Owner & Executive Chef - The Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens

‍Chef ​Rich ​Mead ​has been cooking farm-to-table food before the​ term even existed. With decades of culinary expertise, Chef Mead has cultivated relationships with the highest regarded local ​and sustainably focused farms​ and purveyors​ allowing him to create the freshest menus using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and specially grown vegetables. Today, Farmhouse ​at Roger's Gardens ​is the culmination of Mead's long-standing relationship with ​these farmers and purveyors​, who have become in many ways like family​ and have provided him with quality ingredients that Farmhouse uses​ throughout the menu in thoughtfully crafted dishes and cocktails.

Oceans & Earth + Future Foods Farms

Chef Adam is a true pioneer in the sustainable restaurant and farming community. Adam was the first Chef in the world to grow food for his restaurant and catering company using Aquaponics . In addition to winning "Chef of the Year 2018" with the Southern California Writers, he is the founder of Future Foods Farms. Future Foods Farms produces all organically grown products in greenhouses and aquaponics beds. These crops of fresh, healthy foods are showcased in his popular Oceans & Earth restaurant, voted "Best Gluten-Free Restaurant in the Country" in 2019.

Executive Chef and Owner – Break of Dawn Restaurant

Chef Dee Nguyen is the son of hard-working refugees who fled Vietnam when he was a young boy, Dee was expected to become a doctor or lawyer but found his passion was in cooking. Dee excelled as a chef, graduating from the California Culinary Academy. Dee was hired as a chef at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel, CA where he rose through the ranks in record time to become their Executive Sous Chef. A life changing accident involving his son, prompted Dee to leave his dream job at the Ritz Carlton to care for his son. Dee started his own restaurant which operates five days per week from 8 am to 1 pm for breakfast and brunch. This allows Dee to care for his son in the afternoon/evenings. He hosts monthly pop-up tasting menus with the most imaginative courses. The focus is upon a theme ingredient and Dee searches through farmer’s markets and forages in the woods for local seasonal ingredients. Guests are treated to Dee’s creative masterpieces during these special dinners highlighting his talents as a high-flying Executive Chef.

Catered Courses

“I started Catered Courses as an avenue for sharing my passion for food by creating a fine dining adventure in your home. It’s time for you to experience an evening where every flavor is savored, wines are matched beautifully and conversation flows. Pull up a chair, forget the outside world, enjoy.”

Culinary Manager - Tanaka Farms

‍Chef Jim Gibbons is the former executive hotel chef for Hilton Hotels in Arizona. He manages the Culinary Team and the Tanaka Grill at Tanaka Farms. Jim also leads the cooking classes and cook out tours at Tanaka Farms. He enjoys taking guests out on the farm where they grow a variety of fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables. Guests learn to harvest and collect fresh ingredients to create delicious Farm to Table meals.

Plant-Based Chef, Tanaka Farms

Joni Marie Newman is vegan for the animals. She is a vegan chef and ten-time published cookbook author, food blogger at JustTheFood.com, and former Food Editor at VegNews Magazine. She now enjoys working at Tanaka Farms, teaching cooking classes, and developing recipes featuring Tanaka Farm's fresh produce.

Owner, Northtown Bistro

I was born and raised on the Northside of Long Beach, an area that’s lacked economic opportunity and investment for many years. Now branded by developers as Uptown, it’s starting to see investment, but lacks new, locally owned businesses. I aim to change that. In my career, I have worked hard as a military veteran, mattress salesman, mechanic, warehouse worker, security guard, and more. The one constant in my life has been my love for kitchen and good food, motivated to bring joy and happiness through delicious nourishment. In developing Northtown Bistro, I’ve desired to show my children that hard work pays off, and while roadblocks happen, the way you maneuver tells the world what kind of person you are.

