Talent

Kristen Kish is the chef/partner of Arlo Grey in Austin, TX, a two-time Emmy-nominated host of Bravo’s award-winning series Top Chef, and a New York Times best-selling author for her memoir, Accidentally on Purpose.

A Korean adoptee raised in Michigan, Kristen discovered her passion for cooking at a young age. After working her way through various kitchens in Boston, she competed on season 10 of Top Chef, ultimately winning the coveted title. Following her win, she published her first cookbook and starred in several other hit shows including Fast Foodies on TruTV, Iron Chef on Netflix, and Restaurants at the End of the World on National Geographic/Disney+.

In 2023, Kristen became the host of Top Chef for its 21st season. Both she and the show received nominations for Primetime Emmy Awards in Outstanding Host and Best Reality Competition Series, respectively.

Most recently, she joined the cast of Season 4 of The Traitors and returned to Top Chef for its latest season in the Carolinas.

Kristen has earned recognition across leading industry lists, including TIME100’s Next, Adweek’s Creative 100, Marie Claire’s Power, Variety’s 30 Most Powerful Women on Reality TV, and Vulture’s Reality Masterminds.

Chef John Manion is a culinary leader whose restaurants reflect a genuine passion for live-fire cooking and South American flavors. His original voice helped to establish him as one of the city’s most popular chefs. Multiple nominations for "Chef of the Year" culminated most recently in a win at Chicago’s Jean Banchet Awards and the cover of Chicago Magazine's “Best Steakhouses” issue.

Long before Chicago’s West Loop became a sure thing, Chef Manion opened La Sirena Clandestina in 2012. The neighborhood darling maintained a cult following for nearly a decade. A few years later, he opened El Che Steakhouse & Bar in 2016. Inspired by Argentine live-fire cooking traditions, the restaurant continues to define the modern Chicago steakhouse.

In 2024, Chef Manion opened the bold, wood-fired Latin-inspired restaurant Brasero in Chicago’s West Town. The innovative concept reflects the chef’s boyhood memories of living in São Paulo and extensive travels throughout South America. Brasero caught fire with fans very fast, capturing hearts and stomachs and recognition as one of the country’s “Best New Restaurants of the Year” by Robb Report.

James Rigato is the chef/owner of Mabel Gray in Hazel Park, Michigan. A Michigan native and Schoolcraft College graduate, his philosophy on cooking stems from a lifelong love of food and an appreciation for the diverse agricultural area in which he was raised.

Chef Rigato’s contemporary American cuisine with a Michigan focus has garnered regional and national attention, including The Detroit Free Press 2012 Restaurant of the Year award, a 2012 Food & Wine The People’s Best New Chef: Great Lakes nomination, the 2015 Food & Wine The People’s Best New Chef: Great Lakes Award, and appearances on Cooking Channel, Food Network, Uncharted with Gordon Ramsay on NatGeo. He was also a cheftestant on Top Chef Season 12.

He was nominated for Best Chef: Great Lakes by the James Beard Foundation in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022. In 2025, Mabel Gray was awarded USA Today Restaurant of the Year and Hour Detroit Restaurant of the Year.

He recently began documenting his international travels on mabelgraytravelguide.com, and when he’s not cooking or traveling, you can find him working in his yard or up north in the Keweenaw with his partner Samantha and their beloved dogs, Lady Mae and Chandler.

John is a Detroit native and a twenty-plus-year veteran of the hospitality industry, with a career that includes opening more than a dozen restaurants. He holds a Bachelor of Culinary Arts degree from the acclaimed Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he graduated with honors.

John began his professional journey with the esteemed Charlie Trotter Corporation, working under the tutelage of two-Michelin-starred Chef Charlie Trotter. During his tenure, he was named Head Chef of Trotter’s To Go, the company’s catering division. He later joined Chef Art Smith’s flagship Chicago restaurant, Table Fifty-Two, as Executive Sous Chef, where he met his friend and business partner, Chef Joe Giacomino.

