Jeffrey Buben, OWNER/CHEF
Vidalia Click here for Website
Bistro Bis Click here for Website
Washington, D.C.

Winner of the James Beard Foundation's "Best Chef Mid-Atlantic 1999", Jeffrey Buben is the chef and owner of two prestigious restaurants in Washington, D.C., Vidalia and Bistro Bis. Vidalia has garnered both local and national recognition with its regional American cooking delivered with Southern hospitality since it opened in the spring of 1993. Recently renovated, Vidalia was awarded three stars in October 2003 from the Washington Post food critic, Tom Sietsma. Since 1994 to 2005, Vidalia has annually been awarded “four stars” by the Washingtonian Magazine in its “Top 100” list and has been the recipient of the prestigious DiRona award by the Distinguished Restaurants of North America each year since 1996. The restaurant’s wine program has received the “Award of Excellence” from The Wine Spectator and has been honored by Robert M. Parker of The Wine Advocate as one of his “Most Memorable Meals.” Vidalia was acknowledged by Bon Appétit as one of the “Best New Restaurants of 1993.”

The fall of 1998 heralded the arrival of Buben’s second restaurant, “Bis” located at the new Hotel George on Capitol Hill. Bis features creative contemporary French bistro cooking with updated renditions of classic fare. Bis was voted one of “Washington’s Best New Restaurants to Watch” by Washingtonian Magazine in 1999 and has been included in the magazine’s “Top 100 Restaurants” since 2002. Bis was included in the Phyllis Richman's "1999 Top Fifty Favorite Restaurants" in the Washington Post and was listed in Tom Sietsma’s favorite restaurant list in the Post’s Fall Dining Guide for 2000 and 2001. Recent awards include AOL’s City’s Best 2004 for Power Lunches.

Jeffrey Buben is a 1978 graduate of The Culinary Institute of America and currently serves on the school's alumni board of directors. With over 20 years in the industry, he has worked in such notable restaurants as The Sign of the Dove, Le Cygne and Le Chantilly in New York and at several distinguished hotels including The Four Seasons, The Mayflower and The Hotel Pierre. Voted “Chef of the Year” in 1996 by The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), Jeffrey has worked hard to contribute to organizations dedicated to hunger relief, AIDS and homelessness such as Share Our Strength’s Chef’s Alliance and Food & Friends.

Jeffrey is a partner with his wife Sallie in the Fully-Baked Restaurant Group, which owns and manages Vidalia Restaurant and Bistro Bis in Washington, D.C. The Bubens have been nominated in 1998 and 1999 as "Restaurateurs of the Year" by the RAMW and live in Fairfax Station, Virginia. They have three children, Sarah 25, Alex 21 and Mac 15 and one dog.

John Doherty, EXECUTIVE CHEF
The Waldorf=Astoria, New York City
www.waldorf.com

Perhaps it was prophesy when the graduating class of 1978 at the Culinary Institute of America voted John Doherty as student most likely to succeed, because by the time Doherty turned 27, he was named Executive Chef at The Waldorf=Astoria.

The year was 1985 and Doherty became the youngest person ever named to the position of Executive Chef in the New York landmark's notable history. Today, 20 years after his appointment to the post, the passionate, affable culinary leader holds the distinction of having cooked for more presidents, royalty and heads-of-state than any other chef in the country. Photographs of Doherty alongside some of the world’s greatest leaders, including several past presidents, dress his office wall overlooking the impressive, block-long main kitchen.

“Being called on to cook for special guests is one of the biggest thrills of my job. But I also love the challenge this hotel presents to me every day. Our international reputation means that the expectations of guests coming to stay at The Waldorf are enormous, and I look forward to that test of our abilities. It is what gets me up in the morning and what has brought me back here each day,” Doherty says.

Whether it was gleaned from the inspiration of his grandmother’s rustic cooking, work stages he performed at Europe’s two- and three-star Michelin restaurants like George Blanc in Macon, or his early training under Waldorf chefs – he began in the hotel’s kitchen as an intern at age 19 and worked his way to the top – Doherty’s culinary philosophy is simple: quality ingredients, classic technique and a focus on flavor.

“I prefer just three key ingredients per dish, highlighting the best of the season and focusing on cooking methods that enhance existing shapes, flavors, textures and colors instead of complicating them.”

Doherty’s approach to food has recently transcended the hotel’s pre-existing restaurants, to launch the recently opened Chef’s Table, an exclusive dining venue in the heart of The Waldorf’s main kitchen. Therein, Doherty and his team of chefs and cooks take to the stove, preparing elaborate, multi-course dinners for up to 30 guests. Formerly available only to special guests, royalty and the like, the moveable feasts are now open to the public and are held twice monthly. The highly successful Chef's Tables have also become a testing ground for Doherty’s creativity, where dishes that may be one day served to the President or appear on a future menu are featured.

