Joey Edwards tuned into his love of cooking at an early age, enjoying the opportunity to channel his creativity into making something delicious. Coming from a large family, Joey started as the top taste tester and quickly graduated to family cook, realizing that cooking was a way he could contribute and make people happy. While attending Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Orlando, Florida, and working at a local barbecue restaurant, Joey took his culinary commitment one step further and spent his days off working for free in the kitchen of the best restaurant in his area. His determination landed him a paying job in their kitchen, and that is where he fell in love with the pace and energy of the culinary industry and solidified that it was the path for him.

Joey joined The Barn at Blackberry Farm® team in 2013 as a cook. He got married in 2015 and left Blackberry Farm to embark on a backpacking adventure through Africa and Europe. He was working on a farm in Portugal when The Barn Executive Chef Cassidee Dabney asked him to return to Blackberry Farm as her sous chef in January 2016. Joey embraced the chance to return to the kitchen environment where he feels the perfect blend of art, nature, organization and adrenaline. In 2020, Joey was promoted and made the transition to Blackberry Mountain as the PM Executive Chef of Three Sisters. Joey’s love of cooking and foraging blends seamlessly into his personal life where he enjoys cooking with foraged ingredients, typically over an open fire, and preferably with a good bottle of wine.

Restaurateur & Chef John Fraser made his mark on the culinary landscape by redefining the role of vegetables in American cuisine. Born & raised in Los Angeles, he draws inspiration from his Mediterranean roots and the vegetable-forward California cuisine he grew up around. In 2007, he went from chef to restaurateur with a vision to create the entire hospitality experience founding his own collaborative and creative hospitality group, JF Restaurants, based in New York City.

Pridefully calling New York City home, the restaurant group has expanded its reach and is currently behind 15 unique concepts across five cities in the United States, including Southold (New York), West Hollywood (California), Tampa (Florida), and soon Boston (Massachusetts).

Fraser has garnered numerous culinary accolades throughout his career. He achieved a remarkable eight consecutive years of Michelin star recognition at Dovetail, followed by another Michelin star at NIX. Most recently, the team earned yet another Michelin star and the prestigious Service Award at Lilac. Dovetail and 701 West were both bestowed three stars by the New York Times, while NIX, The Loyal, and Narcissa received a notable two stars. IRIS has been honored as the “critics’ choice” and hailed as the seventh-best restaurant in New York City by the New York Times. Esquire Magazine also recognized IRIS as the thirteenth-best restaurant in the United States. Furthermore, esteemed New York Times food critic Pete Wells recently ranked IRIS as the 55th-best restaurant in New York City. Ardor, situated in West Hollywood, was named the number one best restaurant in the area by TimeOut Magazine.

Chef Markus Glocker is Austrian born and hotel bred. In Linz, the city that straddles the great Danube, Markus grew up working in the family-run hotel. It was in his aunt’s kitchen, at the foot
of her grand dirndl, where his passion and love of hospitality was born.

After attending culinary school in Linz, Chef Glocker, in search of experience, traversed Europe and America’s finest kitchens. His culinary adventures took him to Munich’s renowned Restaurant Vier Jahreszeiten, after which he went on to excel at Restaurant Eckart Witzigmann in Berlin and Restaurant Steirereck in Vienna. In America, Glocker spent valuable years working alongside acclaimed chefs’ Charlie Trotter in Chicago and Gordon Ramsay in London and New York, which received two Michelin stars during his tenure.

Chef Glocker is celebrated for his elegant and precise attention to detail. His passion and high standards have earned him a coveted Michelin Star, 3-stars from The New York Times, 3-stars
from New York Magazine, and in May, 2015, as Executive Chef/Owner of Batard Restaurant in NYC, Glocker was awarded Best New Restaurant in America by the James Beard Foundation.

