Meet Our Participating Chefs

We will be adding to these lists frequently as we get closer to the event, so be sure to check back on this page!

Our Chef Co-Chairs

Chef Kevin Rathbun, Kevin Rathbun Steak

Chef Kevin Rathbun’s passion for food and hospitality started in Kansas City, where he started as a dishwasher. Following culinary school, Rathbun went on to New Orleans, Dallas, Houston and Atlanta to work with celebrity chefs and restaurateurs including Bradley Ogden, Emeril Lagasse, Stephen Pyles, Ella Brennan and Pano Karatassos. In 1994, he was nominated for the James Beard Awards “Rising Star Chef” for his work at Baby Ruth. By 1996, he opened two different flagship restaurants with Buckhead Life Restaurant Group and served as the Corporate Executive Chef, overseeing several restaurants for the group. Rathbun then ventured out on his own in 2004 to open Rathbun’s. Krog Bar, Kevin Rathbun Steak and KR Steakbar followed. Rathbun has graciously chaired Party in the Kitchen for 10 years and contributed much more to Open Hand.

Chef Peter Kaiser, Kaiser's Chophouse

Kaiser’s first real job in the kitchen was at the elite resort restaurant Alpine Rose in Gstaad Switzerland where he was a line cook. He took this experience to his next opportunity, the Michelin Guide restaurant Chez Max in Zurich. Kaiser spent two years at Chez Max, including traveling around the world with owner Max Kell, before settling in the United States. Between 1986 and 2016, Kaiser would travel to Atlanta and work at restaurants in the Buckhead Life group. He went on to become Executive Chef at two different restaurants in the Here to Serve Restaurant Group. In 2017, Kaiser opened Kaiser’s Chophouse in collaboration with Chef Kevin Rathbun. Since its opening, Kaiser has become a frequent supporter of Open Hand, chairing Party in the Kitchen for the second year in a row.

Patron Party Chefs

Chef Matthew Basford, Canoe

Chef Matthew Basford started his culinary journey at Pear Tree Cottage in Greenock, Australia, followed by Vintner’s Bar and Grill in Angaston. After completing his four year apprenticeship, Basford was officially a “Qualified Chef”, and travelled to the United States. In December 2002, Basford moved to New Orleans, LA and began working at Dominique’s at the Maison Dupuy Hotel. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, Basford was relocated to Atlanta, GA. Within a week, Basford found himself in the Canoe kitchen. He started as line cook and worked his way up the ranks from sous chef to executive sous chef, and finally, chef de cuisine. In 2013, Basford was named executive chef of Canoe and continues the legacy of the city’s longstanding bastion of fine dining.

Raymond Hook, Capella Cheese

Raymond Hook is the cheesemonger to the stars of Atlanta. Hook has extensive experience in the Atlanta food scene, managing Star Provisions. Since managing Star Provisions, Hook moved to San Francisco to work for a national specialty food distributor. After working in San Francisco, he moved to New York to work on the business side of cheese. This wealth of new knowledge, combined with eager business partners, culminated in Capella Cheese, a cheese shop that Hook plans to make accessible to anyone with any interest in cheese. From working in his family’s restaurant at the cheese counter in Norman, Oklahoma, to owning and operating his own cheese shop, Raymond Hook has truly built a special relationship with cheese.

Chef Billy Kramer, NFA Burger

After a 25-year career spanning the shoe industry, radio, print, and digital media, Billy Kramer left the corporate world to follow a passion developed during business travels: burgers. Kramer’s first pop-up was in the spring of 2018 at Battle and Brew in Sandy Springs, quickly followed by pop-ups at Galla’s Pizza in Chamblee, Where’s the Scoop, Big Sky, and the TOUR Championship. In the fall of 2019, Kramer stumbled upon a newly opened cafe inside the Chevron just three miles from home in Dunwoody. After meeting with the owner, Billy got permission to launch the first NFA Burger inside the gas station. On December 3, 2019, the first burger was smashed inside what is currently the only location.

Chef Michael Schorn, Zakia

Michael Schorn grew up in South Dakota, fostering a passion for all things local and farm-raised. Schorn started his culinary career upon arriving in Atlanta with Canoe in 2000, and excelled in opening seven restaