Chef de Cuisine, Palm Court, Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center

Chef de Cuisine Ray Anderson is the creative force behind the progressive American menu in the newly-renovated Palm Court. Starting his tenure in the kitchen’s pantry in 1990, Anderson’s talent was rewarded with a rotation through banquets, the position of PM Chef, and ultimately, the chef de cuisine of Palm Court, the resort’s signature restaurant. “I’ve been fortunate to have had a diverse career without leaving this property. The variety of positions I’ve held has offered me a wealth of experience plus the continuity of being a member of this great resort family.”

A native Phoenician, Anderson fondly remembers dining with his father in a favorite restaurant and relishing how “the flavors were so distinct and so right that I would think about that meal all day and start looking forward to our return visit.” Anderson strives to create that same sensation for his diners as he “focuses on making the first bite taste just as good as the last bite.”

On the home front, Anderson most enjoys cooking hearty and flavorful soups for his family, but once he dons his toque, his demanding attention to detail drives him and his staff to create brilliant sauces and breathtaking presentations. “Each ingredient has to be at its freshest to satisfy our standards, which allows for no shortcuts in the kitchen. But the reward is to create that memorable dining experience for our patrons —like I experienced as a kid--which makes them happy and repeat guests.”

TABLE 8 RESTAURANT

Raised in both Los Angeles and on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, chef Govind Armstrong is as unique a personality as he is a culinary talent. With his distinctive approach to cooking, he is quickly becoming one of the nation’s brightest stars, both in the kitchen and in front of the camera. As executive chef and partner of Table 8 in Los Angeles and Miami Beach, Govind is strongly committed to market-driven cuisine that focuses on fresh seasonal ingredients from the finest local producers. He and his partners recently opened 8 oz., a burger bar in Los Angeles and Miami, and Govind brings his singular style to New York City in May 2009 with the opening of Table 8 at The Cooper Square Hotel.

Despite his relative youth, Govind has been a first-hand participant in L.A.'s culinary history -- and the evolution of California cuisine -- for two decades. Beginning at age 13, he spent three summer vacations working with Wolfgang Puck in the trend-setting kitchen of the original Spago. He also worked for L.A. culinary luminaries Mark Peel and Nancy Silverton at Campanile, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger at their seminal City Restaurant, and Joachim Splichal at Patina and Pinot Hollywood. Govind has trained in highly regarded European kitchens, including Arzak restaurant, the preeminent Michelin three-star establishment in San Sebastian, Spain. Through these experiences, Govind has remained a purist in the practice of California cuisine -- eschewing an excessive infusion of Asian or Latin American influences -- and has developed close relationships with top local producers who provide remarkable seasonal ingredients.

Govind is a consultant chef to Air New Zealand, a member of the Marshall Fields/Macy’s culinary advisory board, guest chef aboard the Queen Mary 2 and Crystal Cruises and a culinary ambassador to New Zealand. Additionally, he has made a wide range of media appearances from print (People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful Issue, Bon Appetit, Gourmet, O Magazine) to television (Iron Chef America/Food Network, The Today Show/NBC, Bravo’s Top Chef, Extra, Style Network, Fine Living and WE). In 2007, Govind released “Small Bites, Big Nights: Seductive Little Plates for Intimate Occasions and Lavish Parties,” his first cookbook from Clarkson Potter. In February of 2008, he made his debut appearance on OPRAH.

Executive Chef
Ahnala Mesquite Room – Radisson Fort McDowell Resort & Casino

“When it’s time to work, we work hard; when it’s time to play, we play even harder”

Being the fourth generation chef in his family has made Executive Chef Kenneth (“Chef Ken”) Arneson no stranger to the kitchen.

Chef Ken prides himself on having learned under some of the best chefs in the country and adopting a “No Compromise” attitude in the kitchen. After completing his apprenticeship under the tutelage of CMC David Callaway and Chef Bruce Fry, Chef Ken continued his education by attending the famed Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, where he was able to work under such renowned chefs as Charlie Trotter and Wolfgang Puck.

Traveling the world as Corporate Chef for Cruise West taught Chef Ken to use only the freshest ingredients, and to present food in its simplest form utilizing its natural flavors and textures. He used this philosophy of food effectively to head and open such great kitchens as the House of Blues (Anaheim, CA) and Matisse Restaurant inside the Ayres Hotel (Manhattan Beach, CA). His culinary creativity and attention to detail earned Matisse three stars and a four-diamond rating, placing it among the “Top Ten Best New Restaurants” in the 2005 Zagat Rating for Los Angeles.

Chef Ken’s commitment to quality has helped him receive top scores in many local culinary competitions, including the 2007 Taste of the Season Best Chefs of the West where he was awarded first place. Believing that his career has just begun, Chef Ken enjoys being involved in local charities such as the SOS and Taste of the Nations, “because giving back to the community is where the culinary arts truly begin”.

Executive Chef
Yellowtail Japanese Restaurant & Lounge
Bellagio Resort and Casino - Las Vegas

A Korea native and former professional snowboarder who was raised in Colorado, Chef Back brings his sense of adventure and boundless creativity into the kitchen at Yellowtail Japanese Restaurant & Lounge, which opened in the summer of 2008 at Las Vegas' Bellagio Resort & Casino. Back's menu encompasses classic Japanese cuisine, which features innovative dishes that utilize fresh ingredients from the world's top purveyors. Yellowtail's signature dishes earned him acclaim. He was awarded the title of "Rising Star" by Restaurant Hospitality in October 2008 and, in December 2008, he had the distinct honor of hosting a multi-course dinner at the prestigious James Beard House.

Back spent his early years as a professional snowboarder, showing off his talents in extreme movies, and garnered praise by industry magazines like Snowboarder and Transworld. To supplement his income, Back started cooking in local Aspen restaurants to earn extra cash. He soon realized that the adventure and thrill he experienced on the slopes also existed in the kitchen. After seven years on the professional snowboarding circuit, Back decided to pursue a full-time culinary career.

After graduating from The International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes in Colorado, Akira began his epicurean adventure in earnest 1993 at Kenichi in Aspen. He was later recruited to expand Kenichi in Austin, Texas followed by Kenichi in Kona, Hawaii.

Back's love of travel and culinary exploration took him to Japan and throughout Europe, where he trained under the leading master chefs, including Masaharu Morimoto and Brian Nagao, and learned the value of using rare and exotic ingredients. In 2003, Back returned to Aspen and was hired as the Executive Chef of Nobu Matsuhisa's namesake restaurant.

In 2008, Back appeared on an episode of the Food Network's Iron Chef America and battled Iron Chef Bobby Flay. He later became a spokesperson for Japanese knife company Suisin knives. Back also was a spokesperson for The International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes and was featured on the school's Fall '08 ad campaign, which is still airing on the Food Network.

Award-winning Chef Back continues to surprise and delight customers at Yellowtail Restaurant & Lounge with his signature dishes and menu of authentic traditional and modern Japanese cuisine.

Executive Chef
The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa (Scottsdale, AZ)

Leading the imaginative culinary experience at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa is, Executive Chef and Arizona Native, Todd Berry. Known for his inventive regional cuisine, Berry leads a team of nearly 100 members charged with servicing Nellie Cashman's Monday Club Café, J. Swilling's Pool Bar & Grill, The Rim, Waltz & Weizer Saloon, Coffee Flats and Snowbowls, Brittlebush Bar & Grill, and Deseo, a specialty restaurant inspired by Nuevo Latino inventor Douglas Rodriguez. Berry also oversees all banquet events for the Resort, which offers more than 175,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor meeting space.

Berry is known for his creative execution, forward-thinking approach to cooking and strong desire to teach and mentor his staff. Berry joined the Westin Kierland team in April of 2006 as head of the resort’s banquet department. He was quickly noticed for his ability to keep cool under pressure and for possessing a natural talent and pure passion for cooking. He also gained a reputation for having a genuine interest in the happiness and success of all his team members.

Prior to joining The Westin Kierland Resort, Berry served as Executive Chef at both the Sheraton Grand Sacramento and Hidden Meadow Ranch in Greer, Ariz. Other previous experience includes the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch, where he worked for 11 years, the Hotel Westcourt in Scottsdale and the French Corner, also in Scottsdale.

Kevin Binkley and his wife Amy opened Binkley’s Restaurant in Cave Creek on May 25, 2004. Binkley’s Restaurant received the Arizona Republic Best New Restaurant Award and Phoenix Magazine’s Best New Restaurant Award in 2004.

Binkley’s career objective has been to be the Chef/Owner of an award-winning restaurant, and he has been training for this since entering culinary school in 1994. In July 1995, the Inn at Little Washington hired him as a culinary school extern. While at “the Inn,” he learned every job in the kitchen and was promoted several times, rising to Executive Sous Chef, second in command to Chef/Owner Patrick O’Connell. He resigned the position in December 1999 to further enhance his culinary education. He continued to refine his culinary knowledge by working at the French Laundry under the supervision of Chef/Owner Thomas Keller. Kevin’s experience at 2 of the 13 top restaurants in the United States has afforded him the opportunity very few professional chefs have had to develop an in-depth understanding of fine dining.

Executive Pastry Chef
Fairmont Scottsdale

I am the third generation baker in my family and grew up in my father's business. My parents owned a small German bakery in Philadelphia for 14 years, of which the first eight years of my life I played in flour and occasionally helped my father eggwash danish. After my family moved to Wilkes-Barre, PA, my father and oldest brother built a very large bakery in which I worked until graduating high school, honing my skills from potwasher to a full-fledged baker/cake decorator. To this date, "Bakery Delite" is going stronger than ever. Trying to escape the bakeshop business I entered into the Culinary Institute of America because I wanted to cook. Halfway through I decided to stick with pastry, because school taught me there was a lot more "art" to patisserie than a hometown bakeshop could provide. After graduating in September 1988, where but New York City would be the best place to start my career with such fine restaurants and competition!

After working in three other restaurants in the city as assistant pastry chef, I started working as the pastry chef for Drew Nieporent at The New York Times 3 star restaurant Montrachet. In the seven years working at Montrachet, I have refined the skills of dessert production, plate designing, chocolate and sugar work. In 1994, I was Awarded Chocolatier Magazine's 10 Best Pastry Chefs in America. In 1995, I assisted in opening TriBakery, a large bakery/cafe with Drew Nieporent and Robert DeNiro. Eluding the snow blizzards and high cost of living in NYC, I hot-tailed it down to sunny Florida with my fiancee. Seeking to familiarize myself with South Florida Cuisine I worked for Allen Susser, one of the founding chefs of New World Cuisine. During the one-year of being the pastry chef at Chef Allen’s, I became accustomed to the diverse fruits and delicacies that South Florida and the Caribbean have to offer. Urged on by my peers, I took the opportunity to further my career within the environment of a world class hotel. I was recruited by Turnberry Isle Resort and Club and took the position of the Veranda Pastry Chef. After just one year I was recruited again by the Fairmont Scottsdale for the position of Assistant Pastry Chef. I am presently the Executive Pastry Chef at Fairmont Scottsdale and have been here for eleven years.

I have contributed to “Grand Finales”, a professional pastry book from the editors of Chocolatier Magazine and Pastry Art & Design, and also the PBS series and accompanying book “Baking with Julia” by Julia Child.

