Celebrated California artist/chef, Wendy Brodie, is known for her creative style with food, presentation and table décor.

With her husband, Brodie was co-owner of the Lincoln Court, a popular Carmel CA restaurant and has been a guest chef, developing menus to represent CA Cuisine at numerous four and five star hotels and has cooked for and with numerous celebrity chefs including Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, Roy Yamaguchi, Paul Pruhomme and Martha Stewart.

Brodie has also written food columns, lectured and demonstrated cooking and tabletop designs and hosted her own local weekly television show, “Art of Food”

Chef and Food Service Specialist Michelle Curry

‍Michelle Curry’s earliest childhood memories have one thing in common: eating delicious food. Her introduction to food service occurred in elementary school when she volunteered to help serve her fellow students’ lunch. She went on to attend both the Chef Training program at LA Trade Technical College as well as the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.

After returning to LA, Michelle worked with Joachim Splichal at Patina, and Amy Pressman at the Old Town Bakery in Pasadena. While raising her children, Michelle continued to create specialty desserts and wedding cakes, cater events, and teach cooking classes at Home-Chef in Pasadena.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Food and Nutrition from Cal Poly Pomona and transferred her years of experience to school nutrition at her alma mater, South Pasadena USD, and created a meal program emphasizing fresh food, flavor, quality and variety, while tripling the revenue and building a financially stable program.

She was recognized nationally with the Silver Fame Award in 2016 and served on the School Nutrition Association’s Chef’s Task Force, promoting excellence in food.

Culinary Manager - Tanaka Farms

‍Chef Jim Gibbons is the former executive hotel chef for Hilton Hotels in Arizona. He manages the Culinary Team and the Tanaka Grill at Tanaka Farms. Jim also leads the cooking classes and cook out tours at Tanaka Farms. He enjoys taking guests out on the farm where they grow a variety of fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables. Guests learn to harvest and collect fresh ingredients to create delicious Farm to Table meals.

Wing Lam co- founded Wahoo’s Fish Taco in 1988, headquartered in OC and now with more than 60 locations. Lam a Chinese immigrant, spent his childhood in Sao Paulo, Brazil, before he moved to Costa Mesa.

Lam, known today as the “ultimate wing man,” restauranteur, surfer, speaker and philanthropist, graduated from Costa Mesa’s Estancia High School followed by a degree in finance from San Diego State.

Wing and his brothers road tripped to Mexico, and they loved the fish tacos there. Their vision was to create a fast-casual Mexican restaurant with a streamlined menu, inspired by their Brazilian-Chinese heritage.

Featured on the Food Network shows : Guy Fiery Grocery Games 2020 , Beach Eats 2001 , Food Unwrapped 2003 and has participated in various special events including: James Beard House featured chef dinner 2018 , OC Hall of Fame class of 2024, ACG Founder’s Award 2025 and multiple charity awards.

Owner & Chef - Chez Bacchus

I have always had a passion for food. After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu, I worked under famous French chef David Feau, the Royce, at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena. In 2012, I began work at one of Disney’s top restaurants, Napa Rose, under culinary director Andrew Sutton and chef Gloria Tae where I was able to hone my culinary and management skills. In 2022, I became co-founder and executive chef Chez Bacchus in Long Beach. My culinary style is fresh seasonal California cuisine, focusing on locally sourced, sustainable ingredients.

Executive Chef- All Things Fabulous Catering

‍Chef Dani Leyva has been cooking for as long as she can remember. Growing up in an Italian family everything was made from scratch, the freshest ingredients and made with a lot of love. Her memories were either standing on my “special” stool at her very own “special” pull out cutting board in the kitchen or gathered around her Nana and Papa’s dining room table surrounded by family. Dani’s greatest influences in the kitchen were generation taught, strong, influential Italian women, her Great Grandma G, her Nana, and her amazing Mother. They taught Dani everything from making Sunday Sauce, Leg of Lamb slow cooked on a rotisserie, homemade breads, fresh herb dressings and so much more. Dani has spent 30 years of her life combining her experience and love for all things culinary. She love’s creating memories for her clients and being transported back to her childhood, where family, friends and amazing food will be remembered always. An amazing personal chef and caterer, she has crafted incredibly unique cocktail parties for corporate events, weddings, and special occasions.

