Susur Lee
Praised as one of the âTen Chefs of the Millenniumâ by Food & Wine magazine, Susur Lee remains at the top of his game.
Chef Lee has made numerous television appearances on Chopped Canada, MasterChef Asia, and Top Chef Canada, and has served as a judge on Wall of Chefs, Top Chef Masters, and Iron Chef Canada and America.
With over 10 million followers across social media platforms, his awards and achievements include serving as an ambassador for Canadaâs 150th birthday celebrations, receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from Canadaâs 100 Best, earning the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Chinese Canadian Entrepreneurs, and being named the first foreign chef to receive The Red Chefâs Hat Award in Qingdao, China.
Chef Lee showcases his signature Southeast Asian and French-inspired cuisine at his flagship restaurant, Lee. For more information about Chef Lee and Lee Restaurant, visit our website at www.leerestaurant.com
Chris Shepherd
Midwest-raised, James Beard Award-winning Chef Chris Shepherd has helped change the landscape of the Houston culinary scene since opening Underbelly in 2012. He built the restaurant to support the Houston food community and its suppliers by buying local and drawing inspiration from the people and cultures that live in the city. Thanks to Chrisâ vision and passion, Underbelly was a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best New Restaurant, was named one of the best new restaurants in the country by Bon Appetit and Esquire and was named one of 38 essential restaurants in America by Eater. Chris was named one of the 10 Best New Chefs in America by Food & Wine in 2013 and was then awarded the 2014 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest.
Chris was a semifinalist for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef in 2019 and was named Robb Reportâs Chef of the Year the same year. Chrisâ first cookbook, Cook Like a Local: Flavors that Will Change the Way You Cookâand See the World, was published by Clarkson Potter in September 2019 and was nominated for a 2020 James Beard Foundation Book Award. In 2023, Chris launched a TV show Eat Like a Local on Houstonâs KPRC-TV, where he tells the stories of Houstonâs rich and diverse food and beverage scene. He also hosts an onstage conversation series, Table to Stage, with the biggest names in food and beverage.
Chris began his fine dining career at Brennanâs of Houston, where he spent seven years in the kitchen and then ran the wine program for two. He left Brennanâs in 2006 to open Catalan Food & Wine, which was named one of Esquireâs Best New Restaurants in America that same year.
Chrisâ foundation Southern Smoke has distributed more than $11 million directly to people in the food and beverage industry in crisis via the Emergency Relief Fund and provides free mental health counseling to F+B workers.Â
Dan Richer
Dan Richer is the chef and owner of Razza in Jersey City, the only U.S. pizzeria to earn a three-star review from The New York Times. A six-time James Beard Award nominee and author of the bestseller The Joy of Pizza, Richer was named 2023 Pizza Maker of the Year by Italyâs 50TopPizza. While he is renowned for his scientific, 57-point evaluation rubric and a commitment to hyper-local sourcing, his work is ultimately driven by a much simpler mission: connection. For Richer, the true reward isnât the accolades, but the opportunity to bring people together to experience the pure, universal joy of pizza.
Eric Ripert
Eric Ripert is the chef and co-owner of the acclaimed New York restaurant Le Bernardin. Born in Antibes, France, Ripert moved to Andorra, a small country just over the Spanish border as a young child. His family instilled their own passion for food in the young Ripert, and at the age of 15 he left home to attend culinary school in Perpignan.
In the NYC 2006 Michelin Guide, Ripert's Le Bernardin was one of four New York City restaurants to be awarded the maximum three Michelin stars for excellence in cuisine. Le Bernardin received four stars from The New York Times six consecutive times, making it the only restaurant to maintain an exquisite status for that length of time and never dropping a star. Ripert has since firmly established himself as one of New Yorkâs and the worldâs great chefs.
Chef Ripert has made several guest appearances on cooking-based television shows, including guest judge and assistant chef roles on Bravo TV's Top Chef. He has appeared in many episodes of A Cook's Tour, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, and Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. In September 2009, Avec Eric, Ripert's first TV show, debuted on PBS and ran for two seasons, earning two Daytime Emmy Awards. In 2021 and 2023 he published Vegetable Simple and Seafood Simple, which both became instant best sellers on the New York Times best seller list. In 2014, he released My Best: Eric Ripert . In 2016, he published his memoir: 32 Yolks: From My Mother's Table to Working the Line , which also was a New York Times bestseller.
This fall, Ripert debuts his ninth book, Mindful Cooking. It draws on Ripert's roots, meditation practice and time spent over the years in Tibetan and Korean monasteries, but comes to life through very tangible, everyday ritualsâpausing before cooking to set intention, approaching ingredients with respect, cooking without distraction, and reframing mistakes as part of the process rather than something to react to.
He is also the Vice Chairman of the board of City Harvest, working to bring together New Yorkâs top chefs and restaurateurs to raise funds and increase the quality and quantity of food donations to New Yorkâs neediest. When not in the kitchen, Ripert enjoys good scotch and peace and quiet.