Paul Carter is the Executive Chef at The Phoenician, a 643-room luxury resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. Chef Carter oversees a staff of more than 150 along with the kitchen operations for dining outlets including, Il Terrazzo, The Café and Ice Cream Parlor, Relish Burger Bistro, Oasis Grill, Canyon Grill and In-Room Dining, as well as all banquet kitchens. He also oversees pastry, bake shop, butcher shop and pasta shop operations. As the resort’s Executive Chef, he is responsible for all menu creations and preparations, along with the daily supervision and training of restaurant staff. According to Carter, “Perfecting simplicity is the essence of great food.”

Chef Carter’s international background has provided him with a culinary expertise that far exceeds his years in the profession. His love affair with the kitchen dates back to his early teens. A native of London, Carter attended Colchester Institute of Culinary Arts in Essex at the young age of 15. Upon earning a three-year culinary degree, he began his cooking career at the Hotel Sonnenhügel in Bad Kissingen, Germany, where he held the title of Commis de Cuisine. He later served in the same capacity at Chateau de Montreuil in France for three years. After rising through the ranks in the kitchens, he moved to the venerable Connaught Hotel in London, where he held posts in all kitchen operations from Butcher, to Garde Manger, to Saucier of Fine Dining, to Banquets. In 1992, Carter moved to the United States to head up kitchens at world-class resorts including the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, California, where he held the position of Saucier for the fine-dining restaurant. In addition, he served as Executive Sous Chef at the Ritz-Carlton Naples, Florida, and was also the Executive Chef at the exclusive Vinings Club in Atlanta. Prior to joining The Phoenician, he was Executive Chef at the Ritz-Carlton Cleveland.

Carter is the 1991 recipient of the coveted William Heptinstall Award, an honor given to “The Most Enterprising Young Chef in the U.K.” He also received La Maîtrise des Arts Culinaires Diplôme by Palmes Culinaires in 2002.

The Mission, Executive Chef/Proprietor

Phoenix native Matt Carter had little interest in becoming a chef when he was growing up in the valley of the Sun. But after graduating from high school, he moved to California and took a job as a dishwasher at The Eggery breakfast restaurant in San Diego. Carter immediately took to the restaurant business and quickly advanced from dishwasher to prep cook to working on the line. After realizing that cooking could be a legitimate career option, he enrolled at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, graduating in 1989.

After culinary school, Carter cooked at Scottsdale's La Chaumiere, where he was immediately smitten with the artistry, demands and disciplines of French gastronomy. His experience there inspired him to pursue additional classical training in Paris, where he took courses at Le Cordon Blue, refined his skills at various restaurants and gained exposure to the world's finest cuisine.

Upon his return to Arizona in 1992, his Parisian experience helped him land a job as Chef de Partie at Christopher's, the highly acclaimed restaurant of chef/restaurateur Christopher Gross, where he stayed for over six years. Gross was a caring mentor to Carter, who considers him his greatest influence in the culinary world. "I truly learned to cook from Chris," he says, adding, "he taught me things you can't learn at any culinary school". Carter eventually ascended to the position of Chef de Cuisine at Christopher's, which at the time was the preeminent dining venue in the burgeoning Phoenix metropolitan area.

Thanks to a chance meeting with super chef Thomas Keller in 1998, the young chef was given the opportunity to cook in an even more acclaimed kitchen, Keller's illustrious French Laundry, in Napa Valley. After working as Poissonnier for Keller, Carter returned to Scottsdale to take the job of Executive Chef at Michael's at the Citadel, widely recognized for its contemporary American cuisine with European influences. After two-and-a-half years at Michael's, Matt left to collaborate with current partner, Terry Ellisor, becoming the Executive Chef at Zinc Bistro in 2001. The 39-year-old chef and father of four believes that bistro cooking, which is based on the simplicity of ingredients and presentation, to be one of the most versatile and thus most creative gastronomic directions.

Terry Ellisor and Chef Matt Carter recently teamed up with entrepreneur Brian Raab to create Carter’s newest endeavor, The Mission. The idea originated years ago through Carter’s deep love for weekend pig roasts serving friends and family slow-roasted, homemade pork tacos. They received such great reviews, Ellisor and Raab agreed it was time to perfect the cuisine and bring it to life as a restaurant. “I do have a thing for tacos,” admitted Carter years ago, “Someday I might just have to open a taco shop to support my habit.” Well, that is exactly what the three partners have done and the results are phenomenal. Their synergy is evident in the high quality of the cuisine, ambience and uniqueness of The Mission experience. The Mission opened on October 15, 2008 in Old Town Scottsdale and Carter’s twist on the traditional Latin dishes have been winning praise from critics since day one.

From a four-tiered, multi-colored wedding cake complete with draped and folded fondant and air-brushed rose petals made of white chocolate to tasty fruit tarts, chocolate chip brownies and Frisbee-sized cookies, Tammie Coe’s signature pastries have a way of turning any moment into a joyous occasion.

Her cakes, which come in three sizes, are a multi-sensory artistic experience, beginning with the bold colors and free-formed design and leading all the way to the taste, which has been known to cause people to speculate on the divine origins of these sweets.

While most people are at first pulled into the cakes by their rich, bold colors of the fondant drapery, it is what is inside the cake that keeps them coming back for more. And more.

The Milk Chocolate Cakes features “next to flourless” Milk Chocolate Sponge Cake which is layered with Chocolate Mousse and Toasted Hazelnuts. Her famous “Zebra” includes White Chocolate Mousse layered with Chocolate Cake and Raspberries. While still another signature features Banana Foster Cake, a banana cake laden with orange brandy and caramel cream.

We take special pride in creating desserts that use only the best of ingredients. This is why they taste fresh and delicious every time.

For Coe, though, creating such sweetness is in part a work of art and part a connection back to her childhood in Virginia where she learned to make things from scratch and created her first wedding cake in her mom’s kitchen at the age of twelve.

After graduating from high school, Coe went to the Johnson and Wales Culinary school in Rhode Island and received her degree in Pastry and Baking Arts. After finishing the two-year course, Coe then entered and completed the Advanced Standing Course in Pastry, where she learned many of her signature pastry treats.

Culinary school proved to be advantageous for other reasons besides the pastry training, as it was there where she met her future husband, Michael John (MJ). At the time, MJ was a fellow bakery student and now he is one of the youngest Certified Master Bakers in the country.

After spending time in Florida, working at such places as The Breakers in Palm Beach and The Ritz Carlton in Naples, the two came to Arizona to seek out their culinary fortunes.

Since arriving in Arizona, Tammie has always taken chances and followed her instincts to place herself at the forefront of the culinary scene. In the late 90s, she worked at the culinary hotspot Michael’s at the Citadel, and then, a few years later when an ordinary strip mall in the beautiful Arcadia district in Phoenix was renovated into a hip market, grocery and pizzeria titled La Grande Orange, Tammie opened her own bakery and sold her unique pastry offerings. At the same time, MJ supplied the space with his signature creations, his artisan breads, which include French loaves, olive bread, croissants, foccacia, and ciabatta.

The time came when Tammie and MJ simply ran out of room to keep up with all the orders, and they opened their own bakery in the same plaza, using $70,000 of their own money to buy the best oven from France, which came with its own person to assemble it.

As Tammie Coe Cakes continued to grow in popularity, Tammie and her husband kept their Arcadia location as their permanent bakery, but have expanded to include a new location in the Roosevelt Arts District that serves as a store and small café. In addition to serving Tammie Coe’s signature baked goods, this location is offers a wide variety of great breads and sandwiches, and is specializing in delicious Panini’s; with different specialty sandwiches daily!

P.J. Coleman is the owner of La Dolce Pesca Bakery, a custom cake and pastry shop in Scottsdale, Arizona. Over the past 7 years she has transformed the world of cakes into beautiful and delicious works of art. Under her leadership, La Dolce Pesca has gone from a tiny, one woman shop into a thriving wedding cake boutique, providing custom cakes and pastries to those with discriminating palates. Prior to opening La Dolce Pesca, P.J. traveled and worked in Italy and Switzerland in some of the worlds most disitinguished restuarants and pastry shops. Over the years, she has been nominated and honored with several awards, praising her for both the taste and beauty of her creations. P.J. is a graduate of Scottsdale Community College Culinary Arts. She resides in Scottsdale, Arizona with her two children.

Executive Chef, Caffé Boa Restaurant
Stay in touch with Payton on Twitter : www.twitter.com/chefp8n

Growing up in Rochester, Minnesota, Caffe Boa Executive Chef Payton Curry and his twin brother were raised by a hard-­‐working dad who taught his pre-­‐ teen boys to cook so they could eat dinner together as a family every evening. Payton credits his dad with an obsessive work ethic, leadership model and memorable camping trips where father and sons collaborated on ‘hobo dinners’ over an open fire.

At age 11 and dressed in his first suit, Payton dined at Chicago’s Drake Hotel. He asked to see the kitchen and was simply awed by the bustling scene on the other side of the sedate dining room. Subsequent travels with his mother and stepfather (to the Caribbean, Hawaii and Mexico), were the catalyst for his passion for food. While he enjoyed sophisticated new tastes like foie gras and escargots, his lasting impressions from those early fine dining experiences were just as often about feeling special and cared for by the service staff.

In high school, Payton was the all-­American jock. He played baseball and captained the football team. After graduation, he attended the University of Minnesota at Winona, where he played rugby and majored in Business Administration. His heart wasn’t in it and his grades showed it. But he wasn’t partying hard at fraternity parties; he was enthusiastically cooking dinner parties for professors and fellow students, usually for nothing more than the cost of ingredients.

The summer after freshman year, Payton landed his first official cooking job as Garde Manger for Chef Mark Weimer at Chardonnay in Rochester. He was quickly promoted to sous chef and by the time he returned to school in the Fall, he knew he needed to change direction and follow his heart.

Taking a leave of absence, he applied to the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park. He found an interim job cooking at an upscale retirement home, where he delighted residents with familiar foods prepared in diverse, creative ways and felt genuinely rewarded by their appreciative feedback.

While attending the CIA (2003-­‐2004), Payton was nominated as group leader of his class of 18, he was president of the Gourmet Society and he did charity dinners for two groups: the March of Dimes and Possibilities, an organization that helps disabled individuals find employment and live independently. Payton’s tireless energy and creativity also allowed him to run a booth at the weekly Farmer’s Market, where he and fellow students offered market-­‐goers complimentary seasonal tastes of items such as soup, salsa and hot chocolate.

Midway through the CIA program, Payton and girlfriend/fellow classmate Shantal Abdo (now his fiancée) were offered six-­‐month externships in Singapore through at-­ sunrice, the Singapore Culinary Academy and Spice Garden. The Four Seasonshired them both after two weeks of training and government certification.

Aside from the tremendous experience gained catering to wealthy residents and tourists in a cosmopolitan center of four million, Payton’s culinary knowledge expanded through travel to nearby countries including Bali, Malaysia and Indonesia. He learned new definitions of bar food (fried frogs legs in black oyster sauce), breakfast (congee – rice porridge with dried shrimp and fish sauce) and staff meals (chicken feet and ‘tails’). Lobster sashimi was the strangest thing he ate in Asia; he compares it to the electric jolt one would get by touching a live battery to one’s tongue.

Returning to New York, Payton took on random cooking jobs and caterings while completing the CIA program. After graduation, he moved to Napa Valley and spent a year at Martini House under chef Todd Humphries while moonlighting on banquets at Niebaum-­Coppola Vineyards. His shared responsibility for family meal six days a week was the highlight of his time at Martini House. Cooking for his chef, peers and co-­‐workers became his favorite ‘dish’ to prepare—for the creative freedom and the challenge of thrilling palates using by-­‐products and inexpensive ingredients.