Beyond cooking technique and creativity, Doherty’s admirable leadership abilities are key to the success of The Waldorf’s culinary operations, which garner more than $45 million in annual sales and are responsible for cuisine at some of the country’s loftiest galas, events and fundraisers; 24-hour room service; and three distinct, successful restaurants, Peacock Alley, Bull and Bear, and Oscar's.

Doherty says he mapped out a leadership plan to take the Waldorf kitchen into the future when he became chef. “I expected it would take me at least five years, maybe seven to realize my vision to elevate us to become a contemporary, world-class kitchen. I’ll concede that for once, my timing might have been off! However, I’ve achieved my goal and beyond, taking the kitchen to new standards and into the new century.”

His management approach has also endured. Here again, Doherty insists on a three-ingredient recipe of “giving crystal clear direction, setting measurable expectations and holding people accountable. They are essential criteria for a successful team.”

His inspired team – which today includes seven chefs and 120 culinary staff – also has impressive alumni, including Executive Chef Laurent Manrique of San Francisco’s Aqua; Chef Paul Sale of New York’s Blue Fin; New York’s 11 Madison Park Chef Kerry Heffernan; and Neil Gallagher, Executive Chef, Oceana. Doherty will unveil his first ever cookbook in fall 2006, published by Bulfinch Press. The cookbook will feature 120 recipes and will open the hotel’s doors to the home cook with the secrets behind the world-class meals offered in the hotel’s private suites, ballrooms, restaurants, bars, and via room service. The new college culinary career book So You Want To Be A Chef also features Doherty and his Waldorf role. His Chef’s Table has been the focus of the PBS show, At The Chef’s Table and Doherty has appeared in numerous Travel Channel, A&E and Food Network programs. He is a frequent guest speaker at national culinary colleges and industry events and is an advisory board member to New York’s City Harvest, The French Culinary Institute and the Culinary Institute of America. The culinary program at Johnson & Wales University granted a scholarship in his name (2005), he was recently awarded a Silver Spoon Award by Food Arts and the March of Dimes, Long Island Chapter, named him Chef of The Year (2000).

The father of three – Jenna, Patrick and Evan – lives on Long Island with his wife Donna.

To purchase John's cookbook click here “The Waldorf Astoria Cookbook”

Roberto Donna, CHEF
Galileo Restaurant
Washington, DC
(202) 293-7191
Click here for his Website

For the first time in 22 years, internationally renowned Chef, Roberto Donna has temporarily closed the kitchen of his Galileo for an extended period to renovate the entire restaurant. In the meantime, Chef Donna has opened the new Bebo Trattoria in Crystal City, Virginia.

At one time Donna was the creator, innovator and partner of thirteen restaurants in the DC metropolitan area. Over the years he sold several restaurants and is now most closely associated with Galileo, his first venture and the one he says is closest to his heart. Five years ago Donna built a new kitchen and created his restaurant within Galileo called Laboratorio, a state of the art kitchen where he prepares 10-12 course tasting menus in a theatrical dining room setting with 8 tables seating no more than 36 guests. While his Galileo and Laboratorio kitchens are renovated he will spend all of his time cooking at his Bebo Trattoria.

Born in the Piedmont region of Italy, Donna began working in the kitchen at a restaurant adjacent to his home before he could even reach the counter. It was clear Donna was destined to be a chef. As a first grader, Donna held his first job cleaning produce in a restaurant, and graduated to stuffing cannelloni and ravioli. At age 9, he was tall enough to reach the counter and cook at the stove. By age 13, he began attending professional cooking school. Five years later, he graduated and, on the recommendation of his cooking instructor and mentor he took a job in the United States and moved to Washington, D.C.

Donna quickly made a name for himself and gained a strong following; within five years he had opened Galileo and soon after the national and international accolades began to roll in as did celebrities, politicians and even Presidents Bush and Clinton. Galileo was named one of the world’s 20 finest Italian restaurants by the President of Italy, and is considered the destination for those seeking the best in Italian cuisine. The restaurant’s daily-changing menu features the freshest local ingredients and traditional dishes and contemporary improvisations from Donna’s native Piemonte region.

Chef Donna was also the James Beard Best Chef of the Mid-Atlantic in 1996. After loosing the Iron Chef America competition in 2005, he came back as a challenger and won in 2006 against Masaharu Morimoto.

