Shota Nakajima

chefshota

HOMETOWN: Tokyo, Japan & Seattle, WA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Seattle, WA

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner, Taku

Born in Japan and raised in Seattle, Shota Nakajima began his culinary journey at age 16 working for a highly acclaimed sushi restaurant. At age 18 he moved to Osaka, Japan to learn the art of Japanese cuisine from Michelin Star rated Chef Yasuhiko Sakamoto, an experience that greatly changed Shota’s perspective on hospitality, cooking and his approach to food. Developing his own meticulous and imaginative culinary detail, and a stringent demand for high-quality, Shota set out to expand Japanese cuisine in the United States by bringing a fresh perspective on approachable Japanese comfort food through his two restaurants, Taku and Adana. A James Beard Award semi-finalist for three years running, Shota seizes every opportunity to get outside and forage or fish, taking advantage of the abundance of wild goods in Washington’s mountains and waters.

Padma Lakshmi
@padmalakshmi

Padma Lakshmi
@padmalakshmi

Padma Lakshmi is an Emmy-nominated food expert, television host, producer and The New York Times best-selling author.

She is the creator, host, and executive producer of the critically acclaimed Hulu series Taste the Nation, which received a 2021 Gotham Award for Breakthrough Series. The series has just been greenlit for a second season.

Lakshmi also serves as host and executive producer of Bravo’s two-time Emmy-winning series Top Chef, which has been nominated for 32 Emmys, including her two-time nomination for Outstanding Host for A Reality-Competition Program. Its new season will be premiering in spring 2021.

Lakshmi is co-founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America (EFA) and an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Artist Ambassador for immigrants' rights and women's rights. Lakshmi was also appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Born in India, she grew up in the United States, graduating from Clark University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts and American Literature. Known as India’s first supermodel, she began her career as a fashion model and actress working in Europe and the United States.

Laskhmi established herself as a food expert early in her career hosting Padma’s Passport, where she cooked diverse cuisine from around the world and Planet Food, a documentary series, both on the Food Network domestically and worldwide on the Discovery Channel. She also co-hosted Rai Television's Domenica In, Italy’s highest-rated variety show.

She’s a prolific author, writing the best-selling Easy Exotic, which won the “Best First Book” award at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. Lakshmi followed this with the publication of her second cookbook, Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet and her memoir The New York Times best-selling Love, Loss and What We Ate. She later published The Encyclopedia of Spices & Herbs. In August of 2021 she will publish her first children’s book Tomatoes for Neela.

In addition to her food writing, Lakshmi has also contributed to Vogue, Gourmet, both British and American Harper's Bazaar, as well as penning a syndicated column on fashion and food for The New York Times.

Lakshmi created a fine jewerly line The Padma Collection, which sold at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. She also designed a home décor line under the same name featuring tabletop dishware, stemware and hand-blown glass décor pieces, was sold nationwide in Bloomingdale’s. In addition, Lakshmi created Padma’s Easy Exotic, a collection of culinary products ranging from frozen organic foods, fine teas, natural spice blends and home goods. In 2018, Lakshmi collaborated with MAC Cosmetics for a worldwide capsule collection called MAC Padma which quickly sold out in both India and the United States.

After unknowingly suffering from endometrisis for decades, in 2009 she co-founded the Endometriosis Foundation of America (EFA) alongside Advanced Gynecological Surgeon Tamer Seckin, MD. The EFA launched the first interdisciplinary research facility in the country for Gynepathology, as a joint project between Harvard Medical School and MIT and Lakshmi gave the keynote address at the Center’s opening in December 2009.

Her efforts were recognized on the floor of the New York State Senate, where she succeeded in passing a bill related to teen health initiatives. The organization’s ENPOWR program has currently educated over 32,000 students about endometriosis in high schools across the state of New York.

Lakshmi is a visiting scholar at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has received the 2018 Karma Award from Variety, as well as the 2016 NECO Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

She lives in New York with her daughter.

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Tom Colicchio
@tomcolicchio

Tom Colicchio
@tomcolicchio

One of the culinary world's most celebrated figures, Tom Colicchio returns once again as lead judge for Bravo's 18th season of the Emmy and James Beard Award-winning culinary series Top Chef, and also serves as mentor to the competing chefs on the series, guiding them through their various challenges. He also hosts BravoTV.com's Emmy-Winning Digital Companion Video Series Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen.

Tom is also the chef and owner of Crafted Hospitality, which currently includes New York's Craft, Riverpark, Temple Court and Small Batch; Los Angeles' Craft Los Angeles; and Las Vegas' Heritage Steak and Craftsteak. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Tom made his New York cooking debut at prominent New York restaurants including The Quilted Giraffe, Gotham Bar & Grill and Gramercy Tavern before opening Craft in 2001. Outside of his fine dining restaurants, Colicchio opened 'Wichcraft – a sandwich and salad fast casual concept rooted in the same food and hospitality philosophies as Craft – in New York City in 2003.

He has published Think Like a Chef (2000), which won The James Beard Foundation "KitchenAid" Cookbook Award in May 2001; Craft of Cooking (2003); and a sandwich book inspired by 'wichcraft (2009). In May 2010, Tom was awarded The James Beard Foundation's coveted "Outstanding Chef" award, the culmination of his 30 years of hard work in the restaurant industry.

A vocal social justice advocate, Tom executive produced the 2013 documentary “A Place at the Table,” about the underlying causes of hunger in the United States. This eye-opening experience led Tom to Washington, D.C. where he lobbied in front of Congress in an effort to protect and expand food programs in the U.S. Tom is a founding member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition, founded to save the independent restaurants and bars and the 11 million people they employ who have been affected by COVID-19. He is a frequent contributor on MSNBC and is the host of the iHeart Radio podcast, Citizen Chef.

Tom and his restaurants give back to the community by serving on the boards of Children of Bellevue, City Harvest and Wholesome Wave. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Lori Silverbush, and three sons. When he's not in the kitchen, Tom can be found tending to his garden on the North Fork of Long Island, enjoying a day of fishing or playing guitar.

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Gail Simmons
@gailsimmons

Gail Simmons
@gailsimmons

Gail Simmons is a trained culinary expert, food writer, and dynamic television personality. Since the show’s inception in 2006, she has lent her extensive expertise as permanent judge on Bravo’s Emmy-winning series Top Chef, currently in its 18th season. She is also the host of the upcoming series Top Chef Amateurs, giving talented home cooks the opportunity of a lifetime to test their skills in the illustrious Top Chef kitchen. A familiar face in the Top Chef franchise, she served as head critic on Top Chef Masters, hosted Top Chef Just Desserts and was a judge on Universal Kids’ Top Chef Jr. Gail hosts Iron Chef Canada and was co-host of The Feed on FYI.

Her first cookbook, Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes from a Life of Adventurous Eating, was released by Grand Central Publishing in October 2017. Nominated for an IACP award for Best General Cookbook, it features accessible recipes and smart techniques inspired by Gail’s world travels. Gail’s first book, a memoir titled Talking With My Mouth Full, was published by Hyperion in February 2012.

From 2004 to 2019 Gail was Special Projects Director at Food & Wine magazine. During her tenure she wrote a monthly column, helped create the video series #FWCooks and worked closely with the country’s top culinary talent on events and chef-related initiatives, including overseeing the annual F&W Classic in Aspen, America’s premier culinary event. Prior to working at Food & Wine, Gail was the special events manager for Chef Daniel Boulud’s restaurant empire.

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Gail moved to New York City in 1999 to attend culinary school at what is now the Institute of Culinary Education. She then trained in the kitchens of legendary Le Cirque 2000 and groundbreaking Vong restaurants and worked as the assistant to Vogue's esteemed food critic, Jeffrey Steingarten.

In 2014, Gail and her business partner Samantha Hanks, founded Bumble Pie Productions, an original content company dedicated to discovering and promoting new female voices in the food and lifestyle space. Their first series, Star Plates—a collaboration with Drew Barrymore’s Flower Films and Authentic Entertainment—premiered in Fall 2016 on the Food Network.

In addition, Gail is a weekly contributor to The Dish On Oz and makes frequent appearances on NBC’s TODAY, ABC’s Good Morning America, and the Rachael Ray Show, among others. She has been featured in publications such as People, New York Magazine, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, GQ, Entertainment Weekly, US Weekly, Los Angeles Times, and was named the #1 Reality TV Judge in America by the New York Post.

In February 2013, Gail was appointed Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Babson College, a mentoring role where she works with student entrepreneurs, helping them develop food-related social enterprises. In April 2016, she received the Award of Excellence by Spoons Across America, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating children about the benefits of healthy eating. She is an active board member and supporter of City Harvest, Hot Bread Kitchen, Common Threads, and the Institute of Culinary Education.

Gail currently lives in New York City with her husband, Jeremy and their children, Dahlia and Kole.

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Brittanny Anderson

Brittanny Anderson

HOMETOWN: Richmond, VA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Richmond, VA

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef and Co-Owner of Metzger Bar and Butchery, Brenner Pass, and Black Lodge, Richmond, VA. Leni, Washington, D.C

Two-time James Beard Award semi-finalist for the for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic, Brittanny Anderson is the Chef and Co-Owner of four establishments, Metzger Bar and Butchery, Brenner Pass, and Black Lodge in Richmond, VA and Leni in Washington, D.C. After attending the French Culinary Institute in New York City, Brittanny sought out an apprenticeship at Blue Hill at Stone Barn where she extensively learned about sustainability and local sourcing of true farm to table cuisine. She then went on to be a part of the opening team of Northern Spy Food Co. in Manhattan’s East Village where she worked her way up as Sous Chef before returning to her native Virginia to open her own restaurant. In 2014, Brittanny opened Metzger which focuses on German influenced dishes with an emphasis on seasonal and sustainable ingredients. She strives to transform classic cuisine with modern presentation and local ingredients. With the success of Metzger, both locally and nationally, Brittanny has expanded her brand with a second chef-driven modern European restaurant, a seafood distribution business, a curated cheese company, coffee shop and bar. She currently lives outside of Richmond, VA with her husband, Kjell and their dog and two cats.

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Avishar Barua

Avishar Barua

HOMETOWN: Columbus, OH

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Columbus, OH

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef & GM, Service Bar

Avishar Barua is the Executive Chef and General Manager of Service Bar in Columbus, Ohio. Born in Columbus, Ohio to immigrant parents who left Bangladesh in search of better opportunities in America, Avishar pursued his true passion of cooking after getting bachelor’s degrees in biology and psychology at The Ohio State University. After attending culinary school, he went to New York City and trained under Wylie Dufresne at Michelin starred WD~50. He returned to Ohio to open Service Bar for Middle West Spirits, a local grain to glass distiller, where he has since gained national recognition from FOOD & WINE Magazine for his signature dish, the Cheesy Brisket Crunch.

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Dawn Burrell

Dawn Burrell

HOMETOWN: Philadelphia, PA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Houston, TX

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Partner/Executive Chef, Lucille’s Hospitality Group

Olympian turned Chef, Dawn Burrell’s world travels with USA’s Track & Field team ignited her deep love for the language of food. After competing in the 2000 Summer Olympics, Dawn traded in her track spikes for a full-time culinary career and enrolled in Culinary Arts at the Art Institute of Houston. She cut her teeth with a variety of chefs, including Chef Tom Aikens in London and Houston’s Monica Pope, before landing a gig at Tyson Cole's Uchi in Houston. Chef Dawn went on to become the sous chef at Uchi’s award-winning sister restaurant, Uchiko, in Austin. An Executive Chef title at modern Southern restaurant Kulture followed where she honed her signature “global comfort” cooking style and earned her first James Beard nomination for “Best Chef: Texas” in 2020. She departed during the pandemic and recently joined Chef Chris Williams’ Lucille’s Hospitality Group as Partner/Executive Chef of her very first proprietary concept exploring Afro-Asian cuisine.