Owner & Executive Chef - The Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens

‍Chef ​Rich ​Mead ​has been cooking farm-to-table food before the​ term even existed. With decades of culinary expertise, Chef Mead has cultivated relationships with the highest regarded local ​and sustainably focused farms​ and purveyors​ allowing him to create the freshest menus using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and specially grown vegetables. Today, Farmhouse ​at Roger's Gardens ​is the culmination of Mead's long-standing relationship with ​these farmers and purveyors​, who have become in many ways like family​ and have provided him with quality ingredients that Farmhouse uses​ throughout the menu in thoughtfully crafted dishes and cocktails.

Executive Chef, TGIS Catering

Chef Meyer was born and raised in LA to a Filipino mother who put a premium on teaching her sons an appreciation for their heritage as well as LA’s diverse cultures and foods. It was at his mother’s restaurant Lynne’s Cuisine, a Thai-Chinese outpost, where he began his culinary journey as a server.

Inspired to pursue a culinary career, he enrolled in Le CordonBleu College of Culinary Arts in Pasadena. He landed his first job at the prestigious Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel & Spa in Pasadena and quickly rose through the ranks. Kevin continued to expand his horizons at the Beverly Hills Hotel then as Executive Chef at The Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica and The Pasea Hotel in Huntington Beach.

In 2017 he joined the team at TGIS Catering as Executive Chef. Creating cuisine from different cultures using interesting fusions is the ideal setting for his creative spirit that can only occur within a catering environment. Kevin feels one should always reach for the stars and remember the secret is FOOD, FUN AND FAMILY.

Founder - Hickory & Spice

Pitmaster Rick Mysse is a pro-bbq veteran with multiple grand championships and over 300 trophies spanning 7 years and 8 states. After 'retiring' from pro-bbq in 2022 he founded Hickory and Spice BBQ in Orange, California where he continues to produce quality bbq and side dishes to feed the local community.

Chef - Oceans & Earth

Chef Adam is a true pioneer in the sustainable restaurant and farming community. Adam was the first Chef in the world to grow food for his restaurant and catering company using Aquaponics . In addition to winning "Chef of the Year 2018" with the Southern California Writers, he is the founder of Future Foods Farms. Future Foods Farms produces all organically grown products in greenhouses and aquaponics beds. These crops of fresh, healthy foods are showcased in his popular Oceans & Earth restaurant, voted "Best Gluten-Free Restaurant in the Country" in 2019.

Say “Huyen” Catering

Huyen (pronounced “when”) is the owner of the company Say Huyen Catering and is a lifelong veteran of the food industry. From working in her parent’s restaurant as a child, to bartending, serving, running a busy catering division for a popular eatery in Pasadena, California and eventually running her own catering company. Huyen has done it all and continues to do it day in and day out. Born in Vietnam and raised in Chicago. Huyen began at an early age working in her parent’s restaurant. “Having the experience at such a young age helped me learn the multiple disciplines of cooking.” Huyen was always a natural in the Kitchen and understood at an early age what her true calling would be.

Working throughout her childhood and high school years, Huyen continued to hone her skills. At 23 she headed to California to tackle a new region and all it had to offer in regards to food. Taking multiple jobs, sometimes all at once to support her family, Huyen didn’t take these jobs for granted as just a way to make ends meet. She became a sponge and tried to soak up as much knowledge as possible at each job. With all of her experience, she finally asked this question a few years ago. “Why can’t I do this myself, make my own decisions and take control of what I do best?” Her answer of course was “why not” and Say Huyen Catering was born.

From intimate parties of 12 to large gatherings of 250, Huyen can do it all. Sweet or savory she can customize any menu to your liking. Huyen is not a graduate of any prestigious brick-and-mortar culinary institution but rather a graduate of another great culinary school, the school of life.

Dan Reighn is the owner of Reighn World Entertainment and is the host of a farm-to-table docuseries called Bringing it to the Table, giving a much-needed voice to the farmer. The TV Show is currently airing on Cox Cable nationally. Dan is also a world champion home chef having placed Top 3 and Top 6 in the world at the World Food Championships in 2023 and 2024. Dan is also a two time Rice and Noodle Category World Champion and will compete again this October along with Wendy Brodie at the World Food Championships in Indianapolis, IN. The World Food Championship is the largest food sport cooking competition in the world.

When Dan is not filming his TV show or competing at the World Food Championships, he is also an interior designer and manages a home furnishings store in Carmel-By-The-Sea, called Carmel Color House.

Executive Sous Chef - Hyatt Regency Orange County

I have been cooking since I was 4, with my grandmother, and mom.

I want to culinary school at Art Institute of Orange County in 2005 and started my culinary career at Orange Hill restaurant. I worked there for three and a half years. Subsequently, I went to CHOC hospital to help them change from a tray line system to tickets. After CHOC hospital I went to the Ritz Carlton. From the Ritz I transferred to Anaheim Marriott with the birth of my identical twin girls. Moved on from Marriott to Monarch Beach Resort and Spa (Waldorf Astoria).

