Born and raised in Milwaukee, Chef Alexander Sazama brings 18 years of culinary expertise to Benson’s Restaurant Group. He has been instrumental in opening beloved Milwaukee restaurants, including The Bridgewater Modern Grill, The Edison, Onesto, Smoke Shack, and Blue Bat Kitchen.
Michael Schwartz, James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of The Genuine Hospitality Group, transformed South Florida dining with Michael’s Genuine® Food & Drink in 2007. Known for fresh, local ingredients and seasonal sourcing, he authored two cookbooks, supports arts and charities, and earns acclaim for innovative, authentic restaurants like Harry’s Pizzeria®.
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.
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.
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.
Chef Karyn Tomlinson was just named a 2024 Food & Wine Magazine Best New Chef and is a three-time James Beard semi-finalist. She is the celebrated chef and owner of Myriel, an internationally acclaimed restaurant located in St. Paul, Minnesota. With her deep-rooted passion for sustainability, Karyn has positioned Myriel as a beacon of sustainable dining.
Jacques Torres is the authority on all things chocolate – that’s why we call him Mr. Chocolate™! As the Executive Pastry Chef at the iconic Le Cirque restaurant in New York City, Jacques served his magical and memorable desserts to presidents, kings, and celebrities.