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Gabe Erales

Gabe Erales

HOMETOWN: El Paso, TX

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Austin, TX

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef

Chef Gabe Erales was born and raised in the culturally rich border town of El Paso, TX. Heavily influenced by his family's Mexican culture, Gabe formed an early appreciation for the food his parents prepared which ignited his passion for cooking. Gabe began working in kitchens at the age of 15 before moving to Austin, TX, to attend college at the University of Texas where he graduated with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. During this time, Gabe realized his true calling remained in the kitchen and concurrently completed culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu Austin. As the soul of his cooking lies in Mexican cuisine, he spent time working for some of Austin's most notable Chefs such as the late Miguel Ravago at The Fonda San Miguel, Rene Ortiz at La Condesa and Jesse Griffiths of Dai Due. He also draws inspiration from his experience in the kitchen at Noma in both Copenhagen and Mexico. Gabe’s cooking philosophy strives to focus on locality through strength in relationships with local farmers including sourcing unique varieties of landrace corn, chiles and other ingredients from different regions of Mexico. Most recently, he served as Executive Chef of Comedor Restaurant, a Mexican restaurant in the heart of downtown Austin, TX, that was voted Best New Restaurant by Esquire Magazine (2019), Austin Monthly (2019), and Texas Monthly (2020). Married with four children, he is currently working on a new Mexican-inspired restaurant concept, called Bacalar, opening in the Rainey Street District of Austin in Fall 2022. Erales recently launched his scholarship program, Niños de Maíz, with The Culinary Institute of America. He is currently a contestant on Season 18 of Bravo’s Top Chef. To learn more about Chef Erales and his accolades, visit gabeerales.com.

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Nelson German

Nelson German

HOMETOWN: New York City

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Oakland, California

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef/Owner, alaMar Kitchen and Sobre Mesa Afro-Latino cocktail lounge

A Dominican-American hailing from Washington Heights, NY, Chef Nelson German is the Executive Chef/Owner of alaMar Kitchen and Sobre Mesa Afro-Latino cocktail lounge, both located in Oakland. He received his culinary training at the NY Art Institute where he learned the foundation of Mediterranean-style cooking incorporating French techniques. He worked his way up from line cook to Executive Chef in New York staples like Gramercy Park Hotel, Jerry’s Café, Joseph’s and Citarella. He believes in letting his food tell the stories of his journey, derived from childhood memories, inspirational travels, food escapades and his own original ideas. After meeting the love of his life, Chef Nelson and his fiancée relocated to her hometown in the San Francisco Bay Area where he joined Supper Club SF and adopted a new-found appreciation for California cuisine. His unorthodox culinary style draws from his Dominican heritage, his African roots, his embrace of Mediterranean cuisine and Asian influence, coupled with his love of California ingredients that are local and sustainable.

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Byron Gomez

Byron Gomez

HOMETOWN: Central Islip, Long Island

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Aspen, Colorado

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef at 7908

Born in Costa Rica but raised in New York, Chef Byron Gomez is the Executive Chef of 7908, Aspen’s finest supper club. Bryon has trained and worked at some of the most prestigious restaurants in Manhattan, under the best chefs and mentors in the industry including Daniel Boulud, Gavin Kaysen, Daniel Humm and Ronny Emborg. Despite not having any formal training, he worked hard to be self-taught, advancing his way through the kitchens of Michelin starred restaurants, Café Boulud, Atera and Eleven Madison Park. As Sous Chef at EMP, the restaurant won Top Restaurant in the World by S. Pellegrino. He later traveled with the Eleven Madison Park teams to their pop-up restaurants in the Hamptons and Aspen, before deciding to settle down in the Rocky Mountains. Byron enjoys seasonal activities such as cycling, snowboarding and surfing, but his favorite activity is to cook and break bread, especially on his days off.

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Sasha Grumman

Sasha Grumman

HOMETOWN: Newport Beach, CA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Houston, TX

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef

Raised in a large Sicilian family where food was the central focus for family gatherings, Sasha Grumman went to the French Culinary Institute in New York and spent her last three months at ALMA culinary school in Parma, Italy. After staging at the Michelin-starred Giuda Ballerino in Rome, she graduated at the top of her class and moved to San Francisco to work at Delfina Restaurant. After cooking for notable chefs, in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin, she landed in Houston as the Executive Chef of Rosalie Italian Soul. In Los Angeles, she worked as “Top Chef” Alum Bruce Kalman’s Chef de Cuisine at Union. During the pandemic, Sasha has started a focaccia business that she hopes to take national.

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Roscoe Hall

Roscoe Hall

HOMETOWN: Chicago, Ill

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Birmingham, Alabama

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Artist/Father

Roscoe Hall is not only a chef, but also an accomplished artist who works in a variety of media. He was introduced to fine dining at a young age and immediately wanted to get into the kitchen. He started as a dishwasher at a small local restaurant until he landed a job as a line cook at Chez Panisse, where he trained for two years under Alice Waters. He then moved up the culinary ranks learning various cuisines at multiple restaurants in St. Louis and Portland, before heading to New York City to work under Chef David Chang at Momofuku Saam Bar. He later moved to Birmingham, AL and served as Executive Chef for Rodney Scott’s BBQ. With a kick ass wife and two hilarious children, Roscoe recently took on a new role as culinary director for Post Office Pies and is working on an exhibition of his latest art.

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Sara Hauman

Sara Hauman

HOMETOWN: Vista, CA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Portland, OR

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Head Chef, Soter Vineyards

Chef Sara grew up in Vista, CA, a small town in north San Diego County. After graduating high school, Sara moved to the south of Spain where food became an obsession and ultimately fueled her decision to return to the states to attend culinary school. At the age of 22, Sara relocated to San Francisco and worked with Brandon Jew at Bar Agricole which shaped her simple approach to food. In 2013, Sara returned to Spain to work at famed restaurant Asador Etxebarri. This experience propelled Sara into her first head chef position at Huxley in San Francisco where she garnered many accolades and awards, including a 3-star review from the San Francisco Chronicle, Eater Young Guns, Zagat 30 under 30, and a James Beard semi-finalist Rising Star Chef in 2016 and 2017. Chef Sara was also named Rising Star Chef for the San Francisco Chronicle while working as chef de cuisine under Melissa Perello at one-Michelin starred restaurant Octavia and also reconnected with Brandon Jew at one-Michelin starred restaurant Mister Jiu’s. She currently works as the head chef at Soter Vineyards in Carlton, OR and resides in Portland.

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Kiki Louya

Kiki Louya

HOMETOWN: Detroit, MI

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Detroit, MI

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef / Consultant

Detroit native Kiki Louya is a chef, writer, food activist and restaurant consultant. The New York Times named her one of “16 Black Chefs Changing Food in America” because of her pursuit for social justice, use of local agriculture, and fight for fair wages at her restaurants. Kiki received critical acclaim for her work as Chef/Owner of Detroit’s Folk & The Farmer’s Hand, two award winning restaurants, before eventually stepping down from leadership in March 2020. The daughter of a Congolese immigrant, Kiki draws inspiration from her own cultural background, often using food as a conduit for deeper discussions around what it means to be Black in America. She is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, as well as The University of Michigan, and has given lectures about her expertise on food, farming and entrepreneurship with students at Yale and Georgetown. When not in the kitchen, Kiki is tending to her wild vegetable garden alongside her husband and two rambunctious rescue pit bulls.

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Maria Mazon

Maria Mazon

HOMETOWN: Born in Tucson, Arizona. Raised in Navojoa, Sonora

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Tucson, Arizona

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef/Owner, BOCA Tacos y Tequila

Chef Maria Mazon is the Executive Chef and Owner of BOCA Tacos y Tequila in Tucson, Arizona. Born in Tucson but raised in Sonora, Mexico, Maria’s cuisine is inspired by both sides of her borderland home. Using the unique flavors and ingredients of the Sonoran Desert, Maria’s experimental take on classic Mexican fare have earned her local and national accolades including The New York Times. She has been pushing the boundaries for years, introducing to people unique flavors and exotic ingredients. In 2020, Maria became a James Beard Award semi-finalist for Best Chef in the Southwest Region. When not at the restaurant, Maria loves cooking for her wife, Lilly, and their 12-year-old son.

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Shota Nakajima

Shota Nakajima

HOMETOWN: Tokyo, Japan & Seattle, WA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Seattle, WA

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner, Taku

Born in Japan and raised in Seattle, Shota Nakajima began his culinary journey at age 16 working for a highly acclaimed sushi restaurant. At age 18 he moved to Osaka, Japan to learn the art of Japanese cuisine from Michelin Star rated Chef Yasuhiko Sakamoto, an experience that greatly changed Shota’s perspective on hospitality, cooking and his approach to food. Developing his own meticulous and imaginative culinary detail, and a stringent demand for high-quality, Shota set out to expand Japanese cuisine in the United States by bringing a fresh perspective on approachable Japanese comfort food through his two restaurants, Taku and Adana. A James Beard Award semi-finalist for three years running, Shota seizes every opportunity to get outside and forage or fish, taking advantage of the abundance of wild goods in Washington’s mountains and waters.

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Gabriel Pascuzzi

Gabriel Pascuzzi

HOMETOWN: Portland, OR

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Portland, Oregon

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner, Mama Bird, Stacked Sandwich Shop and Feel Good

Gabriel Pascuzzi is the chef and owner of three restaurants in Portland, Oregon – Mama Bird, Stacked Sandwich Shop and Feel Good. Growing up in an Italian American household, his love of food started at a young age. He grew up visiting his uncle’s acclaimed restaurant in Big Fork, Montana washing lettuce and peeling shrimp in exchange for a slice of pie. After apprenticing for his uncle during high school, he went on to Johnson & Wales University receiving a bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts. Gabriel then cut his teeth in New York City working for Daniel Boulud and head judge Tom Colicchio at Colicchio & Sons. He later staged at the world renowned and two Michelin star restaurant Noma in Copenhagen. Returning home, he helmed several kitchens before opening his first restaurant, Stacked Sandwich Shop in 2017. Stacked has been named on Thrillist’s Top 31 Sandwich Shops in America. Gabriel also took home Eater Portland’s Chef of the Year in 2017. In 2019, he opened Mama Bird six months before the pandemic hit.

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Jamie Tran

Jamie Tran

HOMETOWN: Stockton, CA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Las Vegas, NV

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner, The Black Sheep

Jamie Tran is the chef and owner of Las Vegas’ The Black Sheep, where she serves her original take on casual modern Vietnamese American food in an elevated neighborhood environment. The name is an homage to Jamie’s playfully rebellious spirit and her drive to break through a male-dominated industry.

Jamie’s cooking journey began when she was only four years old. She made her first dish standing on top of a milk crate to cook fried rice with her mother. After graduating from San Francisco State with a business degree and then Le Cordon Bleu, Jamie saw the emerging food scene in Las Vegas and moved there to be a part-time line-cook at Charlie Palmer’s Aureole. She honed her craft under Executive Chef Vincent Pouessel, climbing the ranks to executive Sous Chef. She then went to the banquets department at The Venetian, before being recruited for the executive chef role at DB Brasserie by Daniel Boulud. After opening The Black Sheep, Eater Las Vegas honored Jamie with Chef of the Year and Restaurant of the Year.

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Chris Viaud

Chris Viaud

HOMETOWN: Randolph MA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Milford NH

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner of Greenleaf and Culture

Chris Viaud is the Chef and Owner of Greenleaf and Culture, both located in Milford, New Hampshire. Raised in the Boston suburb of Randolph with his parents who immigrated from Haiti, Chris moved to Londonderry, NH and upon graduating high school attended Johnson & Wales University where he received a bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts & Food Service Management. After completing culinary school, he returned to Boston where he spent three of his most formative years at Modern French restaurant, Deuxave, where he worked his way through the ranks alongside Executive Chef and Owner Chris Coombs, “Top Chef” alum Adrienne Mosier and acclaimed Chef Stefanie Bui. Since Deuxave, he has been an essential part of four restaurant openings in the Massachusetts and New Hampshire area. At 28 years old, Chris opened his own restaurant Greenleaf in Milford, NH. His approach to food is rustic yet refined by classic techniques and his menus are driven by locally grown seasonal products. A year later, he opened Culture, a from scratch bakery producing artisanal breads, sandwiches and pastries while supporting local farms. His strength and motivation build from the support of his family, friends and staff and he continues to push himself every day, especially now that he has a young daughter named Madeleine.

