Bacchanalia / W.H. Stiles Fish Camp (Atlanta) (she / her / hers) Faye “Poon” Poonsiripukdeekul’s career has been defined by her commitment to investing in her education. Before migrating to the United States from Thailand, Poon worked as a legal associate in Bangkok but quickly realized law was not her passion and enrolled in Bangkok’s …
Pioche Food Group (Upper Fruitland, NM) (he/him/his) Justin Pioche is an Ashihii Dine’ who is born for the Bit’ahnii people (Navajo Nation) and the owner of the Pioche Food Group. His most formative food memory comes from his grandmother Lorene. He had one piece of her hot frybread and pea soup made from fresh produce …
Audrey / June (Nashville) (he / him / his) James is the pastry sous chef at multiple-award-winning and acclaimed Chef Sean Brock’s Flagship restaurant Audrey as well as the pastry sous at Sean Brock’s newest experimental restaurant June. James has over ten years of experience working in the culinary industry, from casual eateries to some of …
Carmel (Atlanta) (he / him / his) Born in Acapulco, Mexico and transplanted to Atlanta at three years old, Luis grew up in the restaurant industry as his parents worked in family-owned restaurants. After culinary school, his goal as a young chef was to gain as much experience and knowledge as possible and took the …
Okàn (Bluffton) (he / him / his) Bernard’s love of food began when his mother taught him to cook with vegetables grown in his grandmother’s garden. He has over 17 years in the kitchen, most of which came in the beautiful city of Chicago. His career highlights while in Chicago include participating in the South …
Matador Room at The Miami Beach Edition (Miami Beach) (she/her/hers) Chef Lateisha gravitated toward cooking from a young age and always sensed that she was destined for a professional culinary career. Born in the Bronx and raised in an African American and Cherokee Indian Household, Chef Lateisha was surrounded by different traditions and cooking styles …
Leah & Louise (Charlotte) (she/her/hers) Chef Evans hails from Columbia, SC. Her love of food was initially rooted in her curiosity about the chemical reactions of various ingredients when they interact. She pursued this curiosity and interest at Johnson & Wales University and began her professional career at Leah & Louise, a James Beard Semi-Finalist …
Boka (Chicago) (she/her/hers) Chef Kim’s life has been defined and shaped by food. She is a second-generation Chinese-American and spent many childhood weekends and summers working for her father, who owns a food production company. Although her parents cooked primarily Chinese cuisine at home, her mother’s baking was inspired by Mrs. Fields’ cookie books. Kim …
Rustic Canyon (Santa Monica) (she/her/hers) Chef Zarah’s educational background in Environmental Science and Forestry led her to a deeper exploration of the stories behind the food she prepared, the impact of humans on food systems, and how she might inspire a new perspective. Zarah’s work on farms in the Pacific North West and Italy gave …
Mourad (San Francisco) (she/her/hers) Her fondest memories are growing up in Chennai, India and cooking with her biggest inspiration, her grandmother Mythily Ramachandran. At a young age Rasika learned the power of food and how something as simple as her grandmother’s cooking could bring her family together in joy, unity, and tradition. After working in …
