DACE CORLETT:

Dace Corlett- Graduated from the California Culinary Academy in 1999 and is the founder of MyCulinaryClass.com, a local hands-on cooking program. I was lucky enough to have attended culinary school. In school I learned important basic techniques that have served me well through the years. Many people get stuck in the recipe but I teach people that it is not about the recipe, it is about basic techniques, or methods. Once you understand the method of a recipe and why it works, then suddenly you have freedom to play with it and make it your own.  Cooking should be a fun and creative experience not a dreaded chore! I have found that hands on cooking classes are very effective. When people are physically involved in making the meal they retain more, are less intimidated and go home with a new confidence about cooking.

I have a passion for fresh, seasonal and healthy eating, my recipes reflect that and are easy to replicate. I enjoy exposing people to new foods and sharing information about food choices that support local, organic and sustainable farming.

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 BRIAN GIST:

A native to Seattle, Brian Gist celebrates flavor and diversity through his cooking.

After graduating from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, he worked his way up in locations such as the Salish Lodge at Snoqualmie Falls, WA; La Costa Resort and Spa, CA; Arnie’s Restaurant, WA; The Harbor Club, WA; and a variety of private yachts, Mexico, Canada, and Panama.  With his wife and daughter, he now resides in San Diego and has brought many “out of the box” ideas to San Diego Harbor Excursion since 2000.  After bringing the dinner cruise menu to an entirely new level, he was the creative force behind the production of the mouth watering Sunday Brunch.  When the opportunity arose, he played a key role in the design and development of the galley during the construction of the newest boat within the fleet, the California Spirit.

When he is not feeding an army on the Harbor Excursion Yachts, he enjoys entertaining friends and family and teaching cooking classes in his home.  In support of his wife’s cousin, a 5-year ovarian cancer survivor, he actively supports the Nine Girls Ask? Foundation by donating cooking classes and his time to help raise money to find a screening and a cure.

Brian and Harbor Excursion have been featured on KUSI, channel 9 News as the #4 Tourist Destination and have been recognized for Best Brunch in San Diego (2007).

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 RICHARD SWEENEY:

Chef | Contestant, Season 5 of Top Chef

http://www.WannaBchef.com

Chef Richard “Rich” Sweeney is most definitely a culinary superstar on the rise. Why…because he's already going places. San Diego’s newest ‘cheflebrity’ has been making a name for himself in national culinary circles, thanks in large part to his stint as the jovial, lovable cuddly-bear cheftestant on the fifth season of Bravo TV’s Emmy®-nominated hit show Top Chef. Though his tenure on the top-rated reality TV competition was short-lived, being selected for the show from over 80K applicants was proof enough that his talent, personality and ambition were a winning combination not only for his career, but also his craft.

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 MATT GORDON:

Executive Chef at Urban Solace

Urban Solace Owner and Executive Chef Matt Gordon is a 20 year veteran of the restaurant industry. He has headed numerous kitchen operations ranging from formal fine dining to bustling, high volume corporate restaurants. Past positions include Executive Chef at the highly acclaimed Willi's Seafood and Raw Bar in Healdsburg, California; Executive Chef and Food and Beverage Department Head at Hospitality Inc (festivities catering, picnic people), a renowned and multi-faceted catering operation in San Diego, California; Executive Chef at Scott's Seafood , in the heart of Silicon Valley; and Executive Chef at Gordon Biersch Brewing Company at their flagship location in San Francisco, California.

Urban Solace has won numerous awards since it’s inception in 2007 including “Best New Restaurant” and “Best Sunday Brunch” in the 2008 Best Of issue of San Diego Magazine; “Bestof the Best” and “Best Neighborhood Restaurant” in the 2009 Best Of issue of San Diego Magazine and two coveted “Silver Fork Awards” from San Diego Home/Garden Magazine for 2008 and 2009.  Matt was also recently named to the 2009 class of “40 under 40” by San Diego Metropolitan, which honors 40 San Diegans under 40 years of age for their professional successes and community involvement.

Urban Solace is the culmination of years of hard work, education and culinary development. Matt's philosophy in the kitchen: Work hard and have a great time doing it! His goal has always been to create a dynamic and fun environment for his staff so that they enjoy coming to work as much as he does.

