Nyesha Arrington has been in love with the kitchen since she was just a little girl, cooking from the age of five alongside her Korean grandmother. Born in Southern California to a multicultural family, she was introduced early on to diverse foods such as bulgogi, octopus, and homemade kimchi. These first stages of culinary experiences definitively shaped her palate and her ideas. By integrating flavors and techniques from around the world, Arrington has been able to create a style that is both personal and unparalleled.
In 2021, after graduation from the prestigious Culinary School at the Art Institute of California in Los Angeles, Arrington built an impressive resume working with Josiah Citrin at the acclaimed 2 Michelin Star Mélisse in Santa Monica as well as legendary French chef Joël Robuchon at his Michelin Star restaurants in Las Vegas, L'Atelier and The Mansion. She then went on to helm Leona and Native in Los Angeles where she was celebrated for using farm-fresh, locally, and responsibly sourced ingredients. In 2012 she was named to Zagat’s 30 Under 30 and in 2015 was recognized as LA’s Chef of the Year by Eater.
Arrington hit the national stage as a fan favorite on Top Chef in season 9 and is currently the host of Plateworthy on Eater and will join Gordon Ramsay as a judge/mentor on FOX’s new culinary competition show Next Level Chef in the fall. She is also the co-host of the Happy Mouth podcast alongside restauranteur Philip Camino.
Arrington draws inspiration from art as well as her African American and Korean background and is passionate about food and culture, nutrition and vegetables, storytelling, travel and fitness.
Most people know Rick Bayless from winning the title of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters. His highly rated public television series, Mexico: One Plate at a Time, is broadcast coast to coast and his nine cookbooks have earned multiple high-profile accolades.
Located in Chicago, Bayless’ Frontera Grill and Topolobampo have each received the “Outstanding Restaurant of the Year” designation from the James Beard Foundation — an unprecedented feat for side-by-side restaurants. His wildly popular fast-casual Xoco debuted in 2009 and Tortas Frontera at Chicago’s O’Hare airport has changed the face of airport dining. In 2016, he opened Frontera Cocina in Disney Springs. In 2018, Bayless expanded his Clark Street restaurants by opening Bar Sótano, a Oaxacan-inspired mezcal bar with modern Mexican bar food. Tortazo, Bayless’ new fast-casual concept, debuted in 2020 in Chicago's iconic Willis Tower, with plans to open an outpost in New York City in fall 2021.
In 2012 and again in 2014, Bayless joined forces with Lookingglass Theatre Company to create Cascabel, the story of food’s capacity to change lives. Cascabel’s audience shared a meal with the cast of actors, musicians, singers, and circus performers as the tale of unrequited love resolved into magical beauty.
Always a philanthropist, Bayless and his staff established the Frontera Farmer Foundation in 2003 to support small Midwestern farms. To date, the foundation has awarded nearly 200 grants totaling nearly $3 million. He also launched the Frontera Scholarship, a culinary school scholarship for Mexican-American students in Chicago. In 2019Bayless founded Impact Culinary Training, a restaurant job readiness program on the city’s west side. And in 2017 he established the Bayless Family Foundation to support the city’s vibrant theater scene with grants to Chicago theater companies totaling $1.5 million to date.
The Government of Mexico has bestowed on Bayless the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle—the highest decoration bestowed on foreigners whose work has benefitted Mexico and its people.
Melissa King is an accomplished chef, advocate, and entrepreneur, a judge on Top Chef: Season 18, was the Top Chef: All-Stars Season 17 winner and has won the most challenges in the show’s history. Known for her blend of California cuisine with Asian flavors, King was recognized as “one of the best female chefs in San Francisco” and a“40 under 40:Rising Star”.
With over 15 years in the industry, she’s helmed Michelin-starred kitchens under names such as Dominique Crenn and Ron Siegel. King leads virtual cooking classes, creates small-batch sauces, and designs unique ice cream flavors with Humphry Slocombe.
