Haley Bittermann

Haley Bittermann’s first “taste” of the hospitality industry was in high school, working for Domino’s, where was promoted from delivery girl to pizza-maker. Over the years in Cincinnati, Bittermann studied towards finishing her pre-med major. Working simultaneously at a local family-run restaurant, Bittermann declared her intention to shift gears and head to culinary school.

Bittermann then enlisted in the Greater Cincinnati Culinary Arts Academy. Through connections at the Academy, she was introduced to Gerard Maras of Mr. B’s, in New Orleans, who was to become her mentor and helped her land an externship.  After a brief period as a line cook at Mr.B’s, Bittermann was tapped for the team that would open Ralph Brennan’s phenomenally popular restaurant BACCO.  

She was 27 years old, and the first woman to head one of the kitchens of the Brennan family, whose are famous the world over.  Bonding with her closest colleagues, Gerard Maras and the late Jamie Shannon, provided an invaluable experience.  

Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group was expanding and Bittermann was titled corporate chef of the Group. She now oversees the whole range of Group enterprises, giving the culinary program its edge – and its consistency.  Bittermann’s influence is present at all of the Group’s locations - Red Fish Grill, Ralph’s on the Park, Heritage Grill, café b, Café NOMA, Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen®, and in Ralph Brennan’s New Orleans Seafood Cookbook [2008]. With the help of Bittermann, who has been featured on The Today Show, The Group’s restaurants consistently win the favor of locals, visitors, and critics alike, from multiple ‘beans’ awarded by The Times-Picayune to glowing mentions in The New York Times.

The end of Bittermann’s workday usually finds her eating peanut butter and jelly at the kitchen counter watching the news. And when the time allows, Bittermann is out fishing for Red Fish with her 5 year old son, Auden. It’s all about taking it home.

Justin Bogle

Justin Bogle makes his own mark at GILT as Executive Chef, winning Two Michelin Stars for the restaurant in 2009, just one of six in Manhattan to do so. At just 28 years-old, Chef Bogle's star is on the rise as the youngest chef in the city to earn this coveted distinction.

 

A graduate of The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia PA, Bogle made his start at the highly praised Alma de Cuba as the Sous Chef under Executive Chef Douglas Rodriguez in Philadelphia. He eventually moved to Striped Bass were he worked side by side with Chef Christopher Lee in developing one of the most successful restaurants in Philadelphia.

 

Equipped with an extensive resume, Bogle joined GILT as the Executive Sous Chef in 2006, where he continued to collaborate with Lee garnering several high profile ratings, most notably two stars from the MICHELIN Guide in 2008.

 

"I'm thrilled to be a part of GILT's impressive portfolio of celebrated chefs," said chef Bogle. "It is an honor and a privilege to design GILT's cuisine and create memorable experiences for our guests."

 


Bogle's Modern American menu continues to raise the culinary bar, incorporating seasonal ingredients and continuing to place service at the forefront of every dining experience. Bogle's portfolio of dishes includes: Foie Gras Pancetta Spice, Orange Mostarda, Candied Black Olive, Fennel, Pine Nut; Black Cod Tandoori Spiced, Roasted Eggplant, Lentils, Mustard Greens, Toasted Coconut; Rib-Eye Blue Cheese, Heirloom Tomatoes, Bordelaise; and Sturgeon Flavors of Borscht, Horseradish, Caviar, Dill.

 

Joe Clarke

Joe’s approach to food is based upon fresh ingredients from a network of local farmers, treated simply, allowing the ingredient to speak for itself. Chef Joe utilizes a classic style in his American Seasonal cuisine yet looks to world flavors as inspiration to enhance his progressive southern style.

Sean Brock

Many chefs have their first exposure to cooking at a young age. For Sean Brock, who was born and raised in rural Virginia, it was the experience of his family growing their own food that left a deep impression. “This was a coal-field town with no restaurants,” he explains. “You grew and cooked your own food, so I really saw food in its true form. You cook all day, and when you’re not cooking, you’re preserving.” These were the building blocks that Brock remembered as he began building his career as a chef.
Leaving Virginia to attend school, Brock landed at Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, SC. He began his professional career as chef tournant under Chef Robert Carter at the Mobil Four-Star/AAA Four-Diamond Peninsula Grill in Charleston.