Ame in San Francisco’s St Regis hotel was Payton’s next stop, where he cooked under consulting chef Hiro Sone and executive chef Greg Dunmore. Working with pristine fresh ingredients and items not usually available in America was a thrill, but when Union policies restricted his creativity and did not allow him to spend extra hours in the kitchen on his own time, he moved on to Quince.

Quince was the new Italian darling on the San Francisco dining scene and Payton was eager to work under Chef Michael Tusk. So eager in fact, he spent a month working without pay while waiting for a line cook position to open. With no prep cooks and minimal recipes, Quince was a true proving ground. Pressure was intense daily and unrelenting during nightly service, but the opportunities for growth and personal expression were invaluable. In Chef Tusk’s kitchen, Payton found his mentor and industry role model. He learned to maintain grace under fire while producing exceptional food with minimal staff.

Payton arrives at Caffe Boa from a long tenure at the now defunct Digestif in Scottsdale, where he spearheaded the farm-­‐to-­‐table vision with renowned restaurateur Peter Kasperski. Known for championing locavore dining, Payton has aligned with various local organizations and causes to bring fresh produce and farm goods closer to his kitchen than ever. Together with Caffe Boa owners Jay & Christine, Payton aspires to revolutionize the way people think about food and restaurant dining with his signature cooking style and dedication to providing the freshest culinary experience possible.

Payton’s favorite ingredients: stocks and fresh greens. Favorite foods: bacon, veal, braises, crusty breads. Ethnic cuisines: Mexican and Thai. Influenced by chefs he has trained under and inspired by Mexican-­‐born Shantal and her family, Payton is a fanatical disciple of the farm-­‐to-­‐table mentality. Even beyond that, he values relationships with each and every purveyor whenever possible, from the chief butcher at the meat packing house to the cheese buyer at the importing company. His approach to cooking is simple: “I always cook as though I’m cooking for my own parents or Shantal’s, like I’m being judged by the people to whom I’m closest.”

Lisa has over fifteen years of experience as a restaurateur, chef, author and philanthropist. Her endless energy, attention to detail and passion for food and ambience is found in two award winning restaurants, Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano and Cucina Rustica, in beautiful Sedona, Arizona, that she co-owns with business partner Andrea Di Luca.

Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano debuted in 1996 after Lisa moved from the San Francisco Bay area in 1995. Cucina Rustica began welcoming guests seven years later. Ranking Arizona Magazine places Dahl & Di Luca in the top four Italian restaurants in Arizona.

Both restaurants receive top awards every year, including Wine Spectator awards and are a testament to Lisa’s dedication to signature culinary creations and the dining experience.

As Executive sous-chef for the restaurants she makes sure that there is one key ingredient in every dish – love. The food speaks of fresh ingredients, simplicity and care in preparation.

Lisa is the executive catering director for Dahl & Di Luca Decadent Catering Company.

Her passion equal to cooking is interior décor where her love of color and ambience can be seen through the interiors of Dahl & Di Luca, Cucina Rustica and their gourmet culinary, wine and gifts boutique, A’Roma.

She has been a board member of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce and the Sedona Community Foundation. She was the recipient of the 2006 Customer Satisfaction award by the National Association of Women Business Owners, NAWBO.

She and her business partner have been recognized as leaders in philanthropy for their community in addition to being among the longest standing participants for Boys & Girls Club event – The Sedona Taste.

Her recipes are regularly requested by readers of Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Sedona Magazine and subsequently published.

As a food writer her food & lifestyle column appeared for a year in Sedona Monthly Magazine.

Lisa’s first book, “The Elixir of Life”, Finding Love and Joy in the Passionate Pursuit of Food. Will be released in June of 2010.

For more information, please visit www.livingdahl.com and www.dahlanddiluca.com.

Zinc Bistro

Bio not available at this time.

It may well have been an Easy Bake Oven, a Christmas gift when she was 5 that started Tracy Dempsey down the path towards a career in the restaurant industry. While cooking treats made of Play-Do might seem a dubious beginning, this interest in food and cooking at an early age was expanded with imaginary travels afforded by her mother’s Time-Life International Cuisine Cookbook series and in real travels as her father’s career in petroleum geology took the family around the Globe. Early dining experiences ranging from street food in Singapore to home-cooked meals at Grandma’s house in Arkansas helped expose her young palate to a wide-range of ingredients, flavor combinations and techniques, and although some combinations were not fully appreciated at the time, a sense of both the differences and similarities among various cultures’ dishes was instilled in her at an early age.

Food and its enjoyment are always best as collaborative experiences for Tracy, and this may have been influenced by the occasions that her parents would share cooking classes prior to utilizing the newly learned techniques or recently discovered ingredients while hosting elaborate dinner parties for their friends. By staying up late with the adults, more good food – and occasionally wine - were sampled, and perhaps more importantly for someone destined for the hospitality industry, the joy of successful entertaining was observed first-hand. Similar dinner parties were hosted by Tracy and her husband during their time in graduate school at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma, and in the early days of their Valley residency, and although the occasional bash may have ended with crepes flying, food and fellowship rarely suffered. New ingredient, sometimes ordered from as far away as New York City, or new techniques gleaned from cooking shows on PBS or various Cable Networks were often unveiled during these endeavors, and menus, guest preferences as well as notable happenings were recorded in a journal for future reference.

During the early 1990’s, Tracy and her husband moved to the Valley on an alleged temporary assignment for him at the Salt River Project as the onsite presence for an on-going research project led by the National Severe Storms Laboratory. Tracy’s studies and progress towards a PhD in French Literature were halted, and before the “temporary” assignment became more permanent, Tracy worked a brief tenure at Santa Barbara Catering before returning to a more academic setting as an ESL teacher at ASU. Although her time with the catering company was less than a year, it was enough to eventually blossom into a desire to leave teaching and enroll in the Scottsdale Community College Culinary Program in the Spring of 1999. Four semesters of general studies within the culinary program to provide a broad foundation for future endeavors and graduation from SCC continued a culinary education that began with a plethora of cookbooks and low-style yet high-substance television shows such as the Great Chefs series featuring Julia Child, Marcel DeSaulniers, Jacques Torres, Justin Wilson, Ming Tsai and Natalie Dupree.

Even before graduation from SCC, Tracy gained valuable experience working as a prep cook under the tutelage of Chef-Owner Giuseppe "Pippo" Tedesco-Gueli at the Café Terrace Italian Bistro and during an externship at the Marriot Cottonwoods Resort. The former venue provided an opportunity to learn the intricacies of making fresh pastas and Italian desserts and to become acquainted with à la minute preparation while the latter offered experience at many of the stations along the “Line” as well as opportunities to help with menu development. Although helping meet the evening service’s rush at both of these venues had a certain exhilarating aspect, shortly after graduation from SCC, a full-time position in the Bake Shop at the Marriot Mountain Shadows Resort became open. With a culinary certificate and favorable recommendation from Paul O’Connor the Cottonwood’s executive chef, in hand, this position was offered to Tracy and eagerly accepted as the first step towards a pasty chef position. The Mountain Shadows had no pastry chef as such, but within a year of taking full advantage of the learning opportunities the bake shop offered while continually receiving encouragement from the Resort’s executive chef Chris Klett, Tracy was fulfilling many of the duties of the pastry chef while still the “junior” member of the bake shop crew.

Throughout the fall of 2000, a Pasty Chef position for Lon’s at the Hermosa Inn repeatedly appeared among the classified advertisements within the restaurant section and eventually Tracy answered it during her first visit to the property. An interview led to a try-out, and as part of that, the neophyte chef, lacking any “signature” desserts per the request, produced at least one – a garam marsala pound cake with a dried fruit compote and chai tea ice cream – that pleased the executive chef Patrick Poblete enough for him to offer her the position beginning in February of 2001. The excitement of attaining the title of Pastry Chef at a highly reputable restaurant quickly gave way to long days and nights in the fast-paced kitchen as a crash course in the Industry at the peak of a busy season ensued. Four hundred covers on a weekend night were not uncommon, and as Pastry Chef in the Lon’s environment, Tracy was often the first in the kitchen to begin preparation for service and any parties that were scheduled and the last to leave after the final dessert of the evening was served.

A year in this environment provided more learning and experience within the Industry than a decade in a “typical” kitchen might have, and over the summer of 2002, a different venue was sought and found at Restaurant Hapa. Although Chef-owners James & Stacy McDevitt’s cuisine at Hapa was from a different genre than Lon’s, it was an easy transition towards using Asian ingredients and creating Asian inspired desserts that complimented Hapa’s Asian fusion menu that was a Valley favorite. A change in ownership at Restaurant Hapa during the spring of 2003 led to yet another change of venue as Tracy joined Gregory Casale at Gregory‘s World Bistro during the fall of 2003. Once again designing a dessert program to compliment a different chef and menu was challenging, but working side-by-side and collaborating with Chef Casale made the transition smooth and transformed the challenges into rewarding opportunities. Unfortunately Gregory’s closed much too early in Tracy’s tenure there, but after Chef Casale announced his intentions, Peter Kasperski contacted her and inquired if she’d be interested in joining his company, Spaghetti Western Productions, whose flagship restaurant is the widely acclaimed Cowboy Ciao. After interviewing with Peter and Ciao’s executive chef Bernie Kantak, Tracy was offered the position and started her five year tenure as executive Pastry Chef which led her to creating dessert programs for a total of four Spaghetti Western Production endeavors.

In June 2009, Tracy decided to venture out on her own to pursue the dream of owning her own business. Thus, the retail and wholesale desserts and confections brand called Tracy Dempsey Originals was born. Presently, her creations may be found at Crudo Café and Enoteca, Via Mediterranée and the Downtown Scottsdale Farmer’s Market in Old Town Scottsdale, and at Smeeks in Central Phoenix.

Being involved in the food industry has enabled Tracy to give back and support her community through her passion- food. She regularly guest lectures to culinary students at Scottsdale Community College, has donated proceeds from the sales of her Bacon-Pecan Brittle to animal rescue, and participates in a variety of culinary events held in support of organizations benefitting women and children. As she moves forward with her new venture, she will continue to give back to her community.

Executive Chef/Owner
Drago Centro (Santa Monica, CA)

Chef Celestino Drago has played an integral role in the ever-evolving dining scene in Los Angeles for over two decades. Hailing from Sicily, Celestino has become one of the city's and the country's most lauded Italian chefs, with honors ranging from Food & Wine Magazine selecting him as a “Best New Chef” to being an invited guest chef at the James Beard House in New York on multiple occasions. From his affable demeanor to his inventive and delicious takes on Italian fare, Chef Celestino Drago has helped lay the groundwork for Italian cuisine in America today.

Before launching his restaurant empire in Southern California, Celestino attended mechanical school in Italy while simultaneously working at a restaurant in the city of Pisa called Pierino. It was there that realized he “loved everything about the restaurant business.” Recognizing his culinary potential, the chef at Pierino worked closely with him and, in just three short years, Celestino took over as chef.

In 1979, Celestino was hired as chef at Los Angeles Italian restaurant, Orlando Orsini, prompting him to leave Italy to embark upon a new culinary career in the United States. After working at Orlando Orsini, Celestino worked at Spectrum Foods before opening his first restaurant, Celestino, in Beverly Hills. After receiving high praise, he was encouraged to open another restaurant, Drago, on bustling Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica. Drago was met with rave reviews and has consistently been rated in the top 5 Italian restaurants in Los Angeles since its opening. It was Celestino's success at Drago that led to his subsequent ventures which include his artisanal bakery, Dolce Forno, the quintessential neighborhood restaurant, Enoteca Drago, the more upscale eatery, Il Pastaio, in Beverly Hills and most recently, Drago Centro in Downtown Los Angeles and the upcoming Osteria Drago in Newport Beach, CA.