King is a proud Chinese-American using her platform to advocate. Through her Top Chef Fan-Favorite award and proceeds from classes, King raised over $20K benefiting The Trevor Project, The Okra Project, Asian Youth Center, and more. She’s featured in GAP’s 2021 spring campaign celebrating diversity. Visit chefmelissaking.com.
Jamika Pessoa is a classically trained chef and TV host.
Since launching her television career as a contestant on The Food Network’s Next Food Network Star in 2009, she has appeared on a number of nationally-acclaimed television shows including Guy’s Grocery Games, Best Thing I Ever Ate, as well as Food Network’s latest cooking competition show Raid the Fridge. She makes regular appearances on Good Morning America, the Wendy Williams Show, and the Tamron Hall Show. Currently, you can see her as a weekly contributor and cohost on Dr. Oz’s new series The Dish on Oz. From contestant to guest judge, contributor, and host, she is seriously stirring up the food industry!
A self-described Southern belle with Caribbean roots, Chef Jamika’s cooking style is “Caribbean Heat meets Southern Sweet,” and her mouthwatering, delicious recipes offer bold flavors and unexpected twists for meals for any occasion.
As a classically trained chef, Pessoa studied abroad in Italy and Austria. In 2006 she paired her business acumen with her love of cooking and entertaining and launched her catering business, Life of the Party Catering, becoming the celebrity chef for a high-profile roster of clients including rappers, athletes, and entertainers nationwide.
She is a dynamic businesswoman, wife, mother of two girls, and an inspiration as she shakes up perceptions of what a female chef can do. Whether it’s in the kitchen, in front of the camera, or behind the scenes, you will instantly be captivated by her bold flavors, wit, style, and celebration of life! For more information on the fife of the party herself, please visit ChefJamika.com.
Chef Fabio Viviani has harbored a passion for food since his childhood growing up in Florence, Italy. Between training in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine at the top hospitality schools and working with culinary luminaries such as Alessandro Panzani and Saverio Carmagini, Viviani also owned and operated several concepts by the time he was 27 including two nightclubs and five restaurants in Florence. Although a well-respected businessman in Italy, he was ready for a change, and in 2005 Vivianio moved to California where he opened his first U.S.-based restaurant Café Firenze in Moorpark, California.
Teaming up with one of Chicago’s restaurant-consulting groups Dine|Amic, Viviani opened Siena Tavern in Chicago in 2013, and the following year he opened Mercato by Fabio Viviani, a quick-service Italian concept with branches in Chicago and San Diego. In 2015 he continued to make a name for himself in Chicago by opening Bar Siena and Prime & Provisions. In 2016 he expanded to the LAX Delta terminal with the opening of Osteria by Fabio Viviani, which won USA Today’s Reader’s Choice Award for Best Airport Sit-Down Dining in 2018. Simultaneously, he opened additional Mercato by Fabio locations in Tempe, Phoenix, Cleveland, and Benton Harbor. In 2017 Viviani opened the Press Room in Detroit right after his February opening of Portico by Fabio Viviani in New York’s del Lago Resort & Casino.
Best known for his television debut on Bravo’s hit series Top Chef—earning the fan favorite title—his on-screen appearances have propelled him to become one of the top culinary names in the country.
He is a recurring guest on national television shows such as Good Morning America, The Rachael Ray Show, The Chew, and countless Food Network Shows such as Cutthroat Kitchen: All-Star Tournament, which he won. In February 2017, he released Fabio’s Kitchen, a 52-episode cooking show hosted on YouTube followed by a second season that was launched in May 2018.
Offscreen, Fabio is a regular headliner at global food events. He also owns a Maine-based seafood delivery service called Lobster by Fabio and a winery in Sonoma that produces the five wine varietals in the Fabio Viviani Wine Collection.
In addition to having his own lines of cookware and culinary gadgets, he has also been a proud spokesman for international brands and has authored four successful cookbooks: Café Firenze Cookbook, The New York Times Best-Seller Fabio’s Italian Kitchen, Fabio’s American Home Kitchen, and most recently Fabio’s 30-Minute Italian.
His varied accomplishments have impressed many, resulting in his induction into the Chicago Culinary Museum and Chefs Hall of Fame as 2017 Chef of the Year on March 8, 2017.