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 VATTA BAKER:

Vatta Baker was born and raised in Thailand.  She has lived in the United States for over 18 years now.  Her passion for cooking has culminated through a number of years working in the food industry and from her multiple cultural experiences while in Europe.  When she travels to other countries, she is always striving to learn more techniques and ideas to improve her array of recipes.  Her natural talent has allowed her to create many new and exciting Thai dishes.  Vatta's two main philosophies focus on making food healthy, delicious, and simple; ensuring that food tastes as good as it looks.  With many requests from friends and acquaintances, she started offering numerous Thai cooking classes and personal chef services.  She definitely enjoys sharing her passion for cooking with family and friends.  She is launching a Thai cooking lesson on YouTube and her first Thai cook book is currently in production.  www.cookingathomewithvatta.com

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JOHN ALONGE':

JohnAlonge', author of The Wine Heretic's Bible, is a well respected "educational entertainer" on food and wine topics.  His innovative and dynamic presentations such as "Blend-Your-Own-Wine competition", "Five Easy Steps to Really Enjoying Wine" and "The Wine and Culinary Game Show" are regularly booked by corporate and private groups throughout the United States.  He has written a variety of articles for international wine publications and is oft-quoted in food and wine industry trade journals.  Alonge' is the founder of the San Diego Wine & Culinary Center, an 8000 square foot venue in the heart of the city dedicated to food and wine events and education.  John's extensive wine and culinary background has ripened into a blueprint for quality wine education with high entertainment value.

Alonge' began his career working among the vineyards of the Loire Valley in France.  Since then, he has owned and operated successful restaurants around the world and served as Director of Food and Beverage for a major San Francisco based hotel and restaurant group.  His affiliation with numerous San  Diego County wineries has allowed him to participate actively in the renaissance of fine wines in Southern California.

Alonge' sits on the Advisory Boards of both the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival and the Business of Wine Program at San Diego State University.  He is actively involved in the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau and the San Diego Chapter of Meeting Professionals International. 

Additionally, he teaches wine business classes at San Diego State University and is a regular contributing writer to Edible San Diego magazine and Examiner.com.

The Wine Heretic's Bible, Alonge's latest book, offers "Plain English Advice for the Casual Wino"

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CHRISTIAN GRAVES:

Jsix and J6Bar welcome Executive Chef Christian Graves and his new menu that elevates the restaurant's California coastal cuisine to a whole new level.

Prior to joining Jsix, Graves spent five years as the chef de cuisine at San Francisco's esteemed Farallon restaurant, working with Chef/Owner Mark Franz in preparing stunning, innovative cuisine.  Before that, Graves worked at other top San Francisco restaurants, including MoMo's, Aqua, Roti and One Market.

Now at Jsix, Graves' new dinner, lunch and dessert menus celebrate California Coastal cuisine in a refreshing combination of clean, bright colors.  Starting with the freshest of seafood, flown in daily from all over the world, Chef Graves takes an artisanal "Slow Food" approach.  From "the boat to his pan," Chef Graves chooses sustainable seafood from the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch list as well as the best local organic produce from area farms, organic park from the Temecula area, grass-fed beef from California and natural lamb from Colorado.  As a result, diners are assured they are not only eating fresh, but smartly and responsibly.  www.jsixrestaurant.com

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Chris Idso

IDSO refined his style at some of San Francisco’s finest restaurants, including TOURELLE, LASCAUX, and SPLENDIDO. Describing himself as a “Chef with a sensuality for seafood,” he exhibits a finesse that enables him to continually learn and teach.

CHEF IDSO and PACIFICA DEL MAR are the honored recipients of the Gold Medallion Award for “Best Seafood Dining in San Diego”

Chef Jeffrey Strauss

Jeffrey Strauss makes a personal statement on the pleasurable dining experience - casual yet elegant, inspired yet straightforward, quality food that delights all the senses. His menu at Pamplemousse Grille melds his many creations from his tenure at Glorious Food, New York City's preeminent caterer for more than 15 years, and his many travels to Europe to experience, learn and create the finest cuisine the world has to offer.

