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Kajsa Alger
Kajsa is a firm believer that what makes a meal something extraordinary is that the food comes from the heart. She has worked with Judy Rogers at the legendary Zuni Café in San Francisco, David Kinch at the highly-acclaimed Restaurant Sent Sovi, and the northwest favorite, Carlyle Restaurant & Bar in Portland, Oregon. In Los Angeles, Kajsa started her career at CITY, moved up to Corporate Chef for Border Grill’s five restaurants and eventually landed at the downtown Los Angeles restaurant, Ciudad. She is now the Executive Chef and partner of Susan Feniger’s at STREET.
See her at: Street Eats
See her at: Street Eats
Serafin Alvarado
In 2005, Serafin became the first Puerto Rican to earn the title of Master Sommelier, a distinction only 137 people in the world share. That same year, he received the Bill Rice distinguished Sommelier of the Year Award for his contributions to Chicago’s food and wine culture. No wonder Crain’s Chicago Business Magazine recently added Serafin to the “Top 40 Under 40” list for significantly impacting the industry. Today, he’s the Director of Wine Education at Illinois’ Southern Wine & Spirits and in his free time, Serafin mentors Master Sommelier candidates through the program.
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
Jason Bentley
Jason is the Music Director of KCRW, host of their signature program Morning Becomes Eclectic, was the Music Supervisor of the ‘TRON Legacy’ score and will work again with that director’s next feature film, ‘Oblivion.’
See him at: Art of Mixing
See him at: Art of Mixing
Ian Blackburn
Ian drinks wine for a living and plans over 100 public and private events a year. Along with a series of notable wine credentials, Ian is the 2008 Distinguished Alumnus of Cal Poly Pomona, Collins School of Hospitality Management. Ian stays busy buying collectable wines for high profile clients, planning luxury wine trips for his membership, hosting corporate events, making appearances on radio, television and social media outlets and studying for his Master of Wine.
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
Marc Boussarie
Marc was raised in France, graduated from the California Culinary Academy and worked up the chain in San Francisco’s most famous restaurants including Chez Michel with Chef Dennis Soriano, Gary Danko with chef Gary Danko, and La Folie with Chef Roland Passot. Later, Marc moved to L.A. and opened Casa Del Mar and became Chef de Cuisine. He also had the opportunity to work with Bradley Ogden in San Diego and became co-chef at Anthology — voted one of the top 10 restaurants of the year. Marc is currently the Corporate Executive Chef for The Counter.
See him at: Burgers & Beer
See him at: Burgers & Beer
Noelle Carter
Noelle has been at the Los Angeles Times for over four years and spent over three managing the Test Kitchen. She oversees the testing of all recipes that appear in the Food section (about 300 per year). In addition, she writes feature stories for the section, the “Daily Dish” blog and the weekly Culinary SOS column that provides readers with their favorite recipes from restaurants and bakeries. Noelle also works with Russ Parsons (Los Angeles Times food editor and columnist) on weekly televised cooking demonstrations called “Eat Beat” on KTLA.
See her at: Picnic in the Hills
See her at: Picnic in the Hills
Roy Choi
Though Roy Choi is known as the godfather of the food truck movement, he is first and foremost a cook. Through Kogi and Chego, Roy’s creations taste like a side of L.A. that non-immigrants haven’t had the chance to know. A-Frame, his most recent creative project, continues to challenge the traditions of standard dining culture and encourages patrons to reach across the table to share food with strangers. From classic hotel chef to street cook to ringleader, Choi believes that when it comes to eating something great, rules are meant be broken.
See him at: Taco Tequila Tryst and Street Eats
See him at: Taco Tequila Tryst and Street Eats
Scott Conant
Scott Conant’s acclaimed restaurant, Scarpetta, is currently open in five major cities including Beverly Hills at the Montage Beverly Hills, and this year he introduced D.O.C.G Enoteca, a new wine bar, at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. On the Food Network, Conant is a guest judge on Chopped and serves as host of the 24 Hour Restaurant Battle. In 2004, he was named one of America’s Best New Chefs by Food & Wine magazine.
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
Gabriele Corcos
Gabriele Corcos is a musician by trade and cook by nature. Born in Florence, Italy, he was raised in the Olive Country of Fiesole, where his grandmother and mother taught him about traditional farmer’s cuisine. He has a love for organic ingredients and a determination to feed his family in the healthiest way – the Tuscan way. In 2007, Gabriele and his wife, actress Debi Mazar launched the popular online cooking series Under the Tuscan Gun, dedicated to fresh, authentic Tuscan cooking. Together, they currently host the Cooking Channel series Extra Virgin.
