ABOUT THE CHEFS

Chef Len works directly with numerous global consumer brands, food manufacturing companies, food service distributors and contact feeders, aligning product design, marketing and sales teams to create fresh and innovative food solutions. He brings a passionate love of food to every product, building upon experience that began at a family restaurant and continued throughout his tenure as the Executive Chef for Stockpot Soups, a division of Campbell's Food Group, where he headed up R&D innovation for key national chains.

Chef Len's formal training includes the California Culinary Academy. He holds a B.S. in Economics from the University of Maryland. He is a Certified Executive Chef through the American Culinary and a Certified Research Chef through the Research Chef's Association. He serves as the Chef & Child Chair for the Baltimore Chapter of The American Culinary Federation, sits on the Board of The Great Kids Farm for Baltimore City Schools, and advises curriculum for the Stratford University Culinary Program.

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With his focus on great-tasting food through quality ingredients, Chef Trip has been a dynamic contributor to the McCormick Culinary Innovation Team.

Chef Trip has a long history in the food industry and brings a unique 360 view, having been a restaurant owner, corporate development chef, director of food and entertaining at a major international hotel chain, and serving as an international culinary consultant. Today, Chef Trip's food and flavor philosophy sits in the hands of real food and products derived from them. Flavors should range from subtle to bold and can be globally inspired based on the ingredients at hand, and most of all, dishes should leave the consumer delighted and wondering, "how did the chef do that?"  

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Culinary instigator Elizabeth Falkner is a multi-award-winning chef and restaurateur whose culinary journey originated in San Francisco before making her way to the Empire State of New York.

A fearless competitor in the world of cooking, Falkner has been featured on “Sugar Showdown,” “Top Chef Masters” and “Iron Chef America,” as a contestant and judge. She has also attained James Beard recognition, an accolade for her work behind the scenes at San Francisco restaurant Citizen Cake. 

We had a great chat with Falkner about the development of her culinary style and how chefs today can learn from her love of flavor and experimentation.

Read the full Chef Falkner interview

A Hudson Valley, NY native, Nicole has made her way to McCormick by way of the Austin, Texas food and film industry. Her role here at McCormick leverages both these passions as she spear-heads initiating new ways to utilize video to connect with customers and enhance the food experience. Chef Nicole ardently believes that food, in all its manifestations is the key of life. The most unique challenge for her is to take food visually from the eyes to the stomach and create an unforgettable, all-encompassing experience along the way.

Chef Nicole graduated from Claremont McKenna College in California with a double BA degree in Film Studies and Psychology. She also holds a degree in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. Her focus always has and continues to be to positively impact people’s lives through exceptional food.

Explore tips, tricks and plus ones from the McCormick Chefs

Raised in Northern, California, Chef Jamie Tran is bringing the heat to the off-strip center of Las Vegas with her childhood-inspired Vietnamese-American cuisine.

A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu College in Culinary Arts in Nevada, Chef Train gained much experience through her mentor Vincent Pouessel, working at both Aureole and DB Brasserie.

We recently spoke to Chef Tran about her cuisine innovations came to be and how her childhood has influenced her flavors and flair.

Read the full interview Chef Owner Jamie Tran

Within the concourse of Houston's Greenway Plaza, BBQ lovers will be pleased to discover Feges BBQ, one of the city's best kept flavor secrets.  At the helm of this modern meat concept are Chefs Patrick Feges and Erin Smith.

With Chef "Whole Hog Guy" Feges, a graduate of the Texas Culinary Academy and Chef Smith, a graduate of the California Culinary Academy, it comes as no surprise these two met in a kitchen, leading to what would become Houston's (literally) hottest power couple.

With their concept a step away from typical dine-in BBQ, we were thrilled to sit down and discuss with Chefs Feges and Smith how their location and set-up influences their globally-flavored menu and how such globalization came into play in the first place.

Read the full interview Chef Owners Patrick Feges and Erin Smith

Originally hailing from Africa's Ivory Coast, Chef Fatou Ouattara is already rising in Portland's food scene, just on  year after opening Akadi.  Providing customers, a less often-served West African cuisine with no American influence, Chef Ouattara is staying true to the roots of her homeland, all while creating dishes completely from scratch.