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Padma Lakshmi
@padmalakshmi

Padma Lakshmi
@padmalakshmi

Padma Lakshmi is an Emmy-nominated food expert, television host, producer and The New York Times best-selling author.

She is the creator, host, and executive producer of the critically acclaimed Hulu series Taste the Nation, which received a 2021 Gotham Award for Breakthrough Series. The series has just been greenlit for a second season.

Lakshmi also serves as host and executive producer of Bravo’s two-time Emmy-winning series Top Chef, which has been nominated for 32 Emmys, including her two-time nomination for Outstanding Host for A Reality-Competition Program. Its new season will be premiering in spring 2021.

Lakshmi is co-founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America (EFA) and an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Artist Ambassador for immigrants' rights and women's rights. Lakshmi was also appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Born in India, she grew up in the United States, graduating from Clark University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts and American Literature. Known as India’s first supermodel, she began her career as a fashion model and actress working in Europe and the United States.

Laskhmi established herself as a food expert early in her career hosting Padma’s Passport, where she cooked diverse cuisine from around the world and Planet Food, a documentary series, both on the Food Network domestically and worldwide on the Discovery Channel. She also co-hosted Rai Television's Domenica In, Italy’s highest-rated variety show.

She’s a prolific author, writing the best-selling Easy Exotic, which won the “Best First Book” award at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. Lakshmi followed this with the publication of her second cookbook, Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet and her memoir The New York Times best-selling Love, Loss and What We Ate. She later published The Encyclopedia of Spices & Herbs. In August of 2021 she will publish her first children’s book Tomatoes for Neela.

In addition to her food writing, Lakshmi has also contributed to Vogue, Gourmet, both British and American Harper's Bazaar, as well as penning a syndicated column on fashion and food for The New York Times.

Lakshmi created a fine jewerly line The Padma Collection, which sold at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. She also designed a home décor line under the same name featuring tabletop dishware, stemware and hand-blown glass décor pieces, was sold nationwide in Bloomingdale’s. In addition, Lakshmi created Padma’s Easy Exotic, a collection of culinary products ranging from frozen organic foods, fine teas, natural spice blends and home goods. In 2018, Lakshmi collaborated with MAC Cosmetics for a worldwide capsule collection called MAC Padma which quickly sold out in both India and the United States.

After unknowingly suffering from endometrisis for decades, in 2009 she co-founded the Endometriosis Foundation of America (EFA) alongside Advanced Gynecological Surgeon Tamer Seckin, MD. The EFA launched the first interdisciplinary research facility in the country for Gynepathology, as a joint project between Harvard Medical School and MIT and Lakshmi gave the keynote address at the Center’s opening in December 2009.

Her efforts were recognized on the floor of the New York State Senate, where she succeeded in passing a bill related to teen health initiatives. The organization’s ENPOWR program has currently educated over 32,000 students about endometriosis in high schools across the state of New York.

Lakshmi is a visiting scholar at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has received the 2018 Karma Award from Variety, as well as the 2016 NECO Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

She lives in New York with her daughter.

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Tom Colicchio
@tomcolicchio

Tom Colicchio
@tomcolicchio

One of the culinary world's most celebrated figures, Tom Colicchio returns once again as lead judge for Bravo's 18th season of the Emmy and James Beard Award-winning culinary series Top Chef, and also serves as mentor to the competing chefs on the series, guiding them through their various challenges. He also hosts BravoTV.com's Emmy-Winning Digital Companion Video Series Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen.

Tom is also the chef and owner of Crafted Hospitality, which currently includes New York's Craft, Riverpark, Temple Court and Small Batch; Los Angeles' Craft Los Angeles; and Las Vegas' Heritage Steak and Craftsteak. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Tom made his New York cooking debut at prominent New York restaurants including The Quilted Giraffe, Gotham Bar & Grill and Gramercy Tavern before opening Craft in 2001. Outside of his fine dining restaurants, Colicchio opened 'Wichcraft – a sandwich and salad fast casual concept rooted in the same food and hospitality philosophies as Craft – in New York City in 2003.

He has published Think Like a Chef (2000), which won The James Beard Foundation "KitchenAid" Cookbook Award in May 2001; Craft of Cooking (2003); and a sandwich book inspired by 'wichcraft (2009). In May 2010, Tom was awarded The James Beard Foundation's coveted "Outstanding Chef" award, the culmination of his 30 years of hard work in the restaurant industry.

A vocal social justice advocate, Tom executive produced the 2013 documentary “A Place at the Table,” about the underlying causes of hunger in the United States. This eye-opening experience led Tom to Washington, D.C. where he lobbied in front of Congress in an effort to protect and expand food programs in the U.S. Tom is a founding member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition, founded to save the independent restaurants and bars and the 11 million people they employ who have been affected by COVID-19. He is a frequent contributor on MSNBC and is the host of the iHeart Radio podcast, Citizen Chef.

Tom and his restaurants give back to the community by serving on the boards of Children of Bellevue, City Harvest and Wholesome Wave. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Lori Silverbush, and three sons. When he's not in the kitchen, Tom can be found tending to his garden on the North Fork of Long Island, enjoying a day of fishing or playing guitar.

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Gail Simmons
@gailsimmons

Gail Simmons
@gailsimmons

Gail Simmons is a trained culinary expert, food writer, and dynamic television personality. Since the show’s inception in 2006, she has lent her extensive expertise as permanent judge on Bravo’s Emmy-winning series Top Chef, currently in its 18th season. She is also the host of the upcoming series Top Chef Amateurs, giving talented home cooks the opportunity of a lifetime to test their skills in the illustrious Top Chef kitchen. A familiar face in the Top Chef franchise, she served as head critic on Top Chef Masters, hosted Top Chef Just Desserts and was a judge on Universal Kids’ Top Chef Jr. Gail hosts Iron Chef Canada and was co-host of The Feed on FYI.

Her first cookbook, Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes from a Life of Adventurous Eating, was released by Grand Central Publishing in October 2017. Nominated for an IACP award for Best General Cookbook, it features accessible recipes and smart techniques inspired by Gail’s world travels. Gail’s first book, a memoir titled Talking With My Mouth Full, was published by Hyperion in February 2012.

From 2004 to 2019 Gail was Special Projects Director at Food & Wine magazine. During her tenure she wrote a monthly column, helped create the video series #FWCooks and worked closely with the country’s top culinary talent on events and chef-related initiatives, including overseeing the annual F&W Classic in Aspen, America’s premier culinary event. Prior to working at Food & Wine, Gail was the special events manager for Chef Daniel Boulud’s restaurant empire.

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Gail moved to New York City in 1999 to attend culinary school at what is now the Institute of Culinary Education. She then trained in the kitchens of legendary Le Cirque 2000 and groundbreaking Vong restaurants and worked as the assistant to Vogue's esteemed food critic, Jeffrey Steingarten.

In 2014, Gail and her business partner Samantha Hanks, founded Bumble Pie Productions, an original content company dedicated to discovering and promoting new female voices in the food and lifestyle space. Their first series, Star Plates—a collaboration with Drew Barrymore’s Flower Films and Authentic Entertainment—premiered in Fall 2016 on the Food Network.

In addition, Gail is a weekly contributor to The Dish On Oz and makes frequent appearances on NBC’s TODAY, ABC’s Good Morning America, and the Rachael Ray Show, among others. She has been featured in publications such as People, New York Magazine, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, GQ, Entertainment Weekly, US Weekly, Los Angeles Times, and was named the #1 Reality TV Judge in America by the New York Post.

In February 2013, Gail was appointed Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Babson College, a mentoring role where she works with student entrepreneurs, helping them develop food-related social enterprises. In April 2016, she received the Award of Excellence by Spoons Across America, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating children about the benefits of healthy eating. She is an active board member and supporter of City Harvest, Hot Bread Kitchen, Common Threads, and the Institute of Culinary Education.

Gail currently lives in New York City with her husband, Jeremy and their children, Dahlia and Kole.

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Brittanny Anderson

Brittanny Anderson

HOMETOWN: Richmond, VA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Richmond, VA

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef and Co-Owner of Metzger Bar and Butchery, Brenner Pass, and Black Lodge, Richmond, VA. Leni, Washington, D.C

Two-time James Beard Award semi-finalist for the for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic, Brittanny Anderson is the Chef and Co-Owner of four establishments, Metzger Bar and Butchery, Brenner Pass, and Black Lodge in Richmond, VA and Leni in Washington, D.C. After attending the French Culinary Institute in New York City, Brittanny sought out an apprenticeship at Blue Hill at Stone Barn where she extensively learned about sustainability and local sourcing of true farm to table cuisine. She then went on to be a part of the opening team of Northern Spy Food Co. in Manhattan’s East Village where she worked her way up as Sous Chef before returning to her native Virginia to open her own restaurant. In 2014, Brittanny opened Metzger which focuses on German influenced dishes with an emphasis on seasonal and sustainable ingredients. She strives to transform classic cuisine with modern presentation and local ingredients. With the success of Metzger, both locally and nationally, Brittanny has expanded her brand with a second chef-driven modern European restaurant, a seafood distribution business, a curated cheese company, coffee shop and bar. She currently lives outside of Richmond, VA with her husband, Kjell and their dog and two cats.

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Avishar Barua

Avishar Barua

HOMETOWN: Columbus, OH

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Columbus, OH

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef & GM, Service Bar

Avishar Barua is the Executive Chef and General Manager of Service Bar in Columbus, Ohio. Born in Columbus, Ohio to immigrant parents who left Bangladesh in search of better opportunities in America, Avishar pursued his true passion of cooking after getting bachelor’s degrees in biology and psychology at The Ohio State University. After attending culinary school, he went to New York City and trained under Wylie Dufresne at Michelin starred WD~50. He returned to Ohio to open Service Bar for Middle West Spirits, a local grain to glass distiller, where he has since gained national recognition from FOOD & WINE Magazine for his signature dish, the Cheesy Brisket Crunch.

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Dawn Burrell

Dawn Burrell

HOMETOWN: Philadelphia, PA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Houston, TX

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Partner/Executive Chef, Lucille’s Hospitality Group

Olympian turned Chef, Dawn Burrell’s world travels with USA’s Track & Field team ignited her deep love for the language of food. After competing in the 2000 Summer Olympics, Dawn traded in her track spikes for a full-time culinary career and enrolled in Culinary Arts at the Art Institute of Houston. She cut her teeth with a variety of chefs, including Chef Tom Aikens in London and Houston’s Monica Pope, before landing a gig at Tyson Cole's Uchi in Houston. Chef Dawn went on to become the sous chef at Uchi’s award-winning sister restaurant, Uchiko, in Austin. An Executive Chef title at modern Southern restaurant Kulture followed where she honed her signature “global comfort” cooking style and earned her first James Beard nomination for “Best Chef: Texas” in 2020. She departed during the pandemic and recently joined Chef Chris Williams’ Lucille’s Hospitality Group as Partner/Executive Chef of her very first proprietary concept exploring Afro-Asian cuisine.