Following Fabio’s initiation, the mayor of Chicago also declared March 8, 2017, to be Chef Fabio Viviani Day in Chicago, encouraging Chicagoans to recognize his achievements and contributions not only to his home city, but also to the nation’s culinary scene.
Jack Bishop is the chief creative officer of America’s Test Kitchen. He was part of the original team that started America’s Test Kitchen, beginning with the launch of Cook’s Illustrated in 1993. Jack directed the launch of Cook’s Country magazine in 2005 and the building of the company’s book publishing division. He is the tasting lab expert on America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country. Jack leads the creative teams working on the company’s television shows, podcasts, videos, magazines, books, and online cooking school. Jack is the author of several cookbooks, including Vegetables Every Day (2001) and The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook (1997). Jack’s first children’s book, Peyton Picks the Perfect Pie, was published in the fall of 2020.
Esther Choi is an influential chef driven by her Korean roots. She is chef/owner of mŏkbar and mŏkbar Brooklyn, as well as chef/partner of Ms. Yoo. Inspired by the age-old technique of her Korean grandmother’s cooking, Choi believes that food is the ultimate expression of a country’s culture. With a personal passion for introducing New Yorkers to the flavors of Korean culture, Choi’s cooking combines traditional and modern influences with fresh, seasonal ingredients.
Choi began her professional education at the early age of 14. Her formal training as a chef began at New York City’s Institute of Culinary Education (ICE), followed by various positions at New York City’s renowned ilili and La Esquina, as well as the Food Network. She was the host of Eater’s video series Kitchen Gadgets, where she channeled her cooking prowess and demonstrated compelling Korean dishes and flavors, garnering over 50 million views. She has appeared in numerous shows such as Beat Bobby Flay, Chopped, Money Hungry, and Throwdown with Michael Symon. She also guest-starred in HBO’s Selena + Chef alongside Selena Gomez.
Choi was named a Zagat 30 Under 30 in 2015 and NYC Culinary Rockstar. Her praised restaurant, mŏkbar, was acclaimed as the Village Voice 2014 Reader’s Choice “Best New Restaurant” and was awarded “Best Kimchi” in 2015 by Epoch Taste. Among her other enterprises, Zagat declared Ms. Yoo as one of the city’s hottest new restaurants, while Thrillist dubbed it the best place to eat during a Lower East Side bar crawl.
In 2020–21, Esther was a host and producer of two podcasts: iHeartRadio’s Get Down w/Ktown, where she dives into the rich world of Korean-American culture, and Food52 Podcast Network’s Hot Offline, a call-in show where she tackles burning questions for home cooks.
Her newest mŏkbar opened in Midtown Manhattan in the fall of 2021, and two more locations are scheduled to open in 2022.
Tom Colicchio is the chef and owner of Crafted Hospitality, which includes New York’s Craft and Temple Court; Craft Los Angeles; Las Vegas’ Heritage Steak and Craftsteak; and Small Batch in Garden City, NY.
A vocal and outspoken social justice advocate, Colicchio executive produced the 2013 documentary A Place at the Table about the underlying causes of hunger in the U.S. This eye-opening experience led Tom on a journey to Washington D.C. where he has been a mainstay in our nation’s capital in the years since. From holding members of Congress accountable on their voting records around food to working with former FLOTUS Michelle Obama on the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, Colicchio has established himself as the leading “Citizen Chef,” advocating for a food system that values access, affordability, and nutrition over corporate interests.
He is a frequent contributor on several television shows and networks, including MSNBC, CNN, ABC, and Bloomberg and is the host of the iHeart Radio podcast, Citizen Chef. Colicchio is the head judge and executive producer of the Emmy-winning Bravo hit series Top Chef.
Colicchio and his restaurants give back to the community through their impact partnership with FEAST and by serving on the boards of Children of Bellevue, City Harvest, and Wholesome Wave. He is a founding member of The Independent Restaurant Coalition, which was formed to save the local restaurants and bars affected by COVID-19 and the subsequent economic fallout. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife Lori Silverbush and their three sons. When not in the kitchen, Colicchio can be found tending his North Fork Long Island garden, fishing, or playing guitar.
