQ has expanded to include three sauces, two dry rubs, sausages and more. They are available on Bell’s Stateline Road website and as well at Stateline Road Smokehouse located in the Napa Valley.

Melissa Perello is an accomplished chef and restaurateur, leading the acclaimed San Francisco restaurants Octavia and Frances.