Chef Jacques Pépin

Pasjoli Restaurant Santa Monica

Fueled by passion, grit and a knack for artful innovation, David Burke is one of the best known and most respected chefs in modern American cuisine

Sang Yoon is the chef and proprietor of the acclaimed gastropub Father’s Office

Giuseppe Tentori is the Chef and owner of GT Prime, and BOKA CateringGroup.

Praised as one of the “Ten Chefs of the Millennium '' by Food & Wine magazine, Susur Lee is still at the top of his game.

David LeFevre is a veteran of the Los Angeles dining scene, often credited with transforming the culinary landscape of the South Bay in particular, with a diverse and growing roster of critically acclaimed restaurants.

Jacque Pepin was born in 1935 in Bourg-en-Bresse, France, near Lyon, Pépin always found the kitchen to be a place of both comfort and excitement. He helped in his parents’ restaurant, Le Pélican, and, at age 13, began an apprenticeship at the Grand Hôtel de L’Europe. He subsequently worked in Paris, ultimately serving as personal chef to three French heads of state, including Charles de Gaulle.

Josiah Citrin is a culinary expert and veteran of Los Angeles’s gourmet dining scene, with more than 37 years of experience. He is chef and owner of Santa Monica, California’s Mélisse Restaurant.

Mei Lin is a chef and television personality known for her appearances (and victories) on Bravo’s Top Chef: Boston and the fourth season of Food Network’s Tournament of Champions.

Marcus Samuelsson is the renowned chef behind many restaurants worldwide including Red Rooster in Harlem (NYC) and Overtown (Miami); Hav & Mar in Chelsea (NYC); several MARCUS locations including the Bahamas, Newark, and Atlanta; and his newest concept, Metropolis at the Perelman Performing Arts Center (World Trade Center, NYC) which opened November 2023. Samuelsson was the youngest person to ever receive a three-star review from The New York Times and has won eight James Beard Foundation Awards. Additionally, Samuelsson has won numerous competition shows including Top Chef Masters and Chopped All-Stars and appears regularly on those franchises as a Judge. He also recently appeared as an Iron Chef on Netflix’s Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend. Samuelsson is the author of multiple books including The New York Times bestselling memoir Yes, Chef and The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food. Follow Samuelsson on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at @MarcusCooks and on TikTok at @Marcus_Cooks.