We caught up with Chef Ouattara to find out how she creates these African features, often without Ivory Coast ingredients, and the role Portland plays in her day-to-day flavor process. 

Read the full interview Chef Fatou Ouattara

A Tennessee native and graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, Chef John Lasater made an unforgettable transition in 2012 from fine dining to the fast-casual world of Hattie B's, Nashville's authentic hot chicken hotspot.

Serving line-forming signature dishes with heat levels from Mild to Shut the Cluck Up, Hattie B's has begun to expand further into Tennessee and other ever-hot locations in Las Vegas, Nevada, with no signs of cooling off in chain growth anytime soon.

We recently sat down to talk to Chef Lasater about how his concept differs from the rest of the industry's poultry-pushing populaces and what has ultimately played in the establishment of Hattie B's as a must-have for Nashville-and-beyond tourists and spice lovers.

Read the full interview Chef John Lasater

Born into culinary lineage with a family-owned cafe in Vancouver, BC, Chef Keith Pears got his official start at age 15 washing dishes before attending Vancouver Community College; completing his apprenticeship in 2003.

After working with the likes of Chef Lynda Larouche and Watermark on Kits Beach, Chef Pears joined the Delta Hotels family as a 1st Cook at e.b.o. Restaurant & Lounge (Delta Burnaby Hotel & Conference Center); eventually becoming promoted to Executive Chef.

Since then, Chef Pears has transitioned to Delta Hotels by Marriott Toronto, a busy, bustling flagship location and a great personal and professional challenge he couldn't wait to take on. We recently had a chat with Chef Pears to get the inside scoop on the goings on and flavor processes behind-the-line at one of Toronto's most popular multi-restaurant hotels.

Read the full interview Chef Keith Pears

Born in France to French and Spanish parents, Chef Jeremie Falissard got an early taste of many culinary cultures, inspiring what became his eventual travels to Spain and Italy; all to further his kitchen training experiences.

Fast-forward to 2005, Chef Falissard moved to Montreal, Quebec and took up restaurant management positions before opening Barroco in 2008 and Bocata in 2010.

His latest endeavor has been Foiegwa, a French neighbourhood diner with a classic American twist. We recently visited Chef Falissard at Foiegwa to learn more about this must-try Montreal location and how he combines inspiration from both his French and North American cultural influences.

Read the full interview Chef Jeremie Falissard

Originally born and raised in Edmonton, self-taught Roy Oh built his experience catering for his church eventually taking a starting position at Joey Tomatoes to learn the how-to's of Canada's culinary hustle.  After lending his skills to two more kitchens, Chef Roy Oh was excited to bring his own Korean influences to the plate, opening Anju in 2008.

We recently spoke to Chef Oh about the inspiration and processes behind the food concepts of Anju.

Read the full interview Chef Owner Roy Oh

With training from both near and far, from a variety of accredited locations including Fairmont Hotel (Vancouver), Castello Vicchio Maggio (Tuscany) and Esperante (Scotland), Chef Alessandro Vianello has become well-known for his knowledge and execution of sustainable, protein-based cuisines.

Now found behind-the-line of Gooseneck Hospitality including Wildebeest, a farm-to-table staple of Vancouver’s food scene, we had the opportunity to talk to Chef Vianello about his process when it comes to sourcing, cooking and making the most of every last bit of his flavorful proteins.

Read the full interview Chef Alessandro Vianello

Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Jessica Sanchez fell almost instantly for its comfort classics while still taking in her family's authentic Columbian fixtures.  After a short, but successful run in finance, she followed her family-first heart and joined her mother in opening Loba, a cozy, home-style hotspot full of Latin American flavors with Southern inspiration to boot.

We recently sat down with Chef Sanchez to find out more about not only the familial inspiration, but also the blend of Miami living with Columbian authenticity.

Read the full interview Chef Owner Jessica Sanchez

Once self-described as a Ronin, a rogue warrior working under many culinary masters, Chef Mikel Anthony has gone from testing his freelance limits to testing flavor limits in Chef’s Roll’s official Test Kitchen.

Before going rogue, Chef Anthony had graduated from The Art Institute of California’s International Culinary School, soon working in the kitchens of the Four Seasons Aviara, Hilton Oceanfront, Juniper & Ivy and Cucina Enoteca Del Mar.

