Menu Innovator Blog

The Modern, New York, NY (French) Chef: Abram Bissell A native of the Florida Keys, Abram Bissell began his pursuit of the culinary arts from a very early age while helping in his Aunt’s café. He pursued his culinary education at the New England Culinary Institute and later held positions at some of the most…

Komi, Washington, DC (Mediterranean) Chef: Johnny Monis Born and raised in Arlington, Chef Johnny Monis was initially a student in the Pre-Med program at James Madison University before dropping out after realizing he was more interested in pursuing a culinary career. He then enrolled at Johnson & Wales in Charleston, South Carolina, where he also…

Bluestem, Kansas City, MO (New American) Chef: Colby Garrelts Chef Colby Garrelts opened Bluestem in 2004 with his wife, Megan. Bluestem allows Colby to showcase his progressive American cuisine, and Megan as Pastry Chef to create new varieties of American desserts. Growing up in the Midwest, the Garrelts is inspired by the cuisine they grew…

Picasso, Las Vegas, NV (French) Chef: Julian Serrano Chef Julian Serrano though born and raised in Madrid, Spain, has always had a strong affinity for French cuisine. Regarded as one of the best Chefs in the United States, Serrano is the recipient of two James Beard Awards for Best Chef – California in 1998, and…

Goosefoot, Chicago, IL (New American) Chef: Chris Nugent Chef Chris Nugent grew up around restaurants during his childhood in Upstate New York, living with Chef John Daly after the loss of his mother at a young age. After high school, he went on to complete his culinary education at Johnson & Wales and worked alongside…

Brennan’s of Houston, Houston, TX (Southern) Chef: Carl Walker Chef Carl Walker, or Chef Carl as he prefers, always had a passion for cooking while growing up in Missouri. At the age of 17, Carl enrolled in the Marine Corps and proceeded to cook for over 7,000 Marines during his service. His time in the…

Cut Restaurant, Beverly Hills, CA (Steakhouse) Chef: Wolfgang Puck Born and raised in Austria, Wolfgang Puck is one of the most iconic chefs of our time. Pucks love of cooking started from a very young age, as he learned from his mother who herself, was a pastry chef. After culinary school, he worked in some…

Jungsik, New York, NY (Asian) Chef: Jung Sik Yim Born and raised in Korea, Chef Jung Sik Yim began cooking for the first time while in the military after being offered a Chef position purely out of necessity. He quickly discovered that while new, he was quite good and thoroughly enjoyed cooking. Later going on…

Fearrington House Restaurant, Pittsboro, NC (Eclectic) Chef: Colin Bedford Originally from England, Chef Colin Bedford has had a love of cooking since a young age. Fond memories of watching his mother bake in the kitchen, the smells of freshly prepared stew in the evening, and helping his father harvest the vegetables in their home garden,…