Celestino’s cuisine is deeply rooted in his childhood home in Sicily and since his arrival in Los Angeles; he has been delighting diners with dishes that hearken back to his home country―dishes imbued with the heritage and authenticity of true Italian fare. Celestino has been touted as one of the Best Italian Chefs in the United States by Bon Appétit and Los Angeles Times Restaurant Critic S. Irene Virbila has called Celestino, "one of the best-known Italian restaurateurs in Southern California."

At Drago Centro, located in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, Chef Celestino Drago is giving his classic Italian techniques a contemporary flair befitting the chic environs of the stunning 9,500 square-foot restaurant where he combines exceptional food, unparalleled service, and a beautiful setting, making it one of the top fine dining destinations in Los Angeles.

Inspiration comes in many ways, how to everything works, how it came about and how to make it better is the inspiration of Executive Chef Richard Dupere.

In 1993 Rick started his own business that sold fish and fish products wholesale to retail stores and distributors, while still in college. Within a year, though, Rick had met so many talented culinary professionals that he decided that he wanted to do more so, while still running his business, he relocated to Arizona and quickly earned a Culinary Arts degree.

After refining his cooking skills with a couple of Scottsdale resorts (Renaissance Hotels and Gainey Ranch Golf Club), Rick returned to Seattle to work as a Banquet Chef for the Columbia Tower Club. He started is first experience at the Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix in 1999; in 2001 he went to the Ritz-Carlton Boston Common.

Yet another exciting change in 2002 brought Rick back to Arizona and to the JW Marriott Desert Ridge, where he worked closely with catering and event managers designing programs for special events. Always ready for the next challenge, in 2006 Rick became the Executive Chef for Aventura, the Catering Company for the new Phoenix Convention Center.

In 2007, Rick returned back to the Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix as Executive Chef. Thankfully Rick’s culinary inspirations have never waned, and we wait with excited anticipation to sample his next masterpiece.

Executive Chef of Sushi Roku

Award-winning Arizona chef draws on a wealth of travel and experience

Tim Fields has cultivated his culinary passion on a journey that began in his grandparent’s kitchen and led him to the hills of Tuscany, the Mountains of Colorado, and the Valley of the Sun. This award-winning chef has now accepted the position of Executive Chef of Sushi Roku at the W Scottsdale Hotel & Residences. An Innovative Dining Group concept based on serving sushi in a sleek, sophisticated environment, Sushi Roku Scottsdale joins the illustrious list of IDG concepts that can be found in L.A. and Las Vegas.

Chef Fields, born in Big Spring, Texas, earned his executive chef certification through the American Culinary Federation (ACF). Fields has received numerous professional awards including first place and a gold medal in the 2001 Governors Symposium in Keystone, Colo., an ACF-sponsored mystery bag competition in which chefs create and cook a dish from a mystery bag of ingredients unknown to them before the competition. He has also received five gold and four silver ACF medallions in culinary competitions throughout his career in Arizona and Colorado including “Colorado Hotel and Lodging Chef of the Year” in 2001.

Fields was most recently the executive sous chef at the five-diamond Boulders Resort in Carefree, Ariz., (near Scottsdale) where he perfected his skills in upscale catering and a la carte-style banquets
Fields began his gastronomic career at the famed Loews Ventana Canyon in Tucson, Ariz. where he spent 16 years, starting as a cafeteria cook. Working under the tutelage of notable culinary experts such as Takashi Shiramizu and Tim Rodgers, he worked his way up through increasingly responsible positions in the Loews organization, achieving the position of executive chef and director of food and beverage at the Loews Denver Hotel and the famed Tuscany Restaurant.

Fields had toured the Tuscan hillsides with Lorenza De Medici researching, tasting and experiencing the culture in the small hilltop hamlets. This mission of love enabled him to guide his staff through a transformation of a once “Cal-Ital” menu to one that became an undeniably authentic Tuscan experience.
While there, he cooked for luminaries such as Barbara Bush, Billy Joel, Cher, Brian Adams and Janet Jackson.

“My first understanding that food was something much more than just a meal came from preparing fruits and vegetables in my grandmother’s kitchen. My grandfather grew it or trapped it and my grandmother braised it, roasted it, sautéed it or pickled it. They taught me techniques to cook proteins like venison and pheasant and helping make desserts like pecan pie and homemade ice cream.,” says Fields.
Perhaps most notably, Fields has a chapter dedicated to his career in writer/photographer Carol Maybach's 2005 epicurean cookbook, “Creating Chefs: A Journey through Culinary School with Recipes and Lessons.”

When not devising or preparing culinary masterpieces in the kitchen, Fields can often be found enjoying golf, skiing, gardening or recapturing his love of travel, inspired by his youthful experiences as the son of a U.S. Air Force officer.

Tim Fields is passionate about cooking. But culinary passion is a given for someone who holds a position such as his: executive chef of Sushi Roku at the W Scottsdale Hotel & Residences. What sets this talented travel-lover apart from many of his peers is the age at which he became keenly aware of food as something to be labored over and appreciated. At seven, when most kids are interested in little more than Cheerios and PB&Js;, Fields was learning the rudiments of cooking.

Born in Big Springs, Texas, Fields credits his grandparents for teaching him that food is more than mere sustenance. “My grandfather grew it , hunted it, fished it or trapped it,” he says, “and my grandmother braised it, roasted it, sautéed it or pickled it.” At an early age, he learned to churn ice cream, bake pies and prepare meats such as venison and pheasant which require a high level of proficiency. His grandfather foraged mushrooms and grew fresh herbs and vegetables in the garden, inadvertently teaching the boy the value of freshness and simplicity.

Fields began his career at Charles, an elegant French restaurant in Tucson, staying there for four years before moving to Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, where Takashi Shiramizu (a French-trained Japanese chef with an eye for detail) became his mentor. In 1991, Fields moved to the Loews Denver Hotel, where he became both executive chef and food and beverage director, presiding over the Tuscany Room.
In preparation for the job, Chef Fields spent a month in Tuscany, squired around by famous cookbook author and TV personality Lorenza Di Medici. He spent his time there well—buying wine, stomping grapes, eating rustic Tuscan specialties, living in residences and generally soaking up the local culture—all of which prepared him to transform the Tuscany Room’s Cal-Ital menu to something authentically Tuscan. During his time in Denver, Fields cooked for Barbara Bush, Billy Joel, Cher, Bryan Adams and Janet Jackson.

During that time, Fields won multiple awards in cooking competitions as well as the “Colorado Hotel and Lodging Chef of the Year” in 2001.

That same year, Fields opened Mirabel (a private golf club in Scottsdale, AZ), where he began to revisit the techniques he’d learned from his mentor Shiramizu so many years ago. He challenged himself to create six-and seven-course sashimi meals for a customer who requested them every Thursday night.
Surely, there was prescience, as well as courtesy, in his actions. After a brief stint as executive sous chef at The Boulders (where Fields refined his skills in upscale catering and a la carte-style banquets), he was hired by Innovative Dining Group, founders of the Sushi Roku concept, in January, 2008. He spent three months of intensive training in Pasadena, CA, where he was immersed in Japanese cooking techniques, vocabulary and culture.

His new job has brought him full circle. These days, he collaborates with Executive Sushi Chef Shinya Toyoda, sourcing the freshest fish from California and finest ingredients from local farmers and purveyors. And he remembers what his grandparents taught him: there is beauty in simplicity.

Anthony Giglio has a reputation that borders on unique for a wine expert: he's funny and entertaining, and he never indulges in snobbery or intimidation. He is a journalist, sommelier, educator and author who has written several books, including Food & Wine Magazine’s Wine Guide 2009 and 2010 (and currently tasting his way through 2011),the annual guide to 1,100 wines from around the globe, as well as Cocktails in New York and several editions of the enormously popular Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide. Throughout his career Giglio has attracted countless fans and admirers nationally, all of whom appreciate his sense of humor as much as they do his insight and his perspective, which is that wine is best regarded as a pleasure, not a problem. Giglio is an award-winning contributor to numerous publications, including Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, New York Magazine, Esquire, Details, Robb Report, Worth and Parade.

Lola (Great Neck, NY)

Michael Aeyal Ginor is co-founder and Chef of Hudson Valley Foie Gras, the most comprehensive Foie Gras producer in the world. Michael, with his partner Izzy Yanay, modernized the ancient delicacy known to Pharos and kings by utilizing the hi-tech and scientifically advanced production techniques of the twentieth century. Production is now a unified, controlled and consistent operation based on nature, nurture, and technology. It is a closed, independent production system where the duck and the egg both come first!

Michael was born in Seattle, Washington, in 1963. He is a graduate of Brandeis University and studied for an MBA at New York University. After four years on Wall Street as a Senior Vice-President with David Lerner Associates he decided to take a revolutionary step: having been born to Israeli expatriates living in America, in 1988 Michael joined the Israeli Defense Forces. He served as a patrol-commanding Captain in the Gaza Strip and as the Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson. It was in Israel that Michael first discovered the potential of modern-age Foie Gras processing. Michael pursued his dream by establishing what is today the major Foie Gras producer in the United States. The company distributes its moulard duck products through a network of distributors extending throughout the United States, and beyond.

HVFG has received the 1993 Gold Merit Award from Chefs in America and the 1996 Award for Excellence from The James Beard Foundation. In 1996, HVFG received the Five Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences and the 1998 Award of Excellence from the American Tasting Institute. Michael has served as Honorary Event Chairman for the Spinazzola Foundation and the Cystic Fibrosis Fund. In May 1996, Michael received the first Olive Branch Award from the Jewish National Fund for humanitarian and professional achievements. He was honored with the 1997 Angel Award from The James Beard Foundation for dedication, contribution and foresight and in 1998, Michael received the American Master Taster Award from the American Tasting Institute. Both Michael and Izzy Yanay were inducted into the James Beard Foundation Who's Who of Food and Beverage.

While HVFG is the bedrock of Michael’s pursuits, since 1990, Michael has dedicated his time to the many facets of the culinary world, including product development, creating and organizing gourmet and charitable events, workshops and demonstrations. Thus, Hudson Valley Foie Gras is committed to and is associated with: The James Beard Foundation, where Michael serves as a member of the National advisory Board, The Culinary Institute of America, New England Culinary Institute, Meals on Wheels, Share Our Strength, The Robert Mondavi Master Chefs Program, The Television Food Network, The Masters of Food and Wine, The St. Mortiz Food & Wine Festival, Singapore World Gourmet Summit, and the Bangkok World Gourmet Festival among numerous others.

Michael is also founder of Culinary Brainwaves which consults to the gourmet food industry. He has worked with Rio Suite Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas; Hyatt International; The Regent Group; The Four Seasons Group; Shangri-La Sheraton International; Inter-Continental and the Disney Corporation. He inaugurated the Food and Wine Festivals for Club-Med International.

Michael organizes culinary events and festivals worldwide. By bringing together celebrated American chefs and local chefs, Michael helps to create an intercultural culinary exchange program, which introduces American ingredients and techniques to world markets. Such events have been organized in Argentina, Canada, Chile, Great Britain, Finland, Hong Kong, Israel, Mexico, Russia, Singapore, and Thailand.

