CHRIS AQUILINO is an award-winning chef, culinary leader, sustainability expert, culinary architect, brand ambassador advisor, author and artist with 30-plus years of industry experience. He is the culinary driving force behind numerous multi-million dollar national foodservice concepts and brands specializing in recipe development, branded content creation, smart menu design, culinary sustainability, food waste management and recovery, food styling and photography. Chris is the National Director of Culinary Development for Elior North America, Culinary Ambassador for Forever Oceans, and the VP for the Charlotte Chapter of the American Culinary Federation. [email protected]

MINDY ARMSTRONG has been a thought leader and familiar face in the foodservice industry for nearly two decades, specializing in creative idea generation, menu strategy, process development and culinary leadership. Today, Mindy serves as VP of Menu Innovation for Ascent Hospitality, an Atlanta-based group of family dining brands. Before joining Ascent, Mindy led innovation for Buffalo Wild Wings and consulted on innovation for restaurants and manufacturers at FoodIQ, a boutique innovation agency within Marlin Connections. Mindy is a regular contributor on trends and innovation in the restaurant industry and serves as an advisory board member for Women in Restaurant Leadership. Her involvement underscores her commitment to fostering diversity, empowering teams and creating connections.

JOHN BAEZ graduated from the Le Cordon Bleu program at Texas Culinary Academy in 2005 and built a culinary and hospitality career with diverse experiences across large and small concepts. Today, he resides in Las Vegas and oversees the restaurant ventures of acclaimed celebrity chefs, authors and entrepreneurs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, while also serving as a partner in Nashville-based start-up Back 40 Nash. When he is not on location in Nashville, you can find him creating modern Mexican cuisine at Border Grill in the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino or at one of the fast-casual brand spin-offs at Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium and T-Mobile Arena.

CHARLIE BAGGS is Executive Chef/Founder and creative fire behind Charlie Baggs Culinary Innovations in Chicago. CBCI is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024, sharing its focus on culinary, applications, education, training and inspiration. “We do what we do for a reason,” he says. “We bring flavor to life.” [email protected]

BRAD BARNES, CMC, is a 48-year veteran of the professional kitchen, a Certified Master Chef and President of Pure Food Consulting. In 2022, he retired as Senior Director of Consulting and Industry Programs at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., where he oversaw all non-degree programming. Today, he works with multinational companies as a strategic food business designer, focusing on sustainable food tactics, helping companies bring new product lines to market and reenergize existing products. He also works with companies to reenvision how they do business on every level, both tactical and strategically in all areas of the food business. [email protected]

DANIEL CARPENTER is a trained attorney and chef who has served as principal of a culinary consultancy; VP of Culinary at Nextbite, a national virtual kitchen company; and Managing Director of Culinary at Sterling-Rice Group (SRG) in Boulder, Colo. Prior to joining SRG full-time, Daniel served as a longstanding member of SRG’s renowned Culinary Council, a group of elite chefs, food scientists, authors and restaurateurs who consult with the agency on food trends that inform its work for clients. Daniel started his career in fine dining in Denver, and Stamford, Conn., acting as Executive Chef in a range of restaurants. As he transitioned into consulting, he developed capabilities in restaurant operations, F&B menu design, commercial real estate and front of house leadership. His tenure at SRG has been marked by projects with national manufacturers of consumer packaged goods, restaurant chains and commodity board clients. [email protected]

KATHY CASEY is a celebrated chef, mixologist and pioneer in the bar-chef movement. She has been touted as the original Bar Chef, one of the top 10 most influential bar people of the past 25 years and a Food & Wine-awarded top 10 chef. Kathy is owner of Kathy Casey Food Studios – Liquid Kitchen, a full-service global agency specializing in food, beverage and concept development, as well as brand launch opening assistance and training. Her clients include ACCOR Hotels & Resorts, Norwegian Cruise Line and Monin. She and her team have created multiple award-winning concepts, menus and programs for clients. Her own hospitality brands include: Dish D’Lish, a “Food T’Go Go” concept, Rel’Lish Burger Lounge, Lucky Louie Fish Shack and Chicky, a pop-up concept. The author of 10 cookbooks, Kathy lives in Seattle. [email protected]

