E.J. Lagasse
E.J. Lagasse fell in love with food at a very young age. As the son of Chef Emeril Lagasse, he spent most of his early years in kitchens and at home where the family table was a central part of daily life. Cooking with his dad at home and exploring new culinary experiences were fundamental to his childhood and instilled an appreciation and respect for seasonality and nature that has led to his dedication to culinary artistry.
At 13, he started working in the kitchen at Meril Restaurant in New Orleans, and throughout high school he continued working for his father at Emerilâs Coastal in Florida. During summer breaks, E.J. had an opportunity to stage at highly acclaimed CafĂ© Boulud in New York City where he gained invaluable experience training under Daniel Boulud. He went on to spend nearly two years training at the celebrated Le Bernardin with Eric Ripert. After graduating from culinary school at Johnson & Wales, he spent time refining his skills in some of the worldâs most renowned kitchens including Core by Clare Smyth in London and FrantzĂ©n in Stockholm.
In 2022, E.J. returned to New Orleans to take the helm as Chef, Co-Owner where he leads the day to-day restaurant operations. Following an extensive renovation in 2023, the flagship reopened with a refined menu that pays homage to the restaurantâs rich culinary heritage while incorporating innovative techniques and modern adaptations of Chef Emerilâs classics. Chef E.J. draws inspiration from the bounty of Louisianaâs produce from the areaâs most dedicated farmers, fisherman and producers to craft an evolved menu that tells a story through food and nature.
In 2023, E.J. received the prestigious âNew Talent of the Yearâ award from La Liste, the restaurant guide and ranking that designates the worldâs best 1,000 restaurants. ln 2024, Emerilâs received AAAâs esteemed Five Diamond Designation and the restaurant became a member of Relais & Chateaux, joining the list of 80 independent restaurants worldwide. Emerilâs also became a new member of Les Grandes Tables du Monde, joining 195 extraordinary restaurants across 23 countries.
Emeril Lagasse
Emeril Lagasse is the chef/proprietor of 8 restaurants in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Miramar Beach, Florida, as well as three restaurants at sea with Carnival Cruise Lines. His newest venture, 34 Restaurant & Bar, opened in downtown New Orleans in autumn 2024 and is inspired by his Portuguese heritage.
Emeril is also an award-winning national TV personality who is widely regarded as a pioneer in food television in America. Throughout the years he hosted more than 2,000 shows on the Food Network and served as food correspondent for ABCâs Good Morning America. He also hosted Eat the World, an award-winning Amazon original series. Currently he is the host of Emeril Tailgates and Emeril Cooks airing on The Roku Channel.
Throughout the years, Lagasse has received accolades and lifetime awards for his contributions to the American culinary industry including the âDistinguished Service Awardâ from Wine Spectator, the âLifetime Achievement Awardâ from Food Networkâs South Beach Wine & Food Festival, and the âHumanitarian of the Yearâ by the James Beard Foundation for his dedicated efforts to further the culinary arts in America, as well as his philanthropic work. In 2024, he was named Honorary President of Bocuse dâOr Americas for the international competition in New Orleans.Â
In 2002, Emeril and his wife Alden established the Emeril Lagasse Foundation to support children's educational programs that inspire and mentor young people through the culinary arts, nutrition and life skills. To date, the Foundation has distributed over $19.3 million in grants benefiting childrenâs charities.
Leslie Sbrocco
An award-winning author, speaker, consultant, and television host, Leslie Sbrocco, is known for her entertaining approach to wine, food, and travel, as well as inspiring others to live a life of passion. Sbroccoâs engaging personality, humor, and ability to connect with the audience â whether on screen or on stage â are her trademarks.
As host of the PBS restaurant review series, Check Please! Bay Area, Sbrocco has won a James Beard award and four Emmy awards in 19 seasons on air. Her new PBS series, 100 DAYS, DRINKS, DISHES & DESTINATIONS, showcases Leslieâs adventures as she discovers global culinary treasures. It currently appears on more than 300 stations nationwide.
Leslie is a regular guest on NBCâs Today Show and her work has appeared in multiple online and magazine publications. Her first book, Wine for Women: A Guide to Buying, Pairing and Sharing Wine (William Morrow), won the coveted Georges Duboeuf Best Wine Book of the Year award.
Sbrocco is one of the countryâs most sought-after culinary and inspirational speakers and has showcased her energetic style at hundreds of events. She is also a respected judge at national and global wine competitions. www.LeslieSbrocco.com
Hector Garate
Hector Garate, a Pitmaster in the Craft-Barbecue scene, specializes in creating sustainable farm-to-table barbecue using old-school wood fire techniques infused with Puerto Rican influences. Born in Puerto Rico, he gained early exposure to whole animal cookery, which has profoundly influenced his culinary journey. Hector's expertise lies in smoking beef cheeks, whole hog, and crafting house-made sausages. In his quest to produce the finest barbecue, Garate has dedicated his spare time to constructing custom cooking appliances, notably an offset smoker and a whole hog smoker. Partnering with Peculiar Pig Farms and Creekstone Farms, Hector sources the most sustainable farm-to-table smoked meats for Charleston, SC, under his award-winning brand, Palmira Barbecue.
You can find me on Instagram: @palmirabbq
Mike Lata
Mike Lata is Chef/Co-Owner of FIG and The Ordinary in Charleston, SC. He took home the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Southeast in 2009 and was a semifinalist for Outstanding Chef in 2017 and 2018. The restaurants have also received their own accolades: FIG won JBFâs Outstanding Wine Program Awards in 2018 and was nominated for the foundationâs Outstanding Restaurant Award in 2019 and 2020. The Ordinary was a JBF finalist for Best New Restaurant in 2013. Additionally, GQ and Esquire named The Ordinary one of the top new restaurants of 2013.