Chef Grace Ramírez understands that food is culture and shares the nourishing traditions of remarkably vibrant, incredibly creative, and above all, comforting Latin American cuisines.
A cook, an activist, an author, and a broadcaster, Ramirez has become a global leader, taking her Latin American heritage and charisma from the green paradise of home country Venezuela to the vast audiences of Oceanía and the Americas. She was recently featured in the Cherry Bombe 100 Women in Hospitality and People magazine’s Español Most Powerful Latina Women of 2021.
Born in Miami as part of a Venezuelan family, her upbringing was as diverse as the continental landscape. Grace’s mother has lived in Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay, and her stepfather was of Peruvian origin. To add to her range of flavors, Grace spent her young adulthood nourished by the culinary creativity that Miami and New York had to offer, eventually emigrating to New Zealand for 17 years to reconnect with a philosophy focused on produce and nature.
Professionally trained for television, Grace kicked off her career in the culinary world with the Food Network, as Bobby Flay’s producer. Tempted by her aim to share her Latin heritage through taste, she became a contestant on the U.S. version of MasterChef, guided by the master Gordon Ramsay. Set on this new path, she then enrolled in the prestigious French Culinary Institute in New York and worked at Eataly under the lead of chefs Mario Batali and Lidia Bastianich.
Her effusiveness, expertise, and capacity for storytelling synchronized as she created and hosted shows in New Zealand, Latin America, and the U.S., publishing La Latina, the cookbook. She added a new layer to her voice with her activist projects aside Chef Jose Andrés with World´s Central Kitchen, reaching the mark of cooking 100,000 meals per day during the COVID emergency.
Her unique mix of the traditional and adventurous is what makes her kitchen the heart of any community.
You may have seen him in action on one of his many daytime TV cooking segments, competing on Food Network Star, or at a prestigious national food and wine event across the country. But one thing is for certain; whenever Chef David Rose is around, you’ll find plenty of great food and laughter! Born in New Jersey to two chef parents, Rose always had an adventurous, curious, and diverse palate. If it smelled good and looked good, chances are it would get eaten.
Like a truffle pig, he sniffed out his culinary interests. It led him to Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Atlanta, Georgia, where he ultimately settled for the last 20 years. He identifies as a Southern chef, but also creatively reinterprets classic Southern fare by incorporating the refinement of his French culinary training along with his signature bold flavors and the occasional flair from his family’s Jamaican recipes. Cooking and eating are Rose’s life . . . literally!
Rose is a Food Network/TV personality, Omaha Steaks executive chef/spokesperson, and serves as a national brand ambassador for Big Green Egg. He’s also the author of the cookbook EGGin‘: David Rose Cooks on the Big Green Egg.
Rose appeared as a finalist on Food Network Star (Season 13), cooking head-to-head with Bobby Flay and fielding praise from Giada de Laurentiis. Chef David Rose regularly appears on Food Network, Good Morning America, The Today Show, Home & Family, Steve Harvey Show, EXTRA TV, Tamron Hall, Dr. Oz, and various national morning shows. As well as being featured in Rachael Ray, Food Network, Forbes, and Essence magazines.
As a special events chef and culinary content creator, Chef David Rose works with many high-profile brands and professional clientele. Outside of the kitchen, he continues to draw culinary inspiration from his travels.
“Food is life … it not only feeds the body, but it nourishes the soul. To know me is to taste my cooking.”
Former NFL athlete turned chef Derrell Smith is the host of Tastemade’s hit show Mad Good Food, where he shows viewers the value of not only cooking for those you love, but also cooking for yourself. As the host of Mad Good Food, currently in its third season, Smith creates a meal he'd normally make family-style for friends and family, and then breaks it down into a new, distinct meal for one using the components of the original dish. He also serves as an executive producer as well as the creator and CEO OF 99EATS, LLC, a virtual culinary brand with a mission to spread love through food, content, and experiences.