After two years at Peninsula Grill, Brock was executive sous chef under Chef Walter Bundy of Lemaire Restaurant at the AAA Five-Diamond Award/ Mobil Five-Star Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, VA. His success in Richmond led to his promotion within the Elite Hospitality Group in 2003 to executive chef at the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, TN. Brock spent just under three years fine tuning his craft in Nashville before accepting a position as executive chef at McCrady’s Restaurant. Shortly after his return to Charleston, Brock began the development of a 2.5-acre farm on Wadmalaw Island. “While I was growing there, I began dabbling in resurrecting and growing crops that were at risk of extinction, such as those indigenous to this area pre-Civil War,” he says. These experiments have led Brock to become a passionate advocate for seed preservation and he continues to grow a number of heirloom crops, including James Island Red Corn (aka “Jimmy Red”), from which he makes grits, Flint Corn, Benne Seed, Rice Peas, Sea Island Red Peas, and several varieties of Farro.
Today, Brock maintains a 1.5-acre parcel of land on Thornhill Farm in McClellanville, SC, where he continues to plant heirloom seeds and cultivate new crops. Thornhill is also the home of a 100-acre farm utilized by Our Local Foods and Adaptive Gardens of the Lowcountry, which are run by Maria Baldwin and supply fresh, local, organic produce to the public and some restaurants via its community-supported agriculture program. “The majority of the produce we cook at McCrady’s comes from this farm,” Brock notes.

Working with local purveyors and vendors has had a great impact on Brock’s cooking. “Gone are the days of a chef sitting in the kitchen creating recipes and then picking up the phone to order food from wherever it needs to come from,” he says. “At McCrady’s, for example, we might get three suckling pigs, three whole lambs, half a cow, and upwards of 450 pounds of fish, as well as mountains of vegetables. We only take it when it’s ready, so it shows up and we have to start piecing the recipes together; it’s like a game of Jenga.”


Drawing from his early education, the chef also pickles, cans, and makes preserves from the produce that cannot be used immediately, saving it for a later date and for new creations. Brock pulls from his memory of ingredients and their flavor profiles to create McCrady’s menu depending on what is delivered to the kitchen. It’s a modern approach to cooking that comes from a pure appreciation of the food itself. The results are constantly changing offerings for McCrady’s diners that always surprise. “At McCrady’s, we emphasize the importance of the food from the Lowcountry region and constantly refine our cooking processes to best honor our relationships with the farmers, artisans and fishermen that provide us with their amazing products,” he says.

Brock’s abilities have resulted in a number of awards and accolades, both locally and nationally. He was nominated in 2008 and 2009 for the James Beard “Rising Star Chef” award, and in 2009 and 2010 nominated for the James Beard “Best Chef Southeast” award, winning the award in 2010. He has twice cooked for the James Beard Foundation, and was the winner of the “Next Great Chef” episode of the “Food Network Challenge.” In December 2010, Chef Brock appeared on “Iron Chef America,” taking on Michael Symon in “Battle Pork Fat.” In addition to his kitchen duties, Brock maintains a blog for McCrady’s at www.seanbrock. wordpress.com and regularly posts on Twitter about the food coming in to his kitchen. When he does carve out free time, he’s often at his home just outside of Charleston, which he shares with his three dogs and his wife, Tonya, to whom he proposed while cooking at the James Beard House. Over the past year, Chef Brock completed a full-sleeve tattoo on his arm depicting, of course, his favorite vegetables, including Jimmy Red Corn.

Drew Dzejak

A specialist in modern American cuisine, Chef Drew joined The Grill Room as Executive Chef in the fall of 2008 and has recently been recognized as a New Orleans CityBusiness Culinary Connoisseur. Under his guidance, The Grill Room has received a rating of “Four Beans” from The Times-Picayune, with the headline, “The Grill Room Reclaims Its Greatness.”

A native of Kissimmee, Florida, Drew learned his passion for cooking from his grandmother and uncle. At the age of 15, Drew landed his first job at a bakery, making wedding cakes and pastries.

Chef Drew moved to Charleston, SC to attend Johnson and Wales University where he earned degrees in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management.

Chef Drew has worked at Wild Dunes Resort on the Isle of Palms and the Woodlands Resort & Inn in Summerville, SC. While at the Woodlands, he was part of the team that won the Mobil (now Forbes) Five Star Award. He also served as the Chef de Cuisine at the Charleston Place Hotel.

Outside of the restaurant, Drew enjoys spending time with his wife and three dogs, and restoring Volkswagen bugs.

Shaun Garcia

Originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina, Shaun’s interest in food began early; he practically grew up in the kitchen of his grandmother’s restaurant. The family-owned establishment was famous for its fried chicken and peach cobbler, and Shaun spent his early years learning about the techniques that made these beloved dishes community favorites. Today as chef de cuisine at Soby’s, Shaun takes that heartfelt flavor of authentic Southern cooking and adds fresh style for an unexpected dining experience. In 2010, he took his commitment to heirloom ingredients to the next level by establishing Soby’s Farm at Dark Corner, an ambitious project that raises produce from the Slow Foods Ark of Taste list for use in the restaurant. The Ark of Taste, a collection of food items in danger of extinction, promotes and protects the vibrant flavors of American ingredients, and by growing these items for Soby’s, Shaun is assuring that the restaurant will be able to offer dishes that honor culinary history.