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Gabe Erales

Gabe Erales

HOMETOWN: El Paso, TX

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Austin, TX

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef

Chef Gabe Erales was born and raised in the culturally rich border town of El Paso, TX. Heavily influenced by his family's Mexican culture, Gabe formed an early appreciation for the food his parents prepared which ignited his passion for cooking. Gabe began working in kitchens at the age of 15 before moving to Austin, TX, to attend college at the University of Texas where he graduated with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. During this time, Gabe realized his true calling remained in the kitchen and concurrently completed culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu Austin. As the soul of his cooking lies in Mexican cuisine, he spent time working for some of Austin's most notable Chefs such as the late Miguel Ravago at The Fonda San Miguel, Rene Ortiz at La Condesa and Jesse Griffiths of Dai Due. He also draws inspiration from his experience in the kitchen at Noma in both Copenhagen and Mexico. Gabe’s cooking philosophy strives to focus on locality through strength in relationships with local farmers including sourcing unique varieties of landrace corn, chiles and other ingredients from different regions of Mexico. Most recently, he served as Executive Chef of Comedor Restaurant, a Mexican restaurant in the heart of downtown Austin, TX, that was voted Best New Restaurant by Esquire Magazine (2019), Austin Monthly (2019), and Texas Monthly (2020). Married with four children, he is currently working on a new Mexican-inspired restaurant concept, called Bacalar, opening in the Rainey Street District of Austin in Fall 2022. Erales recently launched his scholarship program, Niños de Maíz, with The Culinary Institute of America. He is currently a contestant on Season 18 of Bravo’s Top Chef. To learn more about Chef Erales and his accolades, visit gabeerales.com.

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Nelson German

Nelson German

HOMETOWN: New York City

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Oakland, California

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef/Owner, alaMar Kitchen and Sobre Mesa Afro-Latino cocktail lounge

A Dominican-American hailing from Washington Heights, NY, Chef Nelson German is the Executive Chef/Owner of alaMar Kitchen and Sobre Mesa Afro-Latino cocktail lounge, both located in Oakland. He received his culinary training at the NY Art Institute where he learned the foundation of Mediterranean-style cooking incorporating French techniques. He worked his way up from line cook to Executive Chef in New York staples like Gramercy Park Hotel, Jerry’s Café, Joseph’s and Citarella. He believes in letting his food tell the stories of his journey, derived from childhood memories, inspirational travels, food escapades and his own original ideas. After meeting the love of his life, Chef Nelson and his fiancée relocated to her hometown in the San Francisco Bay Area where he joined Supper Club SF and adopted a new-found appreciation for California cuisine. His unorthodox culinary style draws from his Dominican heritage, his African roots, his embrace of Mediterranean cuisine and Asian influence, coupled with his love of California ingredients that are local and sustainable.

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Byron Gomez

Byron Gomez

HOMETOWN: Central Islip, Long Island

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Aspen, Colorado

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef at 7908

Born in Costa Rica but raised in New York, Chef Byron Gomez is the Executive Chef of 7908, Aspen’s finest supper club. Bryon has trained and worked at some of the most prestigious restaurants in Manhattan, under the best chefs and mentors in the industry including Daniel Boulud, Gavin Kaysen, Daniel Humm and Ronny Emborg. Despite not having any formal training, he worked hard to be self-taught, advancing his way through the kitchens of Michelin starred restaurants, Café Boulud, Atera and Eleven Madison Park. As Sous Chef at EMP, the restaurant won Top Restaurant in the World by S. Pellegrino. He later traveled with the Eleven Madison Park teams to their pop-up restaurants in the Hamptons and Aspen, before deciding to settle down in the Rocky Mountains. Byron enjoys seasonal activities such as cycling, snowboarding and surfing, but his favorite activity is to cook and break bread, especially on his days off.

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Sasha Grumman

Sasha Grumman

HOMETOWN: Newport Beach, CA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Houston, TX

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef

Raised in a large Sicilian family where food was the central focus for family gatherings, Sasha Grumman went to the French Culinary Institute in New York and spent her last three months at ALMA culinary school in Parma, Italy. After staging at the Michelin-starred Giuda Ballerino in Rome, she graduated at the top of her class and moved to San Francisco to work at Delfina Restaurant. After cooking for notable chefs, in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin, she landed in Houston as the Executive Chef of Rosalie Italian Soul. In Los Angeles, she worked as “Top Chef” Alum Bruce Kalman’s Chef de Cuisine at Union. During the pandemic, Sasha has started a focaccia business that she hopes to take national.

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Roscoe Hall

Roscoe Hall

HOMETOWN: Chicago, Ill

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Birmingham, Alabama

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Artist/Father

Roscoe Hall is not only a chef, but also an accomplished artist who works in a variety of media. He was introduced to fine dining at a young age and immediately wanted to get into the kitchen. He started as a dishwasher at a small local restaurant until he landed a job as a line cook at Chez Panisse, where he trained for two years under Alice Waters. He then moved up the culinary ranks learning various cuisines at multiple restaurants in St. Louis and Portland, before heading to New York City to work under Chef David Chang at Momofuku Saam Bar. He later moved to Birmingham, AL and served as Executive Chef for Rodney Scott’s BBQ. With a kick ass wife and two hilarious children, Roscoe recently took on a new role as culinary director for Post Office Pies and is working on an exhibition of his latest art.

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Sara Hauman

Sara Hauman

HOMETOWN: Vista, CA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Portland, OR

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Head Chef, Soter Vineyards

Chef Sara grew up in Vista, CA, a small town in north San Diego County. After graduating high school, Sara moved to the south of Spain where food became an obsession and ultimately fueled her decision to return to the states to attend culinary school. At the age of 22, Sara relocated to San Francisco and worked with Brandon Jew at Bar Agricole which shaped her simple approach to food. In 2013, Sara returned to Spain to work at famed restaurant Asador Etxebarri. This experience propelled Sara into her first head chef position at Huxley in San Francisco where she garnered many accolades and awards, including a 3-star review from the San Francisco Chronicle, Eater Young Guns, Zagat 30 under 30, and a James Beard semi-finalist Rising Star Chef in 2016 and 2017. Chef Sara was also named Rising Star Chef for the San Francisco Chronicle while working as chef de cuisine under Melissa Perello at one-Michelin starred restaurant Octavia and also reconnected with Brandon Jew at one-Michelin starred restaurant Mister Jiu’s. She currently works as the head chef at Soter Vineyards in Carlton, OR and resides in Portland.

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Kiki Louya

Kiki Louya

HOMETOWN: Detroit, MI

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Detroit, MI

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef / Consultant

Detroit native Kiki Louya is a chef, writer, food activist and restaurant consultant. The New York Times named her one of “16 Black Chefs Changing Food in America” because of her pursuit for social justice, use of local agriculture, and fight for fair wages at her restaurants. Kiki received critical acclaim for her work as Chef/Owner of Detroit’s Folk & The Farmer’s Hand, two award winning restaurants, before eventually stepping down from leadership in March 2020. The daughter of a Congolese immigrant, Kiki draws inspiration from her own cultural background, often using food as a conduit for deeper discussions around what it means to be Black in America. She is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, as well as The University of Michigan, and has given lectures about her expertise on food, farming and entrepreneurship with students at Yale and Georgetown. When not in the kitchen, Kiki is tending to her wild vegetable garden alongside her husband and two rambunctious rescue pit bulls.

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Maria Mazon

Maria Mazon

HOMETOWN: Born in Tucson, Arizona. Raised in Navojoa, Sonora

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Tucson, Arizona

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef/Owner, BOCA Tacos y Tequila

Chef Maria Mazon is the Executive Chef and Owner of BOCA Tacos y Tequila in Tucson, Arizona. Born in Tucson but raised in Sonora, Mexico, Maria’s cuisine is inspired by both sides of her borderland home. Using the unique flavors and ingredients of the Sonoran Desert, Maria’s experimental take on classic Mexican fare have earned her local and national accolades including The New York Times. She has been pushing the boundaries for years, introducing to people unique flavors and exotic ingredients. In 2020, Maria became a James Beard Award semi-finalist for Best Chef in the Southwest Region. When not at the restaurant, Maria loves cooking for her wife, Lilly, and their 12-year-old son.

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Shota Nakajima

Shota Nakajima

HOMETOWN: Tokyo, Japan & Seattle, WA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Seattle, WA

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner, Taku

Born in Japan and raised in Seattle, Shota Nakajima began his culinary journey at age 16 working for a highly acclaimed sushi restaurant. At age 18 he moved to Osaka, Japan to learn the art of Japanese cuisine from Michelin Star rated Chef Yasuhiko Sakamoto, an experience that greatly changed Shota’s perspective on hospitality, cooking and his approach to food. Developing his own meticulous and imaginative culinary detail, and a stringent demand for high-quality, Shota set out to expand Japanese cuisine in the United States by bringing a fresh perspective on approachable Japanese comfort food through his two restaurants, Taku and Adana. A James Beard Award semi-finalist for three years running, Shota seizes every opportunity to get outside and forage or fish, taking advantage of the abundance of wild goods in Washington’s mountains and waters.

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Gabriel Pascuzzi

Gabriel Pascuzzi

HOMETOWN: Portland, OR

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Portland, Oregon

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner, Mama Bird, Stacked Sandwich Shop and Feel Good

Gabriel Pascuzzi is the chef and owner of three restaurants in Portland, Oregon – Mama Bird, Stacked Sandwich Shop and Feel Good. Growing up in an Italian American household, his love of food started at a young age. He grew up visiting his uncle’s acclaimed restaurant in Big Fork, Montana washing lettuce and peeling shrimp in exchange for a slice of pie. After apprenticing for his uncle during high school, he went on to Johnson & Wales University receiving a bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts. Gabriel then cut his teeth in New York City working for Daniel Boulud and head judge Tom Colicchio at Colicchio & Sons. He later staged at the world renowned and two Michelin star restaurant Noma in Copenhagen. Returning home, he helmed several kitchens before opening his first restaurant, Stacked Sandwich Shop in 2017. Stacked has been named on Thrillist’s Top 31 Sandwich Shops in America. Gabriel also took home Eater Portland’s Chef of the Year in 2017. In 2019, he opened Mama Bird six months before the pandemic hit.

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Jamie Tran

Jamie Tran

HOMETOWN: Stockton, CA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Las Vegas, NV

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner, The Black Sheep

Jamie Tran is the chef and owner of Las Vegas’ The Black Sheep, where she serves her original take on casual modern Vietnamese American food in an elevated neighborhood environment. The name is an homage to Jamie’s playfully rebellious spirit and her drive to break through a male-dominated industry.

Jamie’s cooking journey began when she was only four years old. She made her first dish standing on top of a milk crate to cook fried rice with her mother. After graduating from San Francisco State with a business degree and then Le Cordon Bleu, Jamie saw the emerging food scene in Las Vegas and moved there to be a part-time line-cook at Charlie Palmer’s Aureole. She honed her craft under Executive Chef Vincent Pouessel, climbing the ranks to executive Sous Chef. She then went to the banquets department at The Venetian, before being recruited for the executive chef role at DB Brasserie by Daniel Boulud. After opening The Black Sheep, Eater Las Vegas honored Jamie with Chef of the Year and Restaurant of the Year.

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Chris Viaud

Chris Viaud

HOMETOWN: Randolph MA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Milford NH

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner of Greenleaf and Culture

Chris Viaud is the Chef and Owner of Greenleaf and Culture, both located in Milford, New Hampshire. Raised in the Boston suburb of Randolph with his parents who immigrated from Haiti, Chris moved to Londonderry, NH and upon graduating high school attended Johnson & Wales University where he received a bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts & Food Service Management. After completing culinary school, he returned to Boston where he spent three of his most formative years at Modern French restaurant, Deuxave, where he worked his way through the ranks alongside Executive Chef and Owner Chris Coombs, “Top Chef” alum Adrienne Mosier and acclaimed Chef Stefanie Bui. Since Deuxave, he has been an essential part of four restaurant openings in the Massachusetts and New Hampshire area. At 28 years old, Chris opened his own restaurant Greenleaf in Milford, NH. His approach to food is rustic yet refined by classic techniques and his menus are driven by locally grown seasonal products. A year later, he opened Culture, a from scratch bakery producing artisanal breads, sandwiches and pastries while supporting local farms. His strength and motivation build from the support of his family, friends and staff and he continues to push himself every day, especially now that he has a young daughter named Madeleine.