 BRUNO ALBOUZe

Encouraged by watching his parents and grandmother cook, Bruno started working in a restaurant part-time at the age of 13. Neither the 20-miles ride – rain or shine – nor the ‘princely’ wage of 50 Francs at the end of the week dissuaded him from going on to his apprentice-ship and then attending culinary college in the city of Bordeaux. This came as no surprise to his family. As a toddler, he kneaded a round of Camembert to a pulp, leading them to predict he would have a bright future as a chef.

Bruno spent the best part of the ‘90s working in Bordeaux in a briocherie and a patisserie. After winning the (Trophy of Good Eating) in 1997, he moved to Paris to further his career. Prior to his appointment by Alain Ducasse as Head Baker at the Hotel Plaza Athénée, Bruno worked as Second Baker at the Hotel Ritz under Bernard Burban. At both hotels he created bread sculptures for such household names as Lance Armstrong (the year he won his first Tour de France), Brigitte Bardot and Roman Polanski. Having had the good fortune to work in these kitchens alongside such creative, world-renowned chefs, his next move was to the famous cooking school Pavillon Elysée Lenôtre, where he taught cooking and baking. In 2004, Bruno came to the United States, working in Las Vegas and San Francisco before settling in San Diego. www.CookandBakewithBruno.com

Manjula Jain:

Manjula Jain is an avid cook who has been passionate about cooking for more than 40 years. Throughout the years, Manjula has enjoyed sharing her love for cooking with friends and family worldwide. Manjula has successfully parlayed her love of Indian cooking, becoming a “You Tube” phenomenon, with her simple, one of a kind, step-by-step instructional recipes. The popularity of the “You Tube” cooking videos led to the launch of her successful website, www.manjulaskitchen.com. In addition, for the past two years, Manjula has instructed numerous cooking classes at the University of San Marcos –OSHER program. Manjula plans on publishing a series of cookbooks in the near future.

Larry D. Banares C.E.C.:

Chef Larry, a Certified Executive Chef brings more than 28 years experience aschef, culinary educator, television personality, consultant and restaurateur to “America’s Finest City”. A familiar face to television viewers, he appears twice weekly on ABC / KGTV Channels 10 and 15 with his popular cooking segments, and on his daily cooking show “The County Cooks with Chef Larry” on CTN. His company, “Chef Larry’s CuisineTM” is a multifaceted enterprise consisting of catering, restaurant / foodservice consulting, culinary education, video / television work, catering and retail. His "Chef Larry's Cuisine" website at www.discoversandiego.com is heralded as one of the most technically advanced cooking sites on the Internet and has been featured on ABC's World News Tonight with Peter Jennings and in Entertainment Weekly Magazine. Chef Larry can be heard around the world on his popular radio program, "The Chef Larry Show" on World Talk Radio. In addition to his media work, Banares oversees the culinary operation at the beautiful Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines Hotel and Golf Resort as Executive Chef.

Highly recognized for his culinary accomplishments, Chef Larry was a member of The 1988, 1992 and 1996 U.S.A. Culinary Teams, winning three gold medals and a special “cloverleaf” award at the world’s most prestigious cooking competition, the “Culinary Olympics”. In 1990, he was named “Chef of the Year” by the American Culinary Federation Orange Empire Chef Association. He is an ACF certified judge for culinary competitions and recently participated as the only American juror for the 1998 International Hotel Asia Chef’s on Parade Competition in Manila. Chef Larry has served as Executive Chef / Food and Beverage Director for many destination hotels and restaurants including: the Disneyland Hotel, the Queen Mary and Port Properties, The Town and Country Resort / Convention Center and the Kona Kai Continental Plaza Resort and Marina. He has cooked for numerous celebrities and dignitaries stateside including superstar Michael Jackson, The Sultan of Brunei and Philippine Presidents Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Joseph Estrada. Banares is in demand as a speaker and has consulted for national restaurant chains and foodservice companies such as: Sizzler’s, Golden Corral, Reckitt and Colman, The National Honey Board, Red Lobster, Ambrosia Chocolate, World Affairs Council, SYSCO Foodservices, General Foods and Kraft. Chef Larry has worked with the Television Food Network’s Emeril Lagasse and Bobby Flay on “The New American Barbeque” video / recipe book.  