Shaun honed his culinary skills at such restaurants as Ellis, An American Bistro in South Carolina and Wild Saffron Café in North Carolina. He joined Table 301 Restaurant Group in August of 2003 as a line cook, and his innate talent for Southern cooking secured him a promotion to Chef de Cuisine in January of 2007.

One of Shaun’s primary goals in dish development is to use seasonal ingredients and local products whenever possible in order to support local food producers and provide the best flavor for his guests. He draws on his profound experience with Southern food traditions to bring time-honored recipes with modern flair to the table. In addition to taking inspiration from his family heritage of Southern cuisine, he uses techniques like a French slow braise to bring out the potential in lesser cuts of meat and uses traditionally African ingredients like okra and yams that have historically brought wonderful flavor to Southern food.

One of Shaun’s favorite responsibilities is the development of the features that are offered each night to compliment the Soby’s dinner menu – a task that allows him to really exercise his culinary creativity. He also enjoys working with bourbon, a spirit that he says lends itself well to the hearty, earthy flavors of Southern cuisine and matches his recipes in heritage and history. Shaun’s cuisine is a study in culinary history, updated for the modern palate.

Shaun was recently featured in the June 2010 issue of Cooking Light Magazine and the July issue of Taste of the South Magazine.

Anthony Gray

Anthony Gray grew up in a large, Italian and Irish family; they cared plenty about cooking, but were truly passionate about food’s magical ability to bring people together. Despite more than a decade cooking professionally, he still enthuses about the power of the communal table: “Eating, sharing, living off the land. That’s what we were doing growing up, and it’s what we do now at High Cotton.”
Growing up hunting and fishing with his Dad, Gray developed a natural affinity for preparing meats, and creating marinades that express their finest qualities. His hand-made sausages and charcuterie have earned high praise from foodies, and honor the unique qualities of each animal. On any given afternoon one will find his team serving ham cured in-house, roasting rabbit for a rarefied pate, or pairing the ultimate marriage of a local craft beer with a grass-fed steak.
A student of Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, Gray started his career under the guidance of Chef Frank Lee at Slightly North of Broad. He moved to High Cotton Charleston when it opened in 1999, serving as Sous Chef and, ultimately, being named Chef.
Today, as Executive Chef of High Cotton Greenville, he continues what has become a tradition of Maverick chefs: cultivating local sources for the Lowcountry-inspired, seasonally changing menu.  “I really love the excitement our guests feel when they see something they’ve grown up with – like a peach – expressed in new, inventive ways,” said Gray, who features local products in special dinners and daily menu offerings. “Celebrating the hard work and the craft of these people excites us, and our customers.”
Gray is a member of the South Carolina Slow Food movement, belongs to the Southern Foodways Alliance and is an active mentor of young culinary professionals. Under his direction, High Cotton has been featured in The New York Times, Bon Appetit, Southern Living, Boston Globe and numerous other national and regional publications.

Rory Golden

All food at Deerhurst Resort has the "Golden" touch. As Executive Chef of Ontario's largest resort, Golden directs the operations of five kitchens and a staff of 50 who serve the resort's extensive banquets, seasonal dining venues and two main restaurants -- Eclipse and Maple.

Chef Golden believes that culinary arts should be interactive and he encourages the entire kitchen brigade to take part in menu development and presentation, stressing a co-operative team approach. The fact that he has several former executive chefs working with him is a testament to the scope of the resort operations as well as the respect and reputation that Golden has earned among his peers.

After being named Chef of the Year by the Muskoka & District Chefs Association and winning a North American wide culinary competition sponsored by Ironstone Vineyards*, Golden has now been named Central Region Chef of the Year by the Canadian Federation of Chefs and Cooks.

"What makes Deerhurst fascinating for the chefs is the opportunity to be creative all the time," says Golden. "We're constantly developing theme menus and special buffets for a variety of occasions, from a Muskoka cook-out at the beach to a gala dinner function."

As a Certified Chef du Cuisine, Chef Golden serves on the culinary program advisory committee at Canadore College, co-chairs the cook's apprenticeship industry committee for Ontario's Ministry of Training, College and University, and assists the culinary apprenticeship program for Georgian College Bracebridge campus.

Chef Golden's range of artistic skills includes ice sculpting and his creations have graced many special occasions, most notably for a banquet attended by Queen Elizabeth II. His ice-carving demonstrations have become a perennial attraction during Christmas and New Year's at Deerhurst Resort.

David Guas

Sitting in a freezing goose blind at 5am with three or four buddies and a thermos of hot coffee is what David Guas calls fun.  So is bass fishing, and long road trips on his highly customized Harley Davidson.   He is, after all, a native of New Orleans, in the state that is nicknamed “Sportsman’s Paradise.”

