The people
that make our
event magical

With a name like Bacon, Jeremiah was destined to be a chef. A native of Johns Island, SC, he learned to appreciate at an early age the seasonal bounty and eclectic flavors that the Lowcountry has to offer. After graduating from the College of Charleston with a degree in Philosophy, Jeremiah attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. then moved to New York City where he honed his skills in the kitchens of some of the city’s most legendary restaurants, including River Café, Le Bernardin, and Per Se. After refining his skills in the northeast for 10 years, he returned home to the Lowcountry and incorporated a local-first philosophy into his culinary practices, first at Carolina’s and then as executive chef at Oak Steakhouse. As chef partner of the Macintosh, Bacon continues to build upon his relationships with local farmers and purveyors to incorporate their food into his menu. His finely-tuned talents and palate are reflected in the restaurant’s menu, which serves technique-driven dishes that are locally sourced and seasonally inspired.

David Bancroft is Executive Chef/Partner of Acre Restaurant in Auburn, Alabama, which opened in August 2013. Born in Alabama but raised in San Antonio, Texas, David’s passion for cooking began at an early age, smoking brisket and making BBQ. David is a self-taught chef, farmer, and forager who showcases the sustainable ingredients provided by local farmers in Alabama. His commitment to the Alabama farming community has earned him recognition on local, regional, and national platforms - most recently, as a competitor, and winner, on the Food Network show “Iron Chef Showdown.” His cuisine has been featured in Garden & Gun, Southern Living, and on ESPN, USA Today, and CNN.com. In 2017 he received his second nomination from the James Beard Foundation for “Best Chef: South." To further his philanthropic contributions, David founded, planned, and executed the “Alabama Oyster Social," whose primary goal was to raise funds for Alabama oyster farmers. The Social has gained support from nationally-recognized chefs and restaurateurs, and raised over $40,000 at its fourth annual event in 2018. When not cooking, he enjoys hunting and fishing on his family’s farm in LA (Lower Alabama) and spending time with his wife, Christin, son, Walker and daughter, Kennedy.

Mollie Battenhouse found her way into the food and beverage industry, supporting herself through art and business school by working in restaurants. Post-college, the pace and energy of restaurants beckoned, and Mollie made it her mission to assemble a stellar resume. She enrolled in The Culinary Institute of America and graduated at the top of her class. She worked at acclaimed restaurants like Payard Patisserie and Bistro and Pondicherry in New York City. Battenhouse's wine career began with a part-time job at Joshua Wesson's Best Cellars wine shop in Manhattan. After eight years, she returned to the restaurant world to work as head sommelier at Tribeca Grill, where she was responsible for maintaining a Wine Spectator Grand award-winning wine list. Mollie then moved to the distribution side of the business and became the Director of Sales and Business Development for V.O.S. Selections. The education side of the business came calling, and Mollie went to work for Jackson Family Wines in 2016, where she is currently the National Director of Wine Education. Mollie is also an Advanced Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, a Partner at RingIt, Inc./Wine Ring, and an instructor at The International Wine Center.

Allan Benton is the owner of Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams, which are slow cured using salt, brown sugar, and sodium nitrite and typically aged 9-10 months. This time-honored practice dates back to the era of our forefathers, when the preparation and preservation of meat was a way of life and sustenance. Although the hands of time and technology have sculpted many aspects of our modern world, Allan upholds the traditional dry-curing process and strives to produce world-class country hams and bacon. Sharon Benton, of Benton’s Country Hams, is a retired elementary school teacher and administrator. She shares her love of cooking with her family, and now she’s happy to be sharing it by imparting the methods of biscuit-making to others. She enjoys gardening, sewing, and cooking and she’s passionate about preaching the gospel of two ingredient biscuit-making to learners of all ages. Benton’s was started in 1947 by the late Albert H. Hicks, a dairy farmer who began curing and selling country hams out of a painted block building. Since then, Allan and his employees have honed the dry-curing of hams and bacon into a culinary art and have catapulted the products from a simple breakfast mainstay into the world of gourmet cooking, where they have been praised for their characteristic flavor. Benton’s Country Hams and Bacon are available either un-smoked or hickory-smoked. Hickory smoking is performed in a small, wood stove smokehouse behind the business, imparting a distinct smoked flavor that many customers prefer.

Chef Nathan Beriau joined Montage Palmetto Bluff in April, 2015, as Executive Chef, responsible for overseeing all culinary operations. A New England native, Chef Nathan began his career working at some of the top restaurants in his home state, eventually accepting the position of Chef de Cuisine at the Harraseeket Inn, a Four Diamond, premiere hotel in Freeport, Maine. Three years later, he and his wife relocated to San Francisco, where Chef Nathan was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with well-known veteran chef, Ron Siegel, at The Dining Room of the Ritz-Carlton, a Five Star and Five Diamond restaurant. After two years working under the tutelage of Chef Siegel, Chef Nathan joined restaurant impresario, Pat Kuleto, and renowned chef, Jan Birnbaum, as Opening Sous Chef at Epic Roast House in the Bay area. A year later, he was coaxed back to the Ritz-Carlton as Executive Sous Chef, and within 2 years was promoted to the prestigious position of Executive Chef. Chef Nathan remained Executive Chef at the Ritz-Carlton for almost five years, when he chose to move to the Lowcountry and accept the position of Executive Chef at Montage Palmetto Bluff. His expertise, extensive experience, and dedication to his craft made him an obvious choice, and a perfect match to lead the culinary team.

Executive Chef Tyler Brown, recently named one of Esquire Magazine’s "Four New Chefs to Watch," leads one of Nashville’s highly-praised restaurants. Chef Tyler Brown spends most days divided between the duties of an Executive Chef and those of a farmer. A typical day includes overseeing the day-to-day operation of the restaurant and then jumping on his John Deere to work on a piece of land at the farm. Overseeing the Land Trust for Tennessee’s Glen Leven Farm, located just five miles from the front door of The Hermitage Hotel, Chef/Farmer Brown uses sustainable farming practices to ensure everything comes out of the ground just as nature intended. He then uses these vegetables on the menu at Capitol Grille. The efforts to operate the farm have been extremely successful and have recently grown to include a herd of cattle as well as bees. At Capitol Grille, Chef Brown strives to serve cultural sustainability by paying homage to the great Southern dishes and cooking practices of the past to ensure they are not forgotten. In fact, many of his recipes came from the recipe box of his grandmother. During Brown’s tenure at the Capitol Grille, the dining establishment has not only earned the coveted Forbes Four Star and AAA Four Diamond designations, but was also voted one of America’s best restaurants by Gourmet magazine, has been featured on The Food Network, and was recognized at the James Beard House. Prior to his position at Capitol Grille, Brown graduated Magna Cum Laude from Johnson & Wales University in 1997 with an Associates Degree in Applied Science in Culinary Arts and was introduced to the culinary industry by his mother, who is also an accomplished chef. Brown worked at a number of fine-dining restaurants including his position as Chef de Partie at Peninsula Grill in Charleston, S.C., a Forbes Four Star / AAA Five Diamond and recognized Relais & Chateaux dining establishment. Currently, there are only 453 recognized establishments worldwide, all of which must meet rigorous criteria for quality. Brown then held the Executive Sous Chef position in 1999 at Fearrington House in Chapel Hill, N.C., another Relais & Chateaux property, before becoming the Executive Chef and Partner in 2001 of Southern Comforts BBQ & Soul, an upscale comfort food establishment in Charlotte, N.C. Brown became Chef de Cuisine at Capitol Grille in 2003 and emerged as a leader in the kitchen – surfacing as one of Nashville’s most talented chefs and establishing relationships with local community organizations and producers to become a forerunner in the southeastern culinary community with progressive, southern cuisine. He is a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, and is currently on the board of the Slow Food USA – Nashville Chapter. In 2010, and again in 2012, Brown was among the semi-finalists for the James Beard Award “Best Chef, Southeast."