We recently spoke with Chef Anthony about his transition to the freedom of freelance to test projects and how themes, ingredients and spices come into play when experimentation is your daily to-do.

Read the full interview Chef Mikel Anthony

Featured in Eater, Thrillist plus semi-finalists of the 2018 James Beard Award for Best Chef, Chef-Owners Ross Coleman and James Haywood are kitchen creators of global soul; the expression of ones inner identity, what translates a people or a culture on a plate.

In a city, full of global flavors spread across the map, and worldwide stamps across their own passports, Chef Coleman and Chef Haywood have established Kitchen 713, bringing global flavors and trusted, authentic Southern cuisine together in one prime location.

We were excited to sit down and learn more about this long-dreamt, jet-setting inspired concept, along with how flavors, spices and overseas dining experiences go from travel found ideas to Houston-loved dishes without diner fear of the new, the different or the unknown.

Read the full interview Chef Owners Ross Coleman and James Haywood

Firing up Calgary's culinary scene with four hot restaurants, CHARCUT Roast House, charbar, Alley Burger and the Rooftop Bar at Simmon's, the heat behind John Jackson and Connie DeSousa's passion for meat is on fire.

We talked to the pair to find out the inspiration behind their farm-to-table concept and where they draw their motivation when working with their meat-centric menus.

Read the full interview Chef John Jackson and Chef Connie DeSousa

Adding a little smoke to the fiery culinary scene of Portland, Oregon, Kim Jong Smokehouse, Smokehouse Tavern and Smokehouse Provisions’ Executive Chef BJ Smith has spent most of his life harnessing the craft of flavor development in fine dining.

Starting in his family’s South Bend, Indiana restaurant, Chef Smith went on to graduate from Portland’s Western Culinary Institute, landing him in critically-acclaimed kitchens including Citrus (Los Angeles), Le Bernadin (New York) and Gotham Bar & Grill (New York).

We recently chatted with Chef Smith about his optimal cut processes as well as how other chefs can beef up their own meaty tastes in the kitchen.

Read the full Chef BJ Smith Interview.

After landing in the United Kingdom to work at an undisclosed pub, after only two days, Chef Derek Dammann made a run for it to London and never looked back.  During a visit to Jamie Oliver's Fifteen for what started as a casual bite to eat, he picked up the position of Sous Chef and worked his way up over almost four years to Chef de Cuisine.

Chef Dammann returned to Canada, opening Maison Publique, a cozy casual gastropub in Montreal's Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood.  Since then, Maison Publique has garnered Chef Dammann recognition and accreditation by Eater, enRoute and Canada's 100 Best.

We recently spoke with Chef Dammann about how his time across the pond impacted his eventual journey to having Maison Publique along with the current impact of Canadian seasonality toward ingredients.

Read the full interviewChef Owner Derek Dammann

Born and raised in the Maritimes, Executive Chef Murray McDonald has brought his love of fresh, locally-made ingredients from the island of Newfoundland to the urban jungle of Toronto through Cluny Restaurant, a classic fare French bistro in the historic Distillery District.

Formerly stationed at the luxurious, well-renowned Fogo Island Inn, Chef McDonald had helped cook its way to earning accolades in enRoute Magazine’s Best New Restaurants, The World’s 50 Best and Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants.

We recently spoke with Chef McDonald to gain insight on his refreshing flavor inspirations and how small-town influences play a major part in his restaurant’s sustainability and culinary success.

Read the full Chef Murray McDonald Interview

An avid explorer of mixology for the past decade, Julia Momose has become known as a cocktail maven for her Michelin-accredited time training, supervising and creating signature cocktails, both alcoholic and spirit-free.

Born in Japan to a family keen on hosting and hospitality, Julia brought her global inspiration to America where she now infuses it into her Chicago-based concoctions, shaken or stirred.

We spoke to Julia Momose about cocktails and how she pushes their limits, without watering down.

Read the full interview Julia Momose

The first ever US Chef to win the 2014 Culinary World Cup, George Castaneda is a proven unstoppable force in the kitchen.

Currently based in Nashville, Tennessee, Castaneda is the Executive Chef of Sodexo North America, a wide-standing corporation dedicated to influencing and offering healthy, delicious products to restaurants plus executive, student, faculty, luncheon and other special dining facilities nationwide.

