After a 15-year ballet career, Chef Zach Castillo pursued butchery in Tucson before discovering fine dining in Milwaukee. He became Sous Chef at Wolf Peach, then spent six years with JVR Group, including Fauntleroy and EsterEv. Now Chef de Cuisine at Birch, he champions regional ingredients and under-appreciated produce.
Maneet Chauhan, a James Beard-winning chef and restaurateur, co-founded Morph Hospitality Group in Nashville, overseeing acclaimed eateries like Chauhan Ale & Masala House. Known for cookbooks Flavors of My World and Chaat, she’s a Food Network star, Chopped judge, and two-time Tournament of Champions winner (2021, 2024), excelling in culinary innovation.
Brandon Edwin Chrostowski, Founder and CEO of EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute, is renowned for his groundbreaking work in culinary and hospitality training for the formerly incarcerated. Through his flagship French restaurant and nonprofit, he has established a national model for re-entry with a one percent recidivism rate.
Tom Colicchio is an 8-time James Beard Award winning chef, and the owner of Crafted Hospitality, which includes New York City’s Craft, Temple Court and Vallata; Las Vegas’ Craftsteak, and Small Batch in Garden City, NY. Tom made his New York cooking debut at prominent New York restaurants including Gramercy Tavern before opening Craft in 2001.
Michael Collantes, a celebrated chef with over 20 years in hospitality, earned his first Michelin star in 2022, a year after launching Soseki Modern Omakase in Orlando, FL. This intimate 10-seat restaurant offers a multi-course tasting menu featuring premium global fish and the bounty of Central Florida.
Chef Amarilys Colón joined the A Street hospitality group in 2018 at Porto, in Boston’s Back Bay. Chef Colón’s talent and dedication quickly propelled her through the ranks, from line cook to sous chef, and eventually to the esteemed position of Executive Chef and Business Director at Boston’s La Padrona.
Michelin-starred chef Matt Conroy trained in classical French and Mexican cuisine, specializing in modern, flavorful dishes with seasonal ingredients. After moving from New York, he introduced DC to the neo-bistro movement. At Lutèce, his background shines through dishes like Oaxaca-inspired Duck Carnitas and Parisian Gnocchi, paired with a curated selection of natural wines.
Born in the Loire Valley, Chef Bruno Davaillon’s career spans Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, London, and Los Angeles. He earned a James Beard nomination in 2012 and brought recognition to Bullion restaurant with accolades like Restaurant of the Year (2018) and a 2019 James Beard semifinalist nod. As executive chef of Knox Bistro and culinary director for Travis Street Hospitality, he earned Michelin Guide recommendations for Knox Bistro and Georgie in 2024.
Brent Davis, Executive Chef of Bacchus – A Bartolotta Restaurant, has shaped one of Milwaukee’s top dining destinations. A Fox Valley native and Fox Valley Technical College graduate, he excelled in ACF Culinary competitions and crafted locally focused menus at the Blind Horse Winery. Joining Bacchus in 2022, he became Executive Chef in 2025.
Josh has been cooking professionally since 1998. He has run kitchens in Boston, New York City and Los Angeles. He is currently an instructor/mentor at CHOP in Providence helping the next generations of chefs and food entrepreneurs learn how the restaurant business works.