“If my hotelier origins have taught me anything, it is that we are all travelers. From every walk of life we gather together over food and drink in the glow of the light to share our stories: our hopes, our travails, our dreams. This is my contribution to the dance.”
–Markus Glocker

For those who have dined at one of Chef Danny Grant’s restaurants, you know there’s something extra special about the experience, the service and the food.  And while it’s hard to put into words what makes his restaurants so incredible, his dedication to his craft and his passion for pushing boundaries are what drive his success.  Danny is classically trained in French cooking, which drives his technique, but his love and passion for travel inspire his creations.  Among his many accolades received throughout his career in New York, Chicago and Scottsdale, Danny is proud to stand as the youngest US chef to earn two Michelin stars in 2011 and 2012.  And while he’s proven his skills as a Michelin-Star chef, since 2015 he has focused his energy into building his restaurant group, What If Syndicate.  Now Danny spends his time as a business owner, and chef, creating incredible restaurant brands across the country including Maple & Ash, etta, Monarch, Kessaku and many more to come. 

Chef Bradley Kilgore was born and raised in Kansas City. After relocating several times to work and train in Denver, Italy and Chicago, Chef Kilgore worked at world renowned restaurant Alinea In Chicago before leaving to open L2o under Chef Laurent Gras. Later, both restaurants garnered the honor of 3 Michelin Stars. He has now planted his feet in the beautiful city of Miami.

In the summer of 2015, Chef Kilgore opened Alter in the art focused Wynwood district of Miami. There, he offered Progressive American Cuisine, garnering National and International recognition for his work. At Alter he highlighted indigenous Floridian ingredients and up to 15 course tasting menu and wine pairings. The wine program was named Top 100 in America by Wine Enthusiast several years in a row. Alter received 4 stars from the Miami Herald within a few months of opening, making Chef Kilgore the only Chef in the history of the Miami Herald to receive 4 Stars two times. Alter was also named restaurant of the year by Eater, and Chef Kilgore was named Chef of the Year by the same publication in both 2014 and 2015.

Shortly after, and on a meteoric rise, his cuisine was rapidly gaining national attention. From this, Bradley was named Best New Chef in America by Food & Wine Magazine in 2016. later that year Alter was named semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard awards in the category “Best New Restaurant”, and Chef Kilgore in the category “Rising Star chef of the year” twice in 2016 and 2017. At Alter, he became well known for his hyper creative presentations and genius flavor combinations. The 15 course tasting menu and wine pairings were unlike any the region had ever seen.

In 2018, The James Beard foundation named him a finalist as “Best Chef South”.  Alter was Internationally recognized twice as a “Diners Discovery” by the prestigious voters of San Pellegrino’s “The World’s 50 Best”.

For five years he was the Culinary Director for the  Adrienne Arsht Center and had a signature restaurant, Brava, by Brad Kilgore. Chef Kilgore and his team oversaw all Culinary production in the world class performance hall and the fine dining restaurant.

In late 2018 and 2019 he opened the first of two new restaurants in the Design District, Kaido, an Asian and Japanese Cocktail Lounge and Restaurant with Internationally Renown Mixologist.  Worlds 50 Best recognized Nico de Soto and Ember a Wood-Fire American Bistro.

In 2020 Kilgore Culinary teamed up with Trilogy Developers to design and operate an incredible world class, private, members only racetrack resort called The Concours Club. Found there is the Modern American restaurant, Verge. Currently under construction, he will oversee all of the Culinary operations for the soon to be built Concours Events Center designed by Pininfarina Design House coming in late 2023.

His team’s most recent project is as Culinary Director with the first hotel in the history of Wynwood, the Arlo. Chef Kilgore is the Culinary Director of the entire property which boasts three different venues and all of the catering offerings as well. MaryGold’s Brasserie is the signature restaurant where his culinary creations shine. He has also collaborated with BarLab Hospitality, one of the World’s 50 Best Bar Operators on all Food & Beverage services for the property. The hotel opened in November 2022.

Chef Rogan Lechthaler is as creative in the kitchen as he is adept on skis. With no formal training, the Weston, Vermont native has honed his eclectic culinary skills all the way from Boston to New Orleans.  He specializes in using local, seasonal ingredients at his flagship fine dining spot- The Downtown Grocery in Ludlow, Vermont- but also has a passion for retro arcade games & taxidermy, which came together in his creation of Gamebird- a retro arcade, bar and restaurant in December of 2021.

