Dominique Crenn Short Bio

Dominique Crenn, the chef/owner of two Michelin starred Atelier Crenn of San Francisco, focuses on cuisine as a craft and the community as an inspiration.

Crenn’s parents both had a strong influence on her interest and love for the culinary arts, and she began her formal culinary training when she moved to San Francisco in 1988 to work at Stars, under luminaries Jeremiah Tower and Mark Franz. Since then, she has held the role of the first female executive chef in Indonesia at the InterContinental Hotel in Jakarta, headed the kitchen at Luce, where she garnered one Michelin Star in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, Crenn opened Atelier Crenn, a deeply personal project, where her heritage and ode to “poetic culinaria” is embodied through the whimsical creations she shares with her guests. Atelier Crenn received its first Michelin Star in 2011, and its second Michelin Star in 2012.

Crenn was awarded the honor of World’s Best Female Chef in 2016 by San Pellegrino’s 50 Best, and continues to be an active member of the international culinary community, to promote innovation, sustainability, and equality, through her collaboration with Basque Culinary Center, TasTAFE, and others.

Gary Danko is widely recognized as one of America’s most talented and respected chefs. His achievements include 3 James Beard Foundation awards and reflect his lifelong pursuit of excellence in the culinary arts. Danko’s successes can be attributed to his many years of study and hard work, combined with an innate ability to create dishes of both elegance and depth that evoke the simple pleasures and warmth of home cooking.

Danko combines classical training with focuses on French, Mediterranean, and regional American cooking. He started working at The Village Inn, a local eatery. Danko, then only fourteen years old, worked his way through high school at that restaurant, and had worked in all facets of the restaurant business by the time he graduated in 1975.The award-winning restaurant GARY DANKO is moving into its eighteenth year with a flourish.

GARY DANKO is located at 800 North Point at Hyde Street in San Francisco and serves dinner nightly from 5:30 PM. The restaurant also includes an eleven-seat bar, offers valet parking, and is wheelchair accessible. Major credit cards are accepted and reservations are recommended. Visit GARY DANKO on the Web at www.garydanko.com. For more information or to make a reservation, call (415) 749-2060 extension 42.

Within months of opening, the restaurant received the highest accolades possible from both San Francisco daily newspapers, and his third selection in Esquire Magazine’s annual “Best New Restaurants”, and six Exxon Mobil Travel Guide “Five Star” as well as AAA 5 Diamond ratings. In May of 2000, GARY DANKO won the James Beard Foundation’s “Best New Restaurant” award, and in August of that year Danko was named Chef of the Year by San Francisco Magazine. In January of 2002, the restaurant was selected as a Relais & Chateau property, one of only twenty-one such dining venues on the continent. Later the same year, Danko has had multiple nominations as Outstanding Chef of the Year by the James Beard Foundation. Gary Danko has been the top performer in the country and the San Francisco Bay area rating for the last eleven years the highest in Food, Service and Most Popular for the Zagat Guide.

Chef Neal Fraser and Amy Knoll Fraser’s flagship restaurant Redbird features Modern American cuisine that is refined yet approachable and highlights the multi-cultural influences of Fraser’s native city – Los Angeles. As a follow up to Grace and BLD, Fraser’s menu features seasonal small and large format plates ranging from snacks or “kickshaws” to entrees meant to be enjoyed by the whole table, complemented with desserts by Pastry Chef Kasra Ajdari. An extensive cocktail menu by Tobin Shea features well-balanced, bespoke renditions of the classics and has garnered him awards such as Time Out’s Best Restaurant Bar Program in 2017. Sommelier Ben Teig’s wine list is well rounded with great finds from both established and emerging wine regions throughout the world. Under Ben’s direction, Redbird has received many awards including “Top 100 wine restaurants in the United States” by Wine Enthusiast and the “Best of Award of Excellence” from Wine Spectator.

Located in downtown Los Angeles, Redbird is carved into one of the city’s most historic architectural gems, inside the former rectory building of Vibiana – the cathedral-turned-event-venue also owned and operated by the Frasers and their partners. Designer Robert Weimer and Amy Knoll Fraser created a dynamic space that pays homage to the cathedral next door and the existing timeless architecture by inserting simple modern forms to complement rather than overtake the feel of the rooms. The result is a warm and comfortable considered space.

Chef Evan Funke found his true culinary path in Bologna, Italy, after working for six years with Wolfgang Puck at the iconic Spago in Beverly Hills, California. During an apprenticeship under master pasta maker Alessandra Spisni of La Vecchia Scuola Bolognese, Funke discovered the time-honored techniques of pasta fatta a mano, a centuries old tradition of handmade pasta.