After earning Delaware Gatorade Player of the Year honors in 2006, Smith accepted a full athletic scholarship to Syracuse University, excelling both on and off the football field. Smith was a three-year starting linebacker, two-time All Big East performer, team MVP and captain, and ranks second all-time for forced fumbles in Syracuse history. In 2010, he went undrafted to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and was picked up midseason by the Houston Texans. In his second season, Smith earned the starting fullback position until a neck injury, suffered in practice, ended his career. The following day, Smith returned to Syracuse to enroll in a master's program. This would be a decision that would change his life forever.
One evening after a long day of school, Smith decided to make spaghetti and meatballs using ingredients from his fridge and cabinets. The sauce was so good, he immediately called his best friend over to his apartment, and during dinner told him “I’m gonna sell this one day!” The rest is history. Smith moved to Los Angeles in 2020 with no plans, but ambitions to host his own food television show. This became a reality in April 2021 when the first season of Mad Good Food premiered on Tastemade. To date, Smith has hosted or worked with brands including Netflix, NBCUniversal, Disney, Amazon, Sesame Place, Subway, Bed Bath and Beyond, and others.
Ronnie Woo is the chef and owner of The Delicious Cook, an L.A.-based private-chef company that specializes in five-star dining experiences. He is an accomplished chef, television personality, and author of the cookbook Did You Eat Yet?, which will be released on March 14, 2023. Woo is a recurring guest on multiple shows, including the TODAY Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and Beat Bobby Flay, and he was the chef/host of the LOGO Network’s premier cooking and relationship show Food to Get You Laid. He produced his first YouTube series, Craving Jetlag, and more recently can be seen on Peacock’s Kevin Hart’s Winter Olympics Tailgate Party and the first season of Netflix’s Is It Cake?.
Brooklyn-born Sherry Yard is a nationally acclaimed chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, teacher, and presenter, who spent her extensive career making a mark as a disruptor in the hospitality industry. Her innovative and uncompromising approach has garnered three James Beard Awards and an induction into their Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America.
She has received accolades from renowned publications such as Bon Appétit and Food + Wine, and became affectionately known by the media as “L.A.’s Sweetheart”, both for her bubbly personality and her incomparably creative, fresh-from-the-farm desserts.
Her career includes working with the Wolfgang Puck empire for nearly 20 years, encompassing the crafting of masterful breads, creating menus, and opening new restaurants while simultaneously mentoring an entire generation of chefs in kitchens from Singapore to Santa Monica. Her pastry creations became staples at events such as the Academy Awards Governor’s Ball, the Grammy Awards, and the Emmy Awards, where she could be spotted in her iconic pink chef’s jacket in support of breast cancer awareness.
Yard is the author of two award-winning cookbooks, and today works as a consultant from her Bakery by the Yard kitchen in California and appears on the iconic and widely popular Great American Baking Show, serving as a judge.
Martha Stewart is the Founder of the first multi-channel lifestyle company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, an entrepreneur, bestselling author of 99 to date lifestyle books, and Emmy Award-winning television show host. Reaching more than 100 million devoted fans on a monthly basis through her magazines, television shows, books, and products for the home, sold at multiple retail and online outlets, Martha is the “go-to” source for the homemaker. She and her talented staff provide trusted, timely, and useful information on all aspects of everyday living: cooking, entertaining, gardening, home renovating, collecting, organizing, crafting, healthy living, holidays, weddings, and pet care, both in print and social media.
Gavin Kaysen is the award-winning chef and founder of Soigné Hospitality Group in Minneapolis, known for his nationally renowned restaurants and cafés in the Twin Cities as well as his leadership in the culinary profession. In October of 2022, Gavin released his first cookbook titled At Home, filled with approachable recipes to inspire novices and professionals alike. Chef Gavin is passionate about mentorship and creating a more professional work environment for hospitalitarians. He is the proud recipient of two James Beard Awards: Rising Star Chef of the Year in 2008 and Best Chef: Midwest in 2018. He is the executive culinary producer for the 2022 reboot of Iron Chef on Netflix.