Steven Devereaux Greene, PARTNER/EXECUTIVE CHEF
Devereaux’s
Greenville, SC
Click here for his Website

Steven’s career, while short in years, has been full of influence and education from some of the most respected chefs in the world. Chef Greene’s exposure to food began at the tender age of 16 in Greenwood, SC at Marigold Market under French chef Pascal Hurtebize. At the advice of Chef Pascal, Steven left for Charleston where he worked at 82 Queen, quickly rising to the level of Sous Chef. After two years, Steven left the Queen for McCrady’s where he was exposed to a more “modern cuisine” with Chef Michael Kramer. Steven’s next stop, as a 22 year old, was as Sous Chef, and eventually Chef de Cuisine, at South Carolina’s only Mobil 5-Star restaurant, the Dining Room at Woodland’s Resort & Inn. Steven worked under Ken Vedrinski, of Sienna on Daniel Island, SC and Scott Crawford of Sea Island Plantation in Georgia. It was at Woodland’s that Steven began to truly show the talent that led to opening his own restaurant. Chef Greene spent time in France gaining exposure to such world-renowned restaurants as Guy Savoy and Pierre Garnier. He later worked as Stagiaire in famous kitchens such as Azul with Chef Michelle Bernstein, Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas and Alex’s, Alessandro Stratta’s eponymous restaurant at the Wynn in Las Vegas.

In 2005 Chef Greene transformed a century-old, Greenville, South Carolina cigar factory into a first rate restaurant that is quickly becoming one if the most recognized culinary establishments in the South. Devereaux’s “no boundaries” menu, features a mix of new age and southern classics. Recently Devereaux’s joined the successful Court Square Restaurant Group.

In January, 2007, Greene had the honor of cooking a James Beard House Dinner in New York City.

Gunther F. Heiland , CMPC,CMB,AAC

Gunther Heiland, owner of Desserts International, Inc. in Exton Pennsylvania, is a certified master pastry chef – one of the select few to hold this title in the United States. Born in Austria, he started his career at 14. Chef Heiland has held a position of executive pastry chef in Iran, Portugal, Germany, and for the last 30 years in the United States. Chef Heiland has received gold medals for all of his entries in the 1976, 1980, and 1984 culinary Olympics. Chef Heiland is known as one of the most revered pastry chef in the world today.

Tom Lewis, CHEF
Monachyle Mhor Hotel
Balquhidder
Perthshire, FK1 98PQ SCOTLAND
Click here for his Website

Tom moved to Monachyle with his family in 1983 at the age of 13.

After school he left home to travel and work in the Middle East, New Zealand and the US for 10 years before returning to Highland Perthshire in 1995.

On his return Tom took a conscious decision to pursue a career as a chef after being inspired by two people - namely Nicolademis (one of the first great French chefs) who enthused about food on desert island disks, and David Wilson of the "Peat Inn". By the end of 1996 the hotel had won its first AA Rosettes and every year this award has been maintained.

Since then awards have come thick and fast for Tom and Monachylemhor. 2036
1998 Monachyle was entered into the "Which" restaurant guide. 2001 "Best out of town Restaurant" -Taste of Scotland 2003 Booker Prize Industry Award 2004 "Hotel of the Year" - CIS 2005 Egon Ronay Award 2005 "Small hotel of the Year" - Hotel Review Scotland

Tom is the heart and soul of Monachyle and when you dine there you are sure to meet him. A vivacious character with a passion for food he only admits one weakness - His bedtime reading of "Le Larousse Gastronomique"!

Brian McBride, EXECUTIVE CHEF
Blue Duck Tavern
Park Hyatt Washington DC
24th & M Streets
Washington, DC 20037
Phone: 202 419 6755 or 202 789 1234 (Park Hyatt)
Click here for more information

The Blue Duck Tavern opened in June 2006 with an emphasis on the finest and freshest ingredients provided by local purveyors and producers, the Blue Duck Tavern features cooking from Executive Chef Brian McBride in a dramatic open kitchen setting concepted by internationally renowned New York designer Tony Chi.

Chef McBride conducted an extensive research trip abroad to study and capture the essence of the cooking methods that provide the seasonal menu for Blue Duck Tavern. Research for this new culinary concept took the chef to Singapore, where he studied the open kitchens, to Tokyo, where he worked with wood-burning ovens and then to Zurich, to again work with a wood-burning oven and to design and execute a menu similar in concept to the menu of Blue Duck Tavern.

Chef Brian McBride created award-winning cuisine at Melrose from 1987 to 2005 and now, in addition to his role in the new Blue Duck Tavern, McBride continues his tenure as Park Hyatt Washington’s executive chef. Under Chef McBride’s leadership, Melrose became a landmark in the nation’s capital, consistently ranked among the city’s and the nation’s top fine dining venues.

McBride earned a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island and obtained experience in restaurants in New Jersey, Providence, New York, Cambridge, Aruba, Mexico and London. Chef McBride began his career at the age of 14and worked in kitchens throughout high school.

Chef McBride was named 2003 Hotel Executive Chef of the Year by the American Culinary Institute and received two nominations for Chef of the Year by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW). Additionally, while executive chef at Melrose, the restaurant was honored with numerous awards, including Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, DiRoNA Award (multiple years) and AAA 4-Diamond Award (nine consecutive years). Chef McBride’s talents were also featured in David Shaw’s recent book Art of Excellence, where his creations were among those highlighted from an exclusive group of restaurants.