CLAIRE CONAGHAN is an Associate Director and Trendologist at Datassential, in charge of its syndicated content for Datassential’s Report Pro. When she applied for her role at Datassential more than a decade ago, her cover letter stated, “I am not only passionate about market research and data analysis but have a love for all things culinary. I enjoy dining out, cooking in and introducing people to new foods,” a philosophy that holds true today. Datassential’s tools are her happy place. Claire earned a B.S. in decision science and a B.A. in Hispanic studies from Carnegie Mellon University and is a hobby vegetable gardener and a mom to two budding foodies. [email protected]

ROB CORLISS is a three-time James Beard House guest chef with more than 30 years of experience that includes running world-class hotels, launching new concepts, working in top marketing agencies and owning the culinary consultancy ATE (All Things Epicurean) since 2009. Based in Nixa, Mo., ATE applies an energizing passion focused on flavor innovation and is dedicated to connecting people to their food, environment and wellness. Rob is also a regular contributor to Flavor & The Menu.  [email protected]

DAN COUDREAUT is an accomplished, award-winning chef with 40-plus years in the hospitality industry. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Dan has built and led high-performing culinary teams at upscale restaurants, catering companies, hotels and multi-unit restaurants, with a strong reputation of being an inspiring, pragmatic and passionate leader. He enjoyed a storied 13-year tenure at McDonald’s before leaving his position as VP of Culinary Innovation/Executive Chef to become a certified pizzaiolo. Dan developed Lantern Pizza Co., a Neapolitan-inspired pizzeria in Downers Grove, Ill., offering artisan pizzas that are hand tossed and feature fresh cheese, plus housemade dough and sauce.

ROBERT DANHI, Curator of Cultures, is a 36-year veteran and thought leader in the F&B industry. Chef Danhi & Co. leverages Robert’s deep knowledge and passion as a consultant to the community of foodservice operators, CPG companies, commodity boards and educational organizations. He has worked as a restaurant chef and as a chef instructor at The Culinary Institute of America. He is also a James Beard award-winning Southeast Asian cookbook author, as well as TV show host of “Taste of Vietnam,” a 26-episode docuseries that highlights the vibrant lives of the country’s farmers, artisans, cooks, chefs and street food vendors. Robert also served as a judge on every episode of “Top Chef Vietnam.” He is honored to have started his master’s degree in gastronomy at Boston University. [email protected]

ROSALYN DARLING , Founder and Principal Innovation Chef at Darling Culinary, LLC, specializes in insights-based, sensory-driven culinary innovation. She brings her love of food, hunger for creativity and business acumen to food companies and restaurants around the world using “Culinary Compassion”: a culinary mindset that’s centered around humanity, the spectrum of universal emotions and how to care for consumers and is applied to menu strategy, recipe development, new product formulation and chef training. Rosalyn uses her expertise to increase speed to market, build deeper consumer loyalty and strengthen brand reputation in the consumer and foodservice worlds. [email protected]

TJ DELLE DONNE, CEC, MAT, is Assistant Dean at Johnson & Wales University College of Food Innovation and Technology in Providence, R.I. He holds a bachelor’s in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales and a master’s degree in education. A Certified Executive Chef through the American Culinary Federation, he has been invited to cook all over the world, most notably in Lyon, France, São Miguel Island and the famed James Beard House in New York. He also served as Executive Chef of the Flavor Experience for 11 years. Dedicated to his students, TJ works closely with industry partners to ensure quality experiential education and career opportunities. [email protected]

