Culinary Concerto Chefs

Not Not Taco | San Diego, California
Known as “the everyman of cooking,” Zien’s TV program “Sam The Cooking Guy” started as a modest, local cooking show in San Diego before getting picked up nationally by Discovery’s Health Channel – earning him 15 Emmys. He recently opened several restaurants in the new Little Italy Food Hall, including burger concept Samburgers, Charcuterie concept Graze, and his most popular concept, Not Not Tacos, which offers nontraditional taco ingredients like pastrami, meatloaf, pork and macaroni.

Top Chef | Tijuana, Mexico
Chef Adria Marina has been featured as a contestant on Top Chef Mexico and currently serves as a judge on Telemundo's Top Chef VIP. She has also participated in the Netflix’s Iron Chef.

Next Level Chef | Los Angeles, California
Chef Pyet is an award winning, global private chef. She is the first winner of Gordon Ramsay's “Next Level Chef.” In 2021, Pyet was named Top 25 best private chefs in Los Angeles by Entrepreneur Magazine. Her life's work is dedicated to Indigenous Fusion Cuisine, where she combines the food of her heritage - both Native American and Mexican.

Sabores | Miami, Florida
Tahhan has been named one of the leading Latin chefs in the U.S, and "Miami's Hottest Chef". He is best recognized for being the official chef of Telemundo, and being a co-presenter of its morning show Un Nuevo Dia. In 2014, together with his friend, television personality Raúl González, Chef James opened his first restaurant, Sabores. It has subsequently been named one of the best restaurants in Miami. In 2013 and 2014, Chef James was recognized by Latin Gourmet as the Chef of the Year.

MasterChef Winner | LA, California
Acapulco-based businesswoman and home cook Michelle Mathelin is the winner of EstrellaTV's talent competition series MasterChef Latinos and has earned the coveted title of MasterChef. EstrellaTV is the Spanish-language multiplatform network of Estrella Media.

Sugar & Scribe | San Diego, California
Chef Maeve Rochford won Season 2 of Food Network's Holiday Baking Championship in 2015 and has appeared on Kids Baking Championship and Beat Bobby Flay. Chef Maeve is also the owner and executive chef of Sugar and Scribe Restaurant & Bakery.

Deckmans en el Mogor | Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico
Chef Deckman’s journey has taken him across North America, South America and Europe where he earned a Michelin Star for his work at restaurant “Vitus” in Reinstorf, Germany. The American-born chef’s newest concept, “Deckmans en el Mogor,” located in Valle De Guadalupe is a true farm-to-table restaurant lauded for its commitment to using only locally produced produce, meat and wine.

Tía Carmen | Phoenix, Arizona
A familiar face from his many appearances on “Top Chef” as well as appearances on multiple television shows, including HBO Max’s Selena + Chef, Angelo was a founding chef and partner in the Michelin-listed Anejo Restaurants in NY. He has written two cookbooks, “Flavor Exposed” and “Healthy Latin Eating,” which drew inspiration from his Dominican heritage. His new Phoenix restaurant, Tia Carmen, celebrates the local landscape with a mix of the traditional and modern showcased flavors imbued from a wood-fired grill and American Indian and heirloom food products.

DANTE CDMX | Mexico
Dante, born in Argentina, has spent over 20 years in Mexico, focusing on meat and gaining the nickname "The Guru of meat." He has created two award-winning restaurants, Neuquén and Alodé, and collaborates with Enrique Olvera at Pujol, Massimo Bottura at Osteria Francescana, and Juan Mari Arzak at Arzak. Dante is known for his open-fire whole-cow cooking celebrations at food festivals worldwide. His latest success is bringing Dante Brasa y Fuego to life, adding his unique flavor to each dish.

Ranch 45 | Solana Beach, California
Chef DuVal Warner, a retired Marine with 17 years of combat experience, is the Chef at Ranch 45 in Solona Beach, California. He graduated from the San Diego Culinary Institute and specializes in southern fusion cuisine, smoking and grilling meats, and is a qualified butcher. DuVal is known for his "Southern Wednesday" meals at Ranch 45 and was awarded "Best Chef" in the Black SD Magazine 2020 Edition.

Animae | San Diego, Calfornia
In her first executive chef role, Tara Monsod brings over a decade of kitchen experience, a lifetime of passion, and a culinary perspective shaped by her upbringing as a Filipino-American to Puffer Malarkey Collective’s ANIMAE. Her culinary journey has placed her in some of San Diego’s most prominent restaurants. Studying under Nate Appleman as Executive Sous Chef at ANIMAE, she continued to hone her fine-dining craft while also experimenting with pushing forward the Filipino flavors she’s always known.

Callie | San Diego, California
Travis Swikard, began his culinary journey working under Chef Deborah Scott. He attended the New England Culinary Institute and joined Chef Phil Thompson's Auberge du Lac in England. In 2008, he returned to the US and joined Daniel Boulud at the Michelin-starred Café Boulud. In 2019, Swikard opened his first solo restaurant, Callie, in San Diego. Callie was recognized as one of the best new restaurants in America in 2022 and received a Bib Gourmand and Plate by the Michelin Guide.

The Plot | Oceanside, California
Chef Davin Waite is a local legend in the sustainable food community, known for his innovative use of ingredients and celebration of local produce. He co-owns Oceanside restaurants, including Grinch & Rodent Seabasstropub, The Plot, Shoots Fish x Beer, and Brine Box. Chef Waite was recently awarded the 2022 Sustainability Advocate Award by the California Travel Association.