Bill McCarrick, CHEF
Sir Hans Sloane Chocolate
& Champagne House of London Cobham, Surrey
Click here for his Website

Gold Medal award winning Bill McCarrick – chocolatier

A self proclaimed chocoholic, Bill was educated and trained in the USA, Austria, Switzerland & France and has since built up many years experience working around the world for a number of prestigious organisations. For the past 5 years, Bill was working as the Executive Pastry Chef at Harrods where he was responsible for a team of 25 bakers and pastry chefs and had to develop, produce and control the quality of all pastry, bakery, chocolate and ice cream products through the 27 restaurants and world famous “foodhalls”.

Prior to Harrods, Bill spent 22 years working in luxury hotels in 10 countries such as the Ritz-Carlton hotels in Bali and Dubai, the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, the Shangri La’s in Malaysia & Philippine’s, and the Grand Hyatt in Australia and Taiwan which was the first ever proto-type computerized recipe system in the hotel world. In addition to developing menus and managing the creation of top quality pastries, cakes and patisserie, Bill was responsible for hiring, training and developing staff, as well as advising on kitchen lay out and equipment requirements for new hotel openings. His invention of the “Chilled chocolate marble Top” is presently being tested for home use.

Most recently the Gold medal for organic Dark chocolate was awarded to Bill at the 2007 “World Chocolate Awards”. Bill’s accolades don’t stop there. He has made regular appearances on the UKFOOD network, awarded one of “100 of the UK’s Best Chefs of 2005” and has demonstrated at the BBC Festive Food Show. He was even the creator of Donald Trump’s 50th birthday cake. However one of Bill’s quiet achievements is his recently granted United Kingdom “Multi-Flavoured cake” PATENT where he harmonises indigenous ingredients from the different countries where he has worked into a single cake. This is the first known pastry chef patent EVER granted and Bill’s proudest accolade!

Chef Bill McCarrick is currently residing in London.

Benoit Poliquin, EXECUTIVE CHEF
Québec Government Office
New York

Québec’s gastronomy will be showcased April 28, 2007 at Town Dock Restaurant thanks to Benoit Poliquin, executive chef at Québec Government Office in New York.

At 27 he is one of an increasing number of young, talented chefs who contribute to the evolution of Québec culinary arts. Benoit knew at an early age that his calling was cooking. He attended culinary school in his native Québec City where he learned the foundation of traditional cuisine. He later interned at Rideau Hall, the official residence of Canada’s Governor General, and honed his skills at some of the country’s top restaurants.

At age 24 he was appointed executive chef at Péché Véniel, one of Québec City’s most renowned restaurants. During this tenure, he perfected his global approach to cooking, mixing traditional haute cuisine with international flavors and seasonal, local ingredients such as the wonderful artisanal cheeses guests will sample at Town Dock.

Charlie Trotter, Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller are some of the American chefs who most influenced his style. In October 2006 Benoit was invited to be a guest chef at the James Beard House in New York City. Today, as executive chef at the official residence of the Québec Government since 2006, he delights the many distinguished guests that dine at his table.

Lynne Tolley

Joe Fattorini
Wine Expert
Glasgow, Scotland

Joe Fattorini is a British food and wine writer and broadcaster. He has
written the weekly wine column for The Herald Newspaper in Scotland for eight years and he began broadcasting regularly on television and radio ten years ago when he taught Bachelors and Masters programs on wine at
The University of Strathclyde. Joe now combines his writing and Broadcasting with work within the wine trade in Scotland. This spring Joe will beappearing in a television series on the history of wine for The History Channel to be broadcast worldwide. He has been published in a number of books including his own 'Managing Wine and Wine Sales' - a rather dull
book of which he is not very proud.
 

Daniel Haas
Vineyard Brands

Daniel Haas is the son of Robert Haas, founder of Vineyard Brands. Originally an art major in college, Dan sampled many selections from his father's cellar which led to his keen interest in wine. After a stint at Sherry-Lehmann, Dan joined Vineyard Brands in 1977 and worked during that year's harvest at Freemark Abbey in California, and in 1978 at Château de Beaucastel, the premier property in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. As Senior Vice President and part-owner of the company, Dan has, since 1988, been responsible for traveling extensively in France to personally select the wines in the Vineyard Brands portfolio. As Southeast Regional manager, his territory includes the states from Maryland to North Carolina. He has conducted Burgundy seminars nationwide, sharing his expertise and discerning palate for fine wines.

Jim Bernau
Founder/President, Willamette Valley Vineyards

Founder Jim Bernau is intense. He admits he drove his friends to distraction years ago, talking about the potential for Pinot noir in Oregon. As a small business lobbyist at the State Capitol, he helped the emigrating California winemakers pass legislation to develop an Oregon wine industry. This lit a path for Jim resulting in his planting in the South Salem Hills. Using a small tractor, he cleared away the blackberry vines and remnants of a pioneer plum orchard in 1983 and began planting Pinot noir watering the over 1,000 feet of vine rows with a garden hose by hand. He speaks passionately about the soil and the steps taken to protect it and the ground water underneath. Trips to Burgundy and UC Davis and time with Oregon winemakers helped define his strategy. The cool climate of the Willamette Valley could deliver the expression of pure varietal fruit character, subtle layers of flavor and fine tannins with the balanced acidity he wanted. When the winery began its first crush, Jim served as its first employee and cellar rat guided by a consulting winemaker. The winery quickly grew into Oregon’s leading producer of wines selling at $15 and above only three years after its first release of Pinot Noir.

