Once you meet Kevin Gillespie, it’s not hard to see why he took home the title of Top Chef fan favorite. He may have two acclaimed restaurants under his belt—Gunshow in Atlanta and Revival in Decatur—but he’s also the kind of charming, down-home guy you’d like to have a drink with. And, true to his southern roots, he always has a good story to tell.Upon graduating from high school, Gillespie was accepted to MIT, where he had hoped to study nuclear engineering. His lifelong passion for cooking, however, led him instead to the Art Institute of Atlanta, and eventually, to top restaurants in Georgia and Oregon. In 2013, he opened the doors to Gunshow, his dim-sum-inspired take on Southern cuisine, which topped topped best-of lists at Bon Appetit, Esquire, and GQ. In 2015, Gillespie followed his debut with Revival in Decatur, Georgia, a fresh take on the family-style dinner with a focus on farm-raised, artisan-prepared ingredients.The author of two acclaimed cookbooks, including James Beard Award-winning Fire in My Belly, Gillespie was also named a 2015 semi-finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef: Southeast award, and semi-finalist for the Rising Star Chef of the Year award for three consecutive years. In 2011, he was nominated for Food & Wine’s People’s Best New Chef award as well as named one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30. As a rising star bringing more than just good food to the table, Gillespie was named one of Mother Nature Network’s “40 Chefs Under 40” in November 2009 for promoting better health for people and the planet.He is a member of Slow Food Atlanta, Southern Foodways Alliance, Community Farmers Markets Chefs Advisory Board, Georgia Organics and the Society for the Preservation of Traditional Southern Barbecue.Kevin's Restaurants:Gunshow (Atlanta, GA) Revival (Decatur, GA) Kevin's Books:Fire in My Belly (2012)Pure Pork Awesomeness (2015)
Robin has fifteen years of experience as a food writer and nutritionist and is the author of the bestselling cookbook Quick Fix Meals. She is the host of Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller.
Robin's recipes and nutrition features can be seen regularly in Cooking Light, Health, Shape, Men's Fitness, and Toddler magazines. She also provides recipes to the American Heart Association, The American Institute for Cancer Research, and Weight Watchers.
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 interest include: The Early Show) (CBS), Regis & Kelly, The View, The Today Show (NBC), Good Morning America (ABC), CNN, ABC's 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 has a master's degree in Food and Nutrition from New York University, 1998.
James Beard Award winner Tony Mantuano is an influential culinary force, a chef who has been on the ground floor of defining true Italian cuisine in the United States. In addition to his role as chef-partner at Spiaggia, Mantuano is the chef-partner at River Roast, situated on the Chicago River; Bar Toma, an Italian neighborhood pizzeria and bar; Terzo Piano, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant at The Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago; and he is the owner of Mangia Trattoria, a classic Italian restaurant in his hometown of Kenosha, Wisconsin. Mantuano is a recipient of the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef Midwest and the Chicago Tribune’s Good Eating Award, which honors achievement in the food and restaurant industry.Outside of the kitchen, Mantuano is often recognized for his participation on Season Two of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters. His other projects include cookbook collaborations with Cathy Mantuano, a wine expert and former manager of Spiaggia. The husband and wife team authored “The Spiaggia Cookbook” and “Wine Bar Food.”Tony's Restaurants:Mangia Trattoria (Kenosha, WI)Spiaggia (Chicago, IL)Cafe Spiaggia (Chicago, IL)Terzo Piano (Chicago, IL)Bar Toma (Chicago, IL)River Roast (Chicago, IL)Portobello Italian Restaurant (Lake Buena Vista, FL)Tony's Books:Wine Bar Food (2008)The Spiaggia Cookbook (2004)
Restaurateur, television host, author and award-winning recording artist Roger Mooking has earned an international reputation as a chef and entertainer showcasing his globally inspired vision. Roger is best known as the host of the dynamic grilling and barbecue show "Man Fire Food" on Cooking Channel. The popular traveling food series showcases live fire cooking, including whole hog barbecue, lobster boils, Hawaiian emus, seafood roasts and more. As if he didn't already have a full plate, Roger is also the host of "Greatest of America" on Travel Channel, the host and co-creator of the internationally broadcast television series "Everyday Exotic" on Cooking Channel, and co-host of "Heat Seekers" on Food Network. In addition, Roger hosts "Man's Greatest Food" on Cooking Channel, in which he sets out on a culinary odyssey around the USA seeking "Man's Greatest Food."The Trinidadian-born, Canadian-raised chef is influenced by his culturally rich family background, his love of people and travel, and interest in global flavors to create new culinary experiences. While Roger's earliest influences are his family's Chinese and Caribbean specialties, Roger has also trained under Japanese, Chinese, French and Swiss German chefs. He has opened and consulted on many restaurants, including Twist by Roger Mooking at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Over the years, Roger has garnered many accolades, including the prestigious "Premiers Award" for excellence in the field of Creative Arts and Design, a Gourmand World Cookbook Award, a Socan Classics Award and countless "Best Of" mentions.His talents have led to appearances throughout Southeast Asia, India, North America, Europe, Australia, the Caribbean and Latin America, and include features on The Today Show, Good Morning America, Top Chef Canada, Iron Chef, Guy's Grocery Games, Supermarket Stakeout and Chopped (he was also the winner in the special All-Star Chopped celebrity chef episode!).