As executive chef and partner of FARM, Brandon Carter works tirelessly to connect the dining experience with the farmer’s culture. Always cognizant of seasonality and availability of ingredients, Carter crafts ever-evolving menus that speak to the bounty of the region and pay homage to the many farmers and artisans who inspire him. Born in Ohio and raised in Georgia, Carter was inspired by the allure of the kitchen during a family trip to Italy at only 13 years old. Compelled by the industry’s high energy, Carter took his talents to the Culinary Institute of America where he graduated in 1999. Just prior to FARM, Carter was executive chef at the Inn at Palmetto Bluff. He first joined the Inn at Palmetto Bluff as Chef de Cuisine in January 2011, assisting with the management of the River House Restaurant, including menu planning and all aspects of production and service. One year later, Brandon took the helm as executive chef where he oversaw four restaurants, twice as many menus, and was the grand poobah of the nationally lauded Music to Your Mouth food and wine event, which landed Palmetto Bluff on Bon Appetit’s Top Ten Foodie Destination List in 2013. Previously, Carter served as Chef de Partie and Chef de Cuisine at The Ritz-Carlton Naples in South Florida, assisting with the management of three of the hotel’s restaurants from 2004 to 2008. Carter also gained experience at Mumbo Jumbo Bar and Grill in Atlanta from 2000 to 2003, where he started as Sous Chef and worked his way to Chef de Cuisine. Carter is supported by his wife, Jessica, and their two children, Declan and Bailey, all of whom contribute to Carter’s success at FARM. When he’s not in the kitchen, Carter enjoys spending time with his family, eating pork, quoting rock ballads, and late night trips to the taco truck.

A Beaufort, South Carolina native and University of Georgia graduate, Annie Coleman followed her passion for pastry and bread-baking to Paris, France. After completing training at Ferrandi Culinary Institute and in the pastry kitchen of La Pagode de Cos and Le Gabriel, she moved to Washington, D.C. in early 2017 to join the blossoming restaurant scene. She is equally inspired by old family recipes, classic technique, and the challenges of seasonal cooking. Today, Annie is the Pastry Chef at The Dabney in Washington, D.C.

John Currence was born and raised in New Orleans to a family that loved to cook and spend time in the kitchen. His parents’ travels during his childhood, combined with the family’s several years in Europe, brought the dishes of the world to their dinner table, while time spent hunting and fishing in South Louisiana began the education in the foods of his home. Currence’s first restaurant job was washing dishes at Bill Neal’s Crook’s Corner. He worked his way up through the Crook’s kitchen, and after three years, returned to New Orleans to open Gautreau’s as sous chef. After several years, Currence moved on to the Brennan family of restaurants to help open Bacco before settling in Oxford, MS, and opening City Grocery in 1992. In the time since, the City Grocery Restaurant Group has seen a number of openings, including Nacho Mama’s, Kalo’s, Ajax Diner, City Grocery Catering Company, Bouré, Big Bad Breakfast and Snackbar. Recipient of 2009 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: South, Currence was honored as Restaurateur Of The Year and Chef Of The Year by the Mississippi Restaurant Association in 1998. In 2006, he received the Southern Foodways Alliance Guardian of Tradition Award and won the 2008 Great American Seafood Cookoff in New Orleans and the 2009 Charleston Food and Wine Festival’s Iron Chef Challenge. Current projects include: a cookbook and Adventures of The Big Bad Chef video series, trips through the lesser known food spots of the Deep South. Starting spring 2011, Currence can be seen competing on Bravo’s season three of Top Chef Masters.

Aaron Deal is the Executive Chef of The River and Rail, a convivial restaurant with a focus on local, seasonal ingredients, in Roanoke, Virginia. A native of North Carolina, Deal completed his formal culinary training at Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, SC, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2005. His first Executive Chef role came at the helm of Tristan Restaurant in Charleston, SC where he earned a 2009 James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef nomination amidst local praise. In 2009, Deal assumed the role of Executive Chef of Custom House Tavern in Chicago, IL. He earned many accolades during his time at Custom House, including being named a “Best New Chef Under 30” by Chicago Social magazine and one of Restaurant-Hospitality magazine’s “12 to watch in 2012.” After stints at Town House Restaurant in Chilhowie, VA and Cragie on Main in Cambridge, MA, Deal ventured to Roanoke, VA to open The River and Rail in 2012. In his role as Executive Chef, Deal developed the culinary program for the restaurant from the ground up, creating regional cuisine inspired by the Virginia countryside. Outside of the kitchen, Deal has made appearances on The CBS Early Show’s “Chef on a Shoestring,” The Food Network, and as a culinary demonstrator, Deal has traveled to Johnson & Wales, The French Culinary Institute and the Culinary Institute of America, to lead discussions on sustainable food culture and cooking techniques. “Having recently celebrated our five-year anniversary at The River and Rail, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to continue exploring the kind of cooking that excites and inspires me as a chef,” Deal says. “I’m also proud to share a distinctive regional cuisine that not many people outside Virginia have had the opportunity to sample.”

Justin Devillier was raised in Dana Point, California, a small beach town in South Orange County. He spent summers fishing for Yellowtail and Albacore tuna, and in the fall and winter he would dive for lobsters just steps from his front door. This bounty of local seafood inspired him to enter the culinary industry, and after working in local restaurants right out of high school he decided to focus all of his time on becoming a chef. In 2003, Devillier moved to New Orleans in search of a vibrant restaurant community. He cooked in the kitchens of Bacco, Stella and Peristyle, where he learned the intricacies of French cuisine from his mentor, Chef Anne Kearny-Sands. In 2004, Devillier joined the team at La Petite Grocery as a line cook, housed in a century-old building with a storied history, and was promoted to sous chef after one year. Following Hurricane Katrina, he helped re-build the restaurant’s infrastructure, and in 2007 was promoted to executive chef. A short three years later, Devillier and his wife, Mia, took over majority ownership in 2010. At La Petite Grocery, Devillier puts his creative spin on traditional New Orleans cuisine with dishes like Turtle Bolognese, Panéed Rabbit, and Blue Crab Beignets. He was named a 2008 “Chef to Watch” by the Times-Picayune. He was also named 2014’s “Chef of the Year” by New Orleans Magazine. In 2016, Justin won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: South after being named a finalist in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. In early 2015 the Devilliers opened their second restaurant, Balise, named after one of the first French settlements at the mouth of the Mississippi River. Set in a 19th century Creole townhouse in the Central Business District, Balise celebrates New Orleans as a port city and its unique access to a wide variety of ingredients. In his free time, Devillier is an avid fisherman and hunter, and loves spending time at the beach with his wife and three young daughters.

After graduating from Wake Forest University, Chris Dickerson completed the Chef's Apprenticeship program at the Cloister Hotel on Sea Island. He cooked at The Little Nell in Aspen under Chef George Mahaffey and later worked for Nobu Matsuhisa. Dickerson has been invited to cook with many notable chefs and was part of a team who cooked for Paul Bocuse. He is the chef & owner of Corner Taco in Jacksonville, which has been profiled on Alton Brown’s ABRoad Eats and in numerous publications, including The Local Palate.