JOHN FRANKE graduated in 1994 from Johnson & Wales University, Providence, R.I., and began his professional career in Dallas with Harvey Hotels, Neiman Marcus and Pappas Restaurants. In 2003, he embarked on multi-year missions and humanitarian work in Burkina Faso. John then joined Front Burner Restaurants as VP of Culinary Operations, leading the culinary development for multiple brands during his 11-year tenure. In 2019, John founded Franke Culinary Consulting, where he provides extensive expertise in menu development, team building, vendor relationships and kitchen design to all his clients. John also serves on the board of directors for Our Daily Bread, a non-profit homeless outreach in Denton, Texas. [email protected]

NIKKI FREIHOFER is Strategy Director at The Culinary Edge, a San Francisco-based culinary consultancy. After pivoting from academic food anthropology and paying her dues in the kitchens of Hillstone and Chez Panisse, Nikki now thrives on building better food and beverage brands that prioritize equity, deliciousness, sustainability and gumption.[email protected]

JASON HERNANDEZ started Blade & Tine Culinary Consulting in 2019 after more than 25 years working in culinary operations, including as Executive Kitchen Manager at Old Chicago in Colorado and as Executive Banquet Chef at Wynkoop Brewing Co. in Denver. He went on to become Director of Culinary for BJ’s Restaurants and then St. Elmo Steak House in Indianapolis. After serving as VP of Culinary & Kitchen Operations for Los Angeles-based burger, whiskey and beer concept Eureka!, Jason decided it was time to support other restaurant groups, independents and corporations on their culinary journeys. He continues to build his brand with new clients, local partnerships and new business ventures, offering virtual videos, menu development, social influencing and live demonstrations. He opened his first brick-and-mortar brand Graze Street AMI in Florida with wife and partner, Heather Hernandez.  [email protected]

MIKE KOSTYO is the VP of Menu Matters, a private consultancy that works with foodservice professionals to analyze, understand and leverage food and beverage, industry and consumer trends. He has been a recurring guest on Fusion TV’s “The A.V. Club”; has been featured on NBC News, CBS Radio and Gimlet Media’s “Why We Eat What We Eat” podcast; is regularly featured in newspapers and magazines; speaks at numerous conferences across the country; and was a judge on Food Network’s “Eating America.” For over a decade, he was the resident Trendologist and an Associate Director at Datassential, one of the food industry’s leading insights companies. Mike has a master’s in gastronomy from Boston University, plus certificates in the culinary arts, baking arts, wine and artisan cheese production. He is a regular contributor to Flavor & The Menu. [email protected]

MIKE LEITNER is a culinarian and entrepreneurial business leader who has dedicated his 35-plus years of experience in the food industry creating, developing, leading and managing R&D teams who create gold standards translating into new products that are scalable and repeatable in both manufacturing and restaurant environments. In addition to working as a Culinary Director and Corporate Chef with companies such as Waldorf Astoria New York, Campbell Soup Company, Lamb Weston and Little Caesars Pizza, Mike is also a two-time winner of the WOW Idea Awards from Yum! Brands Asia. His career highlights include leading operations, R&D, QA, purchasing and supply chain for a privately held food manufacturer and leading a new product development team for Little Caesars. Currently, Mike is leading the global culinary efforts for Bimbo QSR, a division of Grupo Bimbo. [email protected]

JEFF MILLER is Founder and Co-CEO of Cutting Edge Innovation, specializing in foodservice sales strategy, business development and brand menu strategy. He has spent over 20 years in the food and beverage industry, driving sales by creating world-class teams and products, including as the VP & Executive Chef of Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins. In this capacity, Jeff led a team of 22 chefs, food scientists, bakers and coffee experts, as he directed global innovation and product development for all product categories. [email protected]

ADAM MOORE is Chef and President of Flashpoint Innovation, a food and beverage innovation network located in Chicago. Over the course of his food-focused career, he has served in a variety of roles, from owning a restaurant to innovating new products with Fortune-500 companies around the globe. At Flashpoint, Adam marries that experience with a trusted network of chefs, scientists and strategists to provide culinary support, product development, supply chain and foodservice strategy services to quickly turn ideas into reality. [email protected]