In fact, in 2007, when Guas exchanged his ten-year tenure as a corporate pastry chef for an entrepreneurial path that includes private consultation, boutique catering, cookbook authoring, and a  new retail bakery and eatery on the horizon, he was actually reverting to his own independent business sense that is rooted in these outdoor gear-intense passions. He grew up cutting grass after school and on weekends, sinking his earnings into his adolescent fishing habit: rods and reels, a huge tackle box filled with all sorts of jigs and poppers, and a little boat with two electric trolling motors. Now within easy reach of the Chesapeake, he’s always game to be first mate on a friend’s boat for a day of Rockfishing. 

Out on the Eastern Shore, he’s also rediscovered an early passion for hunting waterfowl, which had been a way of life growing up in Louisiana.  The hunting and fishing seasons have reconnected him to the natural rhythms of the outdoors, much as he is innately aware of the growing seasons of the fruits and herbs he cooks with, and the lifecycles of the area honeybees. On his leisurely Sunday rides through the northern Virginia countryside on his Harley [“very subtle; the color of a Japanese eggplant,”] he is always on the lookout for new farm stands and other possible sources of natural honey, another longtime fascination.

A chef with any less experience, drive, and creative force would have a hard time finding room for anything outside the kitchen, let alone such fulfilling hobbies and a busy family with two young boys.

But Guas’ full life, hard work and particularly appealing dessert style, best described as ‘elegant comfort food,’ are clearly a successful combination. His first cookbook, DamGoodSweet - Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth New Orleans Style [Taunton Press, 2009] was named one of Food & Wine’s “Best New Dessert Cookbooks” of the year; is a finalist for the prestigious International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Award in the American Category; and has been nominated for a James Beard Award in the Baking and Dessert Cookbook category.

He has earned accolades and recognition from such exalted sources as The Washington Post, The New York Times, Esquire, Pastry Arts and Design and Food Arts magazines.  He was featured in Oprah Magazine as one of the country’s best pastry chefs in its May 2010 Tenth Anniversary issue.   In 2004, he was named “Pastry Chef of the Year” by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington.  In 2003, Bon Appétit featured him as one of eight “Dessert Stars” in the country.  His comfortable, down home persona gets him regular invitations to appear on The Today Show and was a guest host on the PBS series, Chef’s A Field.  Guas also serves on the board of Best Buddies of Virginia and Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans; is a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance; Slow Food USA; Share Our Strength; and is a founding member of District Hogs – that’s right: a group of local restaurant professionals who ride their motorcycles for fun, research, and charity.

Guas comes by his passion for good food naturally.  It would be easy to say “It’s a New Orleans Thing,” but even in such a food-conscious town, the Guas family had the advantage of a Cuban grandfather, “Abuelo,” who was his grandson’s first culinary mentor, and “Granny” on the other side, a down-home cook from Amite, Louisiana, who taught her grandson to appreciate the bounty of Louisiana’s seasonal produce, berries and a little boudin thrown in the mix!

This reverence for good, nurturing food -- and the joy in preparing it -- propelled young Guas towards his career as a chef.  When he began to investigate how to go about it, his Granny made a call to one of her kinfolk who was none other than Justin Wilson, the legendary Cajun cooking guru, cookbook author, and one of the first PBS personalities locally to host several of his own shows.  He recommended a few specialized classes with his friend Frank Sclafani, a man that was like a good gumbo— a blend of Italian and Cajun heritage, who runs a small culinary school in New Orleans. And can he cook! Frank was most instrumental at teaching Guas the basic, classical preparations, as well as certain cutting-edge techniques needed to secure a job in a high-profile kitchen.  As an associate pastry chef at the acclaimed Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans with renowned chef, Jeff Tunks, at the helm, Guas churned out thousands of desserts each week. Tunks took notice of this talented and driven young member of his staff and invited him to Washington, DC where he was opening a new restaurant. DC Coast was launched in 1998 to critical and popular acclaim, with David Guas in the pastry kitchen.  As corporate pastry chef for Passion Food Hospitality, he went on to develop the dessert menus for each of Tunks’ subsequent four restaurants over the ensuing decade.

At this point in his life, Guas’ hunting-fishing-riding buddies aren’t just a random collection of friends; they’re all in the food industry: fellow chefs, restaurateurs, artisan producers, and the owner of a big seafood supply company.  “Our excursions are escapes, sure, from what can be a very high-pressure industry,” admits Guas, “we’re not out to brainstorm the next big culinary thing.  But as in any creative field, you can never plan when inspiration will strike.  With this crowd, when it does, I can always bounce it around a few experts.”

Joshua Hopkins

A culinary team member of Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison’s family of restaurants since 2005, chef Joshua Hopkins takes the helm of the kitchen as executive chef and business partner for Abattoir, which opened in May 2009. Originally bringing “whole animal cuisine” to Atlanta’s Westside, Hopkins features locally and humanely raised proteins and fresh fish served in a variety of ways, as well as peak-of-the-season produce from local farmers. His dishes exude a rustic approach that utilize the bold complexities yet simple flavors characteristic of French cooking methods.
 