McCormick for Chefs spoke with Chef Castaneda about his process for developing menus for such a wide-range, diverse roster of clients as well as how one stays inspired in a time of constant culinary change.

Read the full interview Chef George Castaneda

A former nurse in Thailand - with a passion for food since learning to cook in her mother’s kitchen - Chef Nuit came to Canada in early 2006 and has been introducing true Thai to Toronto’s taste buds ever since.

Recognized for her signature Northern Thai street food at Pai Northern Thai Kitchen we couldn’t resist sitting down and talking to Chef Nuit about her accredited concepts and flavor processes that are reminiscent of Thai home cooking.

Read the full interview Chef Owner Nuit Regular

Adam Walker started cooking when he was 15 years old, after being recruited from the ranks of dishwasher when he was helping a family friend’s business. He went on to earn his degree in Culinary Nutrition from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. In the 15-plus years since Adam has helped open restaurants, managed full service kitchens, and worked in food R&D before becoming a part of the Panache Fine Catering team.  His culinary knowledge spans a varieties ethnic cuisines and all levels of food presentation, from simple to elaborate.

Southern raised and fed from Tennessee to Texas then educated in LA, Josh Harmon is no stranger to the cuisines of diverse cultures across the map, both in and out of America.

Now an award-winning Chef in Dallas, he's combining his first love of Southern style with the savory tastes of Asian  flavors.

We spoke with Chef Harmon to find out more about his Southern inspiration an dhow it drives his flavor processes as he explores the culinary arts of the world from within his own kitchen.

Read the full interview Chef Josh Harmon

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and Executive Chef of Palm Beach, Florida's The Everglades Club, Chef Drew Garms was honored this past January as the ACF's Southeast Regional Chef of the Year.

From there, he went on to compete against other regional winners and was bestowed the national Chef of the Year Award in victory.

We spoke with Chef Garms about his feelings behind the significant achievement and how his award-winning dishes and flavors came to be.

Read the full interview Chef Drew Garms

Named in 2017 as a Zagat 30 under 30 Finalist, cork & Craft Executive Chef and San Diego native Scott Cannon has found his niche in the cross-cooking simplicity of casual fine dining.

We sat down with Chef Scott Cannon to uncover the inspirational flavors behind his curiosity-inciting cuisine.

Read the full Chef Scott Cannon Interview

With 29 restaurants across Canada and growing, Chef Jason Story has become a master of consistency and cross-country culinary teamwork. With menu features and culinary teachings covering such diversified kitchen teams and regional diners, flavor, flexibility and fluency is key in keeping quality and taste the same across the board.

We spoke to Chef Jason to find out the true story behind his long-distance relationships with flavor processes, food development and staff education.

Read the full interview Chef Jason Story

A Calgary native and professional cooking graduate from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Chef Sean MacDonald has cooked up his share of industry accolades, all before the age of 26: 2015 winner of the Alberta Regional Competition for Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship; San Pellegrino's Canadian leg Young Chef Competition; title of Official Chef for Diner en Blanc Calgary.

Chef MacDonald's affinity for and with French cuisine tasting menus is turning heads and clearing dishes.  We spoke with him about his approach to his four and nine-course tasting menus and application of flavors throughout the seasons.

Read the full interview Chef Sean MacDonald

Father, chef, cookbook author, executive; Vancouver’s Ned Bell is swimming in titles, all of which lead back to his main objective, the advocacy and promotion of responsible, sustainable seafood.

A Chef for Oceans 2017 Global Seafood Champion and Executive behind OceanWise, a not-for-profit with a passion for keeping healthy oceans, we spoke to Chef Ned Bell to gain his perspective on what sustainability in seafood means and how this can be implemented in kitchens across the country.  

Read the full Chef Ned Bell Interview

With her dishes winning accolades like ChefsFeed's "Best Things to Eat in San Francisco," Chef Kim Alter is a force to be reckoned with and double the success with her two establishments, Nightbird and Linden Room.

Originally from Laguna Beach, and a graduate of the California Culinary Academy, Chef Alter's commitment to techniques, flavor pairings and concept developments have earned her accolades including chef award nominations by James Beard and Food & Wine Magazine.

We sat down with Chef Alter in her kitchen to get the inside scoop on her inspiration for running two opposing establishments and how her flavorful creations can go hand-in-hand without concept overlap.