Sharon Prescott:

Born and raised in Utica, New York, the mother of two grown sons and the widow of a former WHO diplomat, Asian restaurant reviewer and medical journalist, Sharon offers a unique blending of ethnic and gourmet cooking styles. These cooking approaches have been strongly influenced by her early training at her mother’s side.  Over the past 18 years, her extensive travels abroad and within the U.S. have given her the opportunity to participate in certificate programs at both the Ritz Escoffier and Cordon Bleu Schools of Culinary Arts, both located in Paris.  Sharon also attended a variety of schools here in the United States.  She is well known for her ease in preparation of elegant dinner parties featuring Jewish dishes from appetizers to desserts, gourmet French entrees as well as American and diabetic heart-healthy/low carb meals based on favorites such as chicken, turkey, veal and seafood.

Melissa Mayer: 

Melissa Mayer is a chef with a purpose.

After spending years preparing to become a chef, training under International Chef Ann Bryan, experiencing international travels of her own, gaining continual education at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena and then moving on to become a celebrated Executive Chef, Melissa decided she needed to give more substance to her passion for food and food politics. 

She currently has two books in production that are about food and water’s eternal coexistence to revolution and their powerful place in societies throughout time, especially now.  It is a time in the world in which we are experiencing a global food, water and energy crisis.  Melissa is doing what she can to contribute to using less, being more self-sustainable and self-reliant.  She believes in buying whole foods, planting small gardens, even in urban dwellings, buying local and organic and absolutely knowing where your food comes from. Melissa has developed a concept for a documentary series and is awaiting green light for production.  You can guarantee that it is politically motivated and will reveal many social impacts that communities around the world are facing.  She believes that her passion and efforts can lead to positive change throughout our world.  Being an artist, to her means making an impact; giving while creating and knowing small changes can lead to bigger ones. 

As she is passionate about food and has a lot of knowledge to share, in addition to writing she has taken her voice to teaching.  She loves teaching cooking techniques, sharing recipes and personal tips.  She believes in making cooking accessible.  The greatest way to contribute is to put that knowledge into other’s hands so they too can rely on themselves to make great meals anytime.

Melissa’s international travels have inspired her cooking repertoire and she is inspired by cuisines with flavor.    She plays with Asian, Latin, Mediterranean flavors and is most recently inspired to create interpretations of food from the South.

Melissa Mayer has won many accolades both locally and nationally. She earned a national appearance on the Food Network in 2007, competing on Food Network Challenge and receiving a bronze for her efforts. The episode appears frequently on the Food Network to this day. In 2007, in addition to the Food Network, she appeared in all things media – several networks, magazines, websites and community functions.  She was named one of “Top 5 Chefs to look for in the nation” by 944’s National Food Issue in November 2007. She also won 1st place in San Diego Taste de Cuisine.

carole bloom:

Carole Bloom is a European-trained pastry chef and confectioner, author of nine cookbooks, food writer, cooking instructor, media chef, and spokesperson. In addition, she has worked in world-class hotels and restaurants in Europe and the United States, and has been a consultant for both new and established culinary enterprises.

Carole’s most recent cookbook is Bite-Size Desserts which will be published in April 2009. Carole's other books include The Essential Baker: The Comprehensive Guide to Baking with Chocolate, Fruit, Nuts, Spices, and other Ingredients (Wiley), the revised and updated Truffles, Candies, and Confections:  Recipes and Techniques for Candymaking (Ten Speed Press); Chocolate Lover’s Cookbook For Dummies (Wiley); Cookies For Dummies (Wiley); All About Chocolate: The Ultimate Resource for the World’s Favorite Food (Macmillan/IDG), winner of Best Chocolate Book 1999 at Eurochocolate; The International Dictionary of Desserts, Pastries, and Confections (Morrow); Sugar and Spice (HP Books); and The Candy Cookbook (Chronicle Books).She also contributed to the Candy chapter for the revised edition of the American culinary classic Joy of Cooking (Scribner).  She is currently working on her next book, Intensely Chocolate, to be published in 2011. Carole’s food articles appear regularly in national magazines and online, including Bon Appétit, Fine Cooking, Food & Wine, Gourmet, Eating Well, Cooking Light, Sam's Club Source, Culinate.com, Epicurious.com, and A Million Cooks (at amillioncooks.com).