With a number of valuable apprenticeships throughout his career but never having attended a formal culinary school, Hopkins credits chefs with whom he has worked alongside for his inspired talents. Most significantly, Hopkins’ mother was the leading force behind his love of food. Hopkins would help to prepare meals for his family, delving into the use of fresh ingredients, basic techniques and the uncomplicated flavor combinations of comfort food as a young boy. In addition, Hopkins attributes Anne Quatrano with helping him gain patience with food and continuing to refine his skills.
 
Most recently serving as chef de cuisine at Bacchanalia, Hopkins began working at the restaurant consistently named one of the Southeast’s best as a line cook in 2005. He was promoted to sous chef after just six months of showcasing his strong regard for seasonal ingredients and masterful presentations. Prior to working at Bacchanalia, Hopkins apprenticed with Maverick Southern Kitchens restaurant group in Charleston, S.C., beginning in 1998. There he served as a line cook at Slightly North of Broad and then opened High Cotton as the sous chef. A proponent throughout his career of Southern cuisine complemented by French cooking techniques, Hopkins’ first introduction to the culinary arts was at the Capital City Club in Atlanta under Chef Christian Chemin. 

Michael Kramer

Michael Kramer, the Executive Chef of Felix 55 in Houston, Texas, pursues every challenge with passion.

Outside the kitchen, the Los Angeles native maintains a frenetic pace.  An athlete at heart, Kramer competed as a semi-professional cyclist for many years, and continues to ride extensively as a hobby.  He can often be seen enjoying the outdoors with his loyal dogs, Buddy and Roxy.  It is within the walls of a kitchen, however, that the chef pursues his true passion, emerging as a leader and an innovator of exciting and cerebral cuisine.  Dubbing his style Modern American, Kramer’s dishes meld classic French techniques with a distinctly regional focus, looking no further than The Tasting Room’s own backyard, including South Texas, the Gulf Coast and neighborhood farmer’s markets, to source premium meats, seafood and produce.

With the late 2010 launch of The Tasting Room in CITYCENTRE, Kramer is flexing his culinary muscle anew in a 13,000+ square foot bastion of food and wine experimentation.  The Tasting Room’s culinary realm spans from casual, European-style café to fine wine and food pairing dinners, with a particular focus on utilizing the finest local products available.  Founded in 2003, the original Tasting Room location has grown from 1,000 square feet to over 7,600 square feet and has been recognized as one of the premier wine bars in the country.  In 2006, the company added its second location, as well as its sister concept, MAX’s Wine Dive.  With continued expansion plans, Kramer is well positioned to help develop the culinary direction for the existing Tasting Rooms and future projects.

A graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, Kramer’s training with legendary chefs no doubt cultivated his energy and creativity.  Prior to graduation, the budding chef worked with Roland Passot at La Folie, where he learned the art of butchering and studied the culinary great’s deft use of seasonings.  While under Wolfgang Puck at Spago, Kramer learned sauce-making and efficiency on the hot line.  And at the Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dean Fearing helped Kramer hone his management skills and understand the importance of establishing synergy between the kitchen and the service staff – both critical elements of achieving the five-star dining experience.

In 1999, Kramer was recruited by McCrady’s in Charleston, SC to serve as Executive Chef.  During his time in Charleston, Kramer led McCrady’s to become one of the city’s most acclaimed fine dining establishments.  The restaurant received numerous local and national accolades under his leadership, including the Di Rona Award for “Distinguished Restaurants of North America” and Esquire magazine’s “Top 24 Best New Restaurants in America”.  Additionally, McCrady’s was featured in such publications as Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, Gourmet and The New York Times.

Kramer’s most recent kitchen command began with his move to Houston in 2007 to conceptualize VOICE – the signature restaurant in the Hotel Icon.  His vision gave VOICE a uniquely Houston-centric inflection by initiating culinary trends rather than following the lead of the east and west coasts.  After opening in April 2008, VOICE received numerous accolades, including Esquire and Travel + Leisure magazine’s “top new restaurants in the country,” Texas Monthly magazine’s as the “best new restaurant in the state” and My Table magazine, the Houston Chronicle and the Houston Business Journal’s “top restaurants in Houston.”
Kramer joined Lasco Enterprises (parent company of The Tasting Room Wine Café, MAX’s Wine Dive and The Black Door) in July, 2010.  With his young son Evan in tow, Kramer enthusiastically set to work modernizing The Tasting Room’s existing menus and designing the new CITYCENTRE location’s kitchen, which will include a brick pizza oven, tapas bar, an open cooking display area, and flexible event spaces for corporate or private gatherings.

Shun Li

A graduate of Johnson & Wales University with a focus in Baking and Pastry, Shun joined the Windsor Court Hotel in 2008.

 

Shun’s first job as a pastry chef was at the Grande Lakes Resort Ritz Carlton & JW Marriott, where he worked under World Pastry Cup Team USA Winner Chef Laurent Lhuillier. He then worked as the Executive Pastry Chef for Sienna Restaurant when it was voted the Best New Restaurant by Esquire Magazine. Shun also served as the Assistant Pasty Chef at the Charleston Place Hotel.