See him at: Picnic in the Hills
See him at: Picnic in the Hills
Julian Cox
Julian is quickly making his mark on L.A.’s cocktail scene as one of the city’s top mixologist. He crafted cocktails at Comme Ça and at Chef David Myers’ modern California restaurant Sona before hooking up with Chef John Sedlar to open his Southwestern/Latin-inspired Rivera in January 2009. In addition to his recent 2010 Rising Star Award, Julian won the Roy’s National Holiday Drink competition in 2006, and was given The Jimmy Barela Award for his 1800 Tequila cocktail, the G.T. Foam Home. He also helped opened Cedd Moses’ Las Perlas in downtown L.A.
See him at: Art of Mixing
See him at: Art of Mixing
Melissa d’Arabian
After Melissa won Season 5 of The Next Food Network Star, she landed the ultimate dream job: her own Food Network show. On her popular daytime cooking series, Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d’Arabian, she shares tasty recipes and her $10 promise: four people, ten bucks, infinite possibilities. Starting at a young age, Melissa has always been passionate about food. She embodies family home cooking at its finest and is always cooking for people not just for the plate. Melissa lives with her husband and four daughters just outside of Seattle.
See her at: Picnic in the Hills
See her at: Picnic in the Hills
Giada De Laurentiis
Emmy Award-winning personality, Giada De Laurentiis has become a household name. She is the host of Giada at Home on the Food Network, which gives viewers a more realistic taste of Giada’s California lifestyle, and can also be seen as a judge on The Next Food Network Star. Most recently, Giada has been a contributing correspondent on NBC’s Today Show and she released her own line of cookware products exclusively at Target. Giada has published five cookbooks, including the newest Giada at Home: Family Recipes from Italy and California.
See her at: Picnic in the Hills
See her at: Picnic in the Hills
Dengue Fever
“Before it was partly Cambodian and partly indie rock,” explains Dengue Fever bassist Senon Gaius Williams of the band’s evolution. “Now it’s 100 percent both.” Brothers Ethan (keyboards) and Zac (guitar) Holtzman started Dengue Fever in 2001. Once they added the saxophonist David Ralicke, drummer Paul Smith and bassist Senon Williams, they went looking for a Cambodian singer. Enter singer Chhom Nimol, who performed regularly for the King and Queen of Cambodia. Her powerful singing, marked by a luminous vibrato that adds exotic ornamentations to her vocal lines and hypnotic traditional dance, complimented the band’s driving Cambodian/American sound.
See them perform at: Food Noir
See them perform at: Food Noir
Celestino Drago
Dreaming of owning a restaurant that expressed his creative soul, in 1991, Drago Ristorante was born bringing the culture of Italy for all who pass through his doors. The success of his restaurant in Santa Monica enabled Celestino to open il Pastaio and Enoteca Drago in Beverly Hills, Drago Centro in Downtown as well as a full service upscale catering company, Air Drago and his own bakery Dolce Forno. Each of these has earned acclaim for Drago’s trademark commitment to quality, professional staff and of course, inspired cooking.
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
Susan Feniger
Susan’s passion for food has propelled her into a three-decade career as a successful restaurateur, cookbook author, and media darling. She spends most days dividing her time between her first solo venture, Susan Feniger’s STREET, and the Border Grill restaurants in Santa Monica, Downtown Los Angeles and Las Vegas (at Mandalay Bay), the Border Grill Truck and Border Grill Stop in downtown Los Angeles – all co-owned with Mary Sue Milliken. Susan is much in demand after a recent season on Top Chef Masters and a wide range of media appearances.
See her at: Street Eats
See her at: Street Eats
Ray Garcia
“Fresh. Simple. Unassuming. Sustainable.” All are words Ray uses to describe the menu at FIG, the new seasonal bistro in Santa Monica. Each dish is derived from Ray’s passion to use fresh, high-quality products with minimal preparation – letting the ingredients speak for themselves. He is such an advocate of locally grown ingredients that he also grows his own herbs and peppers in the restaurant’s garden. FIG’s commitment to sustainability extends to local organic beef and poultry as well as seafood that is endorsed by Monterey Bay Aquarium.