Carole is often on television for cooking demonstrations and interviews, with appearances on the Today Show, ABC World News This Morning, CNN, Better Homes and Gardens Television, and Seasonings on PBS. Carole was the Chairperson for the 24th annual conference of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, held in San Diego, CA in April 2002. She speaks frequently at national and international conferences and has made many appearances at the Chef’s Holidays in Yosemite, California. She has been the national spokesperson for the American Boxed Chocolate Manufacturers Group and the Chocolate Manufacturers Association. She has also been a celebrity judge and spokesperson for Sam's Club (Wal-Mart Stores). In addition, Carole served as an expert witness in a major copyright lawsuit case regarding chocolate and cookies.

Danny Bannister:

Chef Danny Bannister was first introduced to fine dining when he worked at the Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara.  It was there where Bannister found his passion for fresh refined American cuisine.  After spending a year working at the Bacara and volunteering at different restaurants around Santa Barbara, Bannister went to New York City to attend culinary school at the French Culinary Institute (FCI).  At FCI Bannister was lucky enough to study and work with great chefs like Jaques Pepin, Alain Sailhac and Andre Soltner.  While Bannister was at school he also worked at a modern American restaurant named First.  Fed up with the cold, Bannister decided to return to Southern California, but this time to San Diego where he quickly became the lead cook at Laurel working under Chef Jason Shafer.  From Laurel, Chef Bannister went on to become the Sous Chef for Ocean Beach’s Third Corner.  After Third Corner’s closure Chef Bannister got the opportunity to open Island Prime and the C-Level lounge.  At Island Prime Chef Banister was able to experiment and play with food to help make the restaurant a success.  While at Island Prime Chef Bannister was offered the Sous Chef position at Pamplemousse Grille.  Chef Bannister is now the Chef de Cuisine at the Hyatt Mission Bay’s new signature restaurant Red Marlin.  Bannister is also the Vice President of the San Diego Chefs Celebration which is a non-profit that sends culinary professionals to continue their culinary education.  www.redmarlinrestaurant.com

Garrett Mukogawa:

Chef Garrett Mukogawa started his culinary career at the early age of five years old. He was given guidance in the kitchen by his loving grandmother who showed him such classics as apple pie and home-made ketchup. As Garrett grew older, the drive and passion for the culinary arts could no longer be denied. In the summer of 2000, Garrett enrolled at the California School of Culinary Arts; Le Cordon Bleu Program in Pasadena, California. During his schooling he was lucky enough to land a job at Michael Richard’s acclaimed Citrus of Hollywood. After his stint at Citrus he then ventured to the island of Maui to do his externship at Roy’s Kahana Bar & Grill. Under the watchful eye of Roy’s talented chefs, Garrett was able to hone his skills and became Sous Chef, then a short time later Executive Chef. Maui was home to Garrett for 4 years. He was able to work side by side with such chefs as Roy Yamaguchi, Nobu, Iron Chef French Sakai and Alan Wong, just to name a few. After Maui, Garrett left Roy’s for a brief period but happily returned and found himself at Roy’s La Jolla where he is now the Chef Partner. www.roysrestaurant.com

Betsy G:

A blaze of cutting edge, culinary artistry might be the singular way to describe the aplomb with which Chef Betsy G choreographs each of her functions as diverse as a fiftieth anniversary to a holiday gathering to a corporate party each unique, each carried off with a marked elegance and urbanity. Because, as Betsy G. says, "Sophistication has woven itself into the fabric of San Diego entertaining. An eye for detail, as well as a progressive approach, has become necessary for success as a chef, as a caterer, as an entertainer." Indeed, her progressive approach has led to a host of artful, delectable offerings that have done nothing short of delight the palates of San Diegans for 15 years, And will continue to do so certainly, for our sakes for years to come.

Brian Malarkey:

In 2004 Brian Malarkey relocated from the Pacific Northwest to California to open the Oceanaire's San Diego restaurant as Executive Chef/Operating Partner. While his main focus includes both the "behind-the-scenes" work that goes on in the kitchen as well as the meeting and greeting of guests in the dining room, Brian finds time to dedicate his skills to a host of local San Diego charities.