Christie Dufault is a Professor of Wine and Beverage at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in the Napa Valley. Prior, Christie was the wine director for some of the Nation’s finest restaurants including Gary Danko in San Francisco, where she was featured on the Food Network and earned the Grand Award from the Wine Spectator. In 2003, Christie was named “Best Young Sommelier” by Wine & Spirits Magazine. As the lead sommelier at Quince Restaurant in San Francisco, Christie was awarded “Best Wine Director 2007” by San Francisco Magazine. In 2009, Christie helped open RN74 in San Francisco, a Michael Mina restaurant. A life-long love of wine, food, and travel led Christie to work as a tour guide in France for a dozen Summer seasons. Christie received her Bachelor’s Degree from Simmons College in Boston and is completing her Master’s Degree at Sonoma State University in California. In addition, she holds the Advanced Certificate from the Court of Master Sommeliers and has completed her Hospitality Educator Certificate. In 2012 Christie co-authored a cookbook, Two in the Kitchen, with her spouse, the writer Jordan Mackay.

Chef Drew Dzejak says his inspiration for becoming a chef is the “classic grandmother story.” Growing up in Kissimmee, Florida, Dzejak was always at his grandmother’s side in the kitchen, cooking for family meals and church events. At 15, he was working as an apprentice at Karen Donatelli Cake Designs, baking weddings cakes and developing his first skills as a professional chef. He went on to attend Johnson & Wales in Charleston, South Carolina and graduated with a degree in Culinary Arts. Upon graduating in 2001, Dzejak applied to work in the kitchen at the Forbes 5-star, AAA 5-diamond Woodlands Inn in Summerville, SC. He was told they were only hiring breakfast cooks, but undeterred, he took the job and was promoted to the dinner team a few months later and worked his way up through the kitchen. Two years later, Dzejak followed Woodlands Executive Chef Ken Vedrinski to Sienna restaurant on Daniel Island, SC. He was promoted to sous chef and spent three years in the kitchen before packing his bags for Grand Cayman to work for Chef Dean Max at Brassiere for the fall season in 2006. Dzejak then returned to Charleston and became Chef de Cuisine at the Charleston Place Hotel. In 2008, he left Charleston for New Orleans and was named Executive Chef at the Windsor Court Hotel, where he remained for four years. After starting a family with his wife, Stephanie, Dzejak wanted to return to South Carolina and joined the team at The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, serving as Executive Sous Chef and Club Executive Chef. While at Palmetto Bluff, he was introduced to Food and Beverage Director Jeremy Walton, who would later offer him the role of Executive Chef at Alys Beach, an emerging seaside town in northwest Florida on scenic Highway 30A. At Alys Beach, Dzejak oversees all food operations for the growing community, including existing restaurants and new concepts. He envisions Alys Beach reaching new heights with its culinary offerings, with each offering a sense of place and providing residents and guests with lifelong memories. When he’s away from the kitchen, Dzejak enjoys cooking at home with Stephanie and their two kids, Aurora and John, gardening, and playing with his classic cars – a 1965 VW bug and a 1978 Trans Am.

Sara Floyd has had a varied and colorful career in the wine business, launching her wine career working as an assistant to Larry Stone, the "dean" of American sommeliers, at Rubicon restaurant in San Francisco. Ms. Floyd then became Wine Director for the Vertigo Restaurant, where she developed an award-winning wine list and worked with some of the top chefs of the city. In 1998, Ms. Floyd concluded her active restaurant work as the Wine Director for Wolfgang Puck's Postrio, the most popular and elegant restaurant of its era in San Francisco. After just two years at this post, Martine Saunier of Martine’s Wines selected Ms. Floyd to run her National Sales. It was at Martine’s Wines where it became obvious where her future was in the marketing and sales of wines. Looking to make her own mark in the wine world, in 2001, Ms. Floyd launched Swirl Wine Brokers in San Francisco with Lawrence Boone. Swirl is a state-wide broker that carefully selects and represents wines from California, Washington, Oregon, France, Spain, Italy, Germany and Austria. It has also been innovative in seeking out wines from Hungry, Switzerland, Greece, and Macedonia. Ms. Floyd has also been the National Sales Director for Jorge Ordonez wines. She assisted Mr. Ordonez in the sampling and blending of many of the wines that were produced for Jorge Ordonez &Co. She has traveled extensively throughout the wine regions of Spain. Her success as a business woman should be sufficient enough to establish her credibility. But in addition to all she has done, Sara Floyd is a Master Sommelier, the tenth woman in the world to have earned the title. In 2007, Ms. Floyd and the Pisoni Family launched Luli Wines, specializing in high quality, value wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands. Luli produces Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and rose, with an annual production of fifteen thousand cases. In 2010 at the young age of forty, Ms. Floyd and her husband Jim became parents to fraternal twin boys which along with co-running two companies keeps Ms. Floyd on her tiptoes.

Megan and Colby Garrelts are the chef-owners of Rye Leawood and Rye Plaza, as well as Bluestem, a 2015-2018 James Beard Semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant, in Kansas City. Chef Colby is a 2013 James Beard Foundation Best Chef: Midwest award winner, 2005 Food & Wine Top 10 Best New Chef and has had his cuisine showcased in the Wall Street Journal and on the cover of Saveur Magazine. Chef Megan is a James Beard Semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef 2017-2019 and her recipes have been featured in numerous national publications including Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Wall Street Journal and Saveur. Bluestem opened in 2004 and showcases Colby’s progressive American cuisine and Megan’s new varieties of American desserts. In 2006, the Garrelts expanded Bluestem and opened a lounge next door to the dining room. With Bluestem, the Garrelts offer a flavorful toast to fine-dining and a marriage of outstanding culinary skills. Their first cookbook, bluestem, the cookbook, which was released in fall 2011, showcases the cuisine featured at the restaurant. In 2015, the Garrelts released their second cookbook, Made in America, which is an ode to the Midwestern cuisine they grew up eating and now serve.

Chef, author, and global food advocate Asha Gomez is passionate about using food as a platform to connect people across countries and cultures. Like many Southern belles who learned to cook at their grandmother’s elbow, a young Asha Gomez was molded by the matriarchs of her family in a three-household compound overlooking the Arabian Sea. There, surrounded by banana plants and papaya trees, the James Beard-nominated chef and a 2019 Garden & Gun Artist in Residence at Palmetto Bluff made fish curry with her mother, an incomparable hostess known for setting the most exquisite table. But, she also drew culinary inspiration from an improbable source: her father, a civil engineer who worked for a German company that built bridges. Today, Gomez constructs both metaphorical and literal bridges between the food traditions of her birthplace in southwestern India and her adopted home in the American South. Although 10,000 miles stretch between Kerala, India, and Atlanta, Georgia, these two distinctly Southern cities share cultural similarities in terms of hospitality and entertaining, where handmade food is most often the deepest expression of love and affection. Her cookbook My Two Souths was a finalist for a James Beard Award in the American Cooking category as well as a winner of the prestigious Piglet Award for best cookbook, launching cookbook. Gomez, a self-described “storyteller,” is happy to lend her services to CARE as a global brand ambassador, works with the United Nations and the James Beard Foundation to reduce global food insecurity, and continues to tell her own food story in an upcoming cookbook, Color Full: A World of Bright Flavors from My Kitchen, due out in spring 2020. She will also appear with American restaurateur and author David Chang on season two of his Netflix series, Ugly Delicious, where she will showcase the culinary contributions of Kerala. Clearly, there is still a connection to that distant shore for Gomez, and that is the most important story for her to tell.

