Mary Attea 
Executive Chef
The Musket Room, New York, NY 

Mary Attea is the executive chef at The Musket Room, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Manhattan’s Nolita neighborhood. She also serves as Executive chef and partner at Raf’s, a French and Italian bakery, restaurant, and all-day café. In 2023, Chef Attea was a James Beard finalist for Best Chef: New York State. 

Renata Ameni 
Executive Pastry Chef,
SAGA and Crown Shy, New York, NY 

 Renata Ameni, a veteran of Eleven Madison Park and Manresa, runs the pastry department at SAGA and Crown Shy in downtown Manhattan. In her capacity as opening executive pastry chef, Chef Ameni helped lead the restaurants to earn one and two Michelin stars, respectively.  

Katie Button 
Executive Chef/Owner
Cúrate, Asheville, NC 

Katie Button is a chef, author, and co-founder of Asheville’s beloved Cúrate, a JBF award-winning collection of restaurants, with an online marketplace and wine club, and culinary journeys that create exceptional and experiential access to Spanish culture. Chef Button is also the host of Magnolia Network's original series, From the Source.  

Aisha Momaney 
Executive Pastry Chef
Gravitas, Washington DC 

Chef Aisha Momaney grew up in Vermont and later attended French Culinary Institute in NYC. There she spent 10 years working for several noteworthy restaurant groups (USHG, AMG, to name a couple). She moved to Washington, DC, in 2020 and has worked with 101 Hospitality Group ever since.  

Meagan O’Connor  
Chef de Cuisine
Topolobampo, Chicago, IL

Chef de Cuisine Meagan O’Connor has led Rick Bayless’ Topolobampo in Chicago for the last 15 years, where she has maintained a Michelin star and earned Outstanding Restaurant at the James Beard Awards. She is passionate about developing seasonal tasting menus that honor the rich culinary heritage of Mexico and celebrate local, sustainable ingredients. 

Gabbi Patrick
Executive Chef/Owner
CHAAK Kitchen and Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen, Tustin, CA

Chef Gabbi Patrick, owner and restauranteur of Michelin-recognized Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen and CHAAK Kitchen, is dedicated to preserving the rich culinary heritage of Mexico integrated with modern gastronomy. Her passion and vision are reflected in each detail of her craft, from supporting local farms and sourcing quality and seasonal ingredients, to extensive travels through her roots in Mexico and the Yucatán. 

Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon 
Executive Chef/Owner
Kalaya, Philadelphia, PA 

Executive Chef Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon opened Kalaya in 2019. It features recipes that she learned from her mother in her native Trang, South Thailand. Kalaya was a 2020 James Beard Award nominee for Best New Restaurant, and Chef Suntaranon won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic, in 2023. Kalaya was also named Esquire's Best New Restaurant in America and selected as one of the nation's best by Food & Wine magazine, in 2020.  

Cheetie Kumar
Executive Chef/Owner
Ajja, Raleigh, NC

Cheetie Kumar is the chef/owner of Ajja, a new restaurant in Raleigh’s Five Points neighborhood that draws inspiration from the diverse foodways and cultures, vibrant spices, and cooking techniques of the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and beyond. Chef Kumar earned two James Beard Foundation award nominations (and five semifinalist nods) for “Best Chef: Southeast” for her multicultural menus. She is active in food advocacy and serves on the board of the Independent Restaurant Coalition, the Southern Foodways Alliance, and several North Carolina-based organizations.