See him at: Picnic in the Hills
See him at: Picnic in the Hills
Duff Goldman
Duff Goldman is a baker and food artist who has been described as both audacious and creative. His Baltimore-based bakery, Charm City Cakes was featured on the Food Network show Ace of Cakes for 10 seasons. In addition to Ace of Cakes, Duff can currently be seen in the network’s latest hit, Best Thing I Ever Ate, and this summer he debuts his new show, Sugar High, also on the Food Network. Duff is also opening a second Charm City Cakes on the west coast, right here in Los Angeles.
See him at: Desserts After Dark
See him at: Desserts After Dark
Alex Guarnaschelli
Alex spent 7 years in France working at Guy Savoy and La Butte Chaillot. She was also at Patina in L.A. and Splichal’s in New York. Not surprising for the daughter of esteemed cookbook editor Maria Guarnaschelli. Alex has appeared on the Food Network as a challenger and judge on Iron Chef America and hosted The Cooking Loft. She is now a reoccurring judge on Chopped and Chopped: Champions. In 2009, she launched her cooking series, Alex’s Day Off. Alex is also a competitor in the newest season of Next Iron Chef.
See her at: Street Eats
See her at: Street Eats
Betty Hallock
Betty is a deputy editor at the Los Angeles Times. She writes and edits for the Food section and helms the Find restaurant review column. She formerly worked in the Times Business section and for the Wall Street Journal in New York.
See her at: Street Eats
See her at: Street Eats
Ira MacPherson Harmon
Once Ira discovered his passion for wine, he traveled to France and California to learn. In 1987, he began as a Sommelier at the L’Apogee, received his Sommelier Certificate, and in 1993 became the 23rd Master Sommelier in the U.S. In 1991 he became a Salesman with the Fine Wine Group of Western Distributing and spent four years in Vail, Colorado, earning the title of Vice-President of Fine Wine. In 2000, he moved to Las Vegas, Nevada to work with Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada where he currently teaches his talents to Sommeliers of Las Vegas.
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
Kristine “Krissy” Lefebvre
Krissy is an attorney and her husband Ludo’s business partner in LudoBites. While he handles the menu and kitchen, she handles…everything else. From scouting and contracting restaurant locations to managing reservations, marketing and staffing, Krissy keeps LudoBites running smoothly. Krissy worked her way through college as a stockbroker, and as a model through law school. After receiving her law degree, she served as a top-level attorney at several major companies. Her credentials secured her a position to compete on The Apprentice, where she completed 11 out of 12 tasks before being “fired.”
See her at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
See her at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
Ludovic “Ludo” Lefebvre
Named one of the World’s 50 Greatest Chefs by Relais & Chateaux, Ludo arrived in Los Angeles in 1996 after completing his classical training in his native France. He quickly made a name for himself as the Executive Chef at L’Orangerie and Bastide. In 2007, he launched LudoBites. The smash success of this innovative concept helped usher in the “pop-up” roving gourmet restaurant movement. Ludo is the author of CRAVE, A Feast of the Five Senses, and has appeared on Top Chef Masters and Iron Chef. Lefebvre lives in Los Angeles with his wife and business partner Krissy.
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
Lisa Lillien
Lisa Lillien (aka Hungry Girl) is a bestselling author and the creator of the Hungry Girl brand. She is the founder of hungry-girl.com, the free daily email service that entertains and informs hungry people everywhere! Lisa is the host of her own show on Food Network. On the hit show, Lisa whips up guilt-free recipes and shares tips ‘n tricks to help solve the world’s fatty-food dilemmas. In addition to the over one million die-hard fans who subscribe to her daily emails, Lisa reaches millions more with weekly content on WeightWatchers.com and Yahoo!, and a monthly column in Redbook magazine. Lisa is the bestselling author of five cookbooks.
See her at: Picnic in the Hills
See her at: Picnic in the Hills
Rene Lynch
Rene Lynch is an Assistant Food Editor at the Los Angeles Times and admitted Twitterholic (@renelynch). She is also an expert on onion rings.
See her at: Picnic in the Hills
See her at: Picnic in the Hills
Mariachi El Bronx
Los Angeles based punk band “The Bronx” – aptly named after the left coast borough – has redefined what punk means, sounds like and doesn’t look like. What started as an act of rebellion became something bigger than the sum of its parts. After countless world tours, the band returned with: Mariachi El Bronx. The album touches on many facets of mariachi music like norteno as well as jorocho, wasteka, bolero and corridos. Members include: Matt Caughthran – vox, Joby J. Ford – vihuela, Ken Horne – guitar, Brad Magers – trumpet, Vincent Hidalgo – guitarron and Jorma Vik – drums.