 

Shun’s dessert was mentioned by the late Johnny Apple in the New York Times in March 2004. He recently won the Best Tasting Cake Award for the Abe Lincoln 200^th Birthday Cake Competition, sponsored by the Southern Food & Beverage Museum.

 

Jason McCarthy

Executive Chef Jason McCarthy was born and raised in Greenville, SC and graduated from Johnson and Wales in Charleston, SC in 2002.

Following graduation, Jason worked in England at the De Vere Hotel. After returning to the United States, he worked in Richmond, Virginia, at Chef Max under Alan Lecomte, French Master Chef.

With Jason’s past experience, he adds new and exciting creations of both traditional and contemporary dishes to the restaurant’s offerings.

Whitney Miller

For as long as she can remember, Whitney Miller has been in the kitchen cooking.  Growing up in a very food, faith, and family-oriented environment, she was always in the kitchen cooking with her mom and two sisters or her great-grandmother, who is ninety-five today and still cooking.  Benefiting from her great-grandmother’s inspiration in Southern hospitality and cooking large Sunday dinners for extended family and friends, Whitney has aspired to be a great cook from an early age.
After graduating from Pearl River Community College, she enrolled in the University of Southern Mississippi.  In her senior year, at the age of twenty two, she auditioned and won Fox’s show “Masterchef” and gained the title of Fox’s 1st U. S. Masterchef.  Also, because of her talent on the show with desserts, Whitney was deemed the “Pastry Princess.” She has since obtained a degree, with an emphasis in nutrition, from The University of Southern Mississippi.
She currently resides in Poplarville, MS with her family.

Victoria Moore

Victoria (Vicky) Ann Moore is a self-described “food geek” who loves to explore the culinary cultures of different areas of the world. By acting as a food anthropologist and getting to the roots of why different communities eat the way they do, Vicky finds inspiration for the kitchen and takes her guests on a virtual tour of the world.

Originally from Alabama, Vicky learned how to cook from her grandmother and spent lots of time on the family cattle farm. She developed an early passion for fresh ingredients and helped grow a variety of seasonal produce in the garden.

Vicky earned both an associate and a bachelor degree in culinary arts from Johnson and Wales in North Miami, Florida. She graduated in the top 10 percent of her class with a concentration in chef supervisory/management. During her time at Johnson and Wales, she completed a line cook internship at Bay Harbor Inn and Suites in North Miami and cooked at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Prior to joining The Lazy Goat team, she worked as a corporate trainer at The Capital Grille in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
In November 2009, Moore was selected as one of four “Breakout Chefs to Watch” by John Mariani for Esquire Magazine.

Joey Pearson

Having started cooking at age 14, Joey Pearson thrived on the heat, fast pace and unpredictable nature of the kitchen from a young age. As the son of a fire department captain and the grandson of a fire chief, both of whom handled chef duties for their respective departments, Joey has inherited an innate talent for management and a strong foundation for his skills in the culinary arts.

Chef Pearson graduated Sigma Cum Laude from the Charlotte campus of Johnson and Wales in 2007 and joined the team at Soby’s in the same year. As the point person for the special beer dinners held at The Loft at Soby’s, he worked with microbreweries from across the South to showcase excellent flavor pairings. His interest in artisan beers was inspired by his brother, who came back from a trip to Europe with stories of diverse, intriguing beer producers. After a visit to R.J. Rockers Brewing Company in his hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina, he began integrating finely crafted brews into his culinary repertoire and even started home brewing.

Chef Pearson says that each beer has its place, and he takes seasonality and the individual flavor nuances of each brew into account when pairing beer with food. He works with his beverage director, bartenders and managers to establish synergy between the kitchen and dining room which assures an excellent gastropub experience. He is uniquely suited to head the kitchen at Nose Dive, where pub food is taken to a new level with international influences and fresh local ingredients.

Jason Scholz

Jason grew up in Louisville, KY. As a child, he helped his mother with her catering business & soup kitchen volunteering. Helping Mom out at a young age got him interested in food & cooking. He then started working in restaurants in high school, and realized he had a real enthusiasm for the restaurant business. After gaining a wide range of experience in various restaurants in Louisville, Jason made the move to Charleston, SC to further his culinary career.  In 1994 he joined Maverick Southern Kitchens at Slightly North of Broad under the direction of Executive Chef Frank Lee. There, Jason worked his way up and was promoted to Sous Chef. When Maverick Southern Kitchens expanded and opened High Cotton Restaurant in Charleston in 1999, Jason was named Executive Chef. During his tenure there, Jason was nationally recognized in numerous publications including, The New York Times, Bon Appetit, Southern Living, The Washington Post & The Food Network. After seven successful years at High Cotton in Charleston, he was relocated to Greenville, SC to open the High Cotton Restaurant downtown as the Executive Chef.