LIZ MOSKOW, Food Futurist, is a food & beverage industry vet with a Culinary Institute of America pedigree and over two decades of brand, culinary, hospitality and CPG experience. She is considered a globally recognized trendologist who both predicts and sets global trends. Liz is a strategic advisor to leaders and investors in restaurant, CPG, hospitality and artificial intelligence tech companies at the intersection of food and technology and has worked with most of the top CPG companies and restaurant chains in the U.S. Liz translates for, educates and updates decision makers on the rapidly changing food and beverage landscape and identifies leading-edge culinary trends that will impact concept, menu and product development pipelines, as well as off- and on-premise consumer behavior. [email protected]

REBECCA PEIZER, CEC, CHE, is a seasoned culinary professional with 25 years of industry experience. She is the owner and founder of All Things Culinary, a culinary consultancy, serving as a brand ambassador, presenter and demonstrator for many esteemed foodservice clients and commodity boards. She has been a professor, consultant and digital media and demonstration chef at The Culinary Institute of America’s Napa, Calif., campus since 2011 and has written curriculum for many of the college’s undergraduate, consulting and food enthusiast courses. She created the Farm-to-Table bachelor’s degree concentration, educating students about farming, sustainability and community through a chef’s perspective. Some of her pro-bono work includes writing the culinary training program for the Salvation Army and serving as the Culinary Director at Gray Haven Health and Wellness, a Napa reentry program for adults with mental health challenges. Rebecca is an active forager and herbalist, a member of the Research Chefs Association and has earned the Certified Executive Chef and Certified Hospitality Educator certifications. [email protected]

TONY PEREYRA has developed his expertise in every facet of the bar and beverage industry, delivering innovations in mixology, developing structured bar programs, establishing strategic partnerships and creating positive training and educational experiences. His Los Angeles-based beverage consultancy, The Spirits In Motion, co-founded with business partner Phil Wills, has kept him involved in developing top-shelf beverage logistics since 2011. By attending and speaking at seminars and national conferences as an industry influencer and applying countless hours of real-time research, Tony stays ahead of the game with industry trends to deliver top-notch bar and beverage solutions. [email protected]

IAN RAMIREZ is an Executive Chef with more than 20 years of experience spanning fine dining, retail, C&U, B&I, conference centers and catering. Based in Grand Rapids, Mich., his Mad Honey Culinary Studio serves as a collaborative space where passionate chefs push boundaries to develop innovative flavors and concepts that are tailored to meet the unique needs of every service-style across commercial and non-commercial operations. Ian’s expertise extends to working alongside agencies, brands and commodity boards, all of which fuel his passion for culinary excellence. In addition to his deep expertise in culinary innovation and development, he has also led operations at both the unit and management levels, rounding out his leadership from the kitchen to the boardroom. [email protected]

MAEVE WEBSTER is a leading consultant and thought leader for foodservice manufacturers, operators and other professionals. She has spearheaded hundreds of major industry studies during her 20-plus years as a foodservice specialist. Today, she focuses her Menu Matters consultancy on helping manufacturers, operators, commodity boards and marketing firms understand, prioritize and leverage food and consumer trends. Key areas of focus include consumer behavior, trend analysis, product design/testing and menu optimization. She has an M.B.A. from the University of Illinois Chicago and a culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago. She is a regular speaker at industry events and a contributor to major media outlets and industry publications, including Flavor & The Menu. [email protected]

NATE WEIR is the VP of Culinary for Modern Market Eatery. As a missionary kid born in Haiti, he grew up with a unique perspective on where food comes from and the effort it takes to prepare. After a career in both casual and farm-to-table dining, he joined the Modern Market brand in 2011 as its first chef. Through his 12 years growing the Modern Market brand, Nate has worn many hats, from purchasing and menu innovation to developing systems for training. Recently, Nate oversaw a complete culinary program refresh at Lemonade, the trend-setting California fast casual. Nate believes fresh, thoughtfully sourced, healthy, delicious food should be affordable and available to everyone, and he finds fulfillment in creating brands that combine his ideals.

