Marcus Samuelsson

Red Rooster Harlem/Ginny's Supper Club

Marcus Samuelsson is the acclaimed chef behind many restaurants worldwide including Red Rooster Harlem, Red Rooster Shoreditch, and Marcus B&P. Samuelsson was the youngest person to ever receive a three-star review from The New York Times and has won multiple James Beard Foundation Awards including Best Chef: New York City. He was tasked with planning and executing the Obama Administration’s first State dinner honoring Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Samuelsson was also crowned champion of television shows Top Chef Masters and Chopped All Stars, and served as a mentor on ABC’s The Taste. Samuelsson’s TV series titled No Passport Required with VOX/Eater and PBS has been renewed for a second season, which is scheduled to air Fall 2019. He currently serves as Executive Chef-in-Residence of Buzzfeed Tasty’s newly launched talent program. A committed philanthropist, Samuelsson co-produces the annual week-long festival Harlem EatUp!, which celebrates the food, art, and culture of Harlem. Samuelsson is co-chair of the board of directors for Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP). In May 2016, he was inducted into the James Beard Foundation Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America; he is the recipient of the 2019 Vilcek Foundation Prize in Culinary Arts. He is the author of multiple books including The New York Times bestselling memoir Yes, Chef, the young adult version-- Make It Messy, Marcus Off Duty cookbook, and his latest book-- The Red Rooster Cookbook: The Story of Food and Hustle in Harlem. In addition, he is one of the founders of the website Food Republic. Recent restaurant openings include: Red Rooster Shoreditch in East London; Marcus B&P in Newark, New Jersey; and Streetbird Express at the world-famous Madison Square Garden. He announced the opening of his newest restaurant, Marcus, coming to Montreal in Spring 2019. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at @MarcusCooks.

Jake Timmons

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

At Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, fresh, homemade, and high-quality aren’t just catchwords, they’re our foundation. Our commitment to food quality and genuine hospitality is unyielding. We pride ourselves on our loyal guests, employees, and being a great place to have fun and while sampling some of the best bar-b-que in the country. Our menu is firmly rooted in the traditions of Southern bar-b-que, but there are other influences that shape our flavors and give our food its own distinctive character. That’s one of the secrets of great bar-b-que -- staying committed to tradition, but finding your own stamp and signature.

Kwame Onwuachi

Kith/Kin

KWAME ONWUACHI is the James Beard Award-winning executive chef at Kith/Kin, Esquire Magazine’s Chef of the Year, and author of Notes from a Young Black Chef, published by Alfred A. Knopf. He was born on Long Island and raised in New York City, Nigeria, and Louisiana. Onwuachi was first exposed to cooking by his mother, in the family’s modest Bronx apartment, and he took that spark of passion and turned it into a career. From toiling in the bowels of oil cleanup ships to working at some of the best restaurants in the world, he has seen and lived his fair share of diversity. Onwuachi trained at the Culinary Institute of America and has opened five restaurants before turning thirty. A former Top Chef contestant, he has been named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs, Esquire Magazine’s Chef of the Year, and a 30 Under 30 honoree by both Zagat and Forbes.

Cédric Durand

Tastings Social Presents GAUDIr

Chef Durand’s mother is from Spain, but he grew up in France, where he fell in love with food from a very young age. Growing up and spending a lot of time in Spain, both north and south, drove his passion for Spanish food and culture.

Cedric has a Michelin star background, having cooked in kitchens of chefs Michel Portos in Bordeaux and Yannick Delpech in Toulouse.  He has always found a way to put a modern twist on traditional food to deliver a unique taste that showcases his talents.

GAUDir is an authentic Spanish style restaurant that resonates with the community; the decision was clear to use the tapas format which brings people together socially, breaking boundaries and creating connections by making the dishes shareable.

Antonio Settepani & Leah Abraham

Settepani

Antonio 'Nino' Settepani' migrated from Palermo to Williamsburg with his parents and twin brother Biagio, shortly after the official opening of the World Trade Center and the CBS sold the New York Yankees in 1973. It was not an easy transition for 13 years old Nino Settepani at the time, but despite his limited English, Nino's determination and discipline facilitated the opportunity to further his culinary interests while completing his studies at New York University.

It was while at NYU that Nino's first venture in entrepreneurship commenced. He partnered with Biagio to open their first bakery and together, the teenagers raised the money to buy the concept. Upon completing his education at NYC, Nino continued to master his expertise at the French Culinary Institute, under the leadership of giants like Jacques Pepin and Alian Sailhac and alongside students like Bobby Flay. His grand design has brought a few successful concepts, including the famed Cafe Bondi, to satisfy the vibrant. New York crave for the Italian food culture.

Now after tow decades, Nino's latest concept, 'Settepani', still continues to indulge the palettes, memories and desires of both natives and tourists alike.  He continues to guide the kitchen at Settepani Harlem with with innovative dishes rooted in the tradition.