Daryl Shular

Chef Daryl L. Shular is the Corporate Executive Chef for Performance Foodservice-Milton’s. Chef Shular is a highly respected food consultant, culinary arts instructor, and frequent motivational speaker. His career and achievements has been recognized and featured in many media publications, including the prestigious African American historical archives “The History Makers”. His induction into The History Makers made him one of the youngest ever and one of only a few African American chefs elected for this achievement.  

As a member of the American Culinary Federation since 1993, he has received over twelve gold medals and eight “Best in Shows” in local and national and competitions.
In 2004 Chef Shular was the ACF Nutritional Challenge “National Champion”, and “Grand Champion” at the Southeast Regional Hotel and Motel Restaurant Show in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Chef Shular presently is a member prestigious ICS International Culinary Olympic Team 2012 and was member of the internationally recognized ACF United States Culinary Olympic Team 2008, the official culinary team representing the United States in international culinary competitions. His most recent achievement was an Olympic Gold Medal, winning top honors against 63 teams at the IKA “Culinary Olympics” held every four years in Erfurt, Germany.

In 2005 Chef Shular was a member of The Art Institute International Culinary Team, a seven member team representing the United States as delegates to the Chinese Government. The team competed in the International Hotel and Restaurant Association Culinary Salon, hosted by The China Hospitality Association. The team took top honors with gold medals, and was given Honorary International Culinary Art Master by the Chinese Government.

During his years of competitions and industry experience, Chef Shular has enhanced his skills by training in Germany, France, Luxembourg, China, Hong Kong and the Bahamas. His travels around the world have reinforced his classical training, bringing a unique flare to his ultimate creation Shular’s Culinary Entertainment.

In addition to his high caliber cooking and his many achievements, Chef Shular is also an ACF certified competition judge, a member of the Greater Atlanta ACF Chapter, and serves on the board of numerous foodservice establishments throughout the southeast.

Currently he is preparing for the 2012 Culinary Olympics and plans to one day take the Certified Master Chef Exam.

Rodney Scruggs

Beginning his culinary career in Washington more than twenty years ago, Rodney Scruggs has seen the DC restaurant scene transform into an intense hub of culinary creativity.  As Executive Chef of Occidental Grill & Seafood, Scruggs skillfully balances creating innovative cuisine with the demand for traditional favorites in an establishment that is not only 103 years old, but also seen as a DC institution among Washington natives, politicos and celebrities alike.  

Inspired by both his mother and grandmother, Scruggs pursued his passion for cooking when he studied the Culinary Arts at Newbury College in Massachusetts.  His first job experience came from where he currently resides at the helm of the kitchen: the Occidental.  At just 18 years old, he walked into Occidental as a line cook, and discovered his addiction to the creativity and energy that are ever present in the kitchen.  From 1986 until 1993, Scruggs worked his way up from line cook to Executive Sous Chef, gaining valuable knowledge and discipline from then Occidental Executive Chef Jeffrey Buben, currently of Vidalia and Bistro Bis fame. 

After seven years of Buben’s tutelage, Chef Scruggs was lured away to Galileo to work with Chef Roberto Donna for one and a half years.  Subsequently, Scruggs was offered a position he could not refuse at the Imperial Hotel on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.  During his three years as Executive Chef, Scruggs learned how to juggle the pressures of handling a restaurant menu and turned the Imperial from a small inn to a destination.

Following his time at the Imperial Hotel, Scruggs joined the ranks of Chef Francesco Ricchi and was asked to be the Chef de Cuisine at Ricchi’s “Cesco’s Trattoria” in Bethesda.  From there, he reunited with his mentor Chef Buben to open the renowned Bistro Bis on Capitol Hill.  Following Bistro Bis, Scruggs served as private chef for the President of American University for four years until deciding to return to the Occidental.

Chef Scruggs returned to the DC dining destination in 2005, shortly before the Occidental’s 100th anniversary, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a clear creative direction for his cuisine.  Providing a needed rejuvenation to the kitchen, Scruggs crafted the menu to capture the restaurant’s history as well as its significance in the DC community.  Armed with his new selection of dishes, the restaurant reopened after being closed for 5 months with a new clean and classic design.  

Chef Scruggs continues to build on restaurant’s historic background while moving the menu forward to reflect new techniques that appeal to the modern palate.  Chef Scruggs continues to expand his focus on local ingredients breathing new life into American favorites such as Shenandoah Valley “Cuq” Braised Lamb Shank served with Black Cumin scented “Seminole Farms” baby carrots, Israeli mint couscous and pine nuts, to the more adventurous preparation used in his Pan Seared Jumbo “Elephant Trusk” Sea Scallops topped with a crisp pita crust and served with Hummus, Cilantro Taboule and Mr. Whipple’s Paprika Oil.  In addition to overseeing the menu for the restaurant and all three private dining rooms, Scruggs kicked off the spring summer season last year with ‘Grill Night’ on Wednesdays on the largest outdoor dining space in D.C.  Scruggs’ style and cuisine follows a mantra he learned when he was just starting out: ‘KISS’ or ‘Keep It Simple Scruggs.’  Following this ideology, Chef Scruggs incorporates his years of experience and works to elevate simple, fresh and local ingredients, creating exquisite dishes that keep scores of Occidental fans eager for more.