Kristina Sutter
Master of Whisky - Johnnie Walker & the Diageo whisky brands

Kristina Sutter is of the latest initiates to become a Master of Scotch for the Johnnie Walker Family of Brands as well as the Classic Malts of Scotland. A fresh face in the industry, Kristina has already served in the spirits industry for the last three years. With a background in Public Relations, Kristina has the pleasure now of coupling her talents and personal affinity for Scotch while passing along her knowledge and passion of Scotch to hundreds of consumers throughout D.C., Maryland and Delaware during her educational and entertaining tastings.

Kristina has been trained by some of the most well know pundits in Scotland, from Master Distillers and Master Blenders to revered writers such as Charlie MacLean.

Katie Wetzel Murphy
Winery Ambassador
Alexander Valley Vineyards

Alexander Valley was mostly orchards and pasture when the Wetzel Family purchased Cyrus Alexander’s homestead in Sonoma County. In 1963 they boldly planted grapevines, built their winery in 1975 and Hank Wetzel produced their first estate wines – immediately bringing recognition to the winery and region. Katie Wetzel Murphy joined the family winery in 1979, shortly after completing a B.A. degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of California, Davis. "Hank and Linda needed assistance with sales and marketing," recalls Katie. "At that time, AVV's production was 10,000 cases annually, and we had just entered national distribution."

The winery ambassador, Katie traveled throughout the United States, spreading the word about the family owned winery and building a sales network to service AVV's customers. "We enjoy long-standing relationships with our distributors, as well as the retailers and restaurants that serve our wines," she notes. "It is important to spend time in their markets, to see how our wines fit in."

Today, the Wetzel Family Estate vineyards stretch from the Russian River to the hillsides and winemaker - Kevin Hall - creates wines that pair wonderfully with food, are approachable while young, yet have the structure to age. Alexander Valley Vineyards is known for elegant Cabernet, crisp Chardonnay, powerful Merlot and luscious Zinfandels.

Still family owned, the third generation of Wetzel’s are continuing the legacy producing hand crafted elegant, age worthy wines that continue to receive accolades from critics and wine lovers throughout the world.

Laurie Forster
The Wine Coach
www.thewinecoach.com

Laurie Forster, The Wine Coach®, combines her experience as a life coach with her extensive knowledge of wine. She began her wine career in Manhattan where she studied with the American Sommelier Association to obtain her certificate in Viticulture and Vinification. She has taken classes at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley and is a member of the Society of Wine Educators. As The Wine Coach®, Laurie creates corporate, private events and tours that help people de-mystify wine one glass (or trip) at a time! Laurie is a regular contributor to What's Up Annapolis Magazine and has a radio show "Something to Wine About®" that can be heard each week on WCEI 96.7FM. To find out more about The Wine Coach® event and services visit www.thewinecoach.com.

William Shepard
Author, Lecturer, and Wine Editor for Bonjour Paris (www.bparis.com)

Bill Shepard writes a monthly column on French wines for the Bonjour Paris website (originating from Paris), where he is Wine Editor. He published Shepard’s Guide to Mastering French Wines and teaches courses on wine at Chesapeake College. Prior to writing books and lecturing, Bill was a Foreign Service Officer in Europe, the Mediterranean, and Far East. He was Consul General at the Consulate General Bordeaux. During those years he studied wines of the region and developed his expertise of French wines. Bill is also the author of several books, including a trilogy of “diplomatic mystery” novels. He and his wife live in Talbot County.

Paula Johnson

Paula Johnson is a Curator in the Division of Work & Industry at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. She oversees the marine resources and food technology collections and is currently the Project Director for a new exhibit, On the Water: Stories from Maritime America. With other members of the Museum’s America Food and Wine History team, Johnson was involved in initial discussions with Julia Child concerning the donation of Child’s kitchen to the Smithsonian in 2001. In addition to co-curating both Smithsonian exhibits about Julia Child—What’s Cooking? and Bon Appetit!—Johnson was also a curator for American on the Move, an exhibition on transportation history that opened in 2003. She has published books and articles on Chesapeake Bay fisheries, working watercraft, and maritime communities, and has lectured widely on these and topics related to oral history research and documentation. With an M.A. in anthropology from the University of Texas, Austin, Johnson has worked in museums for twenty-five years and at the National Museum of American History since 1991.