Nyesha Arrington
Nyesha Arrington is the co-star of FOXâs hit culinary competition show Next Level Chef. She is also the host and producer of the digital series Plateworthy on Eater. Â
Nyesha started her culinary career at Michelin starred restaurants MĂ©lisse in Santa Monica and LâAtelier and The Mansion in Las Vegas. She went on to open restaurants Leona and Native in Los Angeles, where she was celebrated for using farm fresh, locally and responsibly sourced ingredients. She has been named to Zagatâs Best Chef 30 Under 30 List as well as Eaterâs LA Chef of the Year. Â
Nyesha hit the national stage as a fan favorite on Bravoâs Top Chef season 9 and has been a household name ever since. Her credits include FOXâs MasterChef and Hellâs Kitchen, Food Networkâs Tournament of Champions, Guyâs Grocery Games and Diners, Drive Ins and Dives and ITVâs Next Level Chef U.K. Â
Nyesha draws inspiration from cooking through the seasons, traveling the globe and contemporary art. When sheâs not in a kitchen, she can be found connecting with others over functional fitness and wellness practices. She lives in Los Angeles with her French bulldog, Bleu-Ginger and tuxedo cat, Mr. Robert Marley.
Martin Yan
Elliott Moss
Elliott Moss is a two-time James Beard-nominated chef celebrated for his inventive approach to Southern cuisine and dedication to whole-hog barbecue. A South Carolina native, Moss built his culinary reputation in Asheville, North Carolina, where he first earned national attention as the chef of The Admiral, a fine dining restaurant known for its creative, ingredient-driven dishes. His second James Beard nomination came for his work at Buxton Hall Barbecue, which quickly became a culinary landmark. Under his direction, Buxton Hall earned a spot on Bon AppĂ©titâs list of the Top 10 Best New Restaurants in America (2016) and garnered widespread acclaim for its authentic Carolina barbecue and inventive sides. That same year, Bon AppĂ©tit recognized Mossâs fried chicken sandwich as the âBest Fried Chicken Sandwich We Ateâ â further cementing his place among the Southâs most influential chefs. Now, Elliott has returned to his home state with Elliottâs Barbecue Lounge in Florence, SC. At Elliottâs, he combines his passion for wood-smoked meats, pasture raised hogs, scratch-made Southern fare, and local ingredients to create an inviting and soulful dining experience. Mossâs philosophy is rooted in tradition but driven by creativity: honoring the time-honored craft of Carolina barbecue while pushing the boundaries of flavor and hospitality. Together with his wife, Jennifer, heâs bringing his signature âBarBee-Que Loveâ to Florence.
Robbie Robinson
Robbie Robinson is the owner and pitmaster of City Limits Barbeque in West Columbia, South Carolina. A self-taught pitmaster, Robinson has earned national recognition for his meticulous approach to both Texas and Carolina barbeque, drawing inspiration from traditional techniques while bringing a craftsmanâs precision and creativity to every step of the process. His commitment to live-fire craft extends beyond the pit to a full menu of scratch-made sides, all prepared with the same attention to detail and respect for ingredients. Known for his hands-on presence and genuine hospitality, Robinson has helped establish City Limits Barbeque as one of the most respected barbecue destinations in the country, honoring Southern traditions while continuing to push them forward.
George Motz
George Motz is a well-traveled chef, author, award-winning filmmaker, and photographer. He has also been called the 'foremost authority on hamburgers' by The New York Times, and âAmerica's biggest burger name' by Eater LA. In the spring of 2004, Motz completed Hamburger America, his second documentary film, which he shot, produced, edited, and directed. The film was nominated in 2006 for a James Beard Award, and in 2011, was recognized by the US National Archives as an integral part of American food history. The film's success led to a state-by-state guide to hamburgers, also titled Hamburger America, a State-by-State Guide to Great Burger Joints. And in 2016, Abrams Books released his first cookbook, The Great American Burger Book, fully updated in May 2023. George can be seen on his show Burger Scholar Sessions on Complex Media's First We Feast.
When not working on his upcoming children's book, George can also be found spreading the word of burger around the globe through workshops, consultations, and burger pop-ups. He recently opened his dream restaurant, Hamburger America, in the Soho neighborhood of NYC, which was awarded 2-stars by Pete Wells in the New York Times.
Hector Garate
Hector Garate is the owner and pitmaster behind Palmira Barbecue, where he blends wood-fired technique, whole animal-cookery, and the nostalgic flavors of his Puerto Rican roots.
Hector Garate grew up in Puerto Rico, where bold flavors, practical technique, and a deep respect for food were part of everyday life. That foundation still drives his cooking. As a teenager, he moved with his family to North Carolina, then New York, eventually landing in Charleston, SC. In the early days of the pandemic, his wife gave him an offset smoker, an unexpected gift that sparked a full-blown obsession. What began as backyard experimentation quickly evolved into something more serious.