Drew’s passion for wine and food was started while living in Germany and serving in the Army and continued to develop in Culinary School. His interest in wine and service have led him on an interesting career path. Prior to joining Republic National Drew was the vice president of sales and marketing for Standard Beverage, Rudd Oakville Estate and Distillery No. 209 Gin. Before that he was the corporate director of wine for Pappas Restaurants in Houston where he oversaw wine and education in over 60 restaurants. Under Drew’s’ direction both Pappas Brothers Steakhouses won the prestigious Wine Spectator Grand Award. Drew was named one of the "Best New Sommeliers of 2005" by Wine and Spirits. In 2007 he took first place International Chaine des Rotisseurs Young Sommelier Competition. And in 2008 he went on to pass the rigorous Master Sommelier Exam. Recognizing there was a need for more camaraderie and education in the sommelier world, Drew cofounded the TEXSOM Conference with James Tidwell, MS which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2014. Most recently TEXSOM rebranded the 30-year-old Dallas Morning News Wine Competition as the TEXSOM International Wine Awards. Drew now lives in Wichita, Kansas with his wife, Meredith, and their two children.

A Korean mother-daughter duo, Anna and Kay Heritage, teamed up and dove into the pizza business infusing classic Italian flavors with a Korean flair, we handcraft delicious pizzas from a wood fire oven on wheels. Let’s get back to slow food, fast friendship, and long-lasting community, one warm slice at a time.

Eric Hill is the executive chef of O-Ku Nashville, part of The Indigo Road Hospitality Group based in Charleston, and the sixth O-Ku to open, with the most recent in Raleigh, North Carolina. Originally from Eugene, Oregon, Hill started with the Indigo Road Restaurant Group in June 2018 when he moved from Park City, Utah to Charleston, South Carolina where he was executive chef of O-Ku Charleston until the spring of 2019, when he relocated to Nashville to open O-Ku in Germantown. Hill has more than 11 years of experience in fine-dining restaurants and luxury resorts, with experience in kitchen system integration, traditional Japanese cuisine, sushi preparation, high-level banquet expertise, event planning, menu customization, cost analysis, as well as Forbes Five Star hospitality training. Hill became passionate about Japanese cuisine after his first visit to Japan. Over the last seven years, Hill has visited the country frequently. “The culture of respect and hospitality there is like no other place in the world,” says Chef Hill. “The level of pride and dignity the people display with an almost effortless demeanor is something I strive to emulate everyday in my personal and professional life.” Hill’s average stays last about four to five weeks during which he spends traveling and tasting the different regional cuisines. Hill has traveled extensively in Japan, from outside of Okinawa, to the frosted Onsens of Hokodate in Hokkaido, to the busiest intersection in the world, Shibuya Crossing Tokyo, as well as up the Hida River and to little known towns like Gero and Takayama. Prior to joining The Indigo Road Hospitality Group, Hill worked at Montage International Hotels and Resorts, a Forbes Five Star property, in Park City, Utah from 2012 to June 2018 where he served as Chef De Cuisine at Yama Sushi and Vista Lounge. Hill’s special event dinners and menu construction include the Robb Report for 2015 and 2016, Thai Consulate Dinner 2015, and Park City Food and Wine Grand Tasting event 2017. Hill was the winner for Best in State for 2011-2012 as the Lead Sushi Chef as part of the team at Naked Fish Japanese Bistro. A few of his hobbies include playing golf and basketball, hiking with his girlfriend and mini-Australian Sheppard "Autzen," traveling, fly fishing, and anything that has to do with Nike and The University of Oregon athletics. Hill is also a volunteer for the Children's Miracle Network and has served more than 250 hours of service.

Matt Hobbs was raised on the Hobbs Family Farm in Newfane, New York; the second youngest of eleven children. The family farmed apples, peaches and pears, and as a result, Matt learned the relationship between meticulous farming and its effect on producing quality fruit with a sense of place. As a teenager, Matt experienced his brother’s work living with him in California, while Paul was a winemaker at Simi Winery in Healdsburg, CA. After graduating from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University with a Master of Business Administration and working several years in finance and consulting, Matt turned his focus to helping his brother, international vineyard and winery visionary, Paul Hobbs, with creating something beautiful and meaningful at Paul Hobbs Winery. Since 2001, Matt has been involved in various strategic roles. Currently, Matt serves as the primary ambassador and educator on all wineries under Paul Hobbs Wines. Matt’s affinity for the culinary and wine experience is long lived. He enjoys the dynamic nature of the world of wine, how it is inextricably linked with history, culture and food while presenting an opportunity for lifelong learning and fulfillment. Like his brother Paul, Matt shares a passion for quality, exploration and attention to detail.

Lauren Ivey is the co-executive chef at Death & Taxes, the national recognized downtown Raleigh restaurant within the Ashley Christensen Restaurants group. In collaboration with Ashley, she oversees the kitchen team and the menu, which has garnered praise for its inventive, subtle exploration of the flavors and techniques of cooking with wood fire. The restaurant’s focal point is a 2,000-pound custom-made grill, which Ivey uses as the anchoring inspiration of her dishes. Prior to joining Death & Taxes as chef de cuisine in 2016, Lauren was the sous chef at Christensen’s first restaurant, the award-winning Poole’s Diner. Lauren’s tenure as part of the Poole’s team was something of a homecoming. Several years prior, she had started her cooking career in the Poole’s kitchen as a line cook following culinary school, and then followed her passion across the country. In Colorado, she honed her skills at Centro in Boulder and Rioja in Denver. Then she moved even further west to take a position as the opening sous chef of Abbott’s Cellar in San Francisco. Eager to get back to North Carolina, Lauren returned to Raleigh and to the AC Restaurants family to manage the downtown institution. “I take so much pride in telling people where I work and who I work for,” she says. When she’s not behind the stoves, Lauren is most likely to be found outdoors, or cooking with friends and family.

Chef Kevin Johnson has always possessed an immense love for food, however, it wasn’t until his college years, when he briefly approached food as a vegetarian, that he developed a true admiration for culinary creation. With a passion for utilizing the fresh bounty of available vegetables and produce, paired with an innate sense of curiosity and genuine love of flavors, Johnson was eager to further explore new food and cuisines at Johnson & Wales’ esteemed culinary institute. Allowing his culinary mastery and passion to flourish, Johnson began his professional career working under renowned chef Frank Lee at Slightly North of Broad (SNOB) in Charleston, SC. He later returned home to Northern Virginia with his wife, Susan, and spent several years working alongside Patrick O’Connell, where he served as sous-chef at The Inn at Little Washington. With Charleston holding a special place in their hearts, Johnson and his wife returned to the Holy City in 2003, where he served as the Executive Chef of Charleston’s Anson restaurant until 2009, when the Johnsons decided to venture out into the city’s booming culinary scene to open a restaurant of their own. In the winter of 2011, the Johnsons opened The Grocery, a joint venture built upon culinary passion and dedication to celebrating the authentic flavors and spices of the seasons. Evoking memories of the small-town grocery, the restaurant is a neighborhood gathering place full of warmth and familiarity, rooted in family. Since opening The Grocery, Johnson has earned multiple James Beard nominations, national accolades and helped shape the culinary scene in the Charleston Lowcountry. The Johnsons currently live in Charleston with their three sons, whose combined initials “GRO”, inspired the name of The Grocery. When he’s not in the restaurant’s kitchen, Johnson can be found championing local causes and spending time with his family.