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Shota Nakajima

chefshota

Shows

Top Chef

HOMETOWN: Tokyo, Japan & Seattle, WA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Seattle, WA

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner, Taku

Latest About Shota

The Daily Dish

Top Chef Family Style Kicks Off with a "Dynamic" Challenge

1 month ago

The Daily Dish

Top Chef Family Style Kicks Off with a "Dynamic" Challenge

Read Now 1 month ago

The Daily Dish

Shota's Life After Top Chef Includes a New TV Gig

2 months ago

The Daily Dish

Shota's Life After Top Chef Includes a New TV Gig

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Top Chef After Show

Top Chef Season 18 Contestants Dish on That Intense Last Chance Kitchen Finale

4 months ago

Top Chef After Show

Top Chef Season 18 Contestants Dish on That Intense Last Chance Kitchen Finale

Watch Now 4 months ago

Preview

Introducing the Final Three Chefs

4 months ago

Preview

Introducing the Final Three Chefs

Watch Now 4 months ago

Preview

It's Time to Go Crabbing!

4 months ago

Preview

It's Time to Go Crabbing!

Watch Now 4 months ago

Preview

Shota Nakajima Doesn't Want a Certain Chef to Win This Quickfire Challenge

4 months ago

Preview

Shota Nakajima Doesn't Want a Certain Chef to Win This Quickfire Challenge

Watch Now 4 months ago

Preview

The Chefs Go Digging for Clams

4 months ago

Preview

The Chefs Go Digging for Clams

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The Cast

Padma Lakshmi
@padmalakshmi

Padma Lakshmi
@padmalakshmi

Padma Lakshmi is an Emmy-nominated food expert, television host, producer and The New York Times best-selling author.

She is the creator, host, and executive producer of the critically acclaimed Hulu series Taste the Nation, which received a 2021 Gotham Award for Breakthrough Series. The series has just been greenlit for a second season.

Lakshmi also serves as host and executive producer of Bravo’s two-time Emmy-winning series Top Chef, which has been nominated for 32 Emmys, including her two-time nomination for Outstanding Host for A Reality-Competition Program. Its new season will be premiering in spring 2021.

Lakshmi is co-founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America (EFA) and an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Artist Ambassador for immigrants' rights and women's rights. Lakshmi was also appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Born in India, she grew up in the United States, graduating from Clark University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts and American Literature. Known as India’s first supermodel, she began her career as a fashion model and actress working in Europe and the United States.

Laskhmi established herself as a food expert early in her career hosting Padma’s Passport, where she cooked diverse cuisine from around the world and Planet Food, a documentary series, both on the Food Network domestically and worldwide on the Discovery Channel. She also co-hosted Rai Television's Domenica In, Italy’s highest-rated variety show.

She’s a prolific author, writing the best-selling Easy Exotic, which won the “Best First Book” award at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. Lakshmi followed this with the publication of her second cookbook, Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet and her memoir The New York Times best-selling Love, Loss and What We Ate. She later published The Encyclopedia of Spices & Herbs. In August of 2021 she will publish her first children’s book Tomatoes for Neela.

In addition to her food writing, Lakshmi has also contributed to Vogue, Gourmet, both British and American Harper's Bazaar, as well as penning a syndicated column on fashion and food for The New York Times.

Lakshmi created a fine jewerly line The Padma Collection, which sold at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. She also designed a home décor line under the same name featuring tabletop dishware, stemware and hand-blown glass décor pieces, was sold nationwide in Bloomingdale’s. In addition, Lakshmi created Padma’s Easy Exotic, a collection of culinary products ranging from frozen organic foods, fine teas, natural spice blends and home goods. In 2018, Lakshmi collaborated with MAC Cosmetics for a worldwide capsule collection called MAC Padma which quickly sold out in both India and the United States.

After unknowingly suffering from endometrisis for decades, in 2009 she co-founded the Endometriosis Foundation of America (EFA) alongside Advanced Gynecological Surgeon Tamer Seckin, MD. The EFA launched the first interdisciplinary research facility in the country for Gynepathology, as a joint project between Harvard Medical School and MIT and Lakshmi gave the keynote address at the Center’s opening in December 2009.

Her efforts were recognized on the floor of the New York State Senate, where she succeeded in passing a bill related to teen health initiatives. The organization’s ENPOWR program has currently educated over 32,000 students about endometriosis in high schools across the state of New York.

Lakshmi is a visiting scholar at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has received the 2018 Karma Award from Variety, as well as the 2016 NECO Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

She lives in New York with her daughter.

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Tom Colicchio
@tomcolicchio

Tom Colicchio
@tomcolicchio

One of the culinary world's most celebrated figures, Tom Colicchio returns once again as lead judge for Bravo's 18th season of the Emmy and James Beard Award-winning culinary series Top Chef, and also serves as mentor to the competing chefs on the series, guiding them through their various challenges. He also hosts BravoTV.com's Emmy-Winning Digital Companion Video Series Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen.

Tom is also the chef and owner of Crafted Hospitality, which currently includes New York's Craft, Riverpark, Temple Court and Small Batch; Los Angeles' Craft Los Angeles; and Las Vegas' Heritage Steak and Craftsteak. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Tom made his New York cooking debut at prominent New York restaurants including The Quilted Giraffe, Gotham Bar & Grill and Gramercy Tavern before opening Craft in 2001. Outside of his fine dining restaurants, Colicchio opened 'Wichcraft – a sandwich and salad fast casual concept rooted in the same food and hospitality philosophies as Craft – in New York City in 2003.

He has published Think Like a Chef (2000), which won The James Beard Foundation "KitchenAid" Cookbook Award in May 2001; Craft of Cooking (2003); and a sandwich book inspired by 'wichcraft (2009). In May 2010, Tom was awarded The James Beard Foundation's coveted "Outstanding Chef" award, the culmination of his 30 years of hard work in the restaurant industry.

A vocal social justice advocate, Tom executive produced the 2013 documentary “A Place at the Table,” about the underlying causes of hunger in the United States. This eye-opening experience led Tom to Washington, D.C. where he lobbied in front of Congress in an effort to protect and expand food programs in the U.S. Tom is a founding member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition, founded to save the independent restaurants and bars and the 11 million people they employ who have been affected by COVID-19. He is a frequent contributor on MSNBC and is the host of the iHeart Radio podcast, Citizen Chef.

Tom and his restaurants give back to the community by serving on the boards of Children of Bellevue, City Harvest and Wholesome Wave. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Lori Silverbush, and three sons. When he's not in the kitchen, Tom can be found tending to his garden on the North Fork of Long Island, enjoying a day of fishing or playing guitar.

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Gail Simmons
@gailsimmons

Gail Simmons
@gailsimmons

Gail Simmons is a trained culinary expert, food writer, and dynamic television personality. Since the show’s inception in 2006, she has lent her extensive expertise as permanent judge on Bravo’s Emmy-winning series Top Chef, currently in its 18th season. She is also the host of the upcoming series Top Chef Amateurs, giving talented home cooks the opportunity of a lifetime to test their skills in the illustrious Top Chef kitchen. A familiar face in the Top Chef franchise, she served as head critic on Top Chef Masters, hosted Top Chef Just Desserts and was a judge on Universal Kids’ Top Chef Jr. Gail hosts Iron Chef Canada and was co-host of The Feed on FYI.

Her first cookbook, Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes from a Life of Adventurous Eating, was released by Grand Central Publishing in October 2017. Nominated for an IACP award for Best General Cookbook, it features accessible recipes and smart techniques inspired by Gail’s world travels. Gail’s first book, a memoir titled Talking With My Mouth Full, was published by Hyperion in February 2012.

From 2004 to 2019 Gail was Special Projects Director at Food & Wine magazine. During her tenure she wrote a monthly column, helped create the video series #FWCooks and worked closely with the country’s top culinary talent on events and chef-related initiatives, including overseeing the annual F&W Classic in Aspen, America’s premier culinary event. Prior to working at Food & Wine, Gail was the special events manager for Chef Daniel Boulud’s restaurant empire.

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Gail moved to New York City in 1999 to attend culinary school at what is now the Institute of Culinary Education. She then trained in the kitchens of legendary Le Cirque 2000 and groundbreaking Vong restaurants and worked as the assistant to Vogue's esteemed food critic, Jeffrey Steingarten.

In 2014, Gail and her business partner Samantha Hanks, founded Bumble Pie Productions, an original content company dedicated to discovering and promoting new female voices in the food and lifestyle space. Their first series, Star Plates—a collaboration with Drew Barrymore’s Flower Films and Authentic Entertainment—premiered in Fall 2016 on the Food Network.

In addition, Gail is a weekly contributor to The Dish On Oz and makes frequent appearances on NBC’s TODAY, ABC’s Good Morning America, and the Rachael Ray Show, among others. She has been featured in publications such as People, New York Magazine, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, GQ, Entertainment Weekly, US Weekly, Los Angeles Times, and was named the #1 Reality TV Judge in America by the New York Post.

In February 2013, Gail was appointed Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Babson College, a mentoring role where she works with student entrepreneurs, helping them develop food-related social enterprises. In April 2016, she received the Award of Excellence by Spoons Across America, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating children about the benefits of healthy eating. She is an active board member and supporter of City Harvest, Hot Bread Kitchen, Common Threads, and the Institute of Culinary Education.

Gail currently lives in New York City with her husband, Jeremy and their children, Dahlia and Kole.

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Brittanny Anderson

Brittanny Anderson

HOMETOWN: Richmond, VA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Richmond, VA

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef and Co-Owner of Metzger Bar and Butchery, Brenner Pass, and Black Lodge, Richmond, VA. Leni, Washington, D.C

Two-time James Beard Award semi-finalist for the for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic, Brittanny Anderson is the Chef and Co-Owner of four establishments, Metzger Bar and Butchery, Brenner Pass, and Black Lodge in Richmond, VA and Leni in Washington, D.C. After attending the French Culinary Institute in New York City, Brittanny sought out an apprenticeship at Blue Hill at Stone Barn where she extensively learned about sustainability and local sourcing of true farm to table cuisine. She then went on to be a part of the opening team of Northern Spy Food Co. in Manhattan’s East Village where she worked her way up as Sous Chef before returning to her native Virginia to open her own restaurant. In 2014, Brittanny opened Metzger which focuses on German influenced dishes with an emphasis on seasonal and sustainable ingredients. She strives to transform classic cuisine with modern presentation and local ingredients. With the success of Metzger, both locally and nationally, Brittanny has expanded her brand with a second chef-driven modern European restaurant, a seafood distribution business, a curated cheese company, coffee shop and bar. She currently lives outside of Richmond, VA with her husband, Kjell and their dog and two cats.

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Avishar Barua

Avishar Barua

HOMETOWN: Columbus, OH

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Columbus, OH

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef & GM, Service Bar

Avishar Barua is the Executive Chef and General Manager of Service Bar in Columbus, Ohio. Born in Columbus, Ohio to immigrant parents who left Bangladesh in search of better opportunities in America, Avishar pursued his true passion of cooking after getting bachelor’s degrees in biology and psychology at The Ohio State University. After attending culinary school, he went to New York City and trained under Wylie Dufresne at Michelin starred WD~50. He returned to Ohio to open Service Bar for Middle West Spirits, a local grain to glass distiller, where he has since gained national recognition from FOOD & WINE Magazine for his signature dish, the Cheesy Brisket Crunch.

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Dawn Burrell

Dawn Burrell

HOMETOWN: Philadelphia, PA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Houston, TX

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Partner/Executive Chef, Lucille’s Hospitality Group

Olympian turned Chef, Dawn Burrell’s world travels with USA’s Track & Field team ignited her deep love for the language of food. After competing in the 2000 Summer Olympics, Dawn traded in her track spikes for a full-time culinary career and enrolled in Culinary Arts at the Art Institute of Houston. She cut her teeth with a variety of chefs, including Chef Tom Aikens in London and Houston’s Monica Pope, before landing a gig at Tyson Cole's Uchi in Houston. Chef Dawn went on to become the sous chef at Uchi’s award-winning sister restaurant, Uchiko, in Austin. An Executive Chef title at modern Southern restaurant Kulture followed where she honed her signature “global comfort” cooking style and earned her first James Beard nomination for “Best Chef: Texas” in 2020. She departed during the pandemic and recently joined Chef Chris Williams’ Lucille’s Hospitality Group as Partner/Executive Chef of her very first proprietary concept exploring Afro-Asian cuisine.