Read the full interview Chef Owner Kim Alter

After declaring her cuisine "off-the-wall" and not what diners want to eat, Misti Norris left the Art Institute of Dallas in her second semester to do things her way and the culinary scene has never been the same since.

A creative master of foraged food, butchery and charcuterie, Chef Norris has gained critical acclaim, including 3 James Beard nominations for her work at FT33 and Small Brewpub.

She currently works out of her personally-creatively concept, Petra and the Beast, a series of pop-up dinners spotlighting fermentation, foraging and cooking over open flames.

We recently talked with Chef Norris about her hot new concept, picking collaborations plus which flavors keep her flame burning.

Read the full interview Chef Owner Misti Norris

Known as a Tasmanian devil in the kitchen, Nicole Gomes, Chef Owner of Cluck N' Cleaver and Nicole Gourmet Catering, has been recognized with awards and accolades from the likes of Western Living, Avenue Magazine and Top Chef Canada: All Stars, all stemming from an early love and passion for chicken.

We spoke with Chef Nicole to find out how she turned this passion for clucking good dishes into a life plan full of success, sisterhood and new aspirations for a cross-country takeover.

Read the full Chef Owner Nicole Gomes Interview

Toronto-raised and globally educated in multi-cultural cuisine, Chef Corrado first began his city culinary career in 1998. Formerly the Executive Chef of the c5 Restaurant - Royal Ontario Museum - and a fellow inductee of the Ontario Hostelry Institute, Chef Corrado has developed his palate and his legacy through community values and surprising diner palates.

Now the Corporate Executive Chef of The Drake Properties, Chef Corrado and his team have made successful connections  with palates and producers across multiple areas through the Drake Hotel, the nearby Drake Commissary and the Drake Devonshire in Prince Edward County.

We spoke to Chef Corrado about how he’s managed to capture interest through his highly commended and sought-after comfort food dishes, plus how he maintains consistency and teamwork in tow across all Drake properties. 

Read the full interview Chef Ted Corrado

Culinary Consultant John Placko was born in Sydney, Australia where he began working in a small Italian restaurant; learning all about proper organization and the importance of freshness in cuisine ingredients. From there, he entered the catering and hospitality industry to apprentice in cooking, leading him to victory in culinary competitions across the globe.

After coming to Canada in 1995, John spent the first 15 years working for multi-unit restaurant companies and food manufacturers. Following this experience, Placko launched influential businesses, including the Modern Culinary Academy and Powder for Texture, while heavily revolving his life’s work around molecular-level cuisine.

We sat down with John to find out about the concept of molecular cuisine and how it is working to revolutionize flavor in the foodservice industry.

Read the full Chef John Placko Interview

After being raised in Southern Louisiana, Chef Jacqueline Blanchard graduated with a Bachelor's in Culinary Arts from Nicholls State University.  After building onto her skill set in various kitchens, including the Michelin-awarded Benu in San Francisco, she began to globetrot through Europe and Asia, gaining a deep understanding about the culinary cultures within.

Now the Chef & Co-Owner of New Orleans' Coutelier, Blanchard works by the mantra, "serious chefs, need serious tools," a guideline carried through her passion for the preservation of the art and support of multi-generational Japanese cutlery.

We recently spoke to Chef Blanchard about the inspiration behind this passion and how the right or wrong tools can dull even the sharpest of flavors.

Read the full interview Chef Owner Jacqueline Blanchard

Hailing from La Jolla, California, Chef Christine Rivera has been nmed an Eater Young Gun (2016) and the global Queen of Masa for her infamous line of savory tortillas, currently being cooked out of her casual Mexican eatery, Galaxy Taco.

We recentley had a chat with Chef Rivera to taco'bout the inspiration and processes behind her out of this world cuisine.

Read the full interview Chef Christine Rivera

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York, Chef Julia Sullivan's long-running industry history includes working in critically-acclaimed kitchens such as Per Se and Blue Hill at Stone Barns.  Upon joining the team at Haven's Kitchen, Chef Sullivan met her now-business partner, Allie Poindexter.

Together, Chefs Sullivan and Poindexter have since launched Henrietta Red, a seasonal contemporary hotspot specializing in raw cuisine.