Michael is a food and travel contributor to such stellar publications as Food Arts Magazine; The James Beard Magazine; Art Culinaire; Coffee & Cuisine; Singapore’s Cuisine Scene and Great Britain’s Great Hospitality. His cookbook, the internationally acclaimed Foie Gras…A Passion, is a comprehensive reference book accompanied by 84 recipes, received the prestigious 1999 Prix la Mazille for best international cookbook of the year from the International Cookbook Revue in Versailles.

Michael, along with Chef Ken Oringer launched Boston’s La Verdad, a casual Mexican Taqueria and restaurant, which has already been awarded “The Best Casual Mexican Restaurant in the US” by Bon Appetit Magazine and “One of the best 100 Restaurant in the US” by Food and Wine Magazine.

In July 2007 Michael opened TLV in Great Neck, NY, a Mediterranean restaurant which is garnishing critical acclaim and has received three stars from Newsday – “An oasis of serious food…. by culinary luminary Michael Ginor” as well as “best new restaurant (Long Island) 2008’. It received a Zagat “most notabl” distinguish in 2009. In September 2009 Michael opened “Lola”, a new personal cuisine restaurant, also in Great Neck, NY. Lola is already being hailed as one of Long Island’s best restaurants.

America fell in love with Carla’s heart‐felt approach as she cooked her way into the finals on season five of the award‐winning Bravo show, Top Chef. Today, Carla continues to cook from the heart, and balances her Southern traditions, classic French training, and holistic approach to food as an entertaining expert, and owner and Executive Chef of Alchemy Caterers in Washington, DC.

Carla’s commitment to wellness and balance connects her passion for natural, organic and locally sourced ingredients with her belief in yoga and meditation. For Carla, the preparation of dishes is a mindfulness practice, as well as an opportunity to transform and inspire the way people approach food. Carla’s cuisine is based on a philosophy of authentic connections and her warmth can be felt in all aspects of her work. From the preparation and serving of her dishes to her interactions with guests at events, every relationship is given tribute and meaning.

A native of Nashville, TN, Carla graduated from Howard University with a degree in Accounting. However, her passions were elsewhere. Carla’s striking good looks led her to the catwalks in Paris, Milan and London, where she discovered her true love: food. After graduating L’Academie de Cuisine, Carla worked as the Sous Chef at the Henley Park Hotel, and Executive Chef at both The State Plaza Hotel and The Washington Club.

At age 42, Carla got married to Matthew, an attorney with the FDA, avid photographer and master of their home kitchen; with that she also gained teenage stepson, Noah, and realized the beauty of family, which further inspired her passion for food.

Carla’s charm and experience make her a natural teacher. Dedicated to sharing her philosophy of how to “Cook with Love,” Carla has passed on her genuine love and joy for being in the kitchen by teaching at CulinAerie and L’Academie de Cuisine, as well as extending her personal philosophies in team building classes at different venues in the DC metropolitan area.

Carla is a believer that, “If you’re not in a good mood, the only thing you should make is a reservation.”

Executive Chef
T. Cook’s at Royal Palms Resort and Spa

Lee Hillson’s progression up the food chain is paved with award-winning culinary experiences. Hillson began his restaurant career in 1987 at the age of 16 when he enrolled in culinary school at Bournemouth and Poole College in his native England. Two years later, degree in hand, he took off to the Hyatt in Austin, Texas to explore new worlds and new cuisines.

A year later, he returned to London for the unique opportunity to be the Pastry Chef at the Roux Patisserie, owned by world-renowned chefs, Albert and Michel Roux. Hillson then served as Pastry Chef at the Michelin star Le Poussin in Hampshire, England. His next stop was Hintlesham Hall in Ipswich, Suffolk, England where he began as the Pastry Chef and three years later was appointed Sous Chef at this European award-winning, fine dining restaurant.

In November of 1998, Hillson crossed the Atlantic again to become Executive Sous Chef at Vanderbilt Hall in Newport, Rhode Island at its Alva restaurant. Within a few short months, he was appointed Executive Chef at this restaurant ranked as one of the country’s top five restaurants by Country Inn magazine.

From Rhode Island, Hillson ventured cross country in 2000, and teamed up with another nationally acclaimed restaurant, T. Cook’s at Royal Palms Resort and Spa. As Sous Chef, Hillson has been part of the lineup that has garnered acclaim from the likes of Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report, Travel + Leisure magazine and a host of Phoenix/Scottsdale food writers. During his tenure at T. Cook’s, Hillson has cooked on more than one occasion at the James Beard House in New York as part of the T. Cook’s team as well as at the resort for a Friends of James Beard dinner and numerous local high profile culinary events. According to resort General Manager, Greg Miller, “Lee’s leadership has been one of the key ingredients in the success and recognition we’ve achieved at T. Cook’s.”

Chef de Cuisine -Ahnala Mesquite Room
Radisson Fort McDowell Resort & Casino

Born and raised on the Jersey shore Chef Nate gained an appreciation for fine food from his parents who have traveled the world. While attending Fire science school Chef Larsen took a part time job in a small Thai restaurant which quickly turned into a passion for being in the kitchen.
Knowing he wanted to learn more, Chef Larsen attended the famed Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park New York.
While completing his externship at the PGA Spa and Resort in Palm Beach Gardens Florida, Chef Larsen was awarded the medal of knowledge, an achievement for outstanding culinary talent.

After School he spent three years at the beautiful Stein Erickson Lodge in Deer Valley Utah. Chef Larsen attributes much of his passion and attitude about work ethic to
Executive Chef Zane Homquist,of the Stein Erickson Lodge. Chef Larsen Also spent time in the kitchens of the Peninsula Hotel in New York City and in the award winning Lattila Room at the Bolders Resort in Carefree Arizona.

Chef Larsen is adamant about his staff and himself learning and trying new things. With a constantly changing menu it takes not only his creativity but that of his whole staff to continue to produce new and exciting menus.

Heidi is the founder and owner of Into the Soup Food & Travel Media and as the name implies, she's tends to get in the thick of things, and, um...
she loves (the) soup!

Heidi started her cooking career at Burger King, but let's not go there. She really began as a galley slave on charter boats in the Caribbean. During the next four years, she prepared gourmet and not so gourmet meals while traveling throughout the French West Indies, sailing to the Mediterranean, making a few pounds in England, and hitching rides through Africa.

Once back in the US, Heidi slung hash at a three star restaurant in northern Michigan and a dive diner in Washington state. Most recently she's taught cooking classes to kids, taken courses herself in the good ole USA, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia; and got herself knee-deep with the American Culinary Federation.

Heidi is the host of Into the Soup on the Radio (Saturdays KFNX1100 at
2pm) and the anchor chef of intotheSoup.com.

deseo at The Westin Kierland Resort, Spa & Villas (Scottsdale, AZ)

Born in Northern Mexico, Chef Roberto Madrid specializes in Southwest cooking with an emphasis on using locally-grown produce and indigenous recipes. Madrid was part of Chef Anton Brunbauer’s opening culinary team and is Chef de Cuisine of the resort’s signature restaurant, deseo. Madrid began his culinary career in Scottsdale in 1982, studying under Chef Tony Fogo at The White Truffle, a French fine-dining restaurant in Scottsdale. He then moved to Jean Carlo to master fine Italian cuisine and spent six years with well-known Chef Michael Salvagio at Steven’s, helping to build the foundation of modern Southwestern cuisine. After opening The Terrace restaurant at The Phoenician Resort & Spa, Madrid joined the newly opened Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort at Gainey Ranch in 1986, where he helped developed The Golden Swan into one of the Southwest’s powerhouses of Mediterranean cuisine.

LINDA MARTIN is a professionally trained chef with over ten years of culinary experience. A graduate of Scottsdale Culinary Institute, she has earned a degree in both Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management. Linda began her culinary career at Anthem Country Club where she gained experience as a pantry, grill, dessert, and banquet chef.

In 2003 Linda opened “Dinner Designs” a small event consulting and catering service. As owner of “Dinner Designs”, her services include private cooking instruction, special event and party planning, cooking demonstrations and private party catering.

Linda has enjoyed working with Dacor, manufacturer of luxury kitchen appliances, since 2003. Linda’s chef services with Dacor include organizing special events, cooking demonstrations using Dacor appliances, private in-home cooking instruction, numerous charity events, and private parties.

Linda also shares her time as a chef instructor for Sweet Basil Gourmetware and Cooking School in Scottsdale where she teaches weekly classes.

Chef Aaron May's passion for food led him out to the Ecole Ritz Esscofier in Paris, France where he began his culinary training. Upon graduating Chef May began his career at the Four Seasons Resort in Scottsdale Arizona where he worked at both The Crescent Moon and their fine dining restaurant Acacia, which has won numerous local awards.

Chef May's passion for food was a perfect match for the passionate cuisine of Latin and South America. He found himself working alongside celebrity chef Douglas Rodriguez, a pioneer in Latin American restaurants in New York and Arizona, at Deseo at the Westin Resort and Spa. At Deseo Chef May began his love affair with the Latin American cuisine and it led him to New York for a new adventure.

While in New York Chef May worked again with Chef Rodriguez at his celebrated restaurant Ola which led him to another famed chef, Mario Batali. Chef May worked at Chef Batali's, Casa Mono, one of the preeminent Spanish restaurants in Manhattan and has continued his love for Spanish cooking at his own restaurant Sol y Sombra which opened in Scottsdale Arizona in April 2006.

Chef May has traveled extensively to Spain to learn as much as he can about Spanish cuisine and culture. He continues to make yearly visits to bring back the most exciting food developments from a country that is as passionate about food as they are about life. Spain is, and has been for quite some time, a culinary hotbed of the most exciting restaurant and chefs in Europe. Chef May is eager to bring the excitement of Spanish cooking and lifestyle to Arizona.

Meliton “Mel” Mecinas, a 10-year veteran chef of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, was named executive chef of the Scottsdale property in February 2006.

Mecinas’ passion for cooking began at home, following in his father’s footsteps, working at Yoshiro, an Asian restaurant in Encino, California. Mecinas gradually began to hone his culinary skills, “learning by doing” and through considerable practice, precision and perseverance.

Mecinas’ next step found him working with veteran restaurateur Joachim Splichal, owner of West Hollywood’s Patina Restaurant, Pino Bistro in Studio City, and Café Pinot in Los Angeles. Mecinas credits the nine years working with Splichal as the backbone of his training in the importance of service, presentation and attention to detail – all skills that would later serve him well in his career with Four Seasons.

“I learned the value of elegant presentation, and the importance of using only the highest quality, freshest ingredients,” says Mecinas. “Mr. Splichal had very high expectations for his staff. But that’s how I learned to be the best, and the most creative at what I do.”

In 1997, Mecinas began his career with Four Seasons, at the property in Santa Barbara. During his time in Santa Barbara, Mecinas cooked the second course in a seven-course 90th birthday celebration dinner for renowned culinary personality Julia Child. His Smoked Salmon Parfait with Osetra Caviar and Vodka Crème Fraîche Panna Cotta won rave reviews from the culinary great.

From Santa Barbara, Mecinas joined the team at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, his most recent appointment prior to Scottsdale. From high-profile celebrity guest requests and impressive gala award dinners to entertaining visiting politicians and dignitaries, Mecinas put his culinary training to the test overseeing Gardens restaurant, the Café, Windows Bar and Lounge, and the Poolside Grille.

In Scottsdale, Mecinas is responsible for the property’s many dining options, including the two main restaurants – Talavera and Crescent Moon. Both provide seating indoors and al fresco. Additionally, Mecinas oversees Saguaro Blossom, the casual poolside venue that caters to guests from lunchtime through pre-dinner cocktails.