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Gabe Erales

Gabe Erales

HOMETOWN: El Paso, TX

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Austin, TX

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef

Chef Gabe Erales was born and raised in the culturally rich border town of El Paso, TX. Heavily influenced by his family's Mexican culture, Gabe formed an early appreciation for the food his parents prepared which ignited his passion for cooking. Gabe began working in kitchens at the age of 15 before moving to Austin, TX, to attend college at the University of Texas where he graduated with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. During this time, Gabe realized his true calling remained in the kitchen and concurrently completed culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu Austin. As the soul of his cooking lies in Mexican cuisine, he spent time working for some of Austin's most notable Chefs such as the late Miguel Ravago at The Fonda San Miguel, Rene Ortiz at La Condesa and Jesse Griffiths of Dai Due. He also draws inspiration from his experience in the kitchen at Noma in both Copenhagen and Mexico. Gabe’s cooking philosophy strives to focus on locality through strength in relationships with local farmers including sourcing unique varieties of landrace corn, chiles and other ingredients from different regions of Mexico. Most recently, he served as Executive Chef of Comedor Restaurant, a Mexican restaurant in the heart of downtown Austin, TX, that was voted Best New Restaurant by Esquire Magazine (2019), Austin Monthly (2019), and Texas Monthly (2020). Married with four children, he is currently working on a new Mexican-inspired restaurant concept, called Bacalar, opening in the Rainey Street District of Austin in Fall 2022. Erales recently launched his scholarship program, Niños de Maíz, with The Culinary Institute of America. He is currently a contestant on Season 18 of Bravo’s Top Chef. To learn more about Chef Erales and his accolades, visit gabeerales.com.

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Nelson German

Nelson German

HOMETOWN: New York City

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Oakland, California

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef/Owner, alaMar Kitchen and Sobre Mesa Afro-Latino cocktail lounge

A Dominican-American hailing from Washington Heights, NY, Chef Nelson German is the Executive Chef/Owner of alaMar Kitchen and Sobre Mesa Afro-Latino cocktail lounge, both located in Oakland. He received his culinary training at the NY Art Institute where he learned the foundation of Mediterranean-style cooking incorporating French techniques. He worked his way up from line cook to Executive Chef in New York staples like Gramercy Park Hotel, Jerry’s Café, Joseph’s and Citarella. He believes in letting his food tell the stories of his journey, derived from childhood memories, inspirational travels, food escapades and his own original ideas. After meeting the love of his life, Chef Nelson and his fiancée relocated to her hometown in the San Francisco Bay Area where he joined Supper Club SF and adopted a new-found appreciation for California cuisine. His unorthodox culinary style draws from his Dominican heritage, his African roots, his embrace of Mediterranean cuisine and Asian influence, coupled with his love of California ingredients that are local and sustainable.

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Byron Gomez

Byron Gomez

HOMETOWN: Central Islip, Long Island

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Aspen, Colorado

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef at 7908

Born in Costa Rica but raised in New York, Chef Byron Gomez is the Executive Chef of 7908, Aspen’s finest supper club. Bryon has trained and worked at some of the most prestigious restaurants in Manhattan, under the best chefs and mentors in the industry including Daniel Boulud, Gavin Kaysen, Daniel Humm and Ronny Emborg. Despite not having any formal training, he worked hard to be self-taught, advancing his way through the kitchens of Michelin starred restaurants, Café Boulud, Atera and Eleven Madison Park. As Sous Chef at EMP, the restaurant won Top Restaurant in the World by S. Pellegrino. He later traveled with the Eleven Madison Park teams to their pop-up restaurants in the Hamptons and Aspen, before deciding to settle down in the Rocky Mountains. Byron enjoys seasonal activities such as cycling, snowboarding and surfing, but his favorite activity is to cook and break bread, especially on his days off.

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Sasha Grumman

Sasha Grumman

HOMETOWN: Newport Beach, CA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Houston, TX

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef

Raised in a large Sicilian family where food was the central focus for family gatherings, Sasha Grumman went to the French Culinary Institute in New York and spent her last three months at ALMA culinary school in Parma, Italy. After staging at the Michelin-starred Giuda Ballerino in Rome, she graduated at the top of her class and moved to San Francisco to work at Delfina Restaurant. After cooking for notable chefs, in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin, she landed in Houston as the Executive Chef of Rosalie Italian Soul. In Los Angeles, she worked as “Top Chef” Alum Bruce Kalman’s Chef de Cuisine at Union. During the pandemic, Sasha has started a focaccia business that she hopes to take national.

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Roscoe Hall

Roscoe Hall

HOMETOWN: Chicago, Ill

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Birmingham, Alabama

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Artist/Father

Roscoe Hall is not only a chef, but also an accomplished artist who works in a variety of media. He was introduced to fine dining at a young age and immediately wanted to get into the kitchen. He started as a dishwasher at a small local restaurant until he landed a job as a line cook at Chez Panisse, where he trained for two years under Alice Waters. He then moved up the culinary ranks learning various cuisines at multiple restaurants in St. Louis and Portland, before heading to New York City to work under Chef David Chang at Momofuku Saam Bar. He later moved to Birmingham, AL and served as Executive Chef for Rodney Scott’s BBQ. With a kick ass wife and two hilarious children, Roscoe recently took on a new role as culinary director for Post Office Pies and is working on an exhibition of his latest art.

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Sara Hauman

Sara Hauman

HOMETOWN: Vista, CA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Portland, OR

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Head Chef, Soter Vineyards

Chef Sara grew up in Vista, CA, a small town in north San Diego County. After graduating high school, Sara moved to the south of Spain where food became an obsession and ultimately fueled her decision to return to the states to attend culinary school. At the age of 22, Sara relocated to San Francisco and worked with Brandon Jew at Bar Agricole which shaped her simple approach to food. In 2013, Sara returned to Spain to work at famed restaurant Asador Etxebarri. This experience propelled Sara into her first head chef position at Huxley in San Francisco where she garnered many accolades and awards, including a 3-star review from the San Francisco Chronicle, Eater Young Guns, Zagat 30 under 30, and a James Beard semi-finalist Rising Star Chef in 2016 and 2017. Chef Sara was also named Rising Star Chef for the San Francisco Chronicle while working as chef de cuisine under Melissa Perello at one-Michelin starred restaurant Octavia and also reconnected with Brandon Jew at one-Michelin starred restaurant Mister Jiu’s. She currently works as the head chef at Soter Vineyards in Carlton, OR and resides in Portland.

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Kiki Louya

Kiki Louya

HOMETOWN: Detroit, MI

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Detroit, MI

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef / Consultant

Detroit native Kiki Louya is a chef, writer, food activist and restaurant consultant. The New York Times named her one of “16 Black Chefs Changing Food in America” because of her pursuit for social justice, use of local agriculture, and fight for fair wages at her restaurants. Kiki received critical acclaim for her work as Chef/Owner of Detroit’s Folk & The Farmer’s Hand, two award winning restaurants, before eventually stepping down from leadership in March 2020. The daughter of a Congolese immigrant, Kiki draws inspiration from her own cultural background, often using food as a conduit for deeper discussions around what it means to be Black in America. She is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, as well as The University of Michigan, and has given lectures about her expertise on food, farming and entrepreneurship with students at Yale and Georgetown. When not in the kitchen, Kiki is tending to her wild vegetable garden alongside her husband and two rambunctious rescue pit bulls.

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Maria Mazon

Maria Mazon

HOMETOWN: Born in Tucson, Arizona. Raised in Navojoa, Sonora

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Tucson, Arizona

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef/Owner, BOCA Tacos y Tequila

Chef Maria Mazon is the Executive Chef and Owner of BOCA Tacos y Tequila in Tucson, Arizona. Born in Tucson but raised in Sonora, Mexico, Maria’s cuisine is inspired by both sides of her borderland home. Using the unique flavors and ingredients of the Sonoran Desert, Maria’s experimental take on classic Mexican fare have earned her local and national accolades including The New York Times. She has been pushing the boundaries for years, introducing to people unique flavors and exotic ingredients. In 2020, Maria became a James Beard Award semi-finalist for Best Chef in the Southwest Region. When not at the restaurant, Maria loves cooking for her wife, Lilly, and their 12-year-old son.

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Shota Nakajima

Shota Nakajima

HOMETOWN: Tokyo, Japan & Seattle, WA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Seattle, WA

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner, Taku

Born in Japan and raised in Seattle, Shota Nakajima began his culinary journey at age 16 working for a highly acclaimed sushi restaurant. At age 18 he moved to Osaka, Japan to learn the art of Japanese cuisine from Michelin Star rated Chef Yasuhiko Sakamoto, an experience that greatly changed Shota’s perspective on hospitality, cooking and his approach to food. Developing his own meticulous and imaginative culinary detail, and a stringent demand for high-quality, Shota set out to expand Japanese cuisine in the United States by bringing a fresh perspective on approachable Japanese comfort food through his two restaurants, Taku and Adana. A James Beard Award semi-finalist for three years running, Shota seizes every opportunity to get outside and forage or fish, taking advantage of the abundance of wild goods in Washington’s mountains and waters.

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Gabriel Pascuzzi

Gabriel Pascuzzi

HOMETOWN: Portland, OR

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Portland, Oregon

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner, Mama Bird, Stacked Sandwich Shop and Feel Good

Gabriel Pascuzzi is the chef and owner of three restaurants in Portland, Oregon – Mama Bird, Stacked Sandwich Shop and Feel Good. Growing up in an Italian American household, his love of food started at a young age. He grew up visiting his uncle’s acclaimed restaurant in Big Fork, Montana washing lettuce and peeling shrimp in exchange for a slice of pie. After apprenticing for his uncle during high school, he went on to Johnson & Wales University receiving a bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts. Gabriel then cut his teeth in New York City working for Daniel Boulud and head judge Tom Colicchio at Colicchio & Sons. He later staged at the world renowned and two Michelin star restaurant Noma in Copenhagen. Returning home, he helmed several kitchens before opening his first restaurant, Stacked Sandwich Shop in 2017. Stacked has been named on Thrillist’s Top 31 Sandwich Shops in America. Gabriel also took home Eater Portland’s Chef of the Year in 2017. In 2019, he opened Mama Bird six months before the pandemic hit.

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Jamie Tran

Jamie Tran

HOMETOWN: Stockton, CA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Las Vegas, NV

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner, The Black Sheep

Jamie Tran is the chef and owner of Las Vegas’ The Black Sheep, where she serves her original take on casual modern Vietnamese American food in an elevated neighborhood environment. The name is an homage to Jamie’s playfully rebellious spirit and her drive to break through a male-dominated industry.

Jamie’s cooking journey began when she was only four years old. She made her first dish standing on top of a milk crate to cook fried rice with her mother. After graduating from San Francisco State with a business degree and then Le Cordon Bleu, Jamie saw the emerging food scene in Las Vegas and moved there to be a part-time line-cook at Charlie Palmer’s Aureole. She honed her craft under Executive Chef Vincent Pouessel, climbing the ranks to executive Sous Chef. She then went to the banquets department at The Venetian, before being recruited for the executive chef role at DB Brasserie by Daniel Boulud. After opening The Black Sheep, Eater Las Vegas honored Jamie with Chef of the Year and Restaurant of the Year.

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Chris Viaud

Chris Viaud

HOMETOWN: Randolph MA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Milford NH

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner of Greenleaf and Culture

Chris Viaud is the Chef and Owner of Greenleaf and Culture, both located in Milford, New Hampshire. Raised in the Boston suburb of Randolph with his parents who immigrated from Haiti, Chris moved to Londonderry, NH and upon graduating high school attended Johnson & Wales University where he received a bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts & Food Service Management. After completing culinary school, he returned to Boston where he spent three of his most formative years at Modern French restaurant, Deuxave, where he worked his way through the ranks alongside Executive Chef and Owner Chris Coombs, “Top Chef” alum Adrienne Mosier and acclaimed Chef Stefanie Bui. Since Deuxave, he has been an essential part of four restaurant openings in the Massachusetts and New Hampshire area. At 28 years old, Chris opened his own restaurant Greenleaf in Milford, NH. His approach to food is rustic yet refined by classic techniques and his menus are driven by locally grown seasonal products. A year later, he opened Culture, a from scratch bakery producing artisanal breads, sandwiches and pastries while supporting local farms. His strength and motivation build from the support of his family, friends and staff and he continues to push himself every day, especially now that he has a young daughter named Madeleine.