A native of Western Massachusetts, Mike started his culinary career at an early age, working in kitchens in Boston, Marthaâs Vineyard, New Orleans, Atlanta, and France before landing in Charleston in 1998. He is a hands-on, self-taught chef who is relentless in his pursuit of the freshest products, which constantly inspire and define his work. Mikeâs mission is to create bright, satisfying food that is both uncomplicated and elegant, all the while paying respect to the efforts and traditions of his family of purveyors and the Lowcountry. His longstanding and outspoken commitment to support local farmers and fishermen has cemented his position as a champion of Charlestonâs flourishing culinary renaissance.
Mikeâs food, philosophy, and contributions to the Charleston community have earned him recognition on a national platform, including coverage in The Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, Bon AppĂ©tit, Esquire, Garden & Gun, Southern Living, Travel + Leisure, USA Today, The New York Times and many more. He has been featured in several television appearances, including Food Networkâs âIron Chef America,â Bravoâs Top Chef, PBSâs Moveable Feast with Fine Cooking, The Today Show, and ABCâs âNightline Platelist,â which described his food as âso good it will buckle your knees.â
James London
James London, a Charleston native, came up cooking in barbecue and Southern restaurants in South Carolina. Upon enrolling at the College of Charleston Chef James decided to pursue his passion in food and began to work full time in fine dining restaurants while pursuing a double major at the College. Once he graduated he made the leap to New York City where he enrolled at The French Culinary Institute. After graduation James went on to work with Chef Josh Dechellis before becoming the Executive Chef at Niko, a fine dining Japanese Restaurant in Soho.Â
After his time in New York, James ventured West to San Francisco where he led the kitchen at The Elite Café, a Creole restaurant in Pacific Heights. James eventually made it back to Charleston where he opened Chubby Fish, a dock to table seafood concept that has taken the city by storm. Chubby Fish has garnered a Best New Restaurant nod from Bon Apetit, was ranked #7 Restaurant in the US from Food and Wine Magazine, and James was a Finalist for Best Chef Southeast by the James Beard Awards in 2024.
Rodney Scott
Pitmaster Rodney Scott has been cooking whole-hog barbecue over wood coals since he was 11 years old. For the next 25 years he worked with his family in their barbecue stop in Hemingway, SC until 2017 when he opened Rodney Scottâs BBQ in the North Central neighborhood of Charleston, SC. In the same year the restaurant was named one the 50 Best New Restaurants by Bon Appetit Magazine and in 2018, Scott was awarded the James Beard Foundationâs award for Outstanding Chef: Southeast. In 2019 Rodney Scottâs BBQ opened a second location in the Avondale neighborhood of Birmingham, AL and in the summer of 2021, a third location in Atlanta, GA bringing whole-hog, South Carolina-style barbecue, along with his famous âRodneyâs Sauceâ to another part of the South. In 2024, another location opened on the fourth floor of Chiefâs on Broadway, bringing whole-hog barbecue to Nashville in collaboration with Eric Church.Â
Rodney has been the subject of a full episode of the award-winning Netflix series, Chefâs Table and worked as a judge on Food Networkâs BBQ Brawl for two seasons. His cookbook, Rodney Scottâs World of BBQ, published by Clarkson Potter was released in the spring of 2021 to great fanfare. His hard work, friendly manner and respect from his peers has offered Rodney many opportunities to travel around the world and cook alongside chefs and pitmasters in New York City, Belize, Uruguay and Australia.Â
Ray Isle
Ray Isle is the Executive Wine Editor of Food & Wine and the Wine & Spirits Editor for both Travel + Leisure and Departures. For Food & Wine he writes the monthly âWine Flightâ and âBottle Serviceâ columns; he also contributes regular magazine and online features on wine, spirits, and wine travel to all three brands. His articles about wine, beer, food and spirits have appeared in a wide range of national publications. He has been nominated twice for a James Beard Award, has twice won the IACP Award for Narrative Beverage Writing, and his work appears in The Best Food Writing 2017. He speaks regularly on wine at live events and is a frequent guest on national media, appearing on programs such as Today, CNBCâs On the Money & Squawk Box, NPRâs âAll Things Considered,â and American Public Mediaâs âSplendid Table,â among others. Follow his wine exploits on twitter @islewine and on Instagram @rayisle.
Femi Oyediran
Femi is a sommelier and the co-owner of Graft Wine Shop in Charleston, SC. He discovered his passion for wine while working at one of Charleston's most celebrated dining destinations, The Charleston Grill at the Charleston Place Hotel. During his time at the Grill, he made the rare achievement of passing the first three levels of the Court of Master Sommeliers within two years. 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 & 2019 Top Somm Blind Tasting Competition of the Charleston Wine + Food Festival. He was awarded Wine Enthusiast Magazineâs 2018 â40 Under 40' and was selected as âSommelier of the Yearâ by Food and Wine Magazine in 2019.
Miles White
Miles White co-owns and operates Graft Wine Shop with his business partner / old friend Femi Oyediran in his hometown of Charleston, SC. After traveling the world working at wineries and his dream restaurants in his early 20's, he decided it was time to return home to the Lowcountry and bring his love of all things wine / music / food to the good people of Charleston. Although wine is his passion, he finds love in all things food & beverage, namely frozen drinks, long neck beers and foods his doctor tells him to avoid.