Upon his return to the U.S., Funke took on the role as Executive Chef of Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica, where he solidified his “return to terroir” approach to cooking by cultivating enduring relationships with California’s best farmers and ranchers. In 2013, Funke’s Bucato, opened to immediate critical acclaim as one of the city’s top restaurants and set a new standard for handmade pasta in Los Angeles.

At FELIX, Funke joins Toronto based restaurant group, GUSTO54, in their first international venture. Situated on famed Abbot Kinney Boulevard, FELIX embodies true seasonality, expert craftsmanship and genuine hospitality.

MARKUS GLOCKER
Chef de Cuisine, Bâtard

Markus Glocker has hospitality in his blood. Born in Austria, he grew up working in the family hotels, where his appreciation for the culinary arts became a passion. After culinary school, Glocker joined Munich’s renowned Restaurant Vier Jahreszeiten. Over several years he excelled in top kitchens all over the world, notably Restaurant Eckart Witzigmann in Berlin, Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago, Restaurant Steirereck Vienna, and Gordon Ramsay in London and New York (which received two Michelin stars during his tenure).

Glocker’s talent finds full expression at Bâtard, the Tribeca restaurant he opened with restaurateur Drew Nieporent (Nobu, Tribeca Grill) and managing partner John Winterman (Daniel, Gary Danko).

Located in the iconic space that previously housed Nieporent’s Montrachet and Corton, Bâtard is a relaxed, intimate setting for outstanding cuisine: fashioned with what New York Times critic Pete Wells calls “a sniper’s accuracy at the stove,” Glocker’s dishes are both robust and refined, including modern interpretations of Austrian traditions like schnitzel and tafelspitz. His Octopus Pastrami is already a new classic.

After its May 2014 début, Bâtard earned a three-star rating from The New York Times, three stars from New York Magazine, and a coveted Michelin star, among several other stellar reviews. In May 2015, Bâtard was awarded Best New Restaurant in America by the James Beard Foundation.

Linton Hopkins Bio
Owner, Resurgens Hospitality Group

An internationally acclaimed chef-owner and Atlanta native known for celebrating local produce and community-driven cuisine, Linton Hopkins delivers radical and meaningful experiences inside and outside of his remarkable selection of dining destinations. Hopkins exhibits deep Atlanta roots, and, along with his father and sister, graduated from Westminster and was an alpha-omega student, following his grandmother’s enrollment at North Avenue Presbyterian (NAPS), a girls’ school later reorganized into Westminster. A graduate from Emory University and the Culinary Institute of America, Hopkins opened flagship Restaurant Eugene in 2004 with his wife, co-founder and co-CEO of Resurgens Hospitality Group Gina Hopkins. The duo proceeded to open Holeman and Finch Public House in 2008, followed by Holeman and Finch Bottle Shop in 2011, H&F Burger at both Ponce City Market and Turner Field, Hop’s Chicken and soon to open C. Ellet’s, an upscale, modern American concept in new Battery Park. Hopkins was named the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef: Southeast in 2008 and champion of Iron Chef: Atlanta, moving on to take the silver medal on the famed Iron Chef: America after facing Japanese great Masaharu Morimoto.

Hopkins and wife Gina are true stewards to the Atlanta community. The two co-founded the Peachtree Road Farmers Market, and began working hand-in-hand with Delta Airlines in 2013, building the premier locally sourced, seasonal menu in aviation history and now provide the cuisine served on all international Delta flights.

The Atlanta Braves are also a valued partner of the Hopkins’ team, with H&F Burger relocating to SunTrust Park, in addition to C. Ellet’s debuting outside the stadium, in support of the organization. A new concept for Hopkins, the steakhouse will open its doors in Battery Park in summer 2017.

Linton and Gina, along with their son and daughter, share a passion for cooking at home and surrounded by family. They are committed to and involved in the ongoing good-food movement, with endless support of the community and dedicated efforts to making Atlanta a better place for food and experiences. Linton has served as President of the Southern Foodways Alliance and partnered with Michelle Obama to celebrate the First Lady’s Chef’s Move to Schools Initiative, and the Hopkins work closely with environmental organization Captain Planet Foundation. Linton insists that making mayonnaise from scratch, and teaching others to do the same, can change the world.

