Supporting Frankie Lemmon School & Developmental Center.

Kim Hammer

Kim Hammer is a pastry chef and owner of Bittersweet—a cocktail, coffee and dessert bar in downtown Raleigh. Open for nearly 9 years, Bittersweet focuses on seasonal, high-quality ingredients from local growers. The cocktail and pastry menu changes four times a year, with a strong focus on gin-based cocktails.  Kim is most proud of Bittersweet’s […]

Jake Wood

A native to Apex and with family roots invested in North Carolina, Jake Wood’s passion for food is heavily influenced by his grandparents and the state’s rich agricultural traditions. With inspiration from his family, Jake Wood embarked on a culinary career in Raleigh, which started at 42nd Street Oyster Bar. He began shucking oysters and […]

Mason Hereford

Chef Mason Hereford was born in Charlottesville, Virginia as the grandson of the University of Virginia’s president. He grew up around the college university, and in particular loved a turkey and cranberry relish sandwich–called the Jefferson–at a popular college restaurant. He went on to attend UVA and had an obsession with dining out.   His love […]

Tyler Akin

In 2010, after several years as a bread-baking apprentice, Tyler Akin began cooking at Michelin-starred Komi under chef-owner Johnny Monis. He then helped Monis open Little Serow in 2011, which debuted to mass critical acclaim, and was awarded a coveted spot on Bon Appétit’s top ten “Best New Restaurants in America.” In 2012, Akin relocated […]

Ricky Moore

Chef Ricky Moore – the self-professed evangelist of North Carolina seafood and James Beard Foundation winner for “Best Chef Southeast” – is the owner of the popular Saltbox Seafood Joint® in Durham, North Carolina – praised by Saveur as “a tiny but mighty seafood shack.” Taking inspiration from the famous wet markets in Singapore, Moore focuses purely on the […]

Nina Compton

Winner of the 2018 James Beard Awards “Best Chef: South” and one of Food & Wine magazine’s “Best New Chefs 2017”, Nina Compton is Chef/Owner of award-winning restaurant Compère Lapin in New Orleans’ Warehouse District. Her second restaurant venture, Bywater American Bistro (BABs), is located in New Orleans’ “Sliver by the River” Bywater neighborhood. Born […]

Meg Bickford

Chef Megan “Meg” Bickford has called the Commander’s Palace kitchen her culinary home since June 2008 and took on the role of Executive Chef at the New Orleanians’ destination for leading edge Haute Creole cuisine in October 2020. With over 12 years of experience with the Commander’s Family of Restaurants, Chef Meg previously served as […]

Jordan Rubin

Jordan Rubin is the chef/owner of Mr. Tuna and Bar Futo, and co-owner of Crispy Gai, all located in downtown Portland, Maine. He is best known for his creative take on sushi hand rolls using traditional techniques and unexpected flavors, with a large focus on local seafood. Jordan has received national recognition from Bon Appetit, […]

Cheetie Kumar

Cheetie is an India and Bronx-raised Southerner, musician, and chef. She has been cooking multi-cultural menus at her beloved Raleigh, NC restaurant, Garland, where she blends flavors of South Asia and the surrounding regions, with the bounty of the local North Carolina agriculture. Cheetie’s cooking is refined and thoughtful, filled with equal parts imagination and […]

Gregory Gourdet

Gregory Gourdet is a celebrated chef, James Beard Award winning author, and television personality. He is best known for his award-winning cuisine, bevy of TV appearances, and trendsetting role in the culinary boom of Portland. A native of Queens, NY, Gregory attended the Culinary Institute of America, becoming the school’s first student to land an […]