The chef started his career in 1999 at The Ritz Carlton in Boston, before moving to Mistral, a see-and-be-seen restaurant in Boston’s South End. In 2004, he returned to the Green Mountains for a job at Warren’s Relais & Châteaux Pitcher Inn, which also took him to Blackberry Farm in Walland, TN.  In 2006, he began wooing his Mississippi-raised wife, Abby, leading him down South to learn to cure meats with one of Mario Batali’s old sous chefs at L&M’s Salumeria in Oxford, MS. Rogan was called back to Vermont in 2007, accepting a Head Chef position at Stratton Mountain’s Verdé.  In November of 2010, Rogan and Abby opened The Downtown Grocery.  As well, the couple tried their hand at two other iterations- West Town Eatery (2013, 2015 & 2018)- a summer gig at The Weston Playhouse + Mama’s Hand Made Italian in Ludlow (2016- 2019)- housed in an 1860s Main St building they spent 10 months renovating prior to open.

Rogan has cooked at a private dinner party with Ashley Judd & Morgan Freeman, as a Guest Chef at the Delta Hot Tamale Festival, at an Ambassador’s Dinner in D.C. and at The James Beard House.

He has been featured in GQ, Travel & Leisure, SKIING, Garden and Gun, Yankee Magazine, Edible Green Mountains + The Wall Street Journal in an article that ranked TDG as one of the top 100 highest rated restaurants on YELP in the country (2013).  In addition, the Ludlow restaurant was named one of the Top 100 Best Restaurants in America by the food critics of Us Weekly (March 2019).  And in 2021, the USA TODAY  highlighted The Downtown Grocery’s post-Covid pivot detailing the new small format with a family focused approach to scheduling.

After having graduated from the Buontalenti Institute in Florence, Matteo Lorenzini took his first steps at Gaetano Trovato’s Arnolfo restaurant. He worked in France for almost 10 non-consecutive years, 8 of which in Alain Ducasse’s restaurants. He started at Le Louis XV restaurant in 2006 and became one of the chefs of the AD group in 2018: a first-time experience for an Italian chef. Lorenzini received a Michelin star and the “Youth Of The Year” award from “Le Guide dell’Espresso” in 2015 with Le Tre Lune restaurant, followed by his experience as Executive Chef at the Se·sto on Arno restaurant from 2015 to 2018.

Since April 2021, Lorenzini has led the cuisine of the Osteria di Passignano restaurant, owned by the Antinori family, making a return to his native Tuscany after three years with Alain Ducasse once again, from the Cucina Mutualité in Paris to the three-starred Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester in London.

Hence, a homecoming back to his Tuscan traditions for Matteo Lorenzini, this chef with shining talent and a great knowledge and mastery of techniques and fresh ingredients who has now put his skills at the service of the most authentic Tuscan flavors in the name of essentiality. A continuous evolution, both personal and for Osteria di Passignano, aimed at exalting a vegetable-based cuisine, without sacrificing taste.

James Beard Award-winning and Michelin-starred Chef Tony Mantuano represents an exceptional brand of Italian cuisine.

As Food & Beverage Partner with The Pizzuti Companies, Mantuano directs the food and beverage program at The Joseph, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nashville alongside leading wine and hospitality expert Cathy Mantuano. Together, the husband-and-wife duo guide conceptual development, creative direction and design, menus, execution, and the spirit of hospitality for Yolan, featuring refined Italian dining and named the No. 1 Restaurant in the United States by Food & Wine readers in 2023; Denim, a stunning rooftop bar; Four Walls, an intimate cocktail lounge; and the sophisticated property’s in-room dining and banquet offerings.

Midwest-born and raised, Mantuano first brought fine Italian cuisine to Chicago’s award-winning Spiaggia — one of the country’s most revered Italian restaurants — and has built a reputation of excellence for both himself and the restaurants he has opened in the decades since. A world-renowned chef with a passion for fostering raw talent, he and Cathy trained in Italy in the early 80s, when it was rare for Americans to stage overseas. They have returned almost every year, learning in various kitchens — from small family trattorie to three-star Michelin restaurants. These experiences culminate in restaurants that evoke la bella figura — an expression commonly used to describe the beautiful way of life in Italy — experiences that are genuine, gracious and rich with culture.

A decorated culinary icon, Mantuano has received 12 nominations from The James Beard Foundation, winning Best Chef Midwest in 2005. A loyal supporter of causes close to his heart, he was also honored by President Barack Obama for his culinary contributions to diplomacy.

