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For the past 15 years, Chef Tyler Florence (www.tylerflorence.com) has delighted the masses by sharing the sights, sounds and flavors of his unique culinary vision with fans around the world. After graduating from the prestigious culinary program at Johnson & Wales University, Florence tackled the Big Apple where he helmed multiple acclaimed restaurants and established himself as one of New York City’s finest young stars. In New York, he honed his culinary skills under the tutelage of some of the city's premier chefs, including Charlie Palmer at Aureole, Marta Pulini at Mad 61 and Rick Laakonen, ultimately becoming executive chef at Cafeteria. As the buzz about the charismatic young chef’s food picked up steam, a fresh new television network took notice; the rest is history. After more than 14 years as a Food Network star, Florence has taken his food and his wit across the globe, finely tuning what is regarded as one of America’s most important culinary voices. He has starred in such series as How to Boil Water, his cooking show for novices; Food 911, his hugely popular "recipe rescue" show; as well as his signature series, Tyler's Ultimate. Florence has also hosted numerous other Food Network shows and specials, including Planet Food, All American Festivals and My Country, My Kitchen. Tyler is also a regular guest on The Today Show, CNN, The View, The Tonight Show, Oprah, Access Hollywood, Extra, Good Morning America, and more. In July 2008, Tyler opened his first kitchen retail shop, The Tyler Florence Shop, in Mill Valley, Calif. Outposts will also be opening soon at San Francisco International Airport and in Napa. Adjacent to the Napa shop will be Tyler's new restaurant concept, Tyler Florence Rotisserie & Wine. Tyler also released two best-selling cookbooks in October 2008: Stirring the Pot and Dinner at My Place (Meredith Books). He also has three previously released books: Tyler’s Ultimate, Eat This Book and Real Kitchen (Clarkson Potter). In January 2009, Tyler launched his signature lines of steel-clad cookware and titanium cutlery on Home Shopping Network and at major retailers across the United States, including Macy’s, where Tyler is a member of the prestigious Macy’s Culinary Council. Also in 2009, Tyler opened his first signature restaurant, The Empire Plush Room, at the new Hotel Vertigo in San Francisco. In June 2010, Tyler opened his first signature restaurant, Wayfare Tavern, in San Francisco's Financial District and later opened the historic El Paseo in Mill Valley in fall 2010. Tyler lives in Mill Valley, Calif., with his wife, Tolan, and has three children: sons, Miles and Hayden, and daughter, Dorothy.

Hugh Acheson is the chef/owner of 5&10 and The National located in Athens, GA, Empire State South and Spiller Park Coffee in Atlanta, GA, and The Florence in Savannah, GA. Born and raised in Ottawa, Canada he started cooking at a young age and decided to make it his career after taking a very long time to realize that academics weren’t his thing. At age 15, he began working in restaurants after school and learning as much as possible. Today, Acheson's experience includes working under Chef Rob MacDonald where he learned stylized French cuisine, wine and etiquette at the renowned Henri Burger restaurant in Ottawa, and in San Francisco as the chef de cuisine with Chef Mike Fennelly at Mecca, and later as opening sous chef with famed Chef Gary Danko at his namesake restaurant, where he found a love of the simple, pure, and disciplined.Taking these experiences, Hugh developed a style of his own forging together the beauty of the South with the flavors of Europe and opening the critically acclaimed Athens, GA restaurant 5&10 in March of 2000. In 2007, Acheson opened The National with fellow chef Peter Dale. Adding to his list of dining establishments, Hugh opened Atlanta based restaurant, Empire State South in the summer of 2010. Hugh’s most recent endeavor is The Florence, which opened in June of 2014.Hugh's cookbook titled A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen, published by Clarkson Potter, hit the bookshelves in October 2011 and won the award for Best Cookbook in the field of “American Cooking” by the James Beard Foundation in 2012. In A New Turn in the South, you’ll find libations, seasonal vegetables that take a prominent role, salads and soups, Hugh's prized sides, and fish and meats, turning Southern food on its head every step of the way. Hugh’s pickling swatch book, Pick a Pickle, also by Clarkson Potter, was published in the spring of 2014 and is a handy kitchen go-to for canning and preserving. In May of 2015, Hugh’s newest cookbook, The Broad Fork: Recipes for the Wide World of Vegetables and Fruit, was released. The book brings fresh produce to the center of the plate and offers knowledge and the inspiration to consider new directions for how we eat and