La Querencia BajaMed | Tijuana, Mexico
Guerrero is known for coining the term “Baja Med”: the fusion of Mexican cuisine with Mediterranean and Asian cuisine. Chef Guerrero’s Tijuana restaurants La Querencia and La Esperanza offer menus based on Baja Med utilizing locally sourced ingredients from San Ignacio and San Quintin Valley, fresh seafood from Ensenada as well as olives from the Guadalupe Valley’s wineries.

Cori Pastificio | San Diego, California
Accursio Lota is the 2017 winner of the Barilla World Pasta Championships, beating nineteen chefs from around the world to become victor with his stunning dish, Spaghetti alla carbonara di mare. Originally from Menfi in Sicily, Accursio now resides in the United States, working as head chef at Solare in San Diego.

ORYX Restaurante | Tijuana, Mexico
Renowned Tijuana Chef Ibarra honed his skills at Spain’s three-star Michelin restaurant Cenador De Amos and Italy’s Osteria Francescana. Chef Ibarra’s acclaimed ORYX Restaurante in Tijuana serves a Baja California menu focused on the mesquite grill, which Ibarra has coined “CaliBaja.”

Ranch 45 | San Diego, California
Chef Schwartz honed his skills at Charlotte's in Lakeville, Connecticut where he learned about farm-to-table meals and the importance of fresh, locally sourced ingredients. He served as sous chef at the famed Lutece in The Venetian before returning to San Diego to serve as executive chef of Marina Kitchen. His acclaimed restaurant Ranch 45 Local Provisions, features only in-season products from his network of like-minded ranchers, farmers and fisherman.

Civico 1845 | San Diego, California
Chef Pietro Civico’s love of Italian cuisine, coupled with a passion for veganism and healthy living became the inspiration behind the vegan and gluten-free menu at Civico 1845. Pietro serves as Executive Chef to ensure these dishes are made properly and with as much care as the rest of the menu.

Herb & Wood | San Diego, California
Chef Anthony has won two TV cooking competitions: Food Network’s “Cutthroat Kitchen” and “Chopped: Next Generation.” He is the executive chef at San Diego’s acclaimed “Herb & Wood” restaurant in Little Italy and has worked alongside its owner and acclaimed restaurateur Brian Malarkey for a decade.

Ambrogio by Acquerello | San Diego, CA

At 19 years old, Chef Enea graduated from Rome's hotellerie school and worked in a historic Roman restaurant before enrolling in Italy's prestigious culinary school, Alma. He met Chef Silvio Salmoiraghi and became Chef de Partie at 2 Michelin star restaurant Glam. After returning to Alma, he becomes a full-time teacher, collaborating with Michelin star chef Paolo Lopriore. He then joined Chef Salmoiraghi at Ristorante Acquerello and became Head Chef at Ambrogio by Acquerello in San Diego.

Bocuse d’Or Americas - Team Mexico
Chef Reyna Venegas, a Northern Baja native, combines her culinary heritage with nutritious "spa cuisine" at La Cocina Que Canta. She teaches healthy eating and farm-to-table cooking classes. Venegas graduated from the University of California, San Diego's Integrative Nutrition program and holds a Pastry Degree from Lycée Technique et Hôtelier de Monte-Carlo and Fondation Turquois. She manages Restaurante Amores and collaborates with Team Mexico for the Bocuse d'Or Americas 2024.

Amores Restaurant Bocuse D’or Principal Tecate, MEX
Born in Mexico City to Japanese parents, Chef Marcelo Hisaki grew up surrounded by a diversity of flavor, texture, color, and tradition that combined both Japanese and Mexican culinary heritage. In 2013, Chef Marcelo and his wife Chef Reyna Venegas opened Restaurante Amores in Tecate, Baja California. He recently represented Mexico in the Bocuse d’Or Finale 2023, a prestigious culinary contest in Lyon, France, receiving the social commitment award as a recognition to his team’s involvement in support of migrants’ food insecurity in Baja California.

Cori Pastificio | 2017 Barilla World Pasta Champ San Diego, CA
Accursio Lota is the 2017 winner of the Barilla World Pasta Championships, beating nineteen chefs from around the world to become victor with his stunning dish, Spaghetti alla carbonara di mare. Originally from Menfi in Sicily, Accursio now resides in the United States, working as head chef at Solare in San Diego.

Cori Pastificio | 2017 Barilla World Pasta Champ San Diego, CA
A Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand award winner, Drew Bent is the Executive Chef/Partner at Lola 55 in San Diego.

Catamundi CDMX, MEX
Pablo Carrera is the Executive Chef and Director of Operations of Grupo Catamundi as well as a founding partner of Fabrica de Restaurantes. Pablo has been part of the team since its conception and has led the creation, execution and growth of the project that today includes the restaurant, cafeteria, pastry shop, bakery, bar, gourmet market and Catering.

Official Chocolate Sponsor
Elias Läderach, a member of the Läderach family of Swiss chocolatiers, has won the World Chocolate Masters in Paris. He won first place in four out of seven categories, including Chocolate Showpiece, Chocolate Snack to go, Chocolate Design, and Chocolate Bonbon. Läderach's innovative interpretations of the Futropolis theme and meticulously hand-crafted creations were praised for their refined yet simple texture, intense taste, and sustainability. The competition aimed to inspire future chocolate and pastry creations, as half of the world's population will live in megacities with 10 million inhabitants or more by 2025.