CHRIS AQUILINO is an award-winning chef, culinary leader, sustainability expert, culinary architect, brand ambassador advisor, author and artist with 30-plus years of industry experience. He is the culinary driving force behind numerous multi-million dollar national foodservice concepts and brands specializing in recipe development, branded content creation, smart menu design, culinary sustainability, food waste management and recovery, food styling and photography. Chris is the National Director of Culinary Development for Elior North America, Culinary Ambassador for Forever Oceans, and the VP for the Charlotte Chapter of the American Culinary Federation. [email protected]

MINDY ARMSTRONG has been a thought leader and familiar face in the foodservice industry for nearly two decades, specializing in creative idea generation, menu strategy, process development and culinary leadership. Today, Mindy serves as VP of Menu Innovation for Ascent Hospitality, an Atlanta-based group of family dining brands. Before joining Ascent, Mindy led innovation for Buffalo Wild Wings and consulted on innovation for restaurants and manufacturers at FoodIQ, a boutique innovation agency within Marlin Connections. Mindy is a regular contributor on trends and innovation in the restaurant industry and serves as an advisory board member for Women in Restaurant Leadership. Her involvement underscores her commitment to fostering diversity, empowering teams and creating connections.

JOHN BAEZ graduated from the Le Cordon Bleu program at Texas Culinary Academy in 2005 and built a culinary and hospitality career with diverse experiences across large and small concepts. Today, he resides in Las Vegas and oversees the restaurant ventures of acclaimed celebrity chefs, authors and entrepreneurs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, while also serving as a partner in Nashville-based start-up Back 40 Nash. When he is not on location in Nashville, you can find him creating modern Mexican cuisine at Border Grill in the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino or at one of the fast-casual brand spin-offs at Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium and T-Mobile Arena.

CHARLIE BAGGS is Executive Chef/Founder and creative fire behind Charlie Baggs Culinary Innovations in Chicago. CBCI is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024, sharing its focus on culinary, applications, education, training and inspiration. “We do what we do for a reason,” he says. “We bring flavor to life.” [email protected]

BRAD BARNES, CMC, is a 48-year veteran of the professional kitchen, a Certified Master Chef and President of Pure Food Consulting. In 2022, he retired as Senior Director of Consulting and Industry Programs at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., where he oversaw all non-degree programming. Today, he works with multinational companies as a strategic food business designer, focusing on sustainable food tactics, helping companies bring new product lines to market and reenergize existing products. He also works with companies to reenvision how they do business on every level, both tactical and strategically in all areas of the food business. [email protected]

DANIEL CARPENTER is a trained attorney and chef who has served as principal of a culinary consultancy; VP of Culinary at Nextbite, a national virtual kitchen company; and Managing Director of Culinary at Sterling-Rice Group (SRG) in Boulder, Colo. Prior to joining SRG full-time, Daniel served as a longstanding member of SRG’s renowned Culinary Council, a group of elite chefs, food scientists, authors and restaurateurs who consult with the agency on food trends that inform its work for clients. Daniel started his career in fine dining in Denver, and Stamford, Conn., acting as Executive Chef in a range of restaurants. As he transitioned into consulting, he developed capabilities in restaurant operations, F&B menu design, commercial real estate and front of house leadership. His tenure at SRG has been marked by projects with national manufacturers of consumer packaged goods, restaurant chains and commodity board clients. [email protected]

KATHY CASEY is a celebrated chef, mixologist and pioneer in the bar-chef movement. She has been touted as the original Bar Chef, one of the top 10 most influential bar people of the past 25 years and a Food & Wine-awarded top 10 chef. Kathy is owner of Kathy Casey Food Studios – Liquid Kitchen, a full-service global agency specializing in food, beverage and concept development, as well as brand launch opening assistance and training. Her clients include ACCOR Hotels & Resorts, Norwegian Cruise Line and Monin. She and her team have created multiple award-winning concepts, menus and programs for clients. Her own hospitality brands include: Dish D’Lish, a “Food T’Go Go” concept, Rel’Lish Burger Lounge, Lucky Louie Fish Shack and Chicky, a pop-up concept. The author of 10 cookbooks, Kathy lives in Seattle. [email protected]