Matt Jording, Executive Chef and Owner of The Sage Room, was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and grew up in Fairfax, Virginia. Matt is a self-taught chef who began traveling early on to define his own way of cooking. Matt moved to Hilton Head in 1995 and worked at local restaurants until he opened Sage Room in March of 2002. He built his kitchen in the middle of the restaurant with a ten seat chef’s counter surrounding it. Matt’s intention was to give his customers a one-on-one dining experience. It worked! The chef's counter has proven to be the most popular and memorable place in the restaurant. From prep to plate, everything is done in this extremely open kitchen for all to see.

Born and raised in Canton, OH as the youngest of six siblings, Jeff Kellogg grew up in a family that savored their time together around the dinner table. Having contributed to large family meals from a young age, he was naturally drawn to the restaurant industry and began waiting tables at the age of 18. Jeff then moved to Cincinnati to continue working in restaurants, and his wine interest was sparked while tasting Chablis at a staff education during lineup. The next day, he purchased Kevin Zraly’s Complete Wine Course, and began to educate himself about his newfound passion. In 2004, Jeff moved to Charlotte, NC, and began working for a restaurant group called 131 Main. Over the next six years, Jeff helped the group open four new restaurant locations and a wine bar, serving initially as a manager and eventually running the group’s wine program. Feeling ready to further his wine education, Jeff took a job as sommelier at the historic Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, WV. There, Jeff reveled in the Greenbrier’s renowned culture of hospitality, but as he fell deeper in love with wine, he wanted to learn about wine-making up-close. In 2011, he moved to Napa to work the harvest and as a sommelier at several Napa restaurants including the Michelin-starred Redd and La Toque. In September 2012, he moved north to work the harvest at Gramercy Cellars in Walla Walla, WA before relocating to San Francisco to become a sommelier at RN74, Michael Mina’s wine bar and restaurant. In June 2013, he moved across the country yet again to become the Wine Director at Danny Meyer's Italian concept, Maialino. In less than four years Jeff put together one of the great Italian programs in the country, sharing his passion for aged Italian wines with guests and staff. His work with the program at Maialino led him to be names one of Wine and Spirits Best New Sommeliers in 2014, and a Food and Wine Magazine Sommelier of the Year in 2016. After a brief stint at Quince in San Francisco, in 2017 Jeff and his wife Stephanie returned to where they met, Charlotte, to start their own wine distribution business, Kellogg Selections. The distributor highlights Italy, Champagne and California, taking advantage of relationships and knowledge built over a career.

Chef Joe Kindred is the chef/owner of Kindred in Davidson, NC, and Hello, Sailor in Cornelius, NC, with his wife, Katy Kindred. After attending Johnson and Wales in Charleston, SC, Joe became the first intern for Nobles in Charlotte, NC, before moving to Chicago for the next chapter and challenge. His tenure in Chicago saw stints at Tru, one sixtyblue, and The Pump Room, where he met Katy. Before the couple got married, opening a restaurant had always been a dream of theirs. They moved to San Francisco together, where Joe worked at acclaimed restaurant Delfina under Chef Craig Stoll. Out of a desire to move closer to family, the Kindreds uprooted back to North Carolina, where Joe was hired again by Chef Jim Noble to be the chef for Rooster’s Uptown and lead culinary manager for Noble’s four restaurants. With their roots back in North Carolina, they began to work on realizing their dream of a restaurant of their own. They did so with their namesake Kindred, housed in one of the city’s most historic downtown buildings, followed two years later by Hello, Sailor, located on Lake Norman, a location that he frequented growing up as a child. Chef Joe was a semi-finalist for the James Beard Best Chef: Southeast in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. He lives in his hometown of Davidson with Katy, their three kids, Alba, Luca, and Graydon, and their dogs.

Over the past 30 years, Shelley Lindgren has channeled her deep-seated appreciation for Italy into an award-winning career in wine. Introduced to the hospitality industry as a young student putting herself through college, Shelley’s attention soon turned to wine. She earned her sommelier’s certificate while working at San Francisco’s iconic restaurant, Fleur de Lys, and went on to earn a culinary certificate at the Tante Marie Cooking School, and became a wine instructor for 12 years. In 2004 A16 opened, a neighborhood restaurant inspired by the cooking of Campania with an emphasis on certified VPN Neapolitan pizza. When she curated the wine list for A16, Shelley sought to showcase Italian wine beyond the well-known Barolos and Brunellos. A research trip that began in Naples quickly evolved into an exploration of southern Italy’s rural, family-run wineries that had remained otherwise unknown outside of the country. Driving from village to village while relying on paper maps, Shelley unearthed lesser-known grapes, such as Fiano di Avellino and Nerello Mascalese, which she returned with enthusiasm to share stateside. In 2015, Shelley received the James Beard Award for “Outstanding Wine Program” at A16. A member of Les Dames d’ Escoffier, Shelley’s involvement in the local community extends beyond the walls of her restaurants, and she serves as a board member of Guild of Sommeliers and Marin’s Slide Ranch. A16 Food + Wine, won “Cookbook of the Year” and “First Book/The Julia Child Award” at the 2009 IACP Cookbook Awards. In 2012, she co-authored her second book, SPQR: Modern Italian Food & Wine. Her third book, 'The New Italian Wine', will be released Spring 2021. Shelley’s reputation as an industry pioneer and advocate for the wines of Italy was recognized in 2019, as she was recently knighted by the Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco receiving the "Cavaliere dell'Ordine Della Stella Italia" recognition. Also recognized as a Culinary Institute of America ambassador, Shelley was named “Best New Sommelier” by Wine & Spirits magazine; “Best Wine Director” by San Francisco magazine; and received Gourmet magazine’s Wine Educator Award and the Golden Goblet Award by the Association of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs. Shelley resides in San Francisco with her husband and two sons.

Iconoclastic sommelier André Hueston Mack was the first African-American to be named Best Young Sommelier in America by Chaine des Rotisseurs. He was a sommelier at Thomas Keller’s renowned French Laundry before opening Chef Keller’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Per Se. As one of the top professionals in the wine industry he has worked with the likes of Amazon, Cadillac, Ebay, National Rental Car and Microsoft and has appeared on Anthony Bourdain's “The Taste” and NBC’s “Uncorked.” In 2007, he founded Maison Noir Wines which incorporated his trademark attitude and personal perspective on wine subculture. Mack produces 40,000 cases which can be found in the best restaurants and retail stores in 45 states and 11 countries. A self-taught graphic designer, Mack designs his own labels as well as a t-shirt line for Maison Noir Wines. Additionally, he authored and illustrated Small Thyme Cooks, the world’s first culinary coloring and activity book. Currently with Abrams Books, Mack is writing a memoir with a focus on the wines which have featured prominently in his life.

Jordan Mackay is a James-Beard-award winning writer on wine, spirits and food. His work has appeared in Food & Wine, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Decanter, The Art of Eating, Wine and Spirits, and many others. His first book, Passion for Pinot, was published in 2009, and his second, Secrets of the Sommeliers (with Rajat Parr), was released in October 2010, winning a James Beard award in 2011. Two in the Kitchen was published in 2012. Franklin Barbecue (with Aaron Franklin) was released in April, 2015 and spent many weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list. Knife, written with chef John Tesar, was released in May 2017 by Flatiron Press. His new book, The Sommelier’s Atlas of Taste, comes out October of 2018. Jordan lives in Napa Valley and travels extensively, speaking about wine, spirits and food.