Mecinas also is responsible for all food and beverage service throughout the conference and banquet facilities, juggling everything from a casual Southwestern barbeque for 100 guests on the Resort’s Troon Lawn to plated dinner service for an elegant wedding reception in the new Ironwood Ballroom.

Following his arrival, Mecinas reinvented Crescent Moon with a new menu featuring classic American cuisine influenced by the regional ingredients of the Arizona Sonoran Desert, thereby rebranding it as an American “Sonoran” Kitchen.

Robin has eighteen years of experience as a food writer and nutritionist and is the author of the bestselling cookbook “Quick Fix Meals”. Her popular show, “Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller” currently airs on Food Network. Her prime time show, “Robin to the Rescue” premiered on Food Network in March 2007.

Robin’s recipes and nutrition features can be seen regularly in a variety of magazines, including Clean Eating, Experience Life, Guideposts, Cooking Light, Health, Fit Pregnancy, and Toddler.

Robin has been a guest on hundreds of local and national television and radio programs. She has hosted home videos (for Jane Fonda), cable television vignettes (for Food Network and a variety of food companies) and spoken at media events in various markets nationwide. Currently, she appears on local, network and cable television. Programs of particular interested include: The Early Show (CBS), Regis & Kelly, The View, The Today Show (NBC), Good Morning America (ABC), CNN, ABC Eyewitness News, CBS Evening News, Fox News Channel, Food Network, Discovery Channel, Health Network, and Joan Lunden’s Women’s Supermarket Network.

She has written eight books: Robin to the Rescue (Taunton, 2008), Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller (Taunton, 2007), Picnics (Clarkson Potter, 2005), Verdure (Clarkson Potter, June 2001), The Newlywed Cookbook (Sourcebooks, 1999), The Daily Soup (Hyperion, 1999), Jane Fonda, Cooking for Healthy Living (Turner, 1996), and The Newlywed Cookbook (R&E; Publishers, 1991).

Robin’s newest book, Robin Rescues Dinner: 52 Weeks of Quick-Fix Meals, 350 Recipes, and a Realistic Plan to Get Home-Cooked Weeknight Dinners on the Table (Potter) will be released in May 2009.

Robin has a master’s degree in Food and Nutrition from New York University, 1998.

For more information, check out www.robin-miller.com.

Executive Chef

Executive Chef Andrew Nam is the culinary force behind the Old Town Group’s tantalizing menus which now includes three distinct concepts. Nam conceptualized the restaurants with his partners in Old Town Group, a group of restaurant entrepreneurs that are changing the face of dining in Scottsdale, Arizona.

A Chicago native, Chef Andrew Nam moved to Phoenix in 1998, after honing his culinary skills for 14 years in Chicago-area sushi houses. Once in Phoenix, Nam worked for RA Sushi from 1998 to 2003, directing the openings of RA, Tempe and later RA, Ahwatukee. While at RA, Nam worked as sous chef under Tai Obata, RA’s executive chef and a noted figure in the sushi world.

In 2003, Nam joined the team at OTG, starting as the manager of Drift, a restaurant and tiki lounge with Polynesian flair. In the winter of 2004, OTG brought a new wave of sushi to Old Town Scottsdale with Stingray, a restaurant with distinct inspirations from Japanese past that fuse with contemporary future. Following Stingray, OTG launched Geisha A Go Go in February 2008, a venue that is dually a sushi restaurant and private karaoke lounge. The rock and roll themed establishment keeps the vibe and attire casual for a unique entertainment dining experience.

EXECUTIVE CHEF
LON'S AT THE HERMOSA

Jeremy Pacheco is executive chef at Lon's at The Hermosa, a AAA Four Diamond restaurant in Paradise Valley, Ariz. Chef Pacheco directs a cuisine staff of 25 and oversees all menu development and food operations, including in-house private dining and in-room dining.

Returning to the Valley after serving as chef de cuisine at Society Café Encore and Wynn's SW Steakhouse in Las Vegas, Tucson-native Pacheco is pleased to be home and at the helm of the celebrated Lon's.

Pacheco won the "Vegas Uncorked Bon Appetit Award" in 2008, an Iron Chef-themed competition involving master chefs of Las Vegas. He served as chef de cuisine at the former Terrace Dining Room at The Phoenician and began his career at the Sheraton El Conquistador in Tucson where he was lead cook for The Last Territory restaurant. A graduate of the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, he earned his degree in culinary arts and sciences, and restaurant management.

He brings new creativity and passion to the culinary program at Lon's at The Hermosa, elevating the restaurant to an even higher level and enhancing the farm-to-table dining experience. His artful American cuisine blends local produce and traditional ingredients with European influences. Growing up on a farm in southern Arizona, Pacheco is fully committed to using only the freshest, best ingredients, working exclusively with suppliers of natural or organic products, in addition to overseeing Lon's one-acre organic garden.

Lon's cuisine has been awarded the coveted AAA Four Diamond award,
"One of the Southwest's Most Distinctive restaurants" by Gourmet Magazine, Phoenix/Scottsdale's "Top Five Restaurants" by USA Today, "Award of Excellence" by Wine Spectator, "Best Place to Appreciate Living in Arizona"
by Phoenix Magazine and "Most Popular Restaurant in Phoenix/Scottsdale" by Zagat.

The Hermosa Inn is a jewel of a hideaway in the heart of the Valley, just minutes from Scottsdale, yet surrounded by an exclusive neighborhood of Paradise Valley. Originally hand-crafted by cowboy artist Lon Megargee as his private residence and artist studio, the inn's adobe structure has kept its "old Arizona" character and charm.
The culinary centerpiece of the inn is Lon's, serving breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner daily. Pacheco creates a special "Chef's Dinner Tasting Menu" that changes weekly with seasonal produce and ingredients from Lon's garden.

Lon's at The Hermosa is located at 5532 N. Palo Cristi Road in Paradise Valley, Ariz. Further information is available at www.lons.com or by calling 602-955-7878 or 1-800-241-1210.

Owner/Founder
Malee's Thai Cuisine

Deirdre Pain brings more than 22 years of experience to the restaurant industry. The veteran restaurateur, despite her ups and downs, has relentlessly maintained one of few thriving restaurants in the competitive locale of Old Town Scottsdale.

Long before Pain achieved recognition as an accomplished restaurateur, she began living in the Sonoran Desert in the mid - 1960’s as a college student. Pain worked at a restaurant briefly to support herself until becoming a Court Social Worker for adoption.

Stepping away from the professional world to raise her two children, Pain went to work as a social worker in the Indian Adoption Project. She traveled throughout Arizona and New Mexico recruiting Native American families to adopt Native American children.

Pain’s foray into Thai cuisine began a number of years ago when she stumbled into a Thai restaurant and it was love at first bite. Recognizing a unique opportunity to combine her social work skills with her passion for Thai cuisine, Pain opened Malee’s Thai Bistro. With the restaurant industry being a people business, it seemed fitting as Pain’s next endeavor. Pain had always taken pleasure in understanding what makes people happy and vowed to do so through the dining experience at Malee’s.

Pain effectively broke into the highly competitive field of restaurateurs and has created a unique niche with Malee’s Thai Bistro. To capture the intricate balance of tastes and atmosphere that Thai food demands, Pain surrounds herself with staff members devoted to the concept of first-rate execution. Maintaining an extremely active role in the day-to-day activities at Malee’s, Pain is often found moving about the restaurant, encouraging guests to try everything on the menu.

Over the past several years Pain has endured a great deal of hardship both professional and personal. The recent economic downturn caused Pain to close her Malee’s expansion located at Desert Ridge. Not long after, Pain had to bear the loss of her husband. Pain was also diagnosed with breast cancer and had to undergo extensive amounts of chemotherapy. Even through the tough times, Deirdre remains resilient thanks to her supportive staff and loyal patrons.

Pain's educational background includes study at Arizona State University where she majored in Political Science and Sociology. Pain has also taken an active role in numerous community organizations including an active role as board member of the Latch School for disabled children. She is an avid golfer and bridge player.

Chef James Porter opened Petite Maison in August 2009 in order to bring great French bistro dining to the Valley. Using classic techniques and the most seasonal ingredients, Porter presents guest with a menu that is both familiar and special. He makes daily changes to the days’ dishes, and also changes the menu seasonally. The restaurant is indeed “petite” with just 35 cozy seats inside, and 45 al fresco seats surrounding the free standing building, nestled in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale.

Porter gained local acclaim as the Chef/Owner of Tapino Kitchen & Wine Bar, which closed in May of 2009. For more than five years, Tapino received rave reviews for its tapas style small plate and wine list that featured more than 300 boutique bottles. This “Globally Inspired. Locally Realized” restaurant provided Porter and his guests with the perfect place to share their love of food and wine without pretension or apprehension.

Porter strongly believes supporting local independent restaurants is the key to helping the Valley reach our full potential as a culinary haven. As a champion of local farmers, food producers, and independently owned businesses, Chef Porter is committed to using his culinary talent and business acumen to help the community grow. After hosting more than 1,000 guests in ’08 alone for his acclaimed “Locavore Dinner” series at Tapino, Porter is considered a leader in Arizona’s local food movement.

Chef Porter received his formal training from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute in 1992, and has continually added to his resume by working at an impressive list of kitchens across the country, including as the Chef de Cuisine at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa, and at the Gables Biltmore Resort in Miami, to name just two. He held an apprenticeship at the prestigious Greenbrier Resort, where he worked under Irish born Master Chef Peter Timmons. There, he refined the formal aspects of his profession, and received silver and bronze medals in ACF Culinary Salon.

Bio coming soon...

Accomplished chef Jacques Qualin first teamed with world-renowned chef and businessman Jean-Georges Vongerichten in 1998 to become First Sous Chef at the now legendary Jean Georges. A decade later, the dazzling duo joins together once more for the highly anticipated J&G; Steakhouse in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Acclaimed as a “master of his art,” Qualin hails from the Franche-Comté region of France, a verdant area near the Jura Mountains. At age 16, he began his apprenticeship in a hotel kitchen, spending the next five years honing his craft at various hotels across France.

Qualin was soon lured to the bright lights of Paris where he studied under Michelin-rated chef Michel de Matteis before landing a prestigious post at the three-star Restaurant Taillevent, described by The New York Times as, “the best in Paris, if not all of France.” Qualin spent a year learning from celebrated chef Claude DeLigne before jumping the pond in 1990 to work for another French icon — Daniel Boulud at New York’s Le Cirque.

From 1991 to 1996, Qualin worked in Paris as Chef de Partie at famed Restaurant La Marée and again at Restaurant Taillevent before returning to New York for a stint at JoJo.. Qualin’s considerable culinary talent captured the attention of Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who hired him to serve as First Sous-chef at Vongerichten’s AAA Five Diamond and Mobil Five Star Jean Georges Restaurant, the restaurant that launched Vongerichten’s growing empire.

In 2003, Qualin became the executive chef at Le Périgord, where his revisions of traditional French cooking received rave reviews from New York City’s top food critics. He later left to launch his own fine-dining restaurant, called The French Corner, in upstate New York, which was well-received by critics and locals alike. After five years away, Qualin returns to the Vongerichten fold, happy to collaborate once again with his friend and to head up what is sure to be the Valley’s best steakhouse.