Mark Kiffin
Chef/Owner
The Compound Restaurant & Zacatecas Tacos + Tequila

Mark Kiffin, celebrated James Beard award winning Best Chef of the Southwest 2005, Owner of The Compound Restaurant and Zacatecas Taco + Tequila + Bourbon.

Chef Kiffin celebrates his 17th anniversary as owner of The Compound restaurant on May 30th, 2017, a corner stone of the culinary landscape in Santa Fe, located in the Arts District on Canyon Road. The restaurant renowned for its distinctive style and elegance recently celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016; Kiffin has developed a signature Contemporary American menu, using New World influences combined with the culinary style and flavors of the Mediterranean. Kiffin focuses his seasonally evolving menu on available regional ingredients and local sourcing making both restaurants truly farm to table.

Beginning in 1990, Chef Kiffin partnered with owner Mark Miller at the famed Santa Fe-based flagship Coyote Café and later Coyote Café MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where he acted as Corporate Executive Chef/Owner. Since his tenure with Miller, Kiffin has gone onto work with other notable Chefs and successfully opened 20 restaurants, Zacatecas Tacos + Tequila + Bourbon being his most recent venture in January, 2012. After owning a restaurant in Santa Fe, Kiffin envisioned a casual dining experience in the heart of Albuquerque’s Nob Hill that offers high quality Mexican cuisine featuring recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation – a real Taqueria touching back to his passionate Coyote Café roots.

Twenty-seven years in Santa Fe has strengthened Kiffin’s love and passion for New Mexico. He recognizes not only the responsibility in taking care of one of Santa Fe’s true treasures, The Compound Restaurant, but also the importance of taking care of his community. Becoming a sitting board member for the Santa Fe Wine and Chile committee in 2008, Kiffin ensured a voice for the local Santa Fe restaurants participating in the Annual Wine and Chile Fiesta held every September. In addition to his board work, Kiffin has multiple charities he works with exclusively including Las Campanas Compadres, The New Mexico Cancer Foundation, and the Santa Fe Opera of which he makes generous donations each year and holds annual benefit dinners. Kiffin will again join efforts with the No Kid Hungry Foundation in Dallas TX alongside Chef Stephen Pyles and the CampoVelo Chefs Cycle in Napa CA benefiting ChefsCycle for No Kid Hungry.

Under the attentive, energetic leadership of Chef/Owner Kiffin, both restaurants have received multiple accolades. The Compound 2016 winner wine spectator award, 2016 Restaurant Legacy Award, 2015 James Beard Semifinalist for Service. Also named “Restaurant of the Year, 2000-2001”, in the Santa Fe Reporter’s Annual Dining Guide and “Best New Restaurant” in New Mexico’s Culinary Magazine, La Cocinita. In October 2002, Gourmet Magazine listed The Compound in its “Guide to America’s Best Restaurants.” Bon Appetit lauded The Compound in the current April 2004 issue, in the Top Tables section: “The Restaurant Reporter; Around the Country and Around the World Where to Go Now”, Zacatecas Tacos + Tequila one of USA Today’s Top 10 Tequila Bars in the Country 2016, was nominated as a 2013 James Beard Semifinalist for Best New Restaurant, and received Best of Albuquerque awards from Albuquerque Magazine for best Taco, Margarita, and Crafted Cocktail 4 years running; 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Chef Kiffin enjoys guest chef appearances at numerous national and international food events including, but not limited to, the 17th Annual Masters of Food and Wine, hosted by Food and Wine Magazine, and presented by Wine Spectator; Wolfgang Puck’s Meals on Wheels in Los Angeles, California; Epcot International Food and Wine Festival in Orlando, Florida; The Aspen Food and Wine Festival in Aspen, Colorado; The James Beard House in New York City; Masters of Food and Wine in Carmel, California; the Naples Winter Wine Festival in Naples, Florida; The Four Seasons and Regent Hotels in Singapore; the International Olive Council seminar in Morocco, North Africa – not to mention guesting at numerous prestigious wineries throughout the United States.

CHEF JOSEPH LENN

Chef Joseph Lenn, a native of Knoxville, has always had a deep love for East Tennessee. Food has played a major role in the lives of his family members, including his immediate family, as well as his grandparents and great-grandparents, many of whom grew up on farms in East Tennessee.

Joseph found his way into the kitchen primarily due to his curiosity. He recalls that one of his first cooking lessons from his mother was simply put, “just don’t burn them.” His interest in cooking heightened after high school while working at Butler & Bailey Market in Knoxville. Quality ingredients from the market led to cooking for friends and family after work, and it was the enjoyment of these gatherings that led him to the decision to attend culinary school.