Mantuano is often recognized for his participation on BRAVO’s “Top Chef Masters” and on several national broadcasts, as well as his appearances at prestigious culinary events and symposiums worldwide. Inspired by their love of Mediterranean cuisine and their travels worldwide, Tony and Cathy co-authored Wine Bar Food — allowing readers to create and share their favorite recipes with loved ones.

The Mantuanos live in Nashville and are proud to call Music City home.

Bay Area native David Nayfeld boasts a venerable restaurant pedigree having worked alongside some of the most esteemed names in the industry. The value of hard work was understood at a young age for Nayfeld, taking his first job at age 13, working at a local produce market followed by numerous kitchen positions throughout his teen years in restaurants.

Wanting to pursue his passion for cooking, Nayfeld enrolled in The Culinary Institute of America and completed two externships, at Nobu in New York and in San Francisco at Aqua. Impressed with his hard work and talent, Aqua held a position for Nayfeld while he finished culinary school so after graduation, he moved to San Francisco and became a line cook at the restaurant.

After two years in San Francisco, Nayfeld received the opportunity to work with the chef of the century Joël Robuchon and, in 2005, he joined the opening team at the chef’s Las Vegas restaurant, Joël Robuchon at The Mansion at MGM Grand. While there, the restaurant earned many accolades including three Michelin Stars, Mobil Five Stars and the AAA Five Diamond Award.

In 2007, with a dream of cooking in New York City, Nayfeld returned to Manhattan to work at the award-winning Cru. A year later, he accepted the highly coveted Senior Sous Chef position at Eleven Madison Park, a restaurant that not only would help define him as a chef, but would change the culinary landscape of New York City. During his time working under Daniel Humm, the restaurant received international acclaim and multiple awards including The World’s Best 50 Restaurants, numerous James Beard Awards, Three Michelin Stars, and Four Stars from The New York Times.

While in New York, Nayfeld worked to broaden his knowledge in all areas of the restaurant business.  He took management classes while with Union Square Hospitality as well as pursued his interest in wine becoming a certified sommelier, having passed the first two levels of The Court of Master Sommeliers.

Seeking continued growth and inspiration, in 2012, Nayfeld embarked on a nearly year-long trip around Europe, working with some of the most renowned chefs at the world’s top restaurants including Albert & Ferran Adria’s Tickets and 41 Degrees in Spain, Philippe Rochat in Switzerland, Jacques Genin in Paris, Mauro Colagrecco at Mirazur and Clare Smyth from Gordon Ramsay in London.

Upon returning from Europe, Nayfeld headed back west, this time to Los Angeles to serve as the inaugural chef for the seasonal, rotating-chef pop up, Fifty-Seven. However, Nayfeld wanted to head home to San Francisco to open his own restaurant.

In 2015, Nayfeld partnered with Matt Brewer, formerly of Hogsalt Hospitality, to start Back Home Hospitality.  They opened their first restaurant, Che Fico, in March of 2018.  The concept explores Italian fare through the lens of California with handmade pasta, pizzas and house made salumi plus dishes from his family’s Jewish-Roman heritage known as “Cucina Ebraica.” Che Fico has received many accolades from the press including being named one of Bon Appetit’s Top 10 Best New Restaurants in America as well as one of Esquire Magazine’s Best New Restaurants. Nayfeld was also named Star Chefs 2019 Rising Star Chef.

In April 2019, they opened a second restaurant, Che Fico Alimentari, an off-shoot of Che Fico inspired by the wine bars of Rome.  Located downstairs to Che Fico, Alimentari continues the mission of providing a convivial space to gather with friends to share great food, wine and warm hospitality.

This spring, Back Home Hospitality will open two new concepts at Springline, a 6.4-acre mixed-use development in Menlo Park, California.  They are opening Che Fico Parco Menlo, an evolution of Che Fico created for the Peninsula and Il Mercato Di Che Fico, an Italian-focused market that will feature local produce, prepared foods, a fish and meat butcher counter, salumi, wine, a walk-up gelato window, catering and more.

Nayfeld was one of the founding members of the Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC), a trade group formed in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic to advocate for independent restaurants. The coalition most notably wrote a bill with members of Congress that secured $28.5B for vulnerable restaurants across the country. Nayfeld’s dedication and perseverance earned him a seat on the IRC board of directors, a peer-elected position where he continues to work in support of the restaurant industry.  During the pandemic, Nayfeld was awarded both the Jefferson Award for public service for his pioneering program called “Family Meal” which fed people in need as well as the Golden State Warriors Impact Warrior Award for community leadership.  Most recently, Nayfeld was named a semi-finalist for the 2023 James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Chef.