Chef Donovan Rainbolt has worked for UMOM New Day Centers for the past 8 years. UMOM is the largest homeless shelter in Arizona. The vision of UMOM is to be a leader in breaking the cycle of homelessness. It’s there where Donovan oversees 400 meals a day, caters to Charter schools, and provides daily meals to UMOM’s on campus childcare program. In his 8 years at UMOM, Donovan has helped develop UMOM’s own catering label; New Day Gourmet. Donovan’s greatest pride is the culinary program that he instructs.

UMOM’s mission is to provide homeless and low income families with food, shelter and tools to build a bridge to self-sufficiency. In the culinary program the students will learn the basics in the culinary field, and the art of the craft. The goal is for the students to have enthusiasm for the field and approach it with a professional attitude. And more importantly; to feel the great sense of accomplishment in reaching their goal.

In Donovan’s 16 years of his culinary career, he worked at US Airways, formerly America West Arena, Gold Canyon, and Grayhawk. It was the time while working in Glacier Park, Montana that Donovan's passion for food was discovered and where his roots still derive from

Executive Chef
A Voce (New York, NY)

In the fall of 2008, Executive Chef Missy Robbins joined the team at A Voce where she has received critical acclaim for creating classic Italian specialties with a contemporary twist, executed with subtle flair and an elegance that is innate. Her cuisine focuses on simplicity, highlighting flavorful ingredients and referencing traditions from diverse regions throughout Italy. It has been the influence of Missy’s diverse past experiences that led her to lead the kitchen at one of New York City’s most respected restaurants.

It was shortly before graduating from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. in 1993 that Missy Robbins turned her passion for food into a career when she took a part-time job at 1789 restaurant; she was hooked. In October 1994, Robbins moved to Manhattan, where she studied at one of the nation’s premier culinary career training centers, Peter Kump’s New York School of Cooking (now The Institute of Culinary Education). An externship at March Restaurant followed, where she worked for renowned Chef Wayne Nish, before moving on to Arcadia, where she worked under Chef Anne Rosenzweig. In spring 1995, a position opened at March and Missy could not resist the opportunity to return to her esteemed training ground. She stayed for two years before she was wooed away again by Rosenzweig, this time to work at The Lobster Club as a sous chef. Robbins helped run the kitchen there for two more years while developing her creative side, sharpening her leadership skills and gaining insight into the business operations of a restaurant.

To further the breadth of her culinary experience, Robbins decided to embark on an excursion to Northern Italy, where she worked in several kitchens, ranging from family-run rustic trattorias in Tuscany to the Guide Michelin–rated Agli Amici in Friuli. As she became intimate with Italian products and cooking, Robbins grew to love the simplicity, regional inspiration and focus on ingredients that characterize Italian food.

Upon her return to the United States, Robbins became a sous chef and later the chef de cuisine at the boutique SoHo Grand Hotel. Eager to celebrate her appreciation for the simplicity of Italian cuisine, Robbins found herself easily lured to Chicago in 2003 by the opportunity to work with one of the nation’s few four-star Italian chefs, Tony Mantuano, at the highly acclaimed Spiaggia. As Executive Chef of Spiaggia and Café Spiaggia, Robbins found an ideal opportunity to bring her ardor for Italian cooking to life. She was responsible for menu development and leading the kitchen on a daily basis and continually evolved the restaurant’s menu in new directions that capture the essence of regional Italian cuisine.

Robbins has garnered both local and national attention for her cooking. In 2005, Starchefs.com named Robbins one of Chicago’s Ten Rising Star Chefs of the Year. She was also the recipient of the Most Promising Chef Award, given by journalist William Rice in conjunction with the Chicago Wine & Food Festival. In addition, Missy was honored with an induction into the Institute of Culinary Education’s Hall of Fame in autumn 2005, and Restaurant Hospitality named her a Rising Star Chef in December 2005. During her tenure at Spiaggia, the restaurant was nominated by The James Beard Foundation for Outstanding Restaurant nationally in both 2006 and 2007, and for Outstanding Service in 2008. Robbins will also oversee the A Voce at the Time Warner Center, set to open in September 2009.

Based out of Hyatt Regency Chicago, Alain Roby currently serves as the Senior Corporate Pastry Chef for Hyatt Hotels. Chef Roby has worked at Hyatt Regency Chicago for over 19 years. Hyatt Regency Chicago is Hyatt Corporation’s flagship hotel and Chicago’s largest hotel. He has expanded his responsibilities to include serving as the Senior Corporate Pastry Chef for Hyatt Hotels, overseeing the Pastry Division for all Hyatt Hotels and Resorts.

Alain studied and learned his culinary art in Paris from the world famous Pastry Chef Lenotre and is a Certified Master Chef of Pastry & Sugar Artistry. Chef Roby has also been named as a permanent committee member of the exclusive Societe D’Escofier Chicago. He has traveled all over the world, and in his travels has served as the Private Pastry Chef to the Shah of Iran and has worked in London, Tokyo, New York and finally Chicago. Roby has served as the Private Pastry Chef for the Admiral of the Joan of Arc – the flagship of the French Navy. In addition, he was a featured chef promoting classic All- American desserts on the culinary crossing of the Queen Elizabeth II from South Hampton, England to New York.

Chef Roby has won over 20 prestigious culinary awards including, The Grand Prize Gold Medal of Paris offered by the French First Minister (Medaille Des nautes) and the Best of Show by the National Restaurant Association Culinary Salon 1988, in Chicago. At the National Pastry Team Championships in 2001 in Beaver Creek and in 2005 in Phoenix, Chef Roby’s team proved they were among the country’s finest pastry artists, as they impressed the judges with their themed array of pastry creations, including impressive sugar showpieces created by Chef Roby. Chef Roby’s team was awarded the Bronze Medal both years.

Chef Roby has been featured in numerous acclaimed newspaper and magazine publications, including Food & Wine, Gourmet, Pastry Art & Design, and Chocolatier. He has also been featured on The Learning Channel, as well as the Food Network’s Extreme Pastry and Sugar Rush shows. He has been in three Food Network Specials: Unwrapped with Mark Summers, Mystery Birthday Cakes, and The World’s Tallest Sugar Building. Alain has also been a judge in some Food Network Challenges. Chef Roby has served as the head pastry chef at the NFL Commissioner’s Super Bowl Party for the past 19 years. This is an exclusive VIP party attended by 5,000 people.Alain is responsible for all aspects relating to the pastry creations and displays at this prestigious event.

Alain’s work has been seen all over the world, as The Guinness Book of World Records awarded Chef Roby the World’s Tallest Cooked Sugar Building and World’s Tallest Chocolate Sculpture honors. His award-winning cooked sugar building was 12 feet 10 inches tall and chocolate sculpture was 20 feet 8 inches tall. These creations took his world visibility to new heights. Chef Roby is the only pastry chef to hold two Guinness World Records.

Alain’s most recent achievement is the highest honor of his career. Pastry Art & Design and Chocolatier magazines inducted Chef Roby into their Hall of Fame. This achievement is a prominent recognition of Alain’s contributions to the pastry industry.

Milo Rodriguez, a U.K. native, is an award-winning mixologist; and Bombay Sapphire’s national Master Mixologist.

Bringing London’s cutting edge cocktail culture to the U.S., Milo has used his extensive bartending and cocktail development expertise to educate consumers and bartenders on the quality and versatility of Bombay Sapphire across the country.

Milo has spent the last nine years working as head bartender/mixologist in some of the finest dining establishments and bars in the United Kindgom including The Player, Milk ‘n Honey, Sosho (Match Bar Group), Crazy Bear, and most recently, Gordan Ramsay’s newest venues in the US, plus Angela Hartnett’s Cielo in Boca Raton, Florida.

Milo’s superior cocktail creations have earned him numerous awards including 1st place at the Mozart Liqueurs 2006 UK Competition, as well as Drinks International Magazine Best Bartender of 2006. Milo has created signature drinks recipes and & opened cocktail bars across Europe, the US and the Carribean inspiring bartenders to raise their game and attitude with the aim of becoming modern professional bartenders.

Alma de Cuba (Philadelphia, PA),
D. Rodriguez Cuba (Miami, FL),
Ola at Sanctuary (Miami, FL),
deseo at The Westin Kierland Resort, Spa & Villas (Scottsdale, AZ)

Regarded as the inventor of Nuevo Latino cuisine, Chef Rodriguez’s westward dining venture landed him in Scottsdale at The Westin Kierland. deseo, which means “desire” in Spanish,” offers authentic Latin-influenced dishes in an upbeat atmosphere featuring a full exhibition ceviche bar as well as floor-to-ceiling windows with vast views of the mountains.

Douglas Rodriguez is one of America’s most honored chefs. He has owned some of the hottest restaurants in the country including: Chicama, Pipa and OLA (Of Latin America) in New York City, OLA Miami, and Alma de Cuba in Philadelphia. Educated at Johnson & Wales University, Rodriguez’ professional career began in Miami. In 1994 he opened New York’s Patria, garnering three stars from the New York Times in 1996. Awards and honors include the Chefs of America Award (1991), Culinary Master of North American and New York Award (1994), the James Beard Foundation’s “Rising Star Chef Awards” (1996), and a nomination for Beard's 1999 Best Chef: New York.

Rodriguez is also the author of four cookbooks published by Ten Speed Press: Nuevo Latino, Latin Ladles, Latin Flavors on the Grill, and his most recent release, The Great Ceviche Book.

Chef experiences for Chef Dana Rohr 2010

Culinary Certification from SCC
Owner of Taste Buds personal chef and catering business

Chef for Westar Kitchen & Bath in Phoenix, Tucson and Las Vegas, cooking for events for Riedel wine tastings and various events throughout the year

Chef for SunWest – Viking appliances and Westys SubZero Wolf
Outdoor Viking Chef for the Scottsdale Culinary Festival 2007
Executive Viking Chef for Phoenix Cooks 2008

Private Chef for Pamela Anderson (celebrity) for the week of the Super Bowl 2007 Phoenix Chef for the Phoenix Coyotes as guests of Pamela Anderson
Chef during Spring Training for Milwaukee Brewers Minor League Coach Fred Dabney

Private classes in Arizona, Oregon and Chihuahua, Mexico in the privacy of individuals own kitchens and demo chef for farmers markets in various cities

Private Chef for Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics during the All Stars Games

Sous Chef for Martin Yan “Yan Can Cook” celebrity chef

Chef for Fine Wine & Design with television spots showing demos

Caterer for Full House Productions, celebrity poker tournaments

Teach classes at The Seasoned Kitchen in Flagstaff

Hosea Rosenberg, originally from Taos, New Mexico, was always good at math. After graduating 3rd in his class at Taos High School, he moved to Boulder, CO to study at the University of Colorado. His dream was to be an astronomer. During his years as a Colorado Buffalo, Hosea worked in local kitchens to pay his way through school. In 1997, he was awarded a Bachelors of Science in Engineering Physics. After graduation, he spent some time traveling and it was then he realized he was spending more time thinking about food than about math.

Hosea’s first restaurant job was as a dishwasher at the Apple Tree Restaurant in Taos. Since then he has worked his way up the ranks, from prep cook to line cook and finally to chef. Past positions include working for Wolfgang Puck, Kevin Taylor, Sean Yontz and Dave Query. His first Chef position was at Dandelion Restaurant in Boulder in 2001.

Hosea first joined the Big Red F Restaurant Group as Sous Chef at Zolo Southwestern Grill before moving to Jax Fish House Boulder in January, 2004. During his tenure at Jax, Hosea has won numerous awards and accolades: Best Chef of Denver International Wine Festival (2006, 2007, 2008); seven-time, undefeated winner of the Flatiron Chef Competition; Guest Chef at the James Beard House (2007); and most recently was named winner of Bravo’s Top Chef Season 5. Jax Fish House has also been named Best Seafood Restaurant in the Denver/Boulder area since opening in 1994.