The Washington Post’s Tom Sietsema hailed Chef’s cooking as being “more about the ingredients and not his ego,” and the venison being, “the best I have ever had.”

Spencer Thomson

Spencer Thomson is a native of Virginia who worked in restaurants around the Roanoke area before moving to Charleston, South Carolina to attend Johnson and Wales University. After receiving his associate’s degree in 2001, he honed his culinary skills at such legendary area restaurants as 82 Queen and The Woodlands Inn and Resort.

One of the most influential experiences of Spencer's career has been working for celebrated chef Michael Kramer at McCrady's from 1999 to 2003. He found himself part of a talented and inspiring culinary team that produced such renowned alumni as David Breeden, who went on to New York’s Per Se; and Christopher Edwards, who moved on to take the executive chef position at Virginia's Patowmack Farm. Spencer was one of the first employees at McCrady’s to start on garde manger and work through every station of the kitchen, accumulating the full experience along the way.

Spencer began working for Devereaux's prior to its opening in 2005 and was instrumental in establishing the restaurant’s concept. He has a deep respect for traditional culinary techniques, particularly that of French convention, but combines these time-honored foundations with new, innovative practices and ingredients like sous vide and compressed fruits. Seasonal, regional ingredients always have a place on his menu, and he has cultivated relationships with producers like Greenbrier Farms, Terry Goldenstar and Jeff Isbell to assure that his dishes shine with the best heirloom flavors.

Spencer stands apart from the typical chef in that he likes to create both sweet and savory cuisine. With his passion for pastry, he creates all the desserts for the restaurant, including house-made sorbet and ice cream. He prefers to coax the natural sweetness from berries and fruits and use those flavors as the base for his sweet dishes, but he also has an affinity for chocolate.

In his spare time, Spencer takes full advantage of Greenville's natural beauty by hiking and camping in the company of his wife and two dogs.

Robert Wiedmaier

This Washington-based hunting, fishing, cooking powerhouse infuses the cuisine at his five establishments with varying degrees of his own Belgian heritage.  The influence is subtle at Marcel’s, his elegant haute French flagship restaurant that regularly tops the best-of lists in the nation’s capital; Marcel’s was just rated the top restaurant for food in Zagat’s 2011 Washington DC/Baltimore Restaurant Survey, as well as one of the top five restaurants for service.  Over at Brasserie Beck, on the other hand, Belgium is the bold-faced theme of this stylish casual hot spot modeled on a vintage Brussels train station.  Here you’ll find a tempting array of mussel preparations and classic beef carbonade, along with extensive charcuterie and shellfish plates, and the area’s most comprehensive selection of Belgian beers -- including some brewed exclusively for Wiedmaier. 

His partnership with Kimpton Hotels gives him a significant presence across the Potomac in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia with Brabo, The Brabo Tasting Room, and a gourmet market called The Butcher’s Block, a Market by RW; the trifecta, handsomely designed by Vicente Wolf, is adjacent to the Lorien Hotel & Spa.  Wiedmaier’s latest venture is Mussel Bar in Bethesda, Maryland, a contemporary evocation of the roadside dives outside Brussels that he used to haunt after hours with his fellow cooks.  Besides the delectable selection of mussels, Mussel Bar offers a tempting array of flat-crusted savory Belgian tartes – a northern European cousin of the pizza.  Robert Wiedmaier has been the recipient of numerous awards throughout his career, is a favorite of critics, and is frequently honored in the press.  It was a surprise to no one when he was named “Chef of the Year” by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington in 2009. 

Teryi Youngblood

Youngblood has baking in her genes – as she attributes her love of the sweeter side of cooking to watching her mother and grandmother. The techniques of both ladies, which she refers to as “Southern with a twist” were very influential in her developing her own dessert style. After working in the kitchens at Bistro Europa and Casbah, she entered a chocolate creation in The Chocolate Soiree. She won the event and met Chef Rodney Freidank who brought her to the team at Soby’s on the Side, just two weeks after it opened in 2000.
 
It was here that Youngblood discovered the pastry was really her passion and Soby’s customers reap the benefits of that creativity. Youngblood is the Soby’s Pastry Chef and is responsible for all baking at Soby’s on the Side as well as all desserts served at Soby’s. In addition to what’s on the menu, Youngblood also works with a multitude of clients on birthday, wedding and special occasion cakes. If it’s something sweet you’re looking for – she’s your chef!