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Padma Lakshmi
@padmalakshmi

Padma Lakshmi
@padmalakshmi

Padma Lakshmi is an Emmy-nominated food expert, television host, producer and The New York Times best-selling author.

She is the creator, host, and executive producer of the critically acclaimed Hulu series Taste the Nation, which received a 2021 Gotham Award for Breakthrough Series. The series has just been greenlit for a second season.

Lakshmi also serves as host and executive producer of Bravo’s two-time Emmy-winning series Top Chef, which has been nominated for 32 Emmys, including her two-time nomination for Outstanding Host for A Reality-Competition Program. Its new season will be premiering in spring 2021.

Lakshmi is co-founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America (EFA) and an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Artist Ambassador for immigrants' rights and women's rights. Lakshmi was also appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Born in India, she grew up in the United States, graduating from Clark University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts and American Literature. Known as India’s first supermodel, she began her career as a fashion model and actress working in Europe and the United States.

Laskhmi established herself as a food expert early in her career hosting Padma’s Passport, where she cooked diverse cuisine from around the world and Planet Food, a documentary series, both on the Food Network domestically and worldwide on the Discovery Channel. She also co-hosted Rai Television's Domenica In, Italy’s highest-rated variety show.

She’s a prolific author, writing the best-selling Easy Exotic, which won the “Best First Book” award at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. Lakshmi followed this with the publication of her second cookbook, Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet and her memoir The New York Times best-selling Love, Loss and What We Ate. She later published The Encyclopedia of Spices & Herbs. In August of 2021 she will publish her first children’s book Tomatoes for Neela.

In addition to her food writing, Lakshmi has also contributed to Vogue, Gourmet, both British and American Harper's Bazaar, as well as penning a syndicated column on fashion and food for The New York Times.

Lakshmi created a fine jewerly line The Padma Collection, which sold at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. She also designed a home décor line under the same name featuring tabletop dishware, stemware and hand-blown glass décor pieces, was sold nationwide in Bloomingdale’s. In addition, Lakshmi created Padma’s Easy Exotic, a collection of culinary products ranging from frozen organic foods, fine teas, natural spice blends and home goods. In 2018, Lakshmi collaborated with MAC Cosmetics for a worldwide capsule collection called MAC Padma which quickly sold out in both India and the United States.

After unknowingly suffering from endometrisis for decades, in 2009 she co-founded the Endometriosis Foundation of America (EFA) alongside Advanced Gynecological Surgeon Tamer Seckin, MD. The EFA launched the first interdisciplinary research facility in the country for Gynepathology, as a joint project between Harvard Medical School and MIT and Lakshmi gave the keynote address at the Center’s opening in December 2009.

Her efforts were recognized on the floor of the New York State Senate, where she succeeded in passing a bill related to teen health initiatives. The organization’s ENPOWR program has currently educated over 32,000 students about endometriosis in high schools across the state of New York.

Lakshmi is a visiting scholar at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has received the 2018 Karma Award from Variety, as well as the 2016 NECO Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

She lives in New York with her daughter.

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Tom Colicchio
@tomcolicchio

Tom Colicchio
@tomcolicchio

One of the culinary world's most celebrated figures, Tom Colicchio returns once again as lead judge for Bravo's 18th season of the Emmy and James Beard Award-winning culinary series Top Chef, and also serves as mentor to the competing chefs on the series, guiding them through their various challenges. He also hosts BravoTV.com's Emmy-Winning Digital Companion Video Series Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen.

Tom is also the chef and owner of Crafted Hospitality, which currently includes New York's Craft, Riverpark, Temple Court and Small Batch; Los Angeles' Craft Los Angeles; and Las Vegas' Heritage Steak and Craftsteak. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Tom made his New York cooking debut at prominent New York restaurants including The Quilted Giraffe, Gotham Bar & Grill and Gramercy Tavern before opening Craft in 2001. Outside of his fine dining restaurants, Colicchio opened 'Wichcraft – a sandwich and salad fast casual concept rooted in the same food and hospitality philosophies as Craft – in New York City in 2003.

He has published Think Like a Chef (2000), which won The James Beard Foundation "KitchenAid" Cookbook Award in May 2001; Craft of Cooking (2003); and a sandwich book inspired by 'wichcraft (2009). In May 2010, Tom was awarded The James Beard Foundation's coveted "Outstanding Chef" award, the culmination of his 30 years of hard work in the restaurant industry.

A vocal social justice advocate, Tom executive produced the 2013 documentary “A Place at the Table,” about the underlying causes of hunger in the United States. This eye-opening experience led Tom to Washington, D.C. where he lobbied in front of Congress in an effort to protect and expand food programs in the U.S. Tom is a founding member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition, founded to save the independent restaurants and bars and the 11 million people they employ who have been affected by COVID-19. He is a frequent contributor on MSNBC and is the host of the iHeart Radio podcast, Citizen Chef.

Tom and his restaurants give back to the community by serving on the boards of Children of Bellevue, City Harvest and Wholesome Wave. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Lori Silverbush, and three sons. When he's not in the kitchen, Tom can be found tending to his garden on the North Fork of Long Island, enjoying a day of fishing or playing guitar.

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Gail Simmons
@gailsimmons

Gail Simmons
@gailsimmons

Gail Simmons is a trained culinary expert, food writer, and dynamic television personality. Since the show’s inception in 2006, she has lent her extensive expertise as permanent judge on Bravo’s Emmy-winning series Top Chef, currently in its 18th season. She is also the host of the upcoming series Top Chef Amateurs, giving talented home cooks the opportunity of a lifetime to test their skills in the illustrious Top Chef kitchen. A familiar face in the Top Chef franchise, she served as head critic on Top Chef Masters, hosted Top Chef Just Desserts and was a judge on Universal Kids’ Top Chef Jr. Gail hosts Iron Chef Canada and was co-host of The Feed on FYI.

Her first cookbook, Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes from a Life of Adventurous Eating, was released by Grand Central Publishing in October 2017. Nominated for an IACP award for Best General Cookbook, it features accessible recipes and smart techniques inspired by Gail’s world travels. Gail’s first book, a memoir titled Talking With My Mouth Full, was published by Hyperion in February 2012.

From 2004 to 2019 Gail was Special Projects Director at Food & Wine magazine. During her tenure she wrote a monthly column, helped create the video series #FWCooks and worked closely with the country’s top culinary talent on events and chef-related initiatives, including overseeing the annual F&W Classic in Aspen, America’s premier culinary event. Prior to working at Food & Wine, Gail was the special events manager for Chef Daniel Boulud’s restaurant empire.

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Gail moved to New York City in 1999 to attend culinary school at what is now the Institute of Culinary Education. She then trained in the kitchens of legendary Le Cirque 2000 and groundbreaking Vong restaurants and worked as the assistant to Vogue's esteemed food critic, Jeffrey Steingarten.

In 2014, Gail and her business partner Samantha Hanks, founded Bumble Pie Productions, an original content company dedicated to discovering and promoting new female voices in the food and lifestyle space. Their first series, Star Plates—a collaboration with Drew Barrymore’s Flower Films and Authentic Entertainment—premiered in Fall 2016 on the Food Network.

In addition, Gail is a weekly contributor to The Dish On Oz and makes frequent appearances on NBC’s TODAY, ABC’s Good Morning America, and the Rachael Ray Show, among others. She has been featured in publications such as People, New York Magazine, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, GQ, Entertainment Weekly, US Weekly, Los Angeles Times, and was named the #1 Reality TV Judge in America by the New York Post.

In February 2013, Gail was appointed Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Babson College, a mentoring role where she works with student entrepreneurs, helping them develop food-related social enterprises. In April 2016, she received the Award of Excellence by Spoons Across America, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating children about the benefits of healthy eating. She is an active board member and supporter of City Harvest, Hot Bread Kitchen, Common Threads, and the Institute of Culinary Education.

Gail currently lives in New York City with her husband, Jeremy and their children, Dahlia and Kole.

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Brittanny Anderson

Brittanny Anderson

HOMETOWN: Richmond, VA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Richmond, VA

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef and Co-Owner of Metzger Bar and Butchery, Brenner Pass, and Black Lodge, Richmond, VA. Leni, Washington, D.C

Two-time James Beard Award semi-finalist for the for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic, Brittanny Anderson is the Chef and Co-Owner of four establishments, Metzger Bar and Butchery, Brenner Pass, and Black Lodge in Richmond, VA and Leni in Washington, D.C. After attending the French Culinary Institute in New York City, Brittanny sought out an apprenticeship at Blue Hill at Stone Barn where she extensively learned about sustainability and local sourcing of true farm to table cuisine. She then went on to be a part of the opening team of Northern Spy Food Co. in Manhattan’s East Village where she worked her way up as Sous Chef before returning to her native Virginia to open her own restaurant. In 2014, Brittanny opened Metzger which focuses on German influenced dishes with an emphasis on seasonal and sustainable ingredients. She strives to transform classic cuisine with modern presentation and local ingredients. With the success of Metzger, both locally and nationally, Brittanny has expanded her brand with a second chef-driven modern European restaurant, a seafood distribution business, a curated cheese company, coffee shop and bar. She currently lives outside of Richmond, VA with her husband, Kjell and their dog and two cats.

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Avishar Barua

Avishar Barua

HOMETOWN: Columbus, OH

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Columbus, OH

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef & GM, Service Bar

Avishar Barua is the Executive Chef and General Manager of Service Bar in Columbus, Ohio. Born in Columbus, Ohio to immigrant parents who left Bangladesh in search of better opportunities in America, Avishar pursued his true passion of cooking after getting bachelor’s degrees in biology and psychology at The Ohio State University. After attending culinary school, he went to New York City and trained under Wylie Dufresne at Michelin starred WD~50. He returned to Ohio to open Service Bar for Middle West Spirits, a local grain to glass distiller, where he has since gained national recognition from FOOD & WINE Magazine for his signature dish, the Cheesy Brisket Crunch.

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Dawn Burrell

Dawn Burrell

HOMETOWN: Philadelphia, PA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Houston, TX

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Partner/Executive Chef, Lucille’s Hospitality Group

Olympian turned Chef, Dawn Burrell’s world travels with USA’s Track & Field team ignited her deep love for the language of food. After competing in the 2000 Summer Olympics, Dawn traded in her track spikes for a full-time culinary career and enrolled in Culinary Arts at the Art Institute of Houston. She cut her teeth with a variety of chefs, including Chef Tom Aikens in London and Houston’s Monica Pope, before landing a gig at Tyson Cole's Uchi in Houston. Chef Dawn went on to become the sous chef at Uchi’s award-winning sister restaurant, Uchiko, in Austin. An Executive Chef title at modern Southern restaurant Kulture followed where she honed her signature “global comfort” cooking style and earned her first James Beard nomination for “Best Chef: Texas” in 2020. She departed during the pandemic and recently joined Chef Chris Williams’ Lucille’s Hospitality Group as Partner/Executive Chef of her very first proprietary concept exploring Afro-Asian cuisine.