Downtown Catering Company is an award-winning catering service that has been servicing Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, Beaufort and Charleston, South Carolina, as well as Savannah and Augusta, Georgia for over 14 years. Husband and wife team, Ryan and Leah McCarthy (he’s the chef, she’s the planner), have a large staff of dedicated professionals to tend to just about every event need. They offer private chef services and cater events, weddings, parties, corporate events, and golf tournaments. Chef Ryan and his wife have been local owners/operators of The Downtown Deli for the past 14 years. They provide the residents and visitors to Historic Bluffton with the freshest, most delicious food imaginable. That is why they have been voted “Best Deli,” “Best Lunch,” and “Best Sandwiches” each year since 2002! They recently relocated their catering and sandwich shop operations to 1223 May River Road. This new location has a private event space, “Venue 1223,” with both an inside and outside area for parties up to 250 guests! Ryan McCarthy attended Paul Smith’s University, NY for culinary arts and relocated to Hilton Head from Vernon Center, NY, in 1998 where he worked as Sous Chef for Colleton River Plantation. Ryan has been working in food and beverage since 1995. He has three children, ages 14, 12 and 5, and is passionate and dedicated to high quality food and service.

McCarus Beverage Company was founded by brothers Matt and David McCarus. The strength of this family bond is the backbone is everything they do. The duo is focused on sharing the love, trust, loyalty and respect held between brothers with each of their producers, as they understand that these same attributes are necessary when farming the land, growing the grapes and making wine. Beyond distribution, they team up with some of South Carolina’s best restaurants and chefs hosting wine dinners and events, allowing them to spread their enthusiasm with as many people as possible around the same comforting setting where we spent most of our time growing up, the dinner table.

Rob McDaniel is general manager and executive chef at SpringHouse restaurant at Russell Crossroads on Lake Martin in Alabama. He is passionate about his grandmothers’ cooking, supporting local farmers and preserving southern cooking methods. Rob practices his incomparable skills and knowledge of Southern traditional cooking and presents exceptional products from local producers in a modern way. After graduating from Auburn University in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management, Rob headed north to Montpelier, Vermont where he studied at the New England Culinary Institute. During his time at NECI, Rob began to appreciate sustainable living and cooking, supporting local and organic farmers and the importance of using local resources. Before leaving NECI, Rob moved to Grayton Beach, Florida where he worked for chef Johnny Earles at Criolla’s. Upon graduating from NECI in 2004, Rob moved back to the South, where he worked as sous chef for Chris and Idie Hastings at their Birmingham-based restaurant, Hot and Hot Fish Club. Using the skills he learned at NECI, combined with the Hot and Hot style, he began to realize that southern food and sustainability are intricately tied. In 2007, Rob left the Hastings to continue his culinary path as a chef with Jim ‘N Nick’s BBQ. During his time at Jim ‘N Nick’s, Rob began to appreciate the culture behind southern cooking and its methods. Two years later, Rob got the opportunity that he had been looking for when Russell Lands On Lake Martin offered Rob the executive chef position at SpringHouse restaurant in Russell Crossroads on Lake Martin. SpringHouse, opened in 2009, has allowed Rob to express his love for sustainable southern food and the preservation of its methods. Food has a story, and Rob loves telling that story equally to cooking it. Rob creates masterful menus daily to highlight the best possible products available featuring meat and produce of the place, and of the time – literally a snapshot of a day in a season. Some of the signature dishes include SpringHouse Shrimp and Grits; SpringHouse Pimento Cheese stuffed Peppadew peppers; Crayfish Pirlou with Carolina Gold rice, house smoked bacon, asparagus and local corn; Cornmeal-Fried Soft Shell Crab, house-cured bacon, baby lettuces, heirloom tomatoes, and basil aioli on toasted brioche; Fresh from the garden Southern Vegetable Plate with chow-chow and buttermilk biscuits; Gulf Red Snapper roasted in a wood oven with baby carrots, sweet peas, fennel, fresh herbs and lemon oil; Slow-Braised Rabbit with baby vegetables and homemade dumplings; and Chilton County Peach and Tomato Crustada with homemade basil ice cream. McDaniel is an active participant in charity events such as Chefs To The Rescue -- Alabama Tornado Relief event and has been a guest chef at many other culinary events. As a member of the national Slow Food USA, Rob wanted to create a strong sense of community and educate those in the area about sustainable living through a local chapter. In 2010, he started the Slow Food Crossroads local chapter where he is the active president with 26 members. He is also a member of Crossroads Gardeners Club which meets monthly, has a guest speaker and the members discuss gardening. In 2011, a community garden took shape at Russell Crossroads — The Garden at Crossroads — with Rob at the helm. The first phase of the garden includes fruit trees, the fruit of which will find its way to a menu at SpringHouse. There is also a raised bed program for local residents with 18 beds and a waiting list for more. Through the garden, SpringHouse hopes to create a sense of ownership for people in the Crossroads community. All of the food grown in the beds belongs to the owners of the beds. Rob’s passion for the Garden is reflective of his childhood memories of a family garden and the way food tastes when a vegetable is picked straight from the garden. Rob McDaniel and SpringHouse have been featured in publications such as Mother Nature Network where Rob was selected as a Reader’s Choice chef for 40 Chefs Under 40 - Forty rising culinary stars, all working to make great sustenance more sustainable, Alabama Magazine, Birmingham Homes & Garden, B-Metro, Garden & Gun, Lake Martin Living, Lake Magazine, and East Alabama Living.

Chef Kevin Nashan has been pivotal in putting St. Louis, MO, on the map as a dining destination. The 2017 James Beard Award winner for Best Chef: Midwest has helmed Sidney Street Cafe for more than a decade. There he crafts dishes with a myriad of influences, including Spanish, New Mexican, Midwestern, Southern, and French cuisines. He honed his skills in revered kitchens like Commander’s Palace, Daniel, and Martin Barasategui in San Sebastian, Spain. In August 2014, he opened his second restaurant, The Peacemaker, a lobster and crab shack inspired by the Acadian coastal cuisines of the Northeast and Louisiana. Nashan won the 2013 Cochon 555 Barbecue competition in St. Louis and is a member of chef BBQ team Seersucker Collective. In 2014, he appeared on Esquire Network’s show “Knife Fight.” He has cooked for President Barack Obama, completed six Iron Man competitions and two Chefs Cycle events benefiting No Kid Hungry, and regularly participates in national food events, including Pebble Beach Food & Wine, The James Beard Celebrity Chef Series, Charleston Wine + Food Festival, and Taste of the NFL in San Francisco.

Charlie Nelson is the namesake of his triple-great grandfather, Charles Nelson, a German immigrant whose drive and ingenuity built the most productive distillery in Tennessee -- until Prohibition shut it down. Now, with his brother Andy, Charlie is bringing back the legendary Tennessee whiskey and Bourbon that were once known and loved the world over. Their Nelson's Green Brier Distillery in Nashville is where the magic happens, starting in a massive custom copper-pot still, and ending in row upon row of charred oak barrels. While the spirits are aging to perfection, the lively and charismatic Charlie is out sharing the story and the distinctive flavor of his generation's Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey and Belle Meade Bourbon.