Executive Chef/Owner & Operator - 608 Dahlia

Executive Chef, and owner-operator, Jessica Roy was born and raised in Orange County, California and enjoys celebrating fresh, California flavors in her cuisine. She is passionate about gardening, cultivating healthy food and utilizing seasonal ingredients. When she had the opportunity to open her restaurant, 608 Dahlia, she knew she wanted to bring a true garden-to-table experience to the guests; many of the garnishes and herbs are hand-picked by Jessica straight from the Gardens or from her home-grown backyard oasis. When sourcing other ingredients, Chef Jessica supports local purveyors and prioritizes small, eco-conscious businesses. Chef Jessica deeply cares about her community and is proud to have a Level One Certified Green Restaurant.

Executive Chef and Owner – Break of Dawn Restaurant

Chef Dee Nguyen is the son of hard-working refugees who fled Vietnam when he was a young boy, Dee was expected to become a doctor or lawyer but found his passion was in cooking. Dee excelled as a chef, graduating from the California Culinary Academy. Dee was hired as a chef at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel, CA where he rose through the ranks in record time to become their Executive Sous Chef. A life changing accident involving his son, prompted Dee to leave his dream job at the Ritz Carlton to care for his son. Dee started his own restaurant which operates five days per week from 8 am to 1 pm for breakfast and brunch. This allows Dee to care for his son in the afternoon/evenings. He hosts monthly pop-up tasting menus with the most imaginative courses. The focus is upon a theme ingredient and Dee searches through farmer’s markets and forages in the woods for local seasonal ingredients. Guests are treated to Dee’s creative masterpieces during these special dinners highlighting his talents as a high-flying Executive Chef.

Plant Based Chef and Ayurvedic Consultant + Food as Medicine by Shina

‍Plant Based Chef and Ayurvedic Consultant, Shina Chen teaches people how they can lead healthier lifestyles and experience Food as Medicine. Her mantra is “opposites cure”. If you are hot, you crave something cold. In the summer it is hot and cooling foods like fresh limes help cool down your body. Lemons are considered hot, and limes are cooing. When it is cold in the winter, our bodies crave hot food. The opposite of salty foods are sweet foods. Shina provides private health and wellness consultations for her clients. Her go to ingredient is ginger which is considered the mother of mother nature because ginger is good for so many things such as digestion, relieving nausea, etc. She is a talented and creative chef using fresh organic plant-based ingredients.

Executive Chef Baker/Cook and Owner at Crema Café + Crema Artisan Bakers

‍Chef Tarit Tanjasiri’s love for baking and his interest in dough science started right after studying at the University of Southern California when working at a pizza shop. His business and economics studies in college led him to work as a real estate investor, developer and in property management. His entrepreneurship skills and his love for baking led him to the hospitality industry where he owned different cafes and restaurants in Downtown LA and the San Fernando Valley since 1993. He attended a French Pastry School in Chicago learning the craft of baking Artisan breads. Tarit is now owner of a vibrant and bustling café, The Crema Café in Seal Beach and Crema Artisan Bakers, Wholesale Bakery in Irvine. His current projects, in collaboration with two friends include Artisan, 7 leaves and Crema bakery in Fountain Valley.

Executive Chef Baker/Owner at OC Baking Company

‍Chef Dean Kim first fell in love with baking while attending UC Berkeley for his undergraduate degree. He was working part-time at a local bagel store as a baker when he immediately fell in love with the smell of bagels. That is when he knew he wanted to pursue baking instead of law school. He attended the American Institute of Baking and the San Francisco Baking Institute to get a proper culinary education. He then moved down to Orange County and worked for a local bakery. Several years later, with the support of his wife, he decided to open his own shop and OC Baking Company was born. Chef Dean is an award-winning executive artisan baker bringing artistic, unique bread to leading hotels and restaurants in Southern California.

Old Town Baking Company

As a young boy, Don Bishop enjoyed being in the kitchen with his mother Myrtle. By the age of 9, he developed a passion for baking and was soon preparing bread, rolls, and pies in the family kitchen. Don joined the US Army in 1957 and soon became the night head baker where he used his baking skills to nourish hungry soldiers. Years later he revisited his passion for baking when he opened his doors for business in 1999. Old Town Baking Company carries on the tradition of baking handmade, fresh- baked breads and sweets. Today, we continue in this same tradition by providing you, our customer, with exceptional, handmade quality and freshness.