Additionally, Nayfeld is working on his first cookbook with author Joshua David Stein called Dad What’s for Dinner?, inspired by his culinary exploration with his daughter, Helena. Slated for release in 2024, it is the first book of its kind to speak directly to single fathers — filled with a mix of recipes, tips, meal planning strategies, and a frank emotional discussion of parenting that is guaranteed to help other caregivers feed their families with joy and ease.

Ben Norton is the Executive Chef of Husk Nashville, Music City’s outpost of Neighborhood Dining Group’s famed restaurant known for celebrating the bounty of the area with local Southern fare. Growing up helping out in the kitchen, Norton spent most his childhood in gardens, collecting fresh produce and herbs for his parents. He got his start in restaurants as a teenager, working in kitchens throughout high school in his hometown of Atlanta, GA, and hasn’t stopped since. Knowing he was destined for a life as a chef, he earned his Associates Degree in Culinary Arts from Chattahoochee Technical College in Atlanta.

Following graduation, he trained under James Beard Award-winning Chef Linton Hopkins at fine-dining pioneer Restaurant Eugene. After three years as Executive Sous Chef, Norton craved a change of pace and headed to the Lowcountry to join the team at McCrady’s in Charleston, SC in 2015. First serving as Sous Chef and then promoted to Executive Chef shortly thereafter, Norton enjoyed fostering a creative environment at McCrady’s, with a fresh approach to fine dining.

In June 2021, Norton reunited with his Neighborhood Dining Group family as Executive Chef of Husk Nashville. Helming the restaurant’s everchanging menu, he works closely with local farmers and purveyors to source the season’s freshest ingredients in addition to utilizing the bountiful on-site garden.

Growing up in Northern California, Nancy Oakes has worked in the front of house and as a chef in San Francisco for her entire career. In 1988 Chef Oakes opened L’Avenue to acclaim, and it was at this time that her unique food philosophy and execution took shape. By the time Boulevard opened its Art Nouveau doors in 1993, her pioneering and creative vision was clear. Oakes’ kitchen is a celebration of the California producer: supporting the best purveyors and illustrating the beauty of their food on every plate. Oakes’ cuisine marries the best local elements effortlessly with their foreign counterpart or ancestor cuisines from Europe and Asia. These multiple elements and influences are reigned in by Oakes’ knowledge and use of classic and uncompromising French technique. The result: meals that are creative, memorable, and delicious.

A pioneering American chef, and a mentor to many chefs in the last decades, many credit Oakes for her generosity, consistency and vision. She is a student of other cultures and cuisines, a champion of artisans, and has hospitality in her bones. Oakes has worked in many restaurant positions and the front and back of house, and runs her own restaurant with the kindness, clearness and confidence of a chef owner who knows all aspects of the restaurant. Oakes has a natural understanding of her customers, and their needs and hopes as people.

Boulevard has been a loved classic for 28 years. Over this time, the restaurant has received numerous local, national and international accolades, nominations and awards; among them, The James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef in California 2001 and Outstanding Restaurant in the United States 2012, as well as the Filiale des Etats-Unis in France.

Chef Oakes co-wrote Boulevard: The Cookbook with Pam Mazzola in 2005 which was nominated for awards from both the James Beard Foundation and the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

In 2010, Chef Oakes opened Prospect Restaurant with Pam Mazzola and Kathy King in San Francisco’s flourishing South of Market/Embarcadero neighborhood. Located at the base of the Infinity Towers, it is a warm and modern urban environment, with high service standards and exceptional cuisine.

Chef Oakes’ energy and sense of community are reflected in the time and talent she has devoted to cooking for charitable organizations. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors for Meals on Wheels of San Francisco, she has been Gala Chef Chair for the organization’s annual fundraiser for 12 years. She enjoys continuous involvement with numerous other philanthropies, including Share Our Strength, The San Francisco Food Bank, The Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture, Make-a-Wish Foundation, Auction Napa Valley, Alex’s Lemonade, and Maitri Compassionate Care.