We recently spoke with Chef Sullivan about her inspiration, the role of spices and how raw flavoring impacts dish seasoning and development.

Read the full interview Chef Owner Julia Sullivan

Inspired by family dinner flavors of Tijuana and Guadalajara while growing up near San Diego, Chef Claudette Zepeda Wilkins launched her culinary career in the kitchens of Bracero and El Bizcocho. 

Since then, Zepeda Wilkins has competed on Top Chef Mexico and is opening El Jardin, a San Diego modern Mexican restaurant in 2018.

We spoke with Chef Claudette about her personal approaches to Mexican cuisine and how her flavor practices will have El Jardin standing out amongst the crowd.

Read the full Chef Owner Claudette Zepeda Wilkins Interview

After a short career in accounting, Aurora, Ontario’s Chef Shahir Massoud travelled to New York City to study at the French Culinary Institute. From there, he worked under Lupa Restaurant’s Chef de Cuisine Cruz Goler, eager to learn he moved from basement prep work to finally cooking in the kitchen. Massoud eventually wound up with additional kitchens on his resume: The Mark Hotel, Saveur Magazine and Lupa.

One day, a Craigslist ad changed everything; answering that ad that was seeking an individual for the purpose of restaurant concept and menu development, Shahir returned to the GTA to open the resulting restaurant, now known as Levetto.

Since then, Levetto has grown into seven restaurant locations with Massoud as chef/partner, all while also taking on a hosting position on CBC’s daytime talk show, The Goods.

We spoke with Chef Massoud about his inspiration and processes behind the scenes at Levetto plus how he keeps these efforts simple, premium and affordable. 

Read the full interview Chef Owner Shahir Massoud

After training in Mallorca, Sapin at the Michelin-accredited Reads Hotel, Toronto-raised chef Adrian Niman, alongside his partner Brent McClenahan, launched The Food Dudes. 

Compromised of a creative culinary team under 30 years old, The Food Dudes has found catering success in constantly trying to introduce guests to previously unseen, untasted dishes and flavor fusions.

We spoke with Adrian to get the inside scoop on what fuels his passion for innovative cooking, implementing adaptable trends plus his processes from the kitchen to the wedding queue.

Read the full Chef Adrian Niman Interview

In 2017, the lives of Nathan Lemley and Sarah Heard changed forever, upon th purchase of Foreign & Domestic, an American-European fare and craft beer establishment in the heart of Austin, Texas.

With Lemley, a culinary school graduate, and Heard, an experienced Executive and banquet Chef, taking on an already existing restaurant, rather than starting anew, made the most sense in an already bustling, ever-expanding Texan culinary destination.

We recently spoke with Chefs Heard and Lemley about how the venture came to be, along with the inspiration, challenges and changes that came with overtaking an established, well-respected establishment.

Read the full interview Chef Owners Lemley and Heard

Born in Seattle, WA, and starting his culinary journey at an acclaimed sushi restaurant at the age of 16, Chef Shot Nakajima soon set off to Osaka, Japan, to further understand the art of Japanese cuisine.

Fresh from his training under Michelin-accredited master Chef Sakamoto, Chef Shota returned to the United States to bring his award-winning trainer's approach to food and hospitality to his own restaurant, Adana.  Since his successful return to the American culinary scene, Chef Shota has been accredited with his own titles including a James Beard Award Semi-Finalist nomination.

We recently spoke to Chef Shota about his own approach to Japanese cuisine and finding the balances between cuisine style, flavor and technique.

Read the full interview Chef Owner Shota Nakajima

Raised in rural Northern Alberta, Chef Trish Gill always had a growing interest in the culinary arts. With a growing appreciation for wild, home-cooked meals living in a community of hunters, fishers and gardeners, Chef Trish Gill started her foodservice journey in a local dish pit and never looked back.

Today, she is the reigning champion of comforting breakfast foods, working out of her Windsor-based restaurant, The Twisted Apron.

We spoke with Chef Gill to find out more about her passion and flavor processes behind taking breakfast beyond the typical scrambled eggs and avocado toast.

Read the full Chef Owner Trish Gill Interview

In the 1980’s, Chile-born Luis Caro started Churros King as a family business, using authentic Spanish/Chilean recipes from his handmade food truck.

Today, the business continues to thrive in the hands of Volkhart Caro, son of Luis and dedicated churro traditionalist.