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Gabe Erales

Gabe Erales

HOMETOWN: El Paso, TX

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Austin, TX

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef

Chef Gabe Erales was born and raised in the culturally rich border town of El Paso, TX. Heavily influenced by his family's Mexican culture, Gabe formed an early appreciation for the food his parents prepared which ignited his passion for cooking. Gabe began working in kitchens at the age of 15 before moving to Austin, TX, to attend college at the University of Texas where he graduated with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. During this time, Gabe realized his true calling remained in the kitchen and concurrently completed culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu Austin. As the soul of his cooking lies in Mexican cuisine, he spent time working for some of Austin's most notable Chefs such as the late Miguel Ravago at The Fonda San Miguel, Rene Ortiz at La Condesa and Jesse Griffiths of Dai Due. He also draws inspiration from his experience in the kitchen at Noma in both Copenhagen and Mexico. Gabe’s cooking philosophy strives to focus on locality through strength in relationships with local farmers including sourcing unique varieties of landrace corn, chiles and other ingredients from different regions of Mexico. Most recently, he served as Executive Chef of Comedor Restaurant, a Mexican restaurant in the heart of downtown Austin, TX, that was voted Best New Restaurant by Esquire Magazine (2019), Austin Monthly (2019), and Texas Monthly (2020). Married with four children, he is currently working on a new Mexican-inspired restaurant concept, called Bacalar, opening in the Rainey Street District of Austin in Fall 2022. Erales recently launched his scholarship program, Niños de Maíz, with The Culinary Institute of America. He is currently a contestant on Season 18 of Bravo’s Top Chef. To learn more about Chef Erales and his accolades, visit gabeerales.com.

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Nelson German

Nelson German

HOMETOWN: New York City

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Oakland, California

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef/Owner, alaMar Kitchen and Sobre Mesa Afro-Latino cocktail lounge

A Dominican-American hailing from Washington Heights, NY, Chef Nelson German is the Executive Chef/Owner of alaMar Kitchen and Sobre Mesa Afro-Latino cocktail lounge, both located in Oakland. He received his culinary training at the NY Art Institute where he learned the foundation of Mediterranean-style cooking incorporating French techniques. He worked his way up from line cook to Executive Chef in New York staples like Gramercy Park Hotel, Jerry’s Café, Joseph’s and Citarella. He believes in letting his food tell the stories of his journey, derived from childhood memories, inspirational travels, food escapades and his own original ideas. After meeting the love of his life, Chef Nelson and his fiancée relocated to her hometown in the San Francisco Bay Area where he joined Supper Club SF and adopted a new-found appreciation for California cuisine. His unorthodox culinary style draws from his Dominican heritage, his African roots, his embrace of Mediterranean cuisine and Asian influence, coupled with his love of California ingredients that are local and sustainable.

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Byron Gomez

Byron Gomez

HOMETOWN: Central Islip, Long Island

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Aspen, Colorado

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef at 7908

Born in Costa Rica but raised in New York, Chef Byron Gomez is the Executive Chef of 7908, Aspen’s finest supper club. Bryon has trained and worked at some of the most prestigious restaurants in Manhattan, under the best chefs and mentors in the industry including Daniel Boulud, Gavin Kaysen, Daniel Humm and Ronny Emborg. Despite not having any formal training, he worked hard to be self-taught, advancing his way through the kitchens of Michelin starred restaurants, Café Boulud, Atera and Eleven Madison Park. As Sous Chef at EMP, the restaurant won Top Restaurant in the World by S. Pellegrino. He later traveled with the Eleven Madison Park teams to their pop-up restaurants in the Hamptons and Aspen, before deciding to settle down in the Rocky Mountains. Byron enjoys seasonal activities such as cycling, snowboarding and surfing, but his favorite activity is to cook and break bread, especially on his days off.

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Sasha Grumman

Sasha Grumman

HOMETOWN: Newport Beach, CA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Houston, TX

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef

Raised in a large Sicilian family where food was the central focus for family gatherings, Sasha Grumman went to the French Culinary Institute in New York and spent her last three months at ALMA culinary school in Parma, Italy. After staging at the Michelin-starred Giuda Ballerino in Rome, she graduated at the top of her class and moved to San Francisco to work at Delfina Restaurant. After cooking for notable chefs, in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin, she landed in Houston as the Executive Chef of Rosalie Italian Soul. In Los Angeles, she worked as “Top Chef” Alum Bruce Kalman’s Chef de Cuisine at Union. During the pandemic, Sasha has started a focaccia business that she hopes to take national.

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Roscoe Hall

Roscoe Hall

HOMETOWN: Chicago, Ill

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Birmingham, Alabama

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Artist/Father

Roscoe Hall is not only a chef, but also an accomplished artist who works in a variety of media. He was introduced to fine dining at a young age and immediately wanted to get into the kitchen. He started as a dishwasher at a small local restaurant until he landed a job as a line cook at Chez Panisse, where he trained for two years under Alice Waters. He then moved up the culinary ranks learning various cuisines at multiple restaurants in St. Louis and Portland, before heading to New York City to work under Chef David Chang at Momofuku Saam Bar. He later moved to Birmingham, AL and served as Executive Chef for Rodney Scott’s BBQ. With a kick ass wife and two hilarious children, Roscoe recently took on a new role as culinary director for Post Office Pies and is working on an exhibition of his latest art.

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Sara Hauman

Sara Hauman

HOMETOWN: Vista, CA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Portland, OR

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Head Chef, Soter Vineyards

Chef Sara grew up in Vista, CA, a small town in north San Diego County. After graduating high school, Sara moved to the south of Spain where food became an obsession and ultimately fueled her decision to return to the states to attend culinary school. At the age of 22, Sara relocated to San Francisco and worked with Brandon Jew at Bar Agricole which shaped her simple approach to food. In 2013, Sara returned to Spain to work at famed restaurant Asador Etxebarri. This experience propelled Sara into her first head chef position at Huxley in San Francisco where she garnered many accolades and awards, including a 3-star review from the San Francisco Chronicle, Eater Young Guns, Zagat 30 under 30, and a James Beard semi-finalist Rising Star Chef in 2016 and 2017. Chef Sara was also named Rising Star Chef for the San Francisco Chronicle while working as chef de cuisine under Melissa Perello at one-Michelin starred restaurant Octavia and also reconnected with Brandon Jew at one-Michelin starred restaurant Mister Jiu’s. She currently works as the head chef at Soter Vineyards in Carlton, OR and resides in Portland.

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Kiki Louya

Kiki Louya

HOMETOWN: Detroit, MI

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Detroit, MI

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef / Consultant

Detroit native Kiki Louya is a chef, writer, food activist and restaurant consultant. The New York Times named her one of “16 Black Chefs Changing Food in America” because of her pursuit for social justice, use of local agriculture, and fight for fair wages at her restaurants. Kiki received critical acclaim for her work as Chef/Owner of Detroit’s Folk & The Farmer’s Hand, two award winning restaurants, before eventually stepping down from leadership in March 2020. The daughter of a Congolese immigrant, Kiki draws inspiration from her own cultural background, often using food as a conduit for deeper discussions around what it means to be Black in America. She is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, as well as The University of Michigan, and has given lectures about her expertise on food, farming and entrepreneurship with students at Yale and Georgetown. When not in the kitchen, Kiki is tending to her wild vegetable garden alongside her husband and two rambunctious rescue pit bulls.

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Maria Mazon

Maria Mazon

HOMETOWN: Born in Tucson, Arizona. Raised in Navojoa, Sonora

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Tucson, Arizona

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Executive Chef/Owner, BOCA Tacos y Tequila

Chef Maria Mazon is the Executive Chef and Owner of BOCA Tacos y Tequila in Tucson, Arizona. Born in Tucson but raised in Sonora, Mexico, Maria’s cuisine is inspired by both sides of her borderland home. Using the unique flavors and ingredients of the Sonoran Desert, Maria’s experimental take on classic Mexican fare have earned her local and national accolades including The New York Times. She has been pushing the boundaries for years, introducing to people unique flavors and exotic ingredients. In 2020, Maria became a James Beard Award semi-finalist for Best Chef in the Southwest Region. When not at the restaurant, Maria loves cooking for her wife, Lilly, and their 12-year-old son.

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Shota Nakajima

Shota Nakajima

HOMETOWN: Tokyo, Japan & Seattle, WA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Seattle, WA

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner, Taku

Born in Japan and raised in Seattle, Shota Nakajima began his culinary journey at age 16 working for a highly acclaimed sushi restaurant. At age 18 he moved to Osaka, Japan to learn the art of Japanese cuisine from Michelin Star rated Chef Yasuhiko Sakamoto, an experience that greatly changed Shota’s perspective on hospitality, cooking and his approach to food. Developing his own meticulous and imaginative culinary detail, and a stringent demand for high-quality, Shota set out to expand Japanese cuisine in the United States by bringing a fresh perspective on approachable Japanese comfort food through his two restaurants, Taku and Adana. A James Beard Award semi-finalist for three years running, Shota seizes every opportunity to get outside and forage or fish, taking advantage of the abundance of wild goods in Washington’s mountains and waters.

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Gabriel Pascuzzi

Gabriel Pascuzzi

HOMETOWN: Portland, OR

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Portland, Oregon

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner, Mama Bird, Stacked Sandwich Shop and Feel Good

Gabriel Pascuzzi is the chef and owner of three restaurants in Portland, Oregon – Mama Bird, Stacked Sandwich Shop and Feel Good. Growing up in an Italian American household, his love of food started at a young age. He grew up visiting his uncle’s acclaimed restaurant in Big Fork, Montana washing lettuce and peeling shrimp in exchange for a slice of pie. After apprenticing for his uncle during high school, he went on to Johnson & Wales University receiving a bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts. Gabriel then cut his teeth in New York City working for Daniel Boulud and head judge Tom Colicchio at Colicchio & Sons. He later staged at the world renowned and two Michelin star restaurant Noma in Copenhagen. Returning home, he helmed several kitchens before opening his first restaurant, Stacked Sandwich Shop in 2017. Stacked has been named on Thrillist’s Top 31 Sandwich Shops in America. Gabriel also took home Eater Portland’s Chef of the Year in 2017. In 2019, he opened Mama Bird six months before the pandemic hit.

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Jamie Tran

Jamie Tran

HOMETOWN: Stockton, CA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Las Vegas, NV

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner, The Black Sheep

Jamie Tran is the chef and owner of Las Vegas’ The Black Sheep, where she serves her original take on casual modern Vietnamese American food in an elevated neighborhood environment. The name is an homage to Jamie’s playfully rebellious spirit and her drive to break through a male-dominated industry.

Jamie’s cooking journey began when she was only four years old. She made her first dish standing on top of a milk crate to cook fried rice with her mother. After graduating from San Francisco State with a business degree and then Le Cordon Bleu, Jamie saw the emerging food scene in Las Vegas and moved there to be a part-time line-cook at Charlie Palmer’s Aureole. She honed her craft under Executive Chef Vincent Pouessel, climbing the ranks to executive Sous Chef. She then went to the banquets department at The Venetian, before being recruited for the executive chef role at DB Brasserie by Daniel Boulud. After opening The Black Sheep, Eater Las Vegas honored Jamie with Chef of the Year and Restaurant of the Year.

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Chris Viaud

Chris Viaud

HOMETOWN: Randolph MA

CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Milford NH

OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Chef/Owner of Greenleaf and Culture

Chris Viaud is the Chef and Owner of Greenleaf and Culture, both located in Milford, New Hampshire. Raised in the Boston suburb of Randolph with his parents who immigrated from Haiti, Chris moved to Londonderry, NH and upon graduating high school attended Johnson & Wales University where he received a bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts & Food Service Management. After completing culinary school, he returned to Boston where he spent three of his most formative years at Modern French restaurant, Deuxave, where he worked his way through the ranks alongside Executive Chef and Owner Chris Coombs, “Top Chef” alum Adrienne Mosier and acclaimed Chef Stefanie Bui. Since Deuxave, he has been an essential part of four restaurant openings in the Massachusetts and New Hampshire area. At 28 years old, Chris opened his own restaurant Greenleaf in Milford, NH. His approach to food is rustic yet refined by classic techniques and his menus are driven by locally grown seasonal products. A year later, he opened Culture, a from scratch bakery producing artisanal breads, sandwiches and pastries while supporting local farms. His strength and motivation build from the support of his family, friends and staff and he continues to push himself every day, especially now that he has a young daughter named Madeleine.

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