The Philadelphia-born owner of The Genuine Hospitality Group, James Beard Award Winning Chef, and cookbook author, Michael Schwartz is the face of the South Florida restaurant industry and a nationally recognized celebrity chef.  Since his flagship, Michael’s Genuine® Food & Drink, first opened in Miami’s Design District in 2007, locals and tourists alike have come to embrace and crave its refreshing combination of laid-back, bistro atmosphere and straightforward food emphasizing fresh, local ingredients.

Honored with the prestigious James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: South in 2010, Schwartz is recognized by his peers and the diners that flock to his restaurants for his commitment to community and responsible, seasonal food sourcing.

Branching out from this straightforward approach, Michael has since successfully developed complementary concepts focusing on great service and delicious food, with a genuine culture embraced by employees and guests alike.

The Genuine Hospitality Group of restaurants include three fine dining restaurants, Amara at Paraiso, the quintessential Miami waterfront restaurant serving bold Latin American flavors on Biscayne Bay and an additional Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink in Shaker Heights, OH.  They also have two locations of Harry’s Pizzeria®, named one of Food & Wine magazine’s 25 Best Pizzerias in the U.S.

Outside of the restaurant, Schwartz focuses his time and influence supporting the arts and causes such as Share our Strength, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, Slow Food (from which he received its Miami convivium’s first “Snail of Approval”) and Wellness in the Schools.

The chef has published two cookbooks, GENUINE PIZZA: Better Pizza at Home (Abrams Books, 2019) Featuring 85 recipes, readers learn step by step how to make better pizza at it’s easier than you think.   MICHAEL’S GENUINE FOOD: Down-to-Earth Cooking for People Who Love to Eat (Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2011) features beloved recipes from his flagship, a homage to approachable, sensible, and affordable food that everyone loves to make and at eat. His recipes and restaurants have been covered by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, TODAY Show, and more.

Schwartz began his career in Philadelphia, and earned his culinary chops in kitchens from Los Angeles to New York City, until settling in Miami in the early 1990s.

Philip Tessier is an award-winning chef, author, and coach. He is the chef/partner at PRESS Restaurant in St. Helena, California, an acclaimed Michelin starred restaurant known for its modern, refined American fare on par with the commanding caliber of Napa Valley wines in its cellar.

Philip was the first American chef to ever place on the podium at the biennial Bocuse d’Or Competition in Lyon France. In 2017, he coached the U.S. Team to victory. He recounted this journey in his book “Chasing Bocuse” published in October that same year.

Chef John Tesar’s influential culinary career spans over four-decades, with a gastronomic footprint in the Southwest, and both coasts. Tesar has earned high praise for his critically acclaimed Knife steakhouse and burger concepts, and his two newest concepts, Outer Reef and Knife & Spoon. In 2022, Chef John Tesar was awarded a MICHELIN star for his exemplary work at Knife & Spoon at The Ritz Carlton Grand Lakes in Orlando.

Known for his classically trained chef’s approach to seafood and steakhouse cuisine, over the years he has cemented his reputation for reinventing the steakhouse dining experience. “For years, I thrived as the European-trained seafood chef,” Tesar explains, “so for Knife, I travelled to steakhouses around the country to find out how I could change and elevate the game.” Opened in May 2014 in the Highland Dallas hotel, Knife finds its drive from the products it sources through partnerships with nearby Heartbrand Beef and 44 Farms and the innovative, classically rooted techniques it employs in the kitchen, as well as the science behind its up-to-240-day on-site dry-aging process.

The success of his concepts stems from Tesar’s distinct leadership philosophies. “It’s all about carrying on those classic traditions while keeping your mind open for growth and new experiences,” he says, valuing purity, hard work, style, and integrity. With the expansion of the Knife steakhouse brand throughout Texas and the country, as well as the introduction of Knife and Spoon and Outer Reef —Tesar relishes the enthusiastic support his concept garners from staff, guests, and critics. “To identify, execute, and multiply a niche like this is truly a treasure,” he says.