We recently spoke to Volkhart about his family’s fresh-never-frozen process and what makes Churros King such a popular Edmonton favorite. 

Read the full interview Chef Owner Volkhart Caro

A graduate of Nw York's Culinary Institute of america and long-time Georgia resident, Chef Panass Lim Savang was tired of "from a can" Thai cuisine he found himself surrounded by.

Now, within Atlanta's Candler Park, Chef Savang runs Talat Market, a pop-up specializing in Georgian Thai, combining locally-grown ingredients, house-made bases and authentic Thai techniques.

We spoke with Chef Savang to find out more about his family-sparked influence, flavor process and the Georgian impact on the Thai side of cuisine.

Read the full interview Chef Owner Parnass Lim Savang

A graduate of George Brown College’s post-graduate culinary program and Sous Chef of Toronto’s Campagnolo, Brent Leitch has learned every major cooking technique forward and backwards but there’s one in particular he continues to sing praises for over all others, sous vide.

We spoke to Chef Leitch about the reasoning behind this beloved kitchen method and how it brings the heat, or lack of, to flavor processes across any menu.

Read the full interview Sous Chef Brent Leitch

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Amanda Topper has been a food writer for six years via the blog she founded known as The Ghost Guest. What started as an undercover project highlighting Chicago restaurant reviews soon became a collaborative adventure with the goal of giving audiences unbiased write-ups about local restaurants while also sharing the best places to stop and eat while traveling outside the Chicago area.

Along with continuing to manage The Ghost Guest, Amanda is also a contributing writer for Thrillist while acting as a full-time foodservice industry analyst at Mintel where she examines menus and businesses, predicting trends for the restaurant industry.

We sat down for a chat with Amanda to discuss her experience as a culinary critic while also delving into her life of forecasting and experiencing food and flavor trends firsthand.

Amanda Topper Interview

Born in Mumbai, Chef Owner Bhushan Arolkar never stopped being inspired by his home, even when cooking oceans away.

Married and working alongside his partner, Jasmine, Arolkar first launched gourmet hotspot, Urban Turban, a new age Indian concept, in New Zealand before bringing his innovative flavor profiles to the unexpected palates of Las Vegas, Nevada.

We recently spoke with Chef Owner Arolkar about the challenges of bringing new cuisine to the Nevadan marketplace, plus the inspiration and technique behind Urban Turban's multi-style dining options.

Read the full interview Chef Owner Bhushan Arolkar

The baby sister of the Mei Mei food truck family, Irene Li got her start in the culinary world as a Line Cook at La Morra, an Organic Farm Resident of The Mountain School and a volunteer at The Food Project, a Massachusetts non-profit dedicated to employing for youth on local farms in efforts to build a more sustainable food system.

Now working with her older siblings at Mei Mei, the Li family is bringing Chinese cuisine, with modern American twists to the hungry streets of Boston.

We recently spoke with Irene to find out more about the world of mobile foodservice in Massachusetts and its differing processes from work-life in a bricks and mortar restaurant kitchen.

Read the full interview Chef Owner Irene Li 

From informative blogger to baker extraordinaire, Chef Angela Garbacz is revolutionizing inclusivity in the baking industry.  

What started as a pat-time dream hobby became Goldenrod Pastries, Angela's brick-and-mortar pastry headquarters in Lincoln, Nebraska, where she continues to work her magic on baked goods for those who are gluten-free, dairy-free and suffer from other dietary restrictions.

We recently had a fascinating talk with Chef Garbacz about her inspiration, flavor processes and sweetest pantry secrets.

Read the full Chef Angela Garbacz Interview

A graduate of California culinary Academy, Richie began his Asian cooking career at Sushi Ran, Va de Vi and Pres a Vi.  Later, at Nopa, Chef Richie learned about seasonality, California ingredients and layering flavors.

Wanting ramen that met his standards, he opened Hapa Ramen, a pop-up food stand at the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market.

In 2014, he opened Hapa, a brick-and-mortar, ramen noodle restaurant, running it to critical acclaims until 2015.  In 2016, he founded IDK Concepts, a pop-up collective and consulting firm.

We sat down with Chef Richie to explore how he's pushing the boundaries of traditional ramen through modern techniques and layering flavors.