See them perform at: Art of Mixing
Debi Mazar
Debi Mazar is an acclaimed actress who has worked with legendary directors Woody Allen, Michael Mann, Martin Scorsese, Oliver Stone and Joel Schumacher. She also starred in her own television sitcom, Temporarily Yours. Debi is most recently known as the hard-charging publicist ‘Shauna’ on the HBO series Entourage, in addition to appearing on season nine of Dancing with the Stars. In 2007, Debi and her husband, Gabriele Corcos launched the popular online cooking series Under the Tuscan Gun, dedicated to fresh, authentic Tuscan cooking. Together, they currently host the Cooking Channel series Extra Virgin.
See her at: Picnic in the Hills
See her at: Picnic in the Hills
Aida Mollenkamp
Aida Mollenkamp attended Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration in New York and Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, before joining the staff at the San Francisco-based food magazine, CHOW. Her writing caught the attention of Food Network and in August 2008, Ask Aida, an interactive, problem-solving cooking show was born. Aida’s second show, foodCrafters, launched on the Cooking Channel in May 2010. In foodCrafters, Aida leaves the kitchen to uncover handmade food finds from around the nation. Aida’s first cookbook is due to release from Chronicle Books in Fall 2012.
See her at: Picnic in the Hills
See her at: Picnic in the Hills
Jeff Morgenthal
On a 1997 cycling race in Northern Spain, Jeff stumbled upon the Michelin Three-Star San Sebastián, Restaurante Arzak, fell madly in love with wine and began his formal training. In 1998, he rose to become the Wine and Spirits Director/Chef Sommelier for the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel. Between 2000-2003 he was the Wine Director/Sommelier for the Mobil 5-Star Restaurant Gary Dank and Drago & Enoteca Drago. In 2005 Jeff opened Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas. He’s now the Wine Director/Sommelier for Porta Via Beverly Hills, a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winner 4-years in a row.
See him at: Street Eats
See him at: Street Eats
Reggie Narito
Reggie is one of only 131 people in the United States and one of only 3 Filipino-Americans to hold the prestigious title of Master Sommelier. He has worked for noted Bay Area restaurants such as Stars in San Francisco, Le Papillon in San Jose and the Plumed Horse in Saratoga. Reggie has served as consultant on numerous wine programs throughout Northern California. He is currently works with Southern Wine & Spirits of Northern California as the Director of Training & Prestige Account Specialist. Reggie resides with his wife Kim and their three children in San Jose.
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
Candace Nelson
Candace is the founder and pastry chef of Sprinkles Cupcakes, the world’s first cupcake bakery. Started in Beverly Hills in 2005, Candace’s sophisticated take on the classic American cupcake made Sprinkles an overnight bakery sensation, and inspires long lines of devoted fans as well as accolades from the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Katie Holmes, Ryan Seacrest and Barbra Streisand. Candace is a judge on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars, and has been a contributor to The Best Thing I Ever Ate, and a judge on Bobby Flay’s Cupcake Throwdown.
See her at: Picnic in the Hills
See her at: Picnic in the Hills
Ira Norof
As a struggling L.A. writer in the early 80’s, Ira worked part-time in a fine wine shop and found a new passion—fermented grapes. Since then, he’s graced restaurants as a Sommelier, holds the title of CWE (Certified Wine Educator), earned three diplomas from the Bordeaux Wine School, was on the Bon Appétit Tasting Panel and is one of three Americans who are a certified educator in Cognac by the BNIC. In his spare time, Ira lecturers at Cal Poly Pomona’s School of Hospitality and is currently the President of the Society of Wine Educators.
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar and Street Eats
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar and Street Eats
Russ Parsons
Russ has been a Los Angeles Times food editor and columnist for almost 20 years. He is also the author of the cookbooks How to Read a French Fry (a finalist for two Julia Child cookbook awards) and How to Pick a Peach (named one of the best 100 books in 2007 by Publisher’s Weekly and Amazon). In 2008, Russ was inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food and Beverage. He has won many food journalism awards, including those from the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the Association of Food Journalists.