Plant Based Chef and Ayurvedic Consultant + Food as Medicine by Shina

‍Plant Based Chef and Ayurvedic Consultant, Shina Chen teaches people how they can lead healthier lifestyles and experience Food as Medicine. Her mantra is “opposites cure”. If you are hot, you crave something cold. In the summer it is hot and cooling foods like fresh limes help cool down your body. Lemons are considered hot, and limes are cooing. When it is cold in the winter, our bodies crave hot food. The opposite of salty foods are sweet foods. Shina provides private health and wellness consultations for her clients. Her go to ingredient is ginger which is considered the mother of mother nature because ginger is good for so many things such as digestion, relieving nausea, etc. She is a talented and creative chef using fresh organic plant-based ingredients.

Executive Chef Baker/Cook and Owner at Crema Café + Crema Artisan Bakers

‍Chef Tarit Tanjasiri’s love for baking and his interest in dough science started right after studying at the University of Southern California when working at a pizza shop. His business and economics studies in college led him to work as a real estate investor, developer and in property management. His entrepreneurship skills and his love for baking led him to the hospitality industry where he owned different cafes and restaurants in Downtown LA and the San Fernando Valley since 1993. He attended a French Pastry School in Chicago learning the craft of baking Artisan breads. Tarit is now owner of a vibrant and bustling café, The Crema Café in Seal Beach and Crema Artisan Bakers, Wholesale Bakery in Irvine. His current projects, in collaboration with two friends include Artisan, 7 leaves and Crema bakery in Fountain Valley.

Confectioner/Founder of Keto Krack’d

Chef Willy knew he had to make a lifestyle change when he couldn't get through an entire workday without drinking 6 cups of coffee. This is when he found keto and never looked back. From 2013-2021, he tried all types of keto, low-carb snacks, diabetic-friendly snacks on the market but he wasn't satisfied with what was offered as nothing available had clean ingredients nor did it satisfy his sweet tooth . After years of subpar snacks, he felt that we shouldn't have to sacrifice taste for health, or health for taste and that we deserved better snacking options. In 2019, founded Keto Krack'd, a small batch, handmade low sugar confection company, and he took it upon himself to learn how to make confections ranging from sugar candies to chocolate. With his combined knowledge of healthy ingredients, candy making, and dozens of recipes he's been perfecting over time, he created the first line of confections Keto Krack'd after months of trial and error in the test kitchen. Years later, Willy still spends time in the kitchen R&Ding the next low-sugar, keto-friendly, high protein snack to satisfy everyone's taste buds and cravings!

Executive Chef- All Things Fabulous Catering

‍Chef Dani Leyva has been cooking for as long as she can remember. Growing up in an Italian family everything was made from scratch, the freshest ingredients and made with a lot of love. Her memories were either standing on my “special” stool at her very own “special” pull out cutting board in the kitchen or gathered around her Nana and Papa’s dining room table surrounded by family. Dani’s greatest influences in the kitchen were generation taught, strong, influential Italian women, her Great Grandma G, her Nana, and her amazing Mother. They taught Dani everything from making Sunday Sauce, Leg of Lamb slow cooked on a rotisserie, homemade breads, fresh herb dressings and so much more. Dani has spent 30 years of her life combining her experience and love for all things culinary. She love’s creating memories for her clients and being transported back to her childhood, where family, friends and amazing food will be remembered always. An amazing personal chef and caterer, she has crafted incredibly unique cocktail parties for corporate events, weddings, and special occasions.

Executive Chef Baker/Owner at OC Baking Company

‍Chef Dean Kim first fell in love with baking while attending UC Berkeley for his undergraduate degree. He was working part-time at a local bagel store as a baker when he immediately fell in love with the smell of bagels. That is when he knew he wanted to pursue baking instead of law school. He attended the American Institute of Baking and the San Francisco Baking Institute to get a proper culinary education. He then moved down to Orange County and worked for a local bakery. Several years later, with the support of his wife, he decided to open his own shop and OC Baking Company was born. Chef Dean is an award-winning executive artisan baker bringing artistic, unique bread to leading hotels and restaurants in Southern California.