Joseph left East Tennessee in 1999 to attend Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, SC. His professional cooking career began following his first year of culinary school, when he accepted an internship under Chef John Fleer at Blackberry Farm. During his second year at JWU, Joseph began working for Chef Robert Carter at Charleston’s Peninsula Grill, where he remained for three years. While there, he cooked alongside Sean Brock, who invited him to be on the opening team at The Hermitage Hotel’s Capitol Grill in Nashville, TN, which he happily accepted.

After two years in Nashville, Joseph longed to return to East TN, and he was able to work with Chef John Fleer again at Blackberry Farm. Soon he was promoted to Sous Chef, and after 5 years in a variety of positions, Joseph Lenn became Executive Chef of the Barn Restaurant there. During his tenure he was named a Grand Chef by Relais and Chateaux, and he received the James Beard award for Best Chef Southeast in 2013, the first chef in Tennessee to win this prestigious award. After a decade at Blackberry Farm, Joseph decided in April 2015 to undertake the challenge of opening his own restaurant.

He chose the Daylight building in downtown Knoxville, TN, on the corner of Union Ave. and Walnut Ave., one block from Market Square. Joseph has had his eye on this space, a former photography studio, since cooking on the sidewalk at the location for a dinner honoring close friend Allan Benton in 2011. In 2016 he opened J.C. Holdway Restaurant (named after a special uncle), which celebrates foods from the Southeast, cooked by wood-fire.

Beau MacMillan
Executive Chef – elements Restaurant
Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa

As Executive Chef of Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain and its signature restaurant, elements, Beau MacMillan inspires his staff with his passion for fresh ingredients. His ingenuity in the kitchen is stimulated by his belief that food should not be overworked, but rather appreciated for its simplicity and natural perfection. This philosophy is evident in Chef MacMillan’s innovative seasonal menus that focus on fresh, local ingredients procured from a network of artisans and organic farmers.

Chef MacMillan has cooked in some of America’s most distinguished kitchens. He hails from Plymouth, Massachusetts and is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. His culinary career began at the age of 16 when he secured a position at Crane Brook Tea Room in Carver, Massachusetts. Chef MacMillan spent a year under the tutelage of Chef Francios Demueloge. Inspired by this experience, he joined the brigade at La Vieille Maison in Boca Raton Florida, rising through the ranks to the position of Sous Chef. Drawn to the culinary scene on the West Coast, Chef MacMillan moved to Los Angeles where he held Sous Chef positions at the prestigious Hotel Bel Air, and later Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica. He was recruited to Arizona in 1998 to develop the cuisine at The Ranch on Camelback, which later became Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain. Chef MacMillan and former Executive Chef Charles Wiley opened elements restaurant in March of 2001.

Now as executive chef, MacMillan’s innovation has brought elements national recognition and acclaim. In March 2006, Chef MacMillan was invited to The Food Network’s kitchen stadium to compete in an episode of the hit series, Iron Chef America. Chef MacMillan was pitted against Iron Chef Bobby Flay in “Battle American Kobe Beef.” Ultimately, Chef MacMillan’s cuisine reigned supreme, letting him claim victory over Flay.

In addition to his appearance on Iron Chef America, Chef MacMillan has cooked at The James Beard House and at Bon Appetit Magazine in New York, and regularly conducts cooking classes for the guests of Sanctuary. He is also the personal Chef for Wayne Gretzky and his family and has cooked for such personalities as President Bush, Britney Spears, U2, Michele Richard, Jacques Pepin and Michele Roux, Sr.

Chef Nancy Oakes grew up in Northern California and began her restaurant career in San Francisco as a hostess, first at the popular Carnelian Room, and later at Alexis Restaurant on Nob Hill. Her passion for understanding all of the moving parts of owning and operating a restaurant began with those front of the house positions. Her first experience in the kitchen was on the San Francisco waterfront at The Barnacle, which served American classics and San Francisco favorites. Following The Barnacle, she commanded the kitchen at Pat O’Shea’s for the next decade, creating comforting food and garnering many loyal customers. Chef Oakes then opened the much acclaimed L’Avenue in 1988. L’Avenue proved to be the beginning of her much deserved public recognition and success for the years to come.

In 1993, Chef Oakes opened Boulevard Restaurant with Pat Kuleto. This celebrated establishment has earned Chef Oakes numerous local, national and international accolades, nominations and awards; including Zagat’s San Francisco Bay Area’s Most Popular Restaurant, 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’s 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.