Daniela Soto-Innes has always been surrounded by strong women who love cooking. Her culinary passion was ignited as a young girl by the vibrant food scene of her native Mexico City and the after-school cooking classes she began at age five.
After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and working in restaurants across Texas and Mexico City, Daniela moved to New York City to open Cosme as the executive chef. There, she quickly garnered praise as one of the city’s top chefs and was named Rising Star Chef of the Year by the James Beard Foundation. Accolades continued as she opened Atla as the executive chef/partner, later named Time Out magazine’s Restaurant of the Year.
In 2019 Daniela became the youngest chef named World’s Best Female Chef by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and was featured in Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30 and Crain’s 40 Under 40. Under her leadership, Cosme was the highest-ranked U.S. restaurant on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 list. Most recently, Daniela was recognized by the Consulate of Mexico for her work representing her native country abroad.
Daniela continues to be a globally recognized industry leader and has her sights on Mexico for her newest restaurant venture, Rubra, opening at the W Hotel Punta de Mita in 2023.
Fabio Viviani has harbored a passion for food since his childhood in Florence, Italy. Between training in Italian and Mediterranean cuisines at top hospitality schools, working with culinary luminaries Alessandro Panzani and Saverio Carmagnini, Fabio also owned and successfully executed multiple concepts in Florence.
Best known for his participation in Bravo’s Top Chef seasons 5 and 8—earning the “Fan Favorite” title—his on-screen appearances and off-screen successes have propelled him to become one of the most influential culinary and hospitality names in the country.
Since coming to the US in 2005, Fabio has launched over 40 hospitality ventures. In 2013, Fabio teamed up with DineAmic Hospitality, and launched Siena Tavern, Bar Siena, Prime & Provisions, Builders Building, and BomboBar in Chicago - also the city he calls home. He has launched several full-service restaurants in major cities across the country, airport dining concepts, casino dining outlets with major gaming brands like PENN National Gaming and Morongo Casino and Resort as well as developing culinary cuisines in Hilton's Curio hotels, and a dessert concept named JARS - all with multiple locations across the US.
Fabio is a recurring guest on national television shows such as Good Morning America, The Rachael Ray Show, and numerous Food Network shows, such as Cutthroat Kitchen: All-Star Tournament, which he won. Off-screen, Fabio is a regular headliner at global food events, and he has authored four successful cookbooks: Café Firenze Cookbook, New York Times Best-Seller Fabio’s Italian Kitchen, Fabio’s American Home Kitchen, and most recently Fabio’s 30-Minute Italian.
Eddie Jackson is a former NFL player turned celebrity chef and owner of Rosehill Beer Garden and Food Truck Park located in Houston, Texas. After winning the 2015 season of The Next Food Network Star, he became a beloved member of the Food Network family and has been the face of several shows Outchef’d, Christmas Cookie Challenge, BBQ Blitz, Kids BBQ Championship, and Cooking Channel's Yum and Yummer, as well as Eddie Jackson’s Game-Day Playbook on foodnetwork.com. Eddie also authored his first cookbook, Game-Day Eats.
Eric Kim Haugen is a renowned chef, operator, and Food Network personality. He can be seen on the Food Network from his time on Iron Chef America, as well as serving as the lead judge on Big Restaurant Bet. He is the founder of ERICKIMGROUP and an operating partner of Ring On Hook, both leading hospitality development and advisory companies. His work includes The Twelve Thirty Club, The Global Ambassador Hotel, Las Botellas, and Osteria La Baia.
Roger Mooking is a globally recognized, Trinidadian-born, Canadian-raised talent that creates immersive experiences in the arts. As a celebrity chef, restaurateur, television host, author, and award-winning recording artist Roger Mooking has earned an international reputation as a multimedia artist and entertainer how casing a globally inspired vision that reflects his rich family heritage and his love for people and travel.
Roger is best known as the host of the internationally celebrated grilling and barbecue show Man Fire Food. The popular traveling food series showcases a dynamic range of live-fire cooking. 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 cocreator of the internationally broadcast television series Everyday Exotic, and cohost of Heat Seekers on Food Network alongside chef Aarón Sanchez. In addition, Roger hosts Man’s Greatest Food where he sets out on a culinary odyssey around the U.S.A. seeking the greatest food.