Jed Steele
Click here for his Website


Steele and Shooting Star Wines was founded in 1991. Prior to that time, winemaker/owner Jed Steele was the founding winemaker, general manager, and VP of Production at Kendall Jackson for the first nine vintages of that company. Prior to his adventures at Kendall Jackson, Jed worked for 10 years for Edmeades, then a small independent winery in the Anderson Valley of Mendocino County, as winemaker and vineyard manager. Jed began working in the wine business at Stony Hill Winery in the Napa Valley in 1968. From mid-1991 until mid-1996, Steele Wines co-leased a small winery in Lake County. In June of 1996, Jed purchased the old Konocti Winery between Lakeport and Kelseyville in Lake County. The winery is located on Highway 29, exactly one hour driving time from downtown Calistoga, driving north-northwest, 45 minutes directly east of Hopland in Mendocino County, and one and a half hours from Santa Rosa, driving north-northeast.

Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing Mulligan

Mary Ewing-Mulligan, Master of Wine, is a leading wine educator, columnist, and author. Ed McCarthy is a wine writer, certified wine educator, and wine consultant. Together, they have written Wine Style (Wiley, October 2005), Wine For Dummies, White Wine For Dummies, Red Wine For Dummies, Wine Buying Companion For Dummies, French Wine For Dummies, and Italian Wine For Dummies. Wine For Dummies is one of the largest-selling wine books ever, with nearly 1,000,000 copies sold. It has been translated into 20 languages and nominated for a James Beard award.

McCarthy's own book, Champagne for Dummies, also was nominated for the James Beard Award as best wine book of the year. He's a wine columnist for Nation’s Restaurant News, Contributing Editor of Beverage Media, and a columnist for Wine Review Online. His articles also appear in Decanter and the Quarterly Review of Wines (QRW).

In 1993, Ewing-Mulligan became the first woman in America to be a Master of Wine, a title that represents the highest level of proficiency in the wine trade; she is now one of just 25 Masters of Wine in North America. She is president of International Wine Center (www.internationalwinecenter.com) in New York, an independent wine school founded in 1982, and executive director of U.S. programs for the internationally respected Wine & Spirit Education Trust® (WSET®).

She also currently serves as president of the Institute of Masters of Wine - North America. She is wine columnist for the NY Daily News and has contributed wine articles to several publications in the U.S. and England including the Los Angeles Times, Martha Stewart Living, Wine & Spirits, and Family Circle.


 

Ben Giliberti


Ben Giliberti has been the wine critic for the Washington Post for over 20 years. His popular wine column appears weekly in Washington Post food section on the Wine Plus page, as well as in the Los Angeles Times, Long Island Newsday, The Detroit News, The Charlotte Observer, the Providence Journal and other newspapers across the country. His articles on dining have also appeared in the Wine Spectator, The Wine News, Wine & Spirits, Cigar Aficionado, Washington Flyer and other magazines. He has traveled throughout the vineyards of Europe and United States. He began his career in journalism in his freshman year at Yale covering ice hockey for WYBC, the campus radio station. In 2005, he retired from the United States Justice Department after a 30 year career as a lawyer in the antitrust field. He is married and lives in Washington with his wife and two daughters.

Michael Rork
Chef / Owner
Town Dock Restaurant
www.town-dock.com

Chef Rork is a Restaurant Association of Maryland 2003 Restaurateur of the Year Nominee. Before making his home in St. Michaels, Michael Rork was the Executive Chef at Baltimore's Harbor Court Hotel for eight years. In that capacity he won countless national and local accolades for his culinary feats, at this 4 star property. On the Eastern Shore, Chef Rork continues to receive the attention of national and local press for his creations. Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines have requested recipes for several Town Dock menu items. His restaurant was voted best Eastern Shore Restaurant in 2002. Rork was invited to be a guest chef at the James Beard House in New York City in 1997 and 1998, he prepared a Chesapeake Bay Dinner to rave reviews. The Baltimore Sun, the Washington Post, Baltimore Magazine, The Washingtonian, Southern Living, Chesapeake Life, and the Baltimore/Washington Zagat Survey have all praised Town Dock Restaurant.
 

Jim & Sidney Trond
Chefs / Owners
Shore Restaurant & Lounge
www.shorerestaurant.net 
Jonathan Morris - Chef
Gourmet by the Bay
www.gourmetbythebay.net 

All graduates of leading culinary institutions (The Culinary Institute of America and the French Culinary Institute), Sidney, Jim and Jonathan have over 25 years of cooking experience among them.

Jim was formerly the Executive Sous Chef at Oran Mor and Topper’s at the Wauwinet, both in Nantucket, Massachusetts, and also served as a Chef in establishments in St. Marteen, B.V.I., and Beaver Creek, Colorado.

Jonathan has worked at a number of nationally-acclaimed restaurants as well, including: Spiaggia in Chicago, L’Espalier in Boston, and 208 Talbot in St. Michaels.