CLAIRE CONAGHAN is an Associate Director and Trendologist at Datassential, in charge of its syndicated content for Datassential’s Report Pro. When she applied for her role at Datassential more than a decade ago, her cover letter stated, “I am not only passionate about market research and data analysis but have a love for all things culinary. I enjoy dining out, cooking in and introducing people to new foods,” a philosophy that holds true today. Datassential’s tools are her happy place. Claire earned a B.S. in decision science and a B.A. in Hispanic studies from Carnegie Mellon University and is a hobby vegetable gardener and a mom to two budding foodies. [email protected]

ROB CORLISS is a three-time James Beard House guest chef with more than 30 years of experience that includes running world-class hotels, launching new concepts, working in top marketing agencies and owning the culinary consultancy ATE (All Things Epicurean) since 2009. Based in Nixa, Mo., ATE applies an energizing passion focused on flavor innovation and is dedicated to connecting people to their food, environment and wellness. Rob is also a regular contributor to Flavor & The Menu.  [email protected]

DAN COUDREAUT is an accomplished, award-winning chef with 40-plus years in the hospitality industry. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Dan has built and led high-performing culinary teams at upscale restaurants, catering companies, hotels and multi-unit restaurants, with a strong reputation of being an inspiring, pragmatic and passionate leader. He enjoyed a storied 13-year tenure at McDonald’s before leaving his position as VP of Culinary Innovation/Executive Chef to become a certified pizzaiolo. Dan developed Lantern Pizza Co., a Neapolitan-inspired pizzeria in Downers Grove, Ill., offering artisan pizzas that are hand tossed and feature fresh cheese, plus housemade dough and sauce.

ROBERT DANHI, Curator of Cultures, is a 36-year veteran and thought leader in the F&B industry. Chef Danhi & Co. leverages Robert’s deep knowledge and passion as a consultant to the community of foodservice operators, CPG companies, commodity boards and educational organizations. He has worked as a restaurant chef and as a chef instructor at The Culinary Institute of America. He is also a James Beard award-winning Southeast Asian cookbook author, as well as TV show host of “Taste of Vietnam,” a 26-episode docuseries that highlights the vibrant lives of the country’s farmers, artisans, cooks, chefs and street food vendors. Robert also served as a judge on every episode of “Top Chef Vietnam.” He is honored to have started his master’s degree in gastronomy at Boston University. [email protected]

ROSALYN DARLING, Founder and Principal Innovation Chef at Darling Culinary, LLC, specializes in insights-based, sensory-driven culinary innovation. She brings her love of food, hunger for creativity and business acumen to food companies and restaurants around the world using “Culinary Compassion”: a culinary mindset that’s centered around humanity, the spectrum of universal emotions and how to care for consumers and is applied to menu strategy, recipe development, new product formulation and chef training. Rosalyn uses her expertise to increase speed to market, build deeper consumer loyalty and strengthen brand reputation in the consumer and foodservice worlds. [email protected]

TJ DELLE DONNE, CEC, MAT, is Assistant Dean at Johnson & Wales University College of Food Innovation and Technology in Providence, R.I. He holds a bachelor’s in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales and a master’s degree in education. A Certified Executive Chef through the American Culinary Federation, he has been invited to cook all over the world, most notably in Lyon, France, São Miguel Island and the famed James Beard House in New York. He also served as Executive Chef of the Flavor Experience for 11 years. Dedicated to his students, TJ works closely with industry partners to ensure quality experiential education and career opportunities. [email protected]