Erik Niel was raised in Mandeville, Louisiana, a community on the north side of Lake Pontchartrain and an hour away from the Gulf, where he spent afternoons fishing and duck hunting with his dad and brother. Using techniques passed down and experimenting on his own, Niel learned to cook from his catch and mastered the process of preparing food from beginning to end, something that influences his cooking today. Niel attended culinary school at Johnson & Wales in Vail, Colorado, afterwards packing his bags for Chattanooga. He worked as a floor manager at the now-closed Southside Grill and then as a sous chef for two years at mainstay St. John’s. In May of 2005, Erik and his wife, Amanda, opened Easy Bistro & Bar in downtown Chattanooga, where he serves at Executive Chef & Owner. Seafood has always been a main focus for the restaurant, drawing on his Louisiana roots and love for quality catch. In October 2014, Niel and his wife assumed operations of Main Street Meats, a neighborhood butcher shop that works closely with Chattanooga’s surrounding farmland. As Chef/Operator, Niel uses craft butcher techniques to offer quality products and a strong charcuterie program, all exploring the distinctive flavors of the region.

Native Pennsylvanian, Chaz Ortiz came to Savannah over 10 years ago. Being part of a large ethnic Puerto Rican family, reunions and get-togethers were frequent, loud, a lot of fun and of course, completely based around the food being served. These events also meant a lot of storytelling while prepping and cooking to fill up the many food tables. This included everyone in the family, no matter what their ages were, and this exposed Chaz at a young age to the kitchen and its tools. Soon Chaz was bitten by the cooking bug, taking traditional family recipes and putting a new twist on them. Chazito's actually began in a tent on River Street in Savannah on September 20, 2012, originally only serving Pinchos (Kabobs), Empanadas and Plantains. The idea of a Food Truck delivering his Puerto Rican cuisine to customers became more and more formalized, however. Chaz and his grandfather Domingo Ortiz, purchased an old Frito Lay’s Potato Chips truck and, while working afternoons at Gulfstream, together they started working on revamping the truck into Chazito’s Latin Cuisine Food Truck. The work took them about six months to complete, rebuilding the food truck in Chaz's driveway. During that time, the business was in its infancy stages, serving amazing food out of a tent on River Street and Forsyth Park for various festivals. Even before the City of Savannah and Chatham County passed the current food truck laws, Chaz and his family were scouting for every opportunity to put the truck into action. Soon they were serving his authentic, yet innovative, Puerto Rican food, such as delicious empanadas (even low country boil stuffed ones specific to our area), sweet and crunchy plantains, flavorful pulled pork dishes, meaty Cuban sandwiches and amazing varieties of rice options at venues such as the Doggie Carnival Festival in Forsyth Park, the Isle of Hope Art & Music Festival, and festivals in the Atlanta and Jekyll Island areas. Chaz’s business has grown to two food trucks serving the Savannah and Lowcountry areas. His catering business for weddings, family gatherings, and business luncheons alike has become an important part of this franchise. A Chazito’s Latin Cuisine physical location opened in Pooler in October 2016, and Chazito's in Statesboro opened September 2018. Chazito’s Latin Cuisine is based upon a lifetime dream of Chaz Ortiz. It is an entirely family owned and run business by Chaz and his wife Katherine, with help from their son Zion, as well as by his dad JR, grandfather Domingo, and mother Maria Irizarry.

Working under the tutelage of Sommelier Rick Rubel of Charleston Place Hotel, Femi made the rare achievement of passing the first three levels of the Court of Master Sommeliers within two years, including gaining the Walter Clore Scholarship for achieving the highest score on his certified exam. He is one of 7 Advanced Sommeliers in the state of South Carolina. He is also a two-time national finalist for the Chaine des Rotisseurs Best Young Sommelier in America competition, and the winner of the 2017 Top Somm Blind Tasting Competition of the Charleston Wine + Food Festival. He was featured as one of Zagat's Charleston 30 Under 30 in the food and beverage industry and was listed as one of the "The Next Big Names in Wine" by Tasting Table magazine.

Owning a restaurant was always part of “Mama” Orchid Paulmeier’s American Dream. “Growing up in a Filipino family in Chicago, I learned the joy of big family dinners with lots of traditional Filipino dishes as well as the fundamentals of home cooking and using what you have in the kitchen,” she said. She started her culinary career as an ice cream scooper in high school. Intent on learning more about the restaurant business, Orchid accepted an internship on Hilton Head Island in 1994, and decided this is where she wanted to live. So along with her high-school-sweetheart husband, Mike, Orchid settled in the Lowcountry and began digging in to the deep, colorful cooking traditions of this region. Just days before her 30th birthday in 2003, Orchid opened One Hot Mama’ s as part of the SERG Group which owns a number of area restaurants, designing the menu and creating all the signature sauces herself. “I blended Southern favorites like collards, cornbread and slow-cooked barbecue, with my own family recipes,” she said, describing the cuisine as “comfort food with a kick.” Orchid became familiar to millions of people throughout the country when she auditioned for and won a slot on Food Network Star, Season 7. The series took 15 chefs and put them in what has become a familiar reality TV showdown. While she didn’t take home the grand prize, her culinary creations were praised by the judges and she was consistently one of the leaders in the fan vote. But that little taste of the spotlight hasn’t change Orchid’s priorities: Family, friends and food. (Because nothing tastes better than that.)

A Hilton Head Island native, Chef Charles attended the Florida Culinary Institute 14 years ago and hasn’t looked back when it comes to Southern cooking. With a history of creating dishes in West Palm Beach and Palmetto Bluff, he co-opened Char Bar & Holy Tequila, two Hilton Head Island favorites. Now, he is Executive Chef at the Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island sharing his culinary vision and exquisite Southern cooking with guests from all over the country. Chef Charles is supported by his lovely wife, Sarah, and their three children, Ryder, Angelina, and Oliver.

Anne Quatrano has helped steer the trajectory of Atlanta’s dining scene for more than two decades by pioneering a simple principle—she was one of the city’s first chefs to showcase local ingredients prepared with precision and presented artfully. At the core of all her restaurants lies a commitment to the land and the inherent flavors locally and lovingly cultivated produce and products bestow. Much of what she serves at her restaurants comes directly from her own Summerland Farm in Cartersville, and she steadfastly supports wholesome wave, local organic growers and Georgia Organics. Quatrano is a graduate of the University of Vermont and San Francisco’s California Culinary Academy and her career has taken her through fine dining establishments from the Bay Area to New York City before she relocated to Atlanta. She has won numerous James Beard nominations and awards, including “Best Chef Southeast” in 2003. In 2013 and 2014, Quatrano was nominated for the James Beard “Outstanding Chef Award,” and in 2013 Bacchanalia was nominated for “Outstanding Service Award.” Outside of her restaurants and farm, Quatrano is very involved in culinary nonprofits, especially those focused on women chefs. She is currently a Director on the Board for the James Beard Foundation, Chairman of the JBF Awards Committee and has served on the Board of Directors for Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, and Georgia Organics, as well as on various committees for the James Beard Foundation and Southern Foodways Alliance. Quatrano’s cookbook, Summerland: Recipes for Celebrating with Southern Hospitality, was published by Rizzoli in October 2013, and showcases the inspiration and philosophy behind Quatrano and Harrison’s creative processes and their true passion for the kitchen.