Read the full interview Chef Owner Richie Nakano

Chef Amanda is owner of Dirt Candy, the award-winning vegetable restaurant on New York City's Lower East Side. She is also a proud Canadian. As a leader of the vegetable-forward movement, Chef Amanda is showing chefs of all stripes how to move vegetables from side dishto center-of-plate.

The restaurant's original location only had 18 seats and was open for six years. Over that time, it was recognized by the Michelin Guide five years in a row, and won awards from Gourmet Magazine, the Village Voice and many others. With the opening of its new location inJanuary 2015, both the restaurant and Amanda’s profile continued to rise.

Chef Amanda was the first vegetarian chef to compete on Iron Chef America and her comic book cookbook, Dirt Candy: A Cookbook, is the first graphic novel cookbook to be published in North America. It's currently in its sixth printing.

After holding a successful career as a Manhattan Assistant District Attorney, Chloe Epstein changed her life upon the start of her family, inspired to crate healthy sweet treats for the masses, including her own children.

Since opening her first Chloe's Soft Serve Fruit store in 2010, Chloe has remained dedicated to developing delicious recipes to satisfy any and all sweet teeth, without artificial ingredients and common allergens.

We spoke to Chloe about the story behind her transition to dessert development and her fruitful flavor process.

Read the full interview Chloe Epstein

A former student of economics and real estate entrepreneur, Grover Smith found his passion in the culinary arts and is never turning back.

Now living in Houston, Grover has managed multiple award-winning Texan restaurants including Bernadine's, Pass & Provisions and Foreign & Domestic.  However, one of his biggest accomplishments to date spans far beyond the lone star state's lines; Indie Chefs Week (ICW).

We spoke to Grover to find out what Indie Chefs Week is all about and how it's community climate differs from that of culinary competitions.

Read the full interview Grover Smith

Executive Chef, TV Personality, Health Enthusiast - Gregory Gourdet is a man of many facets. Born and raised in Queens, New York, Gourdet started his culinary career with Jean-Georges Vongerichten in New York City, working in the famous chef's kitchen full time up to Sous Chef at Jean-Georges. Gourdet found his way out to the west coast as Chef de Cuisine at Restaurant 66 where his affinity for Asian cuisines flourished.  Gourdet is now Executive Chef of Departure in Portland, Oregon, where he offers guests a variety of Asian-inspired options in gluten-free, vegan, and paleo menus in addition to the nightly dinner menu. 

See the full Chef Gourdet Interview

In 2005, Kevin Kossowan started an online diary about his life and the food and agriculture around him. Now the owner of a production company, Story Chaser Productions, Kevin’s greatest endeavour yet has been his series, From the Wild, which places a spotlight on the cookery skills and techniques stemming hunting, fishing and foraging wild foods.

Kevin and his colleagues have also worked alongside the University of Alberta, the City of Edmonton Food Council, Alberta Culinary Tourism plus numerous accoladed chefs and culinary experts, including those behind the series Cook It Raw.

We talked to Kevin about his inspiration behind his after-the-kill outlook series and the benefits chefs can bring from the wild to their own kitchens. 

Read the full Kevin Kossowan Interview

A social entrepreneur and one of Food & Wine's 'Most Innovative Women in Food & Drink,' Christine Moseley, has dedicted her life to fighting against wasted food.

As CEO & Founder of Full Harvest in San Francisco, California, Christine has launched America's first B2B marketplace for "imperfect" yet perfectly edible produce.

We spoke to Christine about Full Harvest's role in reducing food waste and how anyone at the foodservice level can do their part from the comfort of their own kitchens.

Read the full interview Christine Moseley

Jacob Lefenfeld has worked in the service industry for nearly the past 10 years, working at signature bar program locations in the Maryland area. After opening La Cuchara in Meadow Mill, Baltimore, Maryland with his brother, head chef Ben Lefenfeld, Jacob's 40-seat bar program took off with the restaurant's Basque-inspired cuisine and flavor forward motif. City Paper named Lefenfeld's cocktail "False Idol" Baltimore's "Best Cocktail" of 2015. In April 2017, The Baltimore Sun rated La Cuchara's bar program "Best Bar Program" in Baltimore. Jacob's passion for spirits and flavor are reflected in his inventive seasonal bar menus, and should be experienced firsthand.