Chef's PSA

About Matt McCallister Matt McCallister is a self-taught Dallas chef who grew up in restaurants, attended art school instead of culinary school, and built one of the most critically acclaimed careers in Texas without a formal culinary degree. He started at Stephan Pyles in 2006, rose quickly through the ranks, and was named executive chef

About Hanalei Souza Hanalei Souza is a line cook turned sous chef, the creator of Lady Line Cook, one of the most widely followed culinary community accounts on Instagram, and the author of the self-published memoir “Nice Work, Boys!” She started cooking professionally in 2018 and built her career in restaurant kitchens while simultaneously creating

About RJ Yoakum RJ Yoakum is an Orange County, California native who grew up watching his aunt cook and discovered professional kitchens at 19 as a dishwasher. Within months his ability stood out and he earned a recommendation to the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park. While at the CIA he traveled extensively through

About Todd Duplechan and Jessica Maher Todd Duplechan and Jessica Maher are the husband-and-wife chef team behind Lenoir, the celebrated South First Street restaurant they opened in Austin in 2012 that has become one of the city’s most enduring and critically recognized dining destinations. The two met while working in adjoining David Bouley kitchens in

About Brian Lewis Brian Lewis is the chef and owner of Full House Hospitality Group, one of the most recognized independent restaurant groups in the Northeast. He grew up in Somers, New York, and discovered cooking at thirteen after a football injury ended his athletic career and sent him to the kitchen of Mona Trattoria,

About Jason Dady Jason Dady is a Kearney, Nebraska native, Texas Tech University BA graduate in Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management, and California Culinary Academy alum who has been one of San Antonio’s defining culinary forces since 2001. After staging at Stars Bar and Dining in San Francisco and honing his skills at Beringer Wine

About Matt Peters Matt Peters is a Meadville, Pennsylvania native, Le Cordon Bleu Pittsburgh graduate, and the first American chef in history to win gold at the Bocuse d’Or. He built his classical foundation at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida before moving to New York City to cook at Alain Ducasse’s Adour. In 2009 he

Evan LeRoy is the co-owner and pitmaster of LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue in Austin, Texas. A Michelin star recipient in the MICHELIN Guide Texas 2024, number two on Texas Monthly’s Top 50 BBQ Joints in 2025, and 2025 James Beard Award Semifinalist for Best Chef Texas, LeRoy has spent nearly a decade redefining Texas barbecue

About Phillip Frankland Lee Phillip Frankland Lee is the co-owner and executive chef of Scratch Restaurants Group, the Michelin-starred hospitality company he operates with his wife and executive pastry chef Margarita Kallas-Lee. The group includes Sushi by Scratch Restaurants, Pasta|Bar, NADC Burger, and Shokunin, with locations across California and a growing national footprint. Lee is

Chef Josh Sutcliff is the Corporate Executive Chef and Partner at 55 Seventy, a private members club for wine lovers with locations in Dallas and Houston. A Le Cordon Bleu graduate, CultureMap Dallas Rising Star Chef of the Year, and Zagat 30 Under 30 honoree, his career includes chef de cuisine at FT33, executive chef