Paul Rabe grew up in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago but has lived in the Lowcountry since 2003. He started his career in hospitality and found passion for service behind the bar at SERG restaurants, One Hot Mama’s American Grille under Orchid Paulmeier, and Skull Creek Boathouse. He went on to run cocktail programs at various restaurants in Savannah and Hilton Head (Lucky Rooster in Hilton Head; Calhoun’s in Bluffton). Paul won the Savannah Food and Wine Festival bartender competition in 2016 and 2017 and developed the 50th anniversary cocktail for The RBC Heritage Golf Tournament. Paul now bartends and teaches cocktail classes at Congress Street Up inside the American Prohibition Museum in Savannah, GA. As a tortured Chicago Bears fan, he lives with his wife, Krissy, who enjoys gin and tonics, and young daughter, Eleanor, who enjoys milk, straight up with a lid, in Bluffton, SC.

Eric Railsback’s career in the wine industry began taking shape in Santa Barbara, California nearly a decade ago. After stints at the Wine Cask and the Hungry Cat, Eric furthered his exposure to different regions and producers working at Osteria Mozza and by running the wine program at Gordon Ramsey in Los Angeles. Eric has a strong connection to the wines of France. He is fluent in French and has worked harvests all over Europe. Eric brought his talents to Michael Mina’s RN74, a premiere Burgundy-inspired restaurant in San Francisco. There, he led a team of sommeliers for over three years before bringing it back full circle to Santa Barbara with Lieu Dit. After countless bottles shared together and many trips to France, Railsback and his partner decided to found Lieu Dit in 2011 and focus it solely in the varieties indigenous to the Loire Valley, now grown in Santa Barbara County, California. The varied micro-climates and marine based soils of Santa Barbara County are ideally suited to this set of grapes. Lieu Dit centers on Sauvignon Blanc and more limited bottlings of Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Rose and produces around 2500 cases annually. For Eric, in each vintage, the quest for purity, elegance, and balance in every wine is paramount.

The story begins not in a kitchen, but in the red clay fields of Georgia, where Chef Geoff Rhyne spent his childhood getting dirty and exploring farms alongside Granddaddy Jack and Grandma Mary. What took root was a reverence for tradition, hard work and fresh foods. As an adult, Geoff took a winding route through the most esteemed kitchens of America, always advocating for whole and slow foods and finding ways to meld tradition with innovation. (And he was doing all of this before it was hip, we swear.) In an experimental flavor spree while working on a new oyster dish in Charleston, SC, Geoff hit on what would become his signature sauce – a Fresno blend that changed the oysters without stealing the spotlight. The sauce became so beloved by patrons that they would steal it straight off the plate and tuck it in their bag. Today Red Clay Hot Sauce represents something bigger than a dash of heat – it’s family and joy, and it’s fun. For Geoff and for you. Every batch of Red Clay Hot Sauce is handcrafted in a tiny South Carolina town, using just a few ingredients, all of which come from farmers in neighboring states. Geoff is still a chef, but now you can keep a bit of his genius on hand for your own forays in the kitchen.

Carlo Riggio is the mid-central Sales Manager covering IN, KY, MI, OH, SC & TN for Paul Hobbs Winery. Carlo joined Paul Hobbs Winery from a regional luxury grocer where he was the Director of Wine overseeing 23 store units. He had a successful career in key account sales prior to moving into a wine-focused buying role. Carlo holds an Advanced Certification from the Wine & Spirits Educational Trust and is based in Cleveland, Ohio.

Chef Bill Smith is as well known for his sumptuous take on Southern comfort food as he is for his exceptional food writing—including the New York Times Notable and Food & Wine Best-of-the-Best cookbook Seasoned in the South and the bestselling Savor the South title, Crabs & Oysters. Bill Smith is the only James Beard Foundation “America’s Classic Restaurant” chef to have also been named a final-five finalist for Best Chef in the Southeast—and twice. Bill Smith stands out for creating dishes that often become iconic dishes, first served at the Chapel Hill, NC, restaurant Crook's Corner. Among the classics: Green Peach Salad (featured in the New York Times), Tomato & Watermelon Salad (featured on the cover of Southern Living), Cheesepork! (the southern schnitzel) and of course his many desserts, including Honeysuckle Sorbet and Atlantic Beach Pie (dubbed by NPR the “Oh, My God Pie”). Also Jerusalem Artichoke Relish, Bourbon Brown Sauce and possibly the tastiest Soft Shell Crabs, Corned Hams, Fried Oyster and Banana Pudding renditions—anywhere. Recognized by Chefs Collaborative as a finalist for an award given to chefs who are leaders in incorporating local foods into their menus, Bill Smith has long worked with farmers and also homestead gardeners and foraged himself for ingredients that gather season by season on the Crook’s Corner menu. A foremost chef-expert in Southern foodways, he has served now for years on the board for the Southern Foodways Alliance.

Kellie Thorn has been in the restaurant industry for over 18 years and bartending for the last fourteen. Kellie, born in Atlanta and raised in various cities along the Southern coast, has received considerable critical recognition for her talents and skills. In 2010, Kellie joined forces with star chef Hugh Acheson to open Empire State South, Acheson’s vibrant re-imagination of traditional southern fare, to develop a creative program balanced by a reverent nod to the classics. Her success in this role led her to the position of Beverage Director for Acheson’s restaurants in 2013. In 2015, Kellie participated in and passed the reputed BAR Five Day program in New York. In 2017 she was awarded the Les Dames D’Escoffier Legacy Award, and in 2018 she was named one of Wine Enthusiasts 40 under 40 Tastemakers. Kellie is very involved in her local community as well as the broader hospitality community. She has served on the Advisory Council for Atlanta Food and Wine, helped to organize annual charity events for Wholesome Wave Georgia and Community Farmer’s Market, and is currently serving on the Grants Committee for the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. Kellie is also a BNIC Certified Cognac Educator, passing the certification in Cognac, France in April 2015, as well as a WSET Certified Level Two Spirits Educator. When out from behind the bar, Kellie enjoys kickboxing, traveling, cooking, dance parties, and spending time with her son Finnian.

Chef Karl Worley grew up in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, where he learned to cook from his grandfather in Bristol, Tennessee. He received his culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University in 2010. After spending time in the kitchens of Rioja in Denver, he further developed his passion for sustainable agriculture and farm-to-table restaurants while working for the Coon Rock Farm in Hillsborough, NC. In 2012, Worley and his wife Sarah began Biscuit Love, a food truck that soon became a Nashville breakfast staple for biscuits and brunch. In 2015, they found a brick and mortar home for Biscuit Love in the heart of the Gulch neighborhood, where they offer a wide range of breakfast and lunch options. Shortly after opening, Bon Appetit named Biscuit Love one of America’s Top 50 Best New Restaurants and named the East Nasty Biscuit the Best Sandwich of 2015. Through sourcing top-quality seasonal ingredients, Worley is known for creating delicious dishes that honor the deep-rooted traditions of the South.

Born in Charleston, Miles started his hospitality career under his mother, caterer Callie White and sister, Carrie Morey of Callie's Hot Little Biscuit. He attended Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, while also attending hotel school at Cesar Ritz Hotel School in Brig, Switzerland. He received his sommelier certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers after graduating in the top of his class in the wine and beverage program at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley. Afterwards, he was hired as a harvest intern at lauded Antica Terra, a cult winery in the Willamette Valley. After 3 years of traveling and winemaking in Oregon and Australia, he moved to New York City to work for Danny Meyer, one of his biggest inspirations, at The Modern in the MoMA. Once he felt his time in New York was up, Miles returned to Charleston to work at FIG Restaurant while he opened Graft.