support our communities through the wonderful world of agriculture.This fresh approach to Southern food has earned Hugh a great deal of recognition, including Food & Wine’s Best New Chef (2002), the Atlanta Journal Constitution Restaurant of the Year (2007), five James Beard nominations, and 2012 Best Chef Southeast.In 2010 Hugh competed on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters: Season 3. He returned to the hit show as a judge on Top Chef: Seasons 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 as well as Top Chef: Duels. He also hosted Bravo’s online complement to Top Chef Masters Season 5, called Battle of the Sous Chefs. But all of that is to everyone outside of Athens. To Athens, he is the guy who owns those restaurants, has one eyebrow, a wife far better looking than he is and two daughters who are the apple of his eye. Hugh's Restaurants:Empire State South (Atlanta, GA)The Florence (Savannah, GA) The National (Athens, GA) Spiller Park Coffee (Atlanta, GA) 5&10 (Athens, GA)Hugh's Books:A New Turn in the South (2011) Pick a Pickle (2014) The Broad Fork (2015)

Ron Ben-Israel, the chef and owner of one of the country’s finest couture cake studios, started his confectionery adventures after a 15-year career as a professional modern dancer. Upon retiring from performing with companies spanning three continents, he used his art schooling and ballet training to master the discipline of pastry arts. After apprenticeships and engagements in Toronto and Lyon, France, Ron was led to New York City. In 1996 his cakes were discovered while on display in the windows of Mikimoto on Fifth Avenue, and commissions quickly followed from Villeroy & Boch, Baccarat, De Beers, Bloomingdale's and Bergdorf Goodman. In 1999 Ron established his flagship design studio and bakery in Manhattan's fashionable SoHo neighborhood. In addition to an extensive list of private clients, many of New York's premiere hotels are also devotees, including The Pierre, The St. Regis, The New York Palace, The Ritz-Carlton, The Waldorf Astoria, The Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental. His cakes have been featured in destinations throughout the continental U.S. and abroad, and they continue to be a staple in the luxury industry. Ron's confectionary creations have been featured in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Town and Country, People, New York Post, New York Daily News, Martha Stewart Weddings, In Style, Modern Bride, Bridal Guide, Elegant Bride, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, The Knot, Time Out and Vogue Magazine, to name a few. Ron was named "Best Baker" by Vogue Magazine and was declared Martha Stewart's favorite cake maker. He continues to regularly contribute to Martha Stewart's eponymous magazine and TV shows, and their collaboration was highlighted in Martha Stewart Weddings' 20th anniversary issue. Many books have celebrated his cakes, including Vera Wang on Weddings, Kate Manchester's The Perfect Wedding Cake, Bette Matthews' For Your Wedding: Cakes and Joan Hamburg's City Wedding. He has also been fictionalized as a featured character in The New York Times' best-selling novel Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella, and Zagat has published glowing reviews on Ron's confections for the past 10 years. Some of Ron's most-well-known cakes include The Plaza's 100th birthday cake — an exact confectionery replica of the famed New York landmark measuring more than 12 feet tall and serving 1,500 guests as well as the trendsetting Sex and the City 2 cake in partnership with Swarovski. Ron has served as both host and judge of Food Network's Sweet Genius, and he is a judge on the series Cake Wars and Halloween Baking Championship. He has also has appeared as a guest and judge on a variety of Food Network shows, including Chopped, Guy's Grocery Games and Worst Cooks in America. In addition to being on Food Network, Ron and his work have appeared on numerous television shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Bravo's Top Chef: Just Desserts and The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS). Ron has traveled across the U.S. and internationally as a teacher, lecturer and motivational speaker. He is a popular headliner and guest at culinary and pastry conventions, as well as a featured speaker at fundraisers supporting a variety of causes. Ron also is the only Guest Master Pastry Chef at the renowned International Culinary Center in New York City, where he shares his passion, techniques and secrets with the students through exclusive demos. Ron is a proud member of City Harvest’s Food Council and its Advisory Board, which brings together more than 60 of New York City’s top chefs, restaurateurs and food industry professionals to aid the organization in the fight against hunger. Ron also is an active supporter of Lambda Legal Defense and is an advocate of same-sex marriage.