Brian lists three major accomplishments as career highlights. The most recent accomplishment and most recognizable by the public was his 2007 participation in Bravo's popular reality cooking show, "Top Chef 3 Miami." Brian competed against 15 of the countries best chefs and advanced to the final round. As a final four chef'testant Brian showed his skill, dedication and charismatic personality on national television in a contest where the competition was fierce and the display of culinary talent was phenomenal.

In 2007 Brian was recognized as San Diego's Chef of the Year by the California Restaurant Assoc., the most prestigious industry award presented in San Diego. The Gold Medallion Awards are voted on entirely by members of the San Diego restaurant community, which Brian says made winning particularly special to him on a personal and professional level.

One of Brian's most personal career highlights was in May 2006, when he was asked by his alma mater, Western Culinary Institute to be the keynote speaker of the school's graduation ceremony. He was also invited to teach a class on his famous "Angry Lobster" for the top students of the year's graduating class and was a guest at the annual President's Lunch.

Through his work in and out of the kitchen Brian continues to elevate the San Diego dining landscape and motivate himself and his staff to provide an exceptional dining experience for each guest of The Oceanaire Seafood Room.

Julie Simpson:

JulieSimpson is a Home Economist with a background thathas an emphasis on working for Appliance companies and teaching Cooking classesusing the appliances. She has taught classes for Sharp Electronics specializingin the convection microwaves. Julie has demonstrated and taught classes aboutconvection cooking and using the appliance to the fullest for Thermador,Gaggenau and is currently with Dacor. Julie has also taught many children'sclasses in North County with hands on instruction for ages 3-13.

Nadia Frigeri:

Nadia Frigeri is a native of the Veneto region in Italy and has been teaching in San Diego for the past 27 years. She specializes in authentic Italian and other ethnic cuisines. Nadia began her teaching career in San Diego at the Perfect Pan/Piret's cooking schools and is currently a member of the Les Dames d'Escoffier International, San Diego Chapter. She has consulted for local restaurants; her recipes and articles have been published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego Home and Garden, and New Orleans Tribune. Besides teaching cooking classes in various schools around San Diego and Newport Beach. Nadia also organizes and leads gourmet tours of Veneto,Tuscany and other regions. www.nadiafrigeri.com

RENE' VAN REMS:

Rene`Van Rems , Dutch born designer, entertainer and educator, has lived in Californiasince he landed there as an exchange student from Amsterdam, Holland in 1978.Rene has called San Diego, California, home for over 20 years. He is a memberof the American Institute of Floral Designers (AFID), The National SpeakersAssociation, and the Professional Floral Commentators International (PFCI).

Rene` was formally educated in the entire spectrum of Floriculture/Horticulturethrough his studies at the Rijksmiddelbare Tuinbouwschool at Aalsmeer (FloralInstitute). He has led design shows, workshops, and seminars throughout theUS, Canada, Europe, and Asia on the styling of fresh-cut flowers.

A frequentspeaker at leading art museums including the Minneapolis Art Institute andSan Francisco's de Young Museum.

Rene` and his work have been covered on television(HGTV), particularly for his European influence on trends in American floraldesign. In 1995, the American Horticultural Society awarded him the FrancisJones Poetker Award, and in 2001, Van Rems was the recipient of the Los AngelesFlower Market's first annual Rene` van Rems Award for excellence in designeducation.

Mineko Takane Moreno:

Mineko Takane Moreno was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. She received her B.A. in French Literature from Aoyama Gakuin University, Tokyo. Her love of food and flowers has inspired life long education in many cuisines, including classical Japanese, Chinese, French and Italian cooking, as well as the art of Ikebana (Japanese style) and Western floral design. While in Tokyo, Mineko went on to conduct cooking classes, as well as work as a professional flower designer.

Mineko moved to La Jolla in 1973 with her husband. At the request of close friends, she began giving Japanese cooking lessons at home in 1977. In 1983, she was invited to teach sushi classes by San Diego State University Extension, and that same year, joined the Perfect Pan School of Cooking where she taught for several years.

In 2004, Mineko co-authored Sushi for Dummies, a part of the Wiley Publishing, Inc. "For Dummies" series. She is a member of the International Association of Cooking Professionals (IACP) and Les Dames d'Escoffier International. In addition, Mineko provides culinary consulting services, working with restaurant chefs to refine their knowledge of Japanese cuisine.