Prior to reinventing the Texas steakhouse landscape, Tesar enjoyed a lengthy career in fine dining that stemmed from his upbringing in Manhattan and the Hamptons. Inspired by his mother’s cooking, Tesar picked up a job in a Hamptons pub during the summer, when he would head to the laid-back enclave to surf and skate and progressed naturally towards a career in food. With classical French training from Paris’s La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine, Tesar worked at Westhampton’s Club Pierre, a premium French eatery, for six years until ultimately purchasing it. In addition, he furthered his craft throughout the ‘90s at iconic NYC restaurants including 13 Barrow Street, 44 & Hell’s Kitchen, Vine, and Supper Club—at which he worked alongside celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain—before leaving New York City behind in the early 2000s to join chef Rick Moonen in Las Vegas at RM Seafood.

With its blossoming food scene, Dallas drew Tesar to Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in 2006 to lead the high-end establishment as executive chef, rapidly garnering two five-star reviews. He later went on to open Spoon Bar & Kitchen to bring premium seasonal seafood to central Texas in 2012, meanwhile consulting on numerous DRG Concepts properties including Dallas Chop House and Dallas Fish Market, as well as on The Cedars Social, The Commissary, and more. Spoon Bar & Kitchen gained immediate recognition as one of the best new restaurants in the world by Condé Nast Traveler, Bon Appétit, and Esquire, and Tesar’s visionary consulting worked helped shape the Dallas food scene.

Shifting his culinary focus to become an authority on steak, Tesar took on his steakhouse project in 2014 with the caveat that it be different from the rest—a distinction he achieved by investing in long-term dry-aging inventory and by contemporizing the classically stuffy steakhouse atmosphere into an intimate and engaging, product-driven experience. Recognition for Knife Dallas includes Eater National’s “Most Anticipated Openings,” Esquire’s “Best New Restaurants,” Zagat’s “Hottest New Restaurants,” Maxim’s “America’s Best Steakhouse Specialties,” D Magazine’s “Best Steakhouse in Dallas” 2015 and 2016, Gayot’s “Top 10 Best Steakhouses” 2017, and a feature on Esquire Network’s “Restaurant Revolution” program.

With eight successful years of growing the Knife brand, Tesar was ready to take on both coasts, bringing Knife & Spoon to The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes in October 2020, and Outer Reef to Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa in Dana Point, CA in April 2022. Outer Reef pays homage to Tesar’s critically acclaimed seafood restaurant Spoon Bar & Kitchen with a selection of favorites from its menu including crudo, caviar and fresh shellfish, as well as select meat offerings from his steakhouse concept Knife, while Knife & Spoon blends the best of both worlds.

Never one to slow down, Tesar continues to grow the reach of his consultancy in addition to his expansion of the Knife brand, the development of a television show, and the 2017 launch of his cookbook, Knife: Steakhouse Meals at Home, which features endorsements by talented chefs. A five-time James Beard “Best Southwest Chef” semifinalist, two-time contestant on Bravo’s “Top Chef,” and winner of Food Network’s “Extreme Chef,” Tesar’s national media presence also includes appearances on “The Today Show” and “The Early Show” as well as coverage in The New York Times, Food & Wine, New York Magazine, and more.

When he finds free time among his busy schedule, Tesar often fills it by attending food festivals around the world to meet new people, work with new chefs, and learn new culinary techniques. An avid traveler, he naturally gravitates to the beach and the slopes to fulfill his lifelong appreciation for surfing and snowboarding.

Ancestral Terroir: Growing Up In Wine Country
When Chef Dustin Valette walked into his great-grandfather Honoré Valette’s cellar, fragrant with hanging salumi or picked
grapes in his uncle’s vineyard, he was enchanted by the traditions and skill he witnessed. Here he began to learn the interplay of land, time, and heritage. Chef Valette’s culinary passion has brought him far from that basement, and then right back to it. Now 40, he lives with his wife (they met at Aqua restaurant) and their two children, in the Victorian farmhouse where Honoré lived in the 1930’s. The cellar remains a place of inspiration, where Chef Valette writes new menus, hangs home-made charcuterie, and hosts barrel-tastings with winemaker friends.

Catching The Light: Learning From The Greats
After graduating from the Culinary Institute of American at Hyde Park in 2000, Chef Valette made the bold choice to book his own stagiaire program at San Francisco’s most exciting restaurants, Charles Nob Hill, Fifth Floor, La Folie, Fleur De Lis, Gary Danko, and Aqua. Over six months, he learned from the best. This knowledge still drives his culinary ambitions.