Sidney was most recently as a line cook at Topper’s at the Wauwinet and a restaurant manager at Oran Mor.

At Gourmet By The Bay, they focus primarily on restaurant quality food prepared for take-out and off-site catering.

Mark Salter

David McCallum
Executive Chef/Owner
Tilghman Island Inn
www.tilghmanislandinn.com

David McCallum, Executive Chef Owner, is self taught and comes to the hospitality industry from the corporate, academic world. He has turned a life long love affair with food & wine into a successful, acclaimed restaurant. The Restaurant has been featured in numerous national publications including Gourmet, Travel and Leisure and Southern Living. It was awarded a Santee Award in 200 and again in 2005. The basis for his cuisine stems from his Southern roots in South Carolina & New Orleans and focuses on local sustainable ingredients.

Jack Redman, Wine Director/Owner, has guided the wine & spirits program to achieve a Wine Spectator Award since 1996. His career as a real estate broker and developer has been instrumental in the enhancement of the Inn. Harley Peet, Chef de Cuisine

Andrew Evans
Chef/Owner
Inn at Easton
www.theinnateaston.com

Born in New York City and raised in Ohio, New Hampshire and Virginia, Chef Andrew Evans developed a passion for food and travel as a child when he accompanied his mother and brother on excursions to Amsterdam, France, Spain, Lebanon and Morocco. Taught from childhood to be curious about the world and about food, Evans received a BA degree in Far Eastern religious studies from the University of Virginia and was later accepted by the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New York.

While at the CIA, Evans was a contributing writer for the school's newspaper and an active member of the Gourmet Club, Small Business Club and Wine Club. He also worked as a line cook at the nearby Old Drover's Inn, a Relais & Chateau property.

After graduating from the CIA with honors in 1993, Evans pursued his dream of cooking and traveling. He was sponsored by The Restaurant and Caterer's Association of Queensland, Australia to move to Brisbane, Australia, for one year to participate in a cultural exchange program while working in five different restaurants. That led to his seeking other sponsorships that allowed him to work as a line cook and chef de cuisine for many of the top Brisbane restaurants, including as the head chef at the Green Papaya restaurant, which was voted Best Vietnamese Restaurant in Australia by Australian Gourmet Traveler magazine. While Down Under, Evans indulged his passion for travel by making Asian forays to the neighboring countries of Thailand, Japan, China, Vietnam and Hong Kong to explore local food stalls and markets. At the end of seven years, Evans felt he had come to fully understand Australia’s food culture.

He married native Australian, Liz Wilson, in 1998. When their first daughter Gabrielle was born, the couple decided to move back to America. Because Evans had always yearned to own and manage his own small inn and fine dining restaurant, the couple settled in the historic town of Easton, Maryland, on the Eastern Shore in 1999. There they purchased and fully renovated an historic 1790 mansion in the heart of downtown Easton. They transformed it into a contemporary boutique hotel with four suites, three guest rooms and a 45-seat restaurant. The Inn at Easton welcomed its first guest in June 2000.

As Evans has structured it, the menu at The Inn at Easton's is modern Australian, and Evans uses the bounty of the local Chesapeake Bay and neighboring organic farmers to showcase his dishes. His culinary vision has earned The Inn recognition from Food & Wine magazine, where the restaurant made the top 50 hotel restaurants list in both 2002 and 2003. It has received an excellent review from The Washington Post's food critic Tom Sietsema and was named in the newspaper’s annual “Dining Guide” in 2003/2004/2005 with three stars and selected as an “editor’s pick”. Sietsema has also nominated Chef Andrew Evans for the James Beard “Best Mid-Atlantic Chef” for 2004. Chef Evans won the Mid-Atlantic Pork competition in 2003.

National Geographic Traveler Magazine featured the Inn in their “101 great food and travel experiences issue” and it has been featured in Southern Living and Travel & Leisure magazines, among others. In February 2004, the editors of Southern Living selected the Inn at Easton as one of their 10 favorite romantic restaurants in America. The Washingtonian included the Inn in their 2006 and 2007 top 100 list of restaurants for DC, Maryland and Virginia.

Andrew Evans also writes a food column called Andrew's Kitchen for Chesapeake Life and Baltimore Style magazines. The couple manages the day-to-day operations of the Inn at Easton and both are active within the community with their two daughters, Gabrielle and Lilly.
 

Lisa Mac Dougal
OWNER/CHEF
The Oxford Inn
www.oxfordinn.net

Lisa Mac Dougal, chef/owner of The Oxford Inn, will masterfully prepare a five course meal that perfectly complements the wines of Willamette Valley Vineyards. For fun, each guest will have the opportunity to enter a contest explaining why they love Oregon Pinot Noir for a chance to win a "Sideways" trip to Oregon Wine Country! For More info call 410-226-5220 or visit http://www.oxfordinn.net/

Randolph Sprinkle
CHEF
Key Lime Café
410.745.3158
www.keylime-cafe.com

Chef RANDOLPH SPRINKLE, is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, with 25 years experience. His culinary resume includes restaurants in New Orleans and Central America. His diverse backgroung is reflected in the creative and eclectic cuisine that is offered in his weekly menu changes.