Recently, Roger made his mark in the world of interactive art, cultivating a number of immersive experiences that merge visual, sonic, and culinary arts with the City of Toronto. His involvement has included Toronto’s Awakenings, a series of art projects created within the Toronto History Museum by Black and Indigenous artists, operating under the principles of anti-oppression, anti-colonialism, and anti-racism. In association with Awakenings and the City of Toronto, Roger has been the lead artist and/or collaborator for the exhibitions Read(In), Dis/Mantle, and The Burn.
Former NFL athlete turned chef Derrell Smith is the host of Tastemade’s hit show Mad Good Food, where he shows viewers the value of not only cooking for those you love, but also cooking for yourself. As the host of Mad Good Food, currently in its third season, Smith creates a meal he'd normally make family-style for friends and family, and then breaks it down into a new, distinct meal for one using the components of the original dish. He also serves as an executive producer as well as the creator and CEO OF 99EATS, LLC, a virtual culinary brand with a mission to spread love through food, content, and experiences.
After earning Delaware Gatorade Player of the Year honors in 2006, Smith accepted a full athletic scholarship to Syracuse University, excelling both on and off the football field. Smith was a three-year starting linebacker, two-time All Big East performer, team MVP and captain, and ranks second all-time for forced fumbles in Syracuse history. In 2010, he went undrafted to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and was picked up midseason by the Houston Texans. In his second season, Smith earned the starting fullback position until a neck injury, suffered in practice, ended his career. The following day, Smith returned to Syracuse to enroll in a master's program. This would be a decision that would change his life forever.
One evening after a long day of school, Smith decided to make spaghetti and meatballs using ingredients from his fridge and cabinets. The sauce was so good, he immediately called his best friend over to his apartment, and during dinner told him “I’m gonna sell this one day!” The rest is history. Smith moved to Los Angeles in 2020 with no plans, but ambitions to host his own food television show. This became a reality in April 2021 when the first season of Mad Good Food premiered on Tastemade. To date, Smith has hosted or worked with brands including Netflix, NBCUniversal, Disney, Amazon, Sesame Place, Subway, Bed Bath and Beyond, and others.
Jack Bishop is the chief creative officer of America’s Test Kitchen. He was part of the original team that started America’s Test Kitchen, beginning with the launch of Cook’s Illustrated in 1993. Jack directed the launch of Cook’s Country magazine in 2005 and the building of the company’s book-publishing division. He is the tasting lab expert on America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country. Jack leads the creative teams working on the company’s television shows, podcasts, videos, magazines, books, and online cooking school. Jack is a regular contributor to National Public Radio and has appeared on The Today Show, CBS Morning News, and CBS Sunday Morning.
Julia Collin Davison is an executive editorial director for America’s Test Kitchen. She is also co-host of America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country and is an original cast member of both shows, which are two of the highest-rated instructional cooking shows on television. Julia is also host of Julia at Home, which premiered on Pluto TV in November 2021. Julia began working as a test cook for Cook’s Illustrated in 1999 and led recipe development for America’s Test Kitchen cookbooks for more than a decade. Julia has been a guest on Good Morning America, Live with Kelly & Ryan, The Today Show, Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family, and The Tamron Hall Show. She graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1996. She received an Augie Award from the Culinary Institute of America and was inducted into the prestigious Disciples d'Escoffier culinary society in 2018.
Bridget Lancaster is an executive editorial director for America’s Test Kitchen. She’s known to millions of fans as a co-host of America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country, which both air on public television. Bridget began working as a test cook for Cook’s Illustrated in 1998; she was also part of the launch team for Cook’s Country magazine and led the magazine’s recipe development. Bridget is the lead instructor for America’s Test Kitchen Cooking School and has created hundreds of instructional videos. In her earlier career she cooked in restaurant kitchens in the South and the Northeast, concentrating on pastry. She was inducted into the prestigious Disciples d'Escoffier culinary society in 2018.