Say “Huyen” Catering

Huyen (pronounced “when”) is the owner of the company Say Huyen Catering and is a lifelong veteran of the food industry. From working in her parent’s restaurant as a child, to bartending, serving, running a busy catering division for a popular eatery in Pasadena, California and eventually running her own catering company. Huyen has done it all and continues to do it day in and day out. Born in Vietnam and raised in Chicago. Huyen began at an early age working in her parent’s restaurant. “Having the experience at such a young age helped me learn the multiple disciplines of cooking.” Huyen was always a natural in the Kitchen and understood at an early age what her true calling would be.

Working throughout her childhood and high school years, Huyen continued to hone her skills. At 23 she headed to California to tackle a new region and all it had to offer in regards to food. Taking multiple jobs, sometimes all at once to support her family, Huyen didn’t take these jobs for granted as just a way to make ends meet. She became a sponge and tried to soak up as much knowledge as possible at each job. With all of her experience, she finally asked this question a few years ago. “Why can’t I do this myself, make my own decisions and take control of what I do best?” Her answer of course was “why not” and Say Huyen Catering was born.

From intimate parties of 12 to large gatherings of 250, Huyen can do it all. Sweet or savory she can customize any menu to your liking. Huyen is not a graduate of any prestigious brick-and-mortar culinary institution but rather a graduate of another great culinary school, the school of life.

Chef and Food Service Specialist Michelle Curry

‍Michelle Curry’s earliest childhood memories have one thing in common: eating delicious food. Her introduction to food service occurred in elementary school when she volunteered to help serve her fellow students’ lunch. She went on to attend both the Chef Training program at LA Trade Technical College as well as the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, where she received a broad education, while simultaneously working in restaurants. After returning to Los Angeles, Michelle worked with Joachim Splichal at Patina, and Amy Pressman at the Old Town Bakery in Pasadena. While raising her children, Michelle continued to create specialty desserts and wedding cakes, cater events, and teach cooking classes at Home-Chef in Pasadena. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Food and Nutrition from Cal Poly Pomona and transferred her years of experience to school nutrition. Michelle is most proud of returning to her alma mater, South Pasadena USD, as the Director of Child Nutrition. During her tenure, she created a meal program emphasizing fresh food, flavor, quality and variety, while tripling the revenue and building a financially stable program. Feeding 1,000 people in 20 minutes each day is no small feat! She was recognized nationally with the Silver Fame Award in 2016 and served on the School Nutrition Association’s Chef’s Task Force, promoting excellence in food. She hung up her cafeteria apron for the last time in June, 2022 and is excited to pursue new opportunities in the food industry. Michelle Curry’s love for delicious food occurred at a very young age while helping with school lunches. She went on to attend both the Chef Training program at LA Trade Technical College as well as the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, where she received a broad education, while simultaneously working in restaurants. After returning to Los Angeles, Michelle worked with Joachim Splichal at Patina, and Amy Pressman at the Old Town Bakery in Pasadena. While raising her children, Michelle continued to create specialty desserts and wedding cakes, cater events, and teach cooking classes at Home-Chef in Pasadena. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Food and Nutrition from Cal Poly Pomona and transferred her years of experience to school nutrition as the Director of Child Nutrition. During her tenure, she created a meal program emphasizing fresh food, flavor, quality and variety, while tripling the revenue and building a financially stable program. Feeding 1,000 people in 20 minutes each day is no small feat! She was recognized nationally with the Silver Fame Award in 2016 and served on the School Nutrition Association’s Chef’s Task Force, promoting excellence in food.

Old Town Baking Company

As a young boy, Don Bishop enjoyed being in the kitchen with his mother Myrtle. By the age of 9, he developed a passion for baking and was soon preparing bread, rolls, and pies in the family kitchen. Don joined the US Army in 1957 and soon became the night head baker where he used his baking skills to nourish hungry soldiers. Years later he revisited his passion for baking when he opened his doors for business in 1999. Old Town Baking Company carries on the tradition of baking handmade, fresh- baked breads and sweets. Today, we continue in this same tradition by providing you, our customer, with exceptional, handmade quality and freshness.