Richard L. Hamilton
Corporate Executive Chef
Historic Tidewater Inn
http://www.tidewaterinn.com

In December 2006, Chef Richard Hamilton opened Restaurant Local for Carl M. Freeman Companies serving as corporate executive chef and director of culinary concepts and development. Maryland-based, Carl M. Freeman Companies was established in 1947, and continues to excel as successful developers and managers of award-winning resort communities, golf courses and neighborhood shopping centers throughout the Mid-Atlantic. The firm acquired The Historic Tidewater Inn in Easton, Maryland in 2005, where Restaurant Local is prominently situated at 101 East Dover Street.

A native Oklahoman, Richard Hamilton brings an unusually diverse repertoire, working with island spices, southern flavors and New England seafood to create his own unique culinary style. Hamilton’s menu for Restaurant Local is best described as seasonal American comfort food, with an emphasis on local products from the area’s best farms and small purveyors, including noted Maryland crabmeat.

Prior to joining Restaurant Local, Hamilton was instrumental in the design and redevelopment of The Chanler hotel and Spiced Pear Restaurant in Newport, Rhode Island. In 2002, Hamilton consulted as the executive chef at the Dunmore Beach Club on Harbour Island in the Bahamas, where he introduced five-star quality dining to a relaxed island setting. Additionally, he served as chef de cuisine at the MGM Mirage Bellagio Resort in Las Vegas and Magnolia’s in Nashville, where he earned the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine in 1999 and a four-diamond rating from AAA.

During his twenty-year plus culinary career, Hamilton has also worked at several notable restaurants, including the French two-star Michelin restaurant, Espadon, under Chef Michel Roth and Guy Legay; Louis XV in Monte Carlo under Alain Ducasse, and Jamin with Joel Robuchon and Guy Savoy. Hamilton received a culinary degree from the venerated Ritz-Escoffier Ecole de Gastronomie and Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France. He has also worked in the kitchen with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Thomas Keller, Todd English, and Charlie Trotter, and cooked for numerous celebrities, politicians, and dignitaries including President George W. Bush; former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, Julia Roberts, Elton John, Garth Brooks and most recently, Vice President Dick Cheney at Restaurant Local.

Hamilton has also been a featured chef at the James Beard House in New York on several occasions, and has cooked for special occasions numerous times at The White House. His work has been highlighted in notable food and spirits media including Bon Appetit, The New York Times, Food & Wine, Food Arts, the Food Network and The Learning Channel to name a few.

Barbara Helish
OWNER/CHEF
Bella Luna Restaurant
www.bellalunarestaurant.net

Barbara Helish has been involved in the St. Michaels Restaurant scene since 1996. She began her restaurant career as the manager and director of the wine program at “Mezzaluna” in historic St. Michaels. In 2003, Barbara opened Bella Luna in Royal Oak, where she strives to bring to the table the finest and freshest ingredients. She believes that “Dining Out is an experience to be shared with friends and family, not just a food on a plate.” She wants to make her guest’s feel like “they are dining in my home”. The cuisine is a reflection of Barbara’s desire for the best culinary experience served in an atmosphere that makes them feel warm and comfortable. Ciao!

Grant Friedman
Owner/General Manager

Giancarlo Tondin
Owner/Chef

Scossa Restaurant
410.822.2202
www.scossarestaurant.com

Grant has over 19 years management experience in the luxury hospitality industry working for world prominent Five Star & Five Diamond hotels. He began his career in 1989 with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts at the legendary Hotel Pierre, New York. In 1991, he was recruited for the grand re-opening of the world renowned St. Regis Hotel, New York, which was ranked as the “Number One Hotel in the World” by the Institutional Investor. After 11 years at The St. Regis, he returned to Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Grant recently held a executive position at the Ritz-Carlton, Central Park, New York; Named by Travel + Leisure as one of the "World's Best Hotels," and considered the flagship property of all Ritz-Carlton Hotels and Resorts.

Giancarlo was born in Trento, Italy near the Alps of Northern Italy. He began his career in 1982 at the legendary Harry’s Bar Restaurant in Venice; which has been owned and operated by the renowned Cipriani family for three generations. Today, Harry's Bar is ranked as one of the ten best restaurants in the world. In 1985, Giancarlo was reassigned to assist with the opening of Cipriani’s first restaurant in New York City. Since then, he has assisted with the expansion of eight additional Cipriani locations. Of the eight locations, the most renowned was the Rainbow by Cipriani, (The Rainbow Room). Giancarlo consulted with Arrigo Cipriani in writing The Harry’s Bar Cookbook, which won the James Beard Foundation Award in 1992. He has also been a guest chef several times for the James Beard Foundation.