After nearly four years, John signed on with Chef Graham Elliot, spending time at Elliot’s two Michelin-starred restaurants before being named Executive Sous Chef of Graham Elliot Bistro. Prior to forming Four Man Ladder Hospitality, John served as Director of Culinary Operations for Chicago-based Folkart Management, overseeing concepts including A10 Hyde Park, Billy Sunday, and Yusho.

John has been recognized by FSR, Zagat, Crain’s Detroit, StarChefs, Time Out Chicago, and other industry publications. In 2012, he appeared as a contestant on Bravo’s Around the World in 80 Plates, an international culinary competition series.

He currently serves as co-owner of Four Man Ladder Hospitality, which operates Grey Ghost (2016), Second Best (2018), Basan (2022), and Little Ghost (2025).

A graduate of the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education, BJ Oosterheert began his career as Sous Chef with New Holland during the opening of The Knickerbocker before continuing west to cook in Yosemite National Park. There, he served as Chef de Partie at Château du Sureau’s The Elderberry House, refining his approach to destination dining and seasonal cuisine. After returning to Grand Rapids as Executive Chef to lead culinary operations for several local restaurants, he rejoined the New Holland family, where he continues to create hospitality-driven experiences centered on thoughtful food, craft spirits, and connection.

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Chris Keneau discovered his passion for cooking through a love of trying new things and exploring new flavors. After managing hotels across Michigan, he trained at Washtenaw Community College before building his culinary career in Ann Arbor and the surrounding area. Today, he brings a focus on local, seasonal ingredients and elevated guest experiences to Bowdie’s Chophouse, an award-winning steakhouse recognized as one of the best in Michigan.

Colin McPhee began his culinary career in Grand Rapids, Michigan, while earning a degree in Culinary Management and a certificate in Baking & Pastry Arts through the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education. His background includes culinary positions at the Peninsular Club, Bar Divani, and 616 at the JW Marriott. In addition to his restaurant work, he has contributed to community events, including the Van Andel Institute’s Hope on the Hill Gala, Winter Fest, Crush Grand Rapids, and the March of Dimes. McPhee has also showcased his work at the Grand Rapids Wine & Food Show and catered an event for Eric Ripert and the late Anthony Bourdain. Known for bold global flavors and a love of Cajun-inspired cuisine, Colin brings creativity, technique, and hospitality to every plate at Pumpernickels.

Driven by a deep love for rustic, seasonal flavors, Henry Ditmar has built his culinary approach around quality, craft, and community. His cooking emphasizes creating every component from scratch and celebrating the rich bounty of Michigan farms through artisan wood-fired cooking and vibrant American cuisine. Dedicated to welcoming all guests to the table, his menu options include exceptional vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free offerings.

Born in the Philippines to a Filipino mother and Indian father, Jazer Syed draws inspiration from a rich blend of culinary traditions that continue to influence his approach to food and hospitality. After working in acclaimed Chicago kitchens including The Gage, Fat Rice, Rootstock, and Cafe Marie-Jeanne, he launched the pandemic-era pop-up Collective Ventures, combining Indian and Filipino flavors with local ingredients and modern technique. His work also included a culinary residency at Currency Retreat sponsored by Chicago artist Theaster Gates. Today, Duck Alley reflects his and business partner Dominic Vizachero’s creative, Midwest-driven approach to seasonal cooking, craft cocktails, and hospitality.

Lindsay Payleitner began her restaurant career in the Detroit Metro area at age 15 and spent the next decade working in both front- and back-of-house roles while earning a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in social work from Loyola University in Chicago. In 2014, she launched a Chicago-based catering company focused on scratch-made, healthful cuisine before relocating to Saugatuck, Michigan, where she opened GROW Café + Bistro and its Middle Eastern-inspired sister restaurant, the TRAP. Her newest venture, SaugaTaco, blends Tex-Mex and Midwest influences through a playful, chef-driven menu alongside creative craft cocktails.