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
Claire Robinson
Claire Robinson combines her passions for food and television in 5 Ingredient Fix, a new Food Network series featuring delicious eclectic recipes made with five ingredients or fewer. She believes the best dishes feature carefully selected fresh foods with distinct flavors, a straightforward cooking style that also promotes healthy and seasonal eating. With a multi-ethnic background, Robinson cites her French-speaking grandmother as a major influence on her love for food, a joy passed on through many generations. Robinson attended The French Culinary Institute in New York City and graduated in 2005.
See her at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
See her at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
Jesse Rodriguez
As a certified advanced Sommelier and Wine Director of The Grand Del Mar in San Diego, Jesse oversees wine collections and programs for its five dining venues, the gourmet shop and catering functions. He was named one of “2010 Los Angeles-San Diego Rising Stars” by StarChefs.com and received the Wine Spectator Grand Award 2009-2011 and Wine Enthusiast’s Ultimate Award of Distinction in 2010. In addition to all his other accolades, Jesse is a Certified Wine Educator (CWE) by the Society of Wine Educators, joining the ranks of 250 CWE’s worldwide.
See him at: Street Eats
See him at: Street Eats
John Rivera Sedlar
John grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and also spent three years in the Spanish cities of Sevilla and Zaragoza. In his early 20s, he gained a following as a chef in the South Bay — which led him to further his culinary education through an apprenticeship to legendary French chef Jean Bertranou of L’Ermitage in Los Angeles, where he mastered classic techniques while evolving his own approach to cooking. John next opened St. Estephe restaurant in Manhattan Beach, where he won renown as the Father of Modern Southwest Cuisine—also the title of his acclaimed first cookbook.
See him at: Art of Mixing
John grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and also spent three years in the Spanish cities of Sevilla and Zaragoza. In his early 20s, he gained a following as a chef in the South Bay — which led him to further his culinary education through an apprenticeship to legendary French chef Jean Bertranou of L’Ermitage in Los Angeles, where he mastered classic techniques while evolving his own approach to cooking. John next opened St. Estephe restaurant in Manhattan Beach, where he won renown as the Father of Modern Southwest Cuisine—also the title of his acclaimed first cookbook.
See him at: Art of Mixing
Aarti Sequeira
In August 2010, Aarti competed on and won season six of The Next Food Network Star, landing the ultimate dream culinary job: her very own Food Network show. Now she combines her food knowledge, love for cooking, and enthusiasm for sharing information with the masses on her Food Network cooking series, Aarti Party. On this daytime cooking series, Aarti surprises viewers with unexpected flavors and techniques to expand their palates and culinary repertoire by imparting her knowledge of Indian cuisine and putting an approachable spin on all-American classics.
See her at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
See her at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
Michael Shearin
Michael’s career began with a part-time college job at a small wine shop in Las Vegas. He quickly fell in love with wine and dedicated his life to opening restaurants and developing wine programs. He’s graced Marché Bacchus, Bouchon, Craftsteak, Restaurant Guy Savoy, H2eau and DJT. In 2008, Michael became the Director of Wine & Spirits at Drago Ristorante Santa Monica, helped to open Drago Centro in Downtown L.A. as its Beverage Director and was honored as a “Rising Star” by Starchefs. In 2010, Michael earned an Advanced Level certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers.
See him at: Street Eats
See him at: Street Eats
Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune aka “The Beer Chicks”
Excited that craft beer is finally getting the recognition it deserves, beer personalities Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune, also known as “The Beer Chicks,” are thrilled to be curating a special selection of craft and artisanal beers hand-picked for The Taste. They are the authors of The Naked Pint: An Unadulterated Guide to Craft Beer and are partners and beer sommeliers at the newly opened 8th Street Bottle Shop in downtown Los Angeles.
See them at: Burgers & Beer
See them at: Burgers & Beer
Jet Tila
Chef Jet Tila is a nationally celebrated chef specializing in all styles of Asian cuisine. He is renowned for the keen interest and excitement he brings to all his efforts. Jet’s Le Cordon Bleu education coupled with his extensive knowledge of Asian gastronomy has given him a wide range of ideas to draw upon and a broad framework to create incomparable and innovative cuisine. In culinary school, Jet began to develop his style by seeking novel and inventive approaches to Eastern ingredients using classical French technique. Jet has also completed an intensive study program at the California Sushi Academy.
See him at: Street Eats
See him at: Street Eats
Marcela Valladolid
Marcela is the host of Food Network’s Mexican Made Easy and the author of two cookbooks: Fresh Mexico and the soon-to-be released Mexican Made Easy. As a native of Tijuana, Mexico who resides in San Diego, she combines both cuisines for fresh, accessible but authentic food.
See her at: Street Eats
See her at: Street Eats
Marcel Vigneron
Marcel lives to express creativity, personality and passion through his own style of cuisine, coined “Modern Global.” He has tantalized audiences with Syfy Network’s Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen and infamous appearances on Bravo’s Top Chef and Top Chef All-Stars. At an age when most chefs are just beginning, Marcel cooked throughout Europe, the Caribbean, and the United States. He attended the acclaimed Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New York, and has worked around the globe with world-renowned chefs, including Joël Robuchon, Michael Mina, and José Andrés. Marcel currently runs his successful catering company, Modern Global Tasting.
See him at: Street Eats
See him at: Street Eats
Fabio Viviani
Fabio Viviani began his culinary career at the age of twelve in his hometown of Florence, Italy. He is the owner of Café Firenze in Moorpark, and Firenze Osteria in Toluca Lake. He competed on Top Chef Season 5, and was named Fan Favorite on the show which went on to be nominated for 5 Emmys. In 2010, Fabio returned on Top Chef All-Stars and again received raves from fans. He is the author of three cookbooks: Café Firenze Cookbook: Mangia e Bevi, Did I Really Make Breakfast & The Skinny Country.
See him at: Street Eats
See him at: Street Eats
Michael Voltaggio
Michael Voltaggio has spent over half his life in the kitchen, since he was 15 years old. He will open his first signature restaurant, ink., in Los Angeles this year. Voltaggio describes his food as “modern Los Angeles” – distinguished by inspired flavor profiles, elevated by the combination of classic disciplines and modern techniques. He is Michelin-starred and was a finalist for the James Beard “Best New Restaurant” award in 2009, the same year he famously won the honor of becoming Top Chef on Bravo TV’s Emmy-winning season (Season 6 – Las Vegas).
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
See him at: Secrets from the Kitchen & Cellar
Justin Warner
Justin started washing dishes in a pub at the age of 14 and continues to scrub plates as co-chef/owner of Do or Dine, an “American Izakaya” in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. In addition to his “haute-munchie” cuisine, Justin has gained national recognition for his “oeno-rap” seminars.
See him at: Picnic in the Hills and Street Eats
See him at: Picnic in the Hills and Street Eats
Sang Yoon
Sang landed his first executive chef position at Michael’s, Santa Monica’s famous dining destination for contemporary California cuisine. In 2000, he took a departure from fine dining and struck out on his own by renovating his favorite local dive bar in Santa Monica, Father’s Office. The proprietary “Office Burger” has been hailed as the country’s best burger by the TODAY show and Esquire magazine. Sang opened a second location in 2008 entitled Father’s Office 2.0 in Culver City and, in February 2011, debuted Lukshon, a modern restaurant dedicated to traditional and creative Southeast Asian flavors.
See him at: Street Eats
See him at: Street Eats
Ricardo Zarate
With equal amounts of passion and creativity, Ricardo crafts his inspired cuisine using the vast knowledge of food he gained in the defining kitchen of his childhood home in Peru, and honed at some of the top restaurants in London. In 2009, he opened Mo-Chica in Los Angeles, voted the 4th Best Restaurant in Los Angeles by Los Angeles magazine. In August 2010 Ricardo began what he calls his “pop-up on steroids”: Test Kitchen. In March 2011, he was awarded Food and Wine magazine’s “People’s Edition” award for Best New Chef. He recently launched his latest Peruvian restaurant, Picca. and has plans to open Mo-Chica on 7 in the fall.
See him at: Art of Mixing
With equal amounts of passion and creativity, Ricardo crafts his inspired cuisine using the vast knowledge of food he gained in the defining kitchen of his childhood home in Peru, and honed at some of the top restaurants in London. In 2009, he opened Mo-Chica in Los Angeles, voted the 4th Best Restaurant in Los Angeles by Los Angeles magazine. In August 2010 Ricardo began what he calls his “pop-up on steroids”: Test Kitchen. In March 2011, he was awarded Food and Wine magazine’s “People’s Edition” award for Best New Chef. He recently launched his latest Peruvian restaurant, Picca. and has plans to open Mo-Chica on 7 in the fall.
See him at: Art of Mixing