Next, Chef Valette landed at Thomas Keller’s one-Michelin-star Bouchon in the Napa Valley. He continued to expand his palette at Hokus at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Honolulu, a five-star, five-diamond property. When Chef Valette came back to the Bay Area, he returned to the place he ended his stage, working at Michelin-starred Aqua in San Francisco, finally as executive sous chef under Laurent Manrique, for three years. At each remarkable kitchen, Chef Valette honed not only his culinary skills, but his leadership style. Whether we are talking about ingredients or team members, Chef Valette works with the best and allows them shine.

After several years, it was time for a cook’s tour of Europe. Serious kitchens are worlds unto themselves and Chef Valette was struck by curiosity about places with centuries-old traditions and close communities. Within hours of landing in Rome, he was “gobsmacked by the intensity of a simple roasted chestnut on the street and what it told me about the culture and the place.”

Establishing Roots: Coming Home To Healdsburg
Upon his return, he opened and helmed his first kitchen as Executive Chef at VOX Restaurant & Wine Lounge in Henderson, Nevada. After a year and a half, Chef Valette yearned to return to the wine country and start his family. Naturally, he came back Healdsburg, where his great grandfather Honoré settled some 100 years ago.

Here he began his six-years as Executive Chef at Dry Creek Kitchen. While eating and working in Europe, Chef Valette saw how sustainability and tradition run deeper than mere sourcing. A kitchen cannot be separated from land, or from the community. At Dry Creek Kitchen, Chef Valette developed that realization into practices and relationships that continue today. Working with winemakers to create inspired pairings quickly became a hallmark of his tenure.

Bud Break: A Restaurant With Family Ties
Before they had even graduated high school, both Chef Valette and his brother Aaron were already working in restaurants. Over glasses of pilfered wine and a view of the vineyards, they made a pact to open their own restaurant someday. In 2015, that fraternal commitment became a reality when Valette opened in downtown Healdsburg, in a location that was once home to Honoré’s French-style Home Bakery. Valette is a fine-casual restaurant and a hugely popular locals’ favorite. The menu at Valette is noted for its inventive and flavorful California cuisine, highlighting Chef Valette’s French technique and proudly featuring ingredients sourced from Sonoma County.

To Chef Valette, sourcing is more than a transaction—as a kid he played t-ball with Zureal Bernier, a farmer with diversified offerings, including the garlic that is essential to many of Valette’s dishes.

Community is at the heart of everything, and from the beginning, Chef Valette was able to develop a philanthropic business model, in which giving is part of profiting, and he strongly believes
that supporting his community is essential to his success.

Fruition: A Love of Wine Becomes a Wine Label
Valette’s curiosity about winemaking was piqued as a young man in his family’s vineyards. That curiosity was nurtured when tasting wines, building wine programs, and creating wine and food
pairing menus over the years. Eventually, Valette tried his hand at garage wines, sourcing juice from local growers, and together enjoying the fruits of their shared labor. After learning the
process, he decided to start a small production wine brand, Valette Wine, made in collaboration with three notable winemakers, Bob Cabral (Pinot Noir and Rosé of Pinot Noir), Jesse Katz
(Cabernet Sauvignon), and Tom Rochioli (Chardonnay), each masterful stewards of their favored varietal. After a few memorable vintages, the wines have developed their own cult following.

Community At The Table: A Restaurant With A Long History and A Bright Future
The Matheson’s origin is a story of deep relationships and heritage. “Only in Healdsburg,” Chef Valette shook his head, telling the story of how the Matheson had grown from a glass of wine with his now business partner, Craig Ramsey, to a restaurant, a sushi kitchen with chef Ken Tominaga, and rooftop lounge on the Plaza. The building was the original location of Honoré’s Snowflake Bakery, which is integral to the project. Every element of The Matheson has a story: from murals of farmworkers and firefighters, to the friends and neighbors who supply produce and meats, the connections run deep.

Chef Valette’s menu is a modern ode to micro-seasonal ingredients, exploring the possibilities of a locally-foraged porcini, or the range of a Purple Heart tomato. For Chef Valette, finding the limitlessness in the specific offerings of the moment is a play of craft and passion.

“Cooking is my passion and I cannot wait to share it with you. Owning and operating restaurants allows me to share with our community what I love, highlighting our amazing farmers, ranchers
and artisans that make Sonoma County such a special place to call home.”