Chef Nancy Oakes is a pioneer of haute American cuisine. Her unparalleled standard of excellence and accessible yet groundbreaking dishes have kept diners returning for decades.

Nancy Silverton
Chef & Co-owner
Pizzeria, Osteria Mozza, Mozza2Go, Chi Spacca, Los Angeles

With partners Mario Batali & Joe Bastianich, Nancy Silverton is the co-owner of Pizzeria and Osteria Mozza in LA, Newport Beach and Singapore, as well as Mozza2Go and Chi Spacca in LA. She also founded the world-renowned La Brea Bakery and Campanile Restaurant, an institution that Angelenos cherished for decades.

Nancy has worked with some of the nation’s most notable chefs including in the kitchens of Jonathan Waxman at Michael’s Restaurant and Wolfgang Puck at Spago. Additionally, she has served as a mentor to numerous others who have gone on to become award-winning chefs and restaurant owners themselves.

In 1990, Nancy was named one of Food and Wine Magazine’s “Best New Chefs.” Also that year, she was named “Pastry Chef of the Year” and “Who’s Who of Cooking” by the James Beard Foundation. In 2014, she received the highest honor given by the James Beard Foundation for “Outstanding Chef” as well as listed as one of the Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink by Fortune and Food and Wine Magazine. In early 2015, Nancy launched Nancy’s Fancy, a line of premium gelato and sorbetto which will be sold in supermarkets nationwide.

Additionally, she is the author of nine cookbooks including “The Mozza Cookbook”, and the newly released “Mozza at Home.”

Nancy Silverton has an amazing capacity for embracing the beauty of wonderful food, and will undoubtedly continue to do so for the rest of her ingredient inspired life.

John Tesar
Chef/Partner/Restaurateur
Knife at The Highland Dallas

Never one to shy away from controversy or the limelight, renown Chef John Tesar’s life choices are just as daring and bold as his cuisine. The four-time James Beard “Best Southwest Chef” semifinalist and “Top Chef” contestant specializes in modern American cuisine prepared with authentic European techniques, served up to his legion of fans who flock to his Dallas-based steakhouse – Knife. Tesar’s no-nonsense personality and sharp culinary perspective have garnered high-profile acclaim throughout his 20+ year career including national nods from Esquire (named to “Best New Restaurants” for two consecutive years), Food & Wine, New York Magazine, The New York Times, appearances on “The Today Show,” “The Early Show” and winning the inaugural season of the Food Network’s “Extreme Chef.”

Tesar opened Knife, located at the Highland Dallas hotel, to critical acclaim in May 2014. A reinvention of the steakhouse experience, the chef-driven restaurant features all-natural born and raised Texas beef, pork and lamb in dry-aged prime cuts and specialty cuts such as chuck flap, beef tongue and Akaushi beef. Named one of Eater National’s “Most Anticipated Openings,” Esquire magazine’s “Best New Restaurants,” Zagat’s “Hottest New Restaurants,” Maxim’s “America’s Best Steakhouse Specialties,” Gayot’s “Best Steakhouses in America,” D Magazine’s “Best Steakhouse in Dallas” 2015 and 2016 and featured on Esquire Network’s “Restaurant Revolution,” Knife is Tesar’s revolutionary steakhouse vision realized.

Prior to Knife, Tesar opened Spoon Bar & Kitchen, receiving recognition in Condé Nast Traveler’s “Best New Restaurants in the World,” Bon Appetit Magazine’s “The Best New Restaurants of America in 2013” and Esquire magazine’s “The Best New Restaurants of 2013.”

Tesar, who received classical French training at La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine in Paris, originally started his culinary career in his home state of New York. He worked at posh eateries such at Club Pierre in Westhampton, followed by stints at 13 Barrow Street, 44 & Hell’s Kitchen, Vine, and even cooked alongside Anthony Bourdain at the Supper Club in Manhattan. He would eventually trade the Big Apple for Sin City to work with Chef Rick Moonen at RM Seafood in Las Vegas. However, by 2007, Tesar embarked on another major move to then up-and-coming culinary hotspot Dallas to take the helm at the ritzy Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek; there he would earn two five-star reviews.

A highly sought-after consultant, Tesar is the genius behind the menus at DRG Concepts’ Dallas Chop House, Dallas Fish Market, Wild Salsa, and Chop House Burger as well as The Cedars Social, Oak in the Design District, and The Commissary; for which he earned a “Best New Restaurant” award in D Magazine with his revolutionary CVap cooked burgers.