JOHN FRANKE graduated in 1994 from Johnson & Wales University, Providence, R.I., and began his professional career in Dallas with Harvey Hotels, Neiman Marcus and Pappas Restaurants. In 2003, he embarked on multi-year missions and humanitarian work in Burkina Faso. John then joined Front Burner Restaurants as VP of Culinary Operations, leading the culinary development for multiple brands during his 11-year tenure. In 2019, John founded Franke Culinary Consulting, where he provides extensive expertise in menu development, team building, vendor relationships and kitchen design to all his clients. John also serves on the board of directors for Our Daily Bread, a non-profit homeless outreach in Denton, Texas. [email protected]

NIKKI FREIHOFER is Strategy Director at The Culinary Edge, a San Francisco-based culinary consultancy. After pivoting from academic food anthropology and paying her dues in the kitchens of Hillstone and Chez Panisse, Nikki now thrives on building better food and beverage brands that prioritize equity, deliciousness, sustainability and gumption.[email protected]

JASON HERNANDEZ started Blade & Tine Culinary Consulting in 2019 after more than 25 years working in culinary operations, including as Executive Kitchen Manager at Old Chicago in Colorado and as Executive Banquet Chef at Wynkoop Brewing Co. in Denver. He went on to become Director of Culinary for BJ’s Restaurants and then St. Elmo Steak House in Indianapolis. After serving as VP of Culinary & Kitchen Operations for Los Angeles-based burger, whiskey and beer concept Eureka!, Jason decided it was time to support other restaurant groups, independents and corporations on their culinary journeys. He continues to build his brand with new clients, local partnerships and new business ventures, offering virtual videos, menu development, social influencing and live demonstrations. He opened his first brick-and-mortar brand Graze Street AMI in Florida with wife and partner, Heather Hernandez.  [email protected]

MIKE KOSTYO is the VP of Menu Matters, a private consultancy that works with foodservice professionals to analyze, understand and leverage food and beverage, industry and consumer trends. He has been a recurring guest on Fusion TV’s “The A.V. Club”; has been featured on NBC News, CBS Radio and Gimlet Media’s “Why We Eat What We Eat” podcast; is regularly featured in newspapers and magazines; speaks at numerous conferences across the country; and was a judge on Food Network’s “Eating America.” For over a decade, he was the resident Trendologist and an Associate Director at Datassential, one of the food industry’s leading insights companies. Mike has a master’s in gastronomy from Boston University, plus certificates in the culinary arts, baking arts, wine and artisan cheese production. He is a regular contributor to Flavor & The Menu. [email protected]

MIKE LEITNER is a culinarian and entrepreneurial business leader who has dedicated his 35-plus years of experience in the food industry creating, developing, leading and managing R&D teams who create gold standards translating into new products that are scalable and repeatable in both manufacturing and restaurant environments. In addition to working as a Culinary Director and Corporate Chef with companies such as Waldorf Astoria New York, Campbell Soup Company, Lamb Weston and Little Caesars Pizza, Mike is also a two-time winner of the WOW Idea Awards from Yum! Brands Asia. His career highlights include leading operations, R&D, QA, purchasing and supply chain for a privately held food manufacturer and leading a new product development team for Little Caesars. Currently, Mike is leading the global culinary efforts for Bimbo QSR, a division of Grupo Bimbo. [email protected]

JEFF MILLER is Founder and Co-CEO of Cutting Edge Innovation, specializing in foodservice sales strategy, business development and brand menu strategy. He has spent over 20 years in the food and beverage industry, driving sales by creating world-class teams and products, including as the VP & Executive Chef of Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins. In this capacity, Jeff led a team of 22 chefs, food scientists, bakers and coffee experts, as he directed global innovation and product development for all product categories. [email protected]

ADAM MOORE is Chef and President of Flashpoint Innovation, a food and beverage innovation network located in Chicago. Over the course of his food-focused career, he has served in a variety of roles, from owning a restaurant to innovating new products with Fortune-500 companies around the globe. At Flashpoint, Adam marries that experience with a trusted network of chefs, scientists and strategists to provide culinary support, product development, supply chain and foodservice strategy services to quickly turn ideas into reality. [email protected]