Hosea is active in many local and national charitable organizations. He proudly represents and supports the Boulder County AIDS Project, Share Our Strength, Chefs Up Front, March of Dimes, Colorado Music Festival, Operation Frontline, and the American Cancer Society, among others.
Hosea works closely with many of the local farmers and ranchers in Colorado. He supports sustainable agriculture, conservation, and buys local and organic whenever possible. The seafood he buys is sustainable and on “green” lists. Jax is PACE certified, on the Colorado Proud list, uses 100% Wind Energy and practices composting, recycling, and water conservation.

When Hosea isn’t in the kitchen you can find him enjoying what the mountains of Colorado and New Mexico have to offer. He is an avid skier, mountain biker, fly fisherman, and all-around outdoor enthusiast.

Michael Rusconi joined LON’s at the Hermosa as Executive Chef in January, 2005. Chef Rusconi put his indelible mark on LON’s award-winning Artful American Cuisine by combining European technique with native ingredients and fresh, local produce. Under his direction, LON’s garnered a coveted AAA Four Diamond award for the first time in its long history and has maintained that for four years running. The restaurant was also recognized as #1 Southwest Eclectic Restaurant by Ranking Arizona for five consecutive years beginning in 2005.

Culinary excellence and a passion for serving the community have earned high praise for Chef Rusconi who is well known for organizing local chefs to support community charity events. In 2009 he was invited to be the Honorary Restaurant Chair for Zoofari benefitting the Phoenix Zoo and currently sits on the Phoenix Taste of the Nation Committee for Share our Strength with the goal to end childhood hunger. Other charity events that he participates in include:

• Paradise Valley Relay for Life to benefit the American Cancer Society
• Scottsdale Culinary Festival "Best of the Fest" benefiting the Scottsdale League for the Arts
• Dine out With the Chefs for the Scottsdale League for the Arts
• Flavors of Phoenix to benefit the American Liver Foundation
• Serenity Hospice Foundation
• Forks and Corks for the Valley Hotel and Resort Association
• Waste Not Celebrity Chef Challenge

Born in California and raised in Chicago, Chef Rusconi earned his culinary degree from the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont. He moved to the Phoenix-area to intern with James Beard award winning chef and author Vincent Guerithault, who had innovated the combining of French technique with ingredients found in the Southwest United States.

Chef Rusconi later worked at Mary Elaine’s at the Phoenician resort under the tutelage of James Beard award winning Chef Alessandro Stratta and James Boyce. In early 2001 he joined the team at the Royal Palms Resort & Spa as Executive Sous Chef.

An example of Chef Rusconi’s efforts to find unique, sustainable, and regionally produced items is the desert sweet shrimp that he featured on both his lunch and dinner menus while he was at Lon's. Its sweet flavor comes from being farm-raised in an ecologically sound manner with no added preservatives; it is produced in southeastern Arizona and packed in ice for its trip to Phoenix

Chef Rusconi is the creative force behind a new restaurant in development to open in October of 2010. Location and the name will be released in upcoming months.

As for his food philosophy, Chef Rusconi says simply, “Buy the best ingredients and treat them with love and respect then apply proper technique. Only by doing that will you be able to deliver the best quality possible.”

Michael Rusconi and his wife, Nancy, live in central Phoenix with their daughter, Jessica.

Chef de Cuisine
SWB, a southwest bistro
Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch

Juan Solorio, Chef de Cuisine of SWB, is responsible for Hyatt Regency Scottsdale’s southwest bistro. He oversees its kitchen operation and his kitchen staff.

Born in Mexico City, Chef Juan began his culinary career 22 years ago when he moved to Phoenix, Arizona at the age of 17. Since that time, he has worked in a number of Valley restaurants. Joining Hyatt Regency Scottsdale in 1993 as a pantry cook, he quickly demonstrated his culinary talent as an Assistant Chef and Chef de Cuisine in our award-winning Golden Swan, and Chef of Ristorante Sandolo.

While in Golden Swan, it was awarded a Four-star rating by Mobil Travel Guide, named one of the top five restaurants in America’s Southwest by Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Poll. It has been named one of the “Outstanding Restaurants of the World” by Travel Holiday magazine. Distinguished Restaurants of North America awarded Golden Swan the DiRoNa Award for “raising the level of excellence in every aspect of the fine dining experience.” It was also named “Best Brunch” numerous times.

Because of his experience, he became Chef of Ristorante Sandolo, and in 2007, opened SWB.

Because much of the business in our restaurants comes from the local community, Chef Juan strongly believes in “giving back” to the community. Over the years, he has been involved in a project called Joshua Tree, a fundraiser benefiting the Arizona AIDS project; the Piute Neighborhood Center; the Salvation Army; Waste Not, the Valley’s only perishable-food redistribution program delivering more than 100,000 pounds of perishable food a month from Valley restaurants to the hungry; CACSA, raising support for the Center Against Child Sexual Abuse; the Liver Dinner, which raises funds for the Arizona Liver Foundation; and the Scottsdale Culinary Festival, consisting of a series of events which raise money for arts education in Scottsdale public schools.

Executive Chef
Alex at the Wynn (Las Vegas)
Corsa Cucina & Bar at the Wynn (Las Vegas, NV)

Award-winning Chef Alessandro Stratta showcases his talents at Wynn Las Vegas as executive chef of both his namesake restaurants—ALEX, featuring French cuisine of the Riviera, and STRATTA, which highlights rustic Italian-American fare. For the second year in a row, ALEX was awarded two stars in the 2009 Las Vegas Michelin Guide and is one of only 20 restaurants in North America to receive this distinction. In 2005, ALEX was selected as one of the “Best New Restaurants in America” by Esquire magazine and in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 it was recognized by AAA as a Five-Diamond restaurant and by Mobil as a Five-Star restaurant, one of only three in Las Vegas.

“I am delighted to have such consistent success at Wynn,” says Stratta. “Their commitment to excellence is unparalleled in this industry and I am so fortunate to be part of the team. Having the opportunity to work with two unique restaurants has allowed me to grow as a chef and cook the food that I have always wanted to.”

The menu at ALEX presents the refined cuisine of various regions in France, enhanced by only the finest and freshest ingredients. In an undeniably elegant setting, ALEX also extends genuine hospitality, reflecting the chef’s commitment to offering guests the ultimate in gracious dining. In addition to his impressive seasonal menus, Chef Stratta offers a truly sophisticated vegetable tasting menu and another centered around the great wines of France.

Chef Stratta’s creativity and mastery of rustic Italian-American specialties is featured at STRATTA, which serves as an ideal spot for guests at Wynn Las Vegas to enjoy an evening in a welcoming, yet chic and urbane setting. Chef Stratta’s traditional menu is a culinary map of Italy, providing the very best specialties of each region. The menu is designed with all of Stratta’s diners in mind, offering an array of dishes for every taste and craving.

Stratta came to Wynn Las Vegas from Renoir at the Mirage Hotel and Casino where he received national acclaim for his world-class menu and innovative approach to cuisine distinguished by a one-of-a-kind marriage of regional French and Italian ingredients. In just four months Renoir received Mobil's highest Five-Star rating, one of only 14 restaurants in the U.S. to be awarded this honor. During his six-year tenure at Renoir, the restaurant maintained its Mobil Five-Star stature as well as garnering AAA's Five-Diamond award and Las Vegas’s top culinary rating in the Zagat Guide.

From a long line of restaurateurs and hoteliers, Stratta has continued the family tradition, becoming the fifth generation to be involved in the culinary industry. He has lived in the finest hotels throughout the world and found his calling at a very early age. After several years working in hotel kitchens, Stratta decided to pursue his dreams by enrolling in the prestigious California Culinary Academy. During this time he was given the opportunity to work in one of San Francisco’s finest hotels, the Stanford Court Hotel. Under the guidance of Pastry Chef Jim Dodge, Stratta refined and perfected his skills in the art of baking and pastry.

After graduating with high honors, he decided to pursue his passion and strive to reach the top of his profession.

In the summer of 1986, Stratta had the opportunity to work under Chef Alain Ducasse as a member of the staff opening the Louis XV at the Hotel de Paris in Monaco. It was here that Stratta was introduced to the highest level of passion, dedication and discipline for one’s craft, and he attained goals he had never previously imagined.

After two formative and inspiring years in the Louis XV kitchen, Stratta longed to return to the U.S. and was sent by Ducasse to work under Daniel Boulud at New York's famous Le Cirque restaurant.

At Le Cirque, Stratta was able to apply his new-found knowledge of refined cuisine and elevate it to an entirely new level. In the high-pressure kitchen of Le Cirque, he also developed management and organizational skills that would further round out his talents. After moving up quickly in Boulud's kitchen, Stratta was presented with the opportunity to assume his first executive chef position.

At the young age of 24, he was chosen to head Mary Elaine’s, a gourmet restaurant at the new world class Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. After two years of dedication, Stratta established Mary Elaine's as one of the premier dining destinations in the Southwest. In 1992, the James Beard Foundation named the restaurant a “Top Dining Destination,” and Stratta was chosen as America's top hotel chef. Seeking a new challenge, Stratta was promoted to executive chef of the resort, and once again received Mobil’s Five-Star award.

Realizing that he was much happier in the kitchen rather than being an executive chef, Stratta asked to return to the helm of Mary Elaine's and in 1998 received the Best Chef: Southwest award by the James Beard Foundation.

“I originally chose to come to Las Vegas because a real opportunity exists to provide people with a fine dining experience,” comments Stratta. “There is a certain excitement in this city not found anywhere else. People come here to have fun and celebrate, and there is no better way to showcase a restaurant.”

For more information on Alex Stratta or Wynn Las Vegas, please contact:
Katie Conway, Public Relations Manager, 702-770-3626, [email protected]

Owner of Tarbell's, Phoenix, AZ
Owner of The Oven, Lakewood & Centennial, CO
Owner of Restaurant Home, Centennial, CO

Mark Tarbell’s restaurant collection includes Tarbell’s in Phoenix, Restaurant Home and The Oven in Centennial Colorado, and The Oven in Lakewood Colorado. He studied in Paris, receiving wine training at the l'Academie du Vin and earning a Grande Diplome d'Etude Culinaire from La Varenne Ecole du Cuisine. Mark was the youngest Food & Beverage Director of any Five Diamond property in the world when he went to work for The Boulders resort in Carefree Arizona at the age of 23. Nominated for “Best Chef – Southwest” by the James Beard Foundation, he has cooked at many special events around the country and for a stellar line-up of political, sports, and entertainment celebrities including the Dalai Lama, Muhammad Ali and Clint Eastwood. Mark and his restaurants have earned more than 50 industry awards, including Food & Wine “Best Restaurant” and fourteen years of The Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence.

Mark’s is a judge for the annual Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits competition, one of the oldest in the country. He serves on many advisory councils and boards, from the Arizona Department of Education to the Phoenix Theatre. He has appeared on “Good Morning America”, the “Today Show”, Fox and Lifetime networks, and several Food Network programs (including a 2007 victory in the “Kitchen Stadium” of “Iron Chef America”.) He is the weekly wine columnist for The Arizona Republic, has been published in numerous local and national magazines including Wine & Spirits and Food Arts, and collaborated with Lance Armstrong’s trainer on Chris Carmichael’s Fitness Cookbook.