With a steadfast focus on the future, Tesar recently announced he is working with Flatiron Books and Macmillan on his first book, “Knife: Texas Steakhouse Meals at Home,” to be published in May 2017. There are also future plans to expand Knife steakhouses nationwide, and immediate plans to to open a Knife Burger at the much-anticipate Legacy West food hall in Plano, TX for fall 2017.

From bringing seafood to the heart of Texas to reimagining the traditional steakhouse, Tesar continues to be a visionary, instrumental in Dallas’ growing reputation as a true foodie destination.

Jonathan Waxman is a native Californian whose family nurtured him in the food arts from an early age. He received the Grand Diplôme from La Varenne School in Paris and mentored with Alice Waters at Berkeley’s legendary Chez Panisse before graduating to Executive Chef of Michael’s in Santa Monica. In 1984, Jonathan made his mark in New York with the iconic Jams, which he followed up with a string of successes in New York, London and Napa Valley. Today, Jonathan is chef and owner of Barbuto in Manhattan’s West Village and Jams in 1 Hotel Central Park. In 2014, he opened his Nashville restaurant, Adele’s, and is a founding partner of Nashville’s Music City Food + Wine Festival. His Atlanta restaurant, Brezza Cucina, is located in Ponce City Market and Waxman’s, Jonathan’s most recent venture, opened in San Francisco’s Ghirardelli Square in March 2016. Jonathan Waxman is the 2016 James Beard Award winner for “Best Chef, New York City”. He was a judge on Bravo’s Recipe for Deception and has appeared on two seasons of Top Chef Masters. He is the author of cookbooks, A Great American Cook and Italian, My Way. Jonathan currently lives in Manhattan with his wife and three children.

Chef Eric Ziebold

A respected personality of the Washington D.C. and national dining scene, Eric Ziebold opened two critically acclaimed restaurants, Kinship and Métier in January and April 2016 respectively. Located in the District’s Shaw neighborhood and just steps north of Mount Vernon Square across the street from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, the restaurants attract Washingtonians and destination dining travelers alike.

Atop the restaurant honors list is Kinship’s recognition by the prestigious Michelin Guide as a Michelin one-star restaurant. The premier issue of the Washington D.C. guide launched in October 2016, as one of only four United States cities to have the “red book.”

Washingtonian proclaimed that “Kinship is the most exciting DC restaurant opening of the New Year” (2016), while ranking both Kinship, number four and Meter, number 14 in their annual “top 100” list.

The Washington Post awarded Métier 3½ stars (out of four) and proclaimed this “little jewel box” is an “escape for an evening with Eric Ziebold’s seven-course tasting menu, which affirms his role as one of Washington’s premier talents”. As well, Kinship received 3 stars from the paper: “With the debut of Kinship near the convention center, I’m (re)routing food lovers to the superior handiwork of former CityZen chef Eric Ziebold and his wife and partner, the gracious Celia Laurent”, and ranked it at number four for 2016.

Chef Ziebold has received an array of accolades for his creative interpretations of modern American cuisine. From September 2004 to December 2014, Ziebold was Chef at CityZen in the Mandarin Oriental Washington, DC. During that time, the restaurant was awarded the coveted Washington Post Four-Star rating and was the only AAA Five-Diamond-rated restaurant in the city at the time. In addition to being named one of the “Best New Chefs” in the United States by Food & Wine Magazine in 2005, Ziebold took home the prestigious James Beard Award for “Best Chef Mid-Atlantic” in 2008.

Prior to CityZen, Ziebold served as Chef de Cuisine of Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry in Yountville, California, often described as the “best restaurant in America.” As well, he helped Keller open Per Se in New York City in early 2004. Ziebold worked for Chef Keller for a total of eight years. Prior, he worked under acclaimed Chef Jeff Buben at Washington D.C.’s Vidalia and at Spago in Los Angeles under the direction of Chef Wolfgang Puck. Ziebold graduated from the Culinary Institute of American with Honors, following a lifelong interest in cooking that took root in his native Iowa.

Ziebold served as advisor to the U.S. Department of State within the Diplomatic Culinary Partnership, launched in 2012, where select American Chefs participated in public diplomacy programs that engaged foreign audiences abroad as well as those visiting the United States, joining an effort to forge cultural exchanges over the dining table worldwide. He is currently a member of the Advisory Committee of the S&R Foundation which promotes talented individuals in the Arts and Sciences, and has served as an advisor to the Joan Hisaoka Foundation for its annual fundraising gala from 2009 to present.