Jenn Louis loves to travel: she’s globetrotted her way through Europe, North America, South America, and even spent a few months on a dairy kibbutz in Israel. The food she cooks is just as adventurous and wide-ranging—which is why hummus and labneh sneak onto the menu with bucatini, cavatelli, and seasonal Pacific Northwest fruits and vegetables at her Portland establishment, Lincoln Restaurant. Of course, that menu changes almost every day, based on what’s fresh and looking good at the market. Diners might move from a starter of grilled octopus to a main dish of delicata squash with tahini and hazelnuts before finishing with popcorn panna cotta: a trip from the Pacific Northwest to Italy by way of Israel, but with a distinctive American accent.Named one of Food & Wine's "Best New Chefs" in 2012, Louis has competed on Bravo's Top Chef Masters and has earned two nominations for the James Beard award (“Best Chef: Northwest”). Louis’s debut cookbook, Pasta by Hand, shows off her mastery of delicious pastas and sauces to match. Recently, she’s decided to explore her love of Middle Eastern food in depth by focusing on Jewish fare like challah, brisket, and latkes, all with her signature style of straightforward sophistication.Louis prizes restraint and control in cooking: “I don’t like too many ingredients or ideas jammed together,” she said to Food & Wine. “You lose the individual ingredients; they can’t be appreciated.” Accordingly, her Panna recipes are faithful, simple renditions of classics, but delicious enough to wow restaurant-goers and dinner party guests alike.Jenn's Restaurant:Lincoln Restaurant (Portland, OR) Jenn's Book:Pasta by Hand (2015)
Deborah Madison has long been a part of the food movement as a chef, writer, farmers' market manager and as an everyday home cook. After working at Chez Panisse, she founded Greens restaurant in San Francisco, one of the earliest restaurants to have a farm driven menu, and Cafe Escalera in Santa Fe, the first to do so in Santa Fe as well. Deborah is also the author of 12 books. Her recent book, Vegetable Literacy, is about the edible members of 12 plant families (with 300 recipes) and was awarded an IACP award and is a finalist for a James Beard award. The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (March 2014) is her most recent book. Among her other books are Local Flavors, Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers Markets, The Greens Cookbook, The Savory Way, and Seasonal Fruit Desserts from Orchard, Farm and Market. Her books have garnered several James Beard Awards and two IACP Cookbook of the Year awards, among others. She also recently won the James Beard Award for Cookbook Hall of Fame, 2016.Before opening Cafe Escalera in Santa Fe, Deborah was the farmers' market manager. She co-founded a school garden in Santa Fe, started a Slow Food convivium, served on Slow Food's international Committee for Bio-Diversity in Italy, and taught cooking (which she still does in her home). She has served on a host of food-related boards, including the Seed Savers Exchange. She is committed to farmers markets, gardening, simple good food with friends, and the freedom to know what we're eating. Deborah grew up in California but for the last 23 years has lived in New Mexico, in the tiny village of Galisteo with her husband, artist Patrick McFarlin.Deborah's Books:Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen (2007) Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (1997) Vegetable Literacy (2013) The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (2014) Local Flavors (2008)