Jeremy Sewall is the Chef and Partner of Row 34 in Boston’s Seaport, Cambridge’s Kendall Square, Burlington, MA and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Row 34 is a progressive, neighborhood-focused oyster bar that continues the team’s mission of celebrating New England’s rich seafood traditions.
Chef Jess Shadbolt is a British born chef, restaurateur and soon to be cookbook author. Along with her partners she opened King — a restaurant that changes the menu daily — in 2016. In 2018 Jess was one of Food and Wine’s Best New Chefs. King gained a two-star review from Pete Well’s in The New York Times later that year.
Alon Shaya, born in Israel and raised in Philadelphia, discovered his love for food cooking alongside his mother and grandmother. A Culinary Institute of America graduate, he began his career in Las Vegas before cooking in St. Louis, Italy, and settling in New Orleans in 2001. Since then, he has been honored with five James Beard nominations.
Sahar Siddiqi, Chef de Cuisine at Chai Pani Decatur, specializes in South Asian cuisine with local, seasonal ingredients, fostering community through food. Gabriel Johnson, Executive Chef at Houston’s Atlanta and a Navy veteran, blends Italian influences into his cooking, with a passion for fresh pasta and Southern flavors.
James Beard Award-winning Chef Adam Siegel opened Lupi & Iris with his wife, Daria Aitken-Siegel, in 2022. Their sophisticated dining destination was a 2023 James Beard Award finalist for Best New Restaurant in the U.S., reflecting their commitment to fine cuisine, exceptional service, and elevated design.
Gail Simmons, a trained culinary expert, food writer, and television personality, has been a permanent judge on BRAVO’s Emmy-winning Top Chef since 2006. She co-hosted The Good Dish, sharing recipes and insights, and previously hosted Top Chef Amateurs and Iron Chef Canada, bringing her culinary expertise and engaging presence to each show.
Kevin Sloan, executive chef for the Pabst Theater Group for 14 years, leads menus for artists at its six venues, including Pabst Theater and Riverside Theater. Previously, he was chef/owner of two celebrated Milwaukee restaurants. He began his career cooking in New Mexico while earning his culinary degree.
Chef Gerald, the first Black man to earn a Michelin Star (2022), rose from dishwasher to Executive Chef at Troon. He led acclaimed restaurants, competed on Top Chef and Tournament of Champions, headlined at James Beard House, and contributed to Food & Wine Magazine. He is also a level two WSET Sommelier.
Hailed as one of the country’s “most creative fusion practitioners,” Ana Sortun was named the Best Chef Northeast by the James Beard Foundation in 2005 and has been lauded as “a culinary genius” by Boston Magazine and in Saveur. In 2015, 2016 and 2017 she was a James Beard semi-finalist for Outstanding Chef.
Benjamin Sukle is the acclaimed chef and owner of Oberlin and Gift Horse, two standout restaurants in Providence, RI that have earned national recognition for their innovative approach to New England cuisine. Sukle first made his mark in Providence’s culinary scene through key roles at La Laiterie and The Dorrance, where he earned multiple James Beard Award nominations, including Best New Chef and Best Chef: New England.