LIZ MOSKOW, Food Futurist, is a food & beverage industry vet with a Culinary Institute of America pedigree and over two decades of brand, culinary, hospitality and CPG experience. She is considered a globally recognized trendologist who both predicts and sets global trends. Liz is a strategic advisor to leaders and investors in restaurant, CPG, hospitality and artificial intelligence tech companies at the intersection of food and technology and has worked with most of the top CPG companies and restaurant chains in the U.S. Liz translates for, educates and updates decision makers on the rapidly changing food and beverage landscape and identifies leading-edge culinary trends that will impact concept, menu and product development pipelines, as well as off- and on-premise consumer behavior. [email protected]

REBECCA PEIZER, CEC, CHE, is a seasoned culinary professional with 25 years of industry experience. She is the owner and founder of All Things Culinary, a culinary consultancy, serving as a brand ambassador, presenter and demonstrator for many esteemed foodservice clients and commodity boards. She has been a professor, consultant and digital media and demonstration chef at The Culinary Institute of America’s Napa, Calif., campus since 2011 and has written curriculum for many of the college’s undergraduate, consulting and food enthusiast courses. She created the Farm-to-Table bachelor’s degree concentration, educating students about farming, sustainability and community through a chef’s perspective. Some of her pro-bono work includes writing the culinary training program for the Salvation Army and serving as the Culinary Director at Gray Haven Health and Wellness, a Napa reentry program for adults with mental health challenges. Rebecca is an active forager and herbalist, a member of the Research Chefs Association and has earned the Certified Executive Chef and Certified Hospitality Educator certifications. [email protected]

TONY PEREYRA has developed his expertise in every facet of the bar and beverage industry, delivering innovations in mixology, developing structured bar programs, establishing strategic partnerships and creating positive training and educational experiences. His Los Angeles-based beverage consultancy, The Spirits In Motion, co-founded with business partner Phil Wills, has kept him involved in developing top-shelf beverage logistics since 2011. By attending and speaking at seminars and national conferences as an industry influencer and applying countless hours of real-time research, Tony stays ahead of the game with industry trends to deliver top-notch bar and beverage solutions. [email protected]

IAN RAMIREZ is an Executive Chef with more than 20 years of experience spanning fine dining, retail, C&U, B&I, conference centers and catering. Based in Grand Rapids, Mich., his Mad Honey Culinary Studio serves as a collaborative space where passionate chefs push boundaries to develop innovative flavors and concepts that are tailored to meet the unique needs of every service-style across commercial and non-commercial operations. Ian’s expertise extends to working alongside agencies, brands and commodity boards, all of which fuel his passion for culinary excellence. In addition to his deep expertise in culinary innovation and development, he has also led operations at both the unit and management levels, rounding out his leadership from the kitchen to the boardroom. [email protected]

MAEVE WEBSTER is a leading consultant and thought leader for foodservice manufacturers, operators and other professionals. She has spearheaded hundreds of major industry studies during her 20-plus years as a foodservice specialist. Today, she focuses her Menu Matters consultancy on helping manufacturers, operators, commodity boards and marketing firms understand, prioritize and leverage food and consumer trends. Key areas of focus include consumer behavior, trend analysis, product design/testing and menu optimization. She has an M.B.A. from the University of Illinois Chicago and a culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago. She is a regular speaker at industry events and a contributor to major media outlets and industry publications, including Flavor & The Menu. [email protected]

NATE WEIR is the VP of Culinary for Modern Market Eatery. As a missionary kid born in Haiti, he grew up with a unique perspective on where food comes from and the effort it takes to prepare. After a career in both casual and farm-to-table dining, he joined the Modern Market brand in 2011 as its first chef. Through his 12 years growing the Modern Market brand, Nate has worn many hats, from purchasing and menu innovation to developing systems for training. Recently, Nate oversaw a complete culinary program refresh at Lemonade, the trend-setting California fast casual. Nate believes fresh, thoughtfully sourced, healthy, delicious food should be affordable and available to everyone, and he finds fulfillment in creating brands that combine his ideals.