With a passion for hospitality that began at just 14 years old, Matt Bush has spent his life immersed in the restaurant industry. After attending culinary school in Las Vegas, he built his career in Indianapolis, rising from Sous Chef and Traveling Chef to Regional Executive Chef, overseeing restaurants across the country. In 2019, he returned home to Michigan to open Bird Dog, followed by Dog and The Bank in 2021 and Lady Bird in 2024. His culinary style centers on creativity, hard work, and bringing people together through thoughtful food and hospitality.

James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef: Great Lakes, Melissa “Missy” Corey has been recognized as one of Chicago’s top female chefs by Thrillist (2015) and featured in the Chicago Reader's annual People Issue (2014). Missy trained under James Beard Award-winning chefs Sam Hayward of Fore Street, Rob Evans of Hugo’s and Duckfat, and Paul Kahan of Publican Quality Meats, experiences that helped shape her ingredient-driven approach to cooking. After winning Food Network’s Chopped, she returned to Chicago to lead the kitchen at Publican Quality Meats, where she further developed her passion for seasonal cuisine and whole-animal butchery. Today, her cooking at Pennyroyal Café & Provisions reflects a deep appreciation for classic technique, regional agriculture, and the abundance of Southwest Michigan’s seasonal ingredients.

With deep family roots in East Tennessee, Chef/Owner Millar learned to cook from his mother, continuing a tradition passed down through generations. After beginning his culinary career in restaurant kitchens, a move to Fennville with his wife, Amy, connected them to West Michigan’s farming community. This led to the opening of Journeyman and Rye, followed by acclaimed years at Reserve. A two-time James Beard Foundation Best Chef: Great Lakes semifinalist (2012 and 2013), he honors his Appalachian roots and cooking traditions with an elevated yet approachable style inspired by generations of Southern cooks.

Originally from Chicago, Mindy Trafman has built a culinary career focused on farm-to-table cuisine and sustainability. Her background includes roles with Lettuce Entertain You, The Goddess and Grocer, Lush Wine + Spirits, and several teaching positions, along with local contributions to The Kirby, Coast 236, and The Fields of Michigan. Today, she hosts workshops, pop-up dinners, and curated culinary experiences through Lulu Cadieux and her catering and consulting company, Somm + Seeds, with a philosophy that every meal should be both an experience and a story.

A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago, Rachael Lickteig refined her craft in some of the country’s most acclaimed kitchens, including Coco Pazzo, Next Restaurant under Grant Achatz, and Michelin-starred Elizabeth Restaurant alongside Iliana Regan. Her culinary journey has also included stages at Glass Hosteria in Rome and Belcanto in Lisbon. Drawing inspiration from travel and Mediterranean cuisine, her cooking highlights fresh ingredients, layered flavors, and a globally influenced perspective.

With more than 20 years of culinary experience, Rick Bower has trained under several Michelin-starred chefs and worked at establishments recognized by Michelin and Zagat. As Executive Chef at Coast 236 Restaurant & Bar and Culinary Director of Heritage Social Italian, he is renowned for his commitment to sustainability, seasonal ingredients, and relationships with local farmers and foragers. Rick serves on the Advisory Committees for both the James Beard Foundation Smart Catch Program and the Where Food Comes From Smart Catch Program. He received the James Beard Foundation Smart Catch Ambassador Award, the program’s highest recognition, from 2021 to 2024, and earned Where Food Comes From Smart Catch Program certification for 2025 and 2026.

With more than 15 years of experience in kitchens across West Michigan, from Lansing to Grand Rapids, Terry Tran has built a reputation for precision, discipline, and a deep respect for traditional sushi-making techniques. As the sushi chef behind Sushi bā, the intimate omakase experience within the acclaimed Singapore Room in Saugatuck, Michigan, he brings a meticulous approach to every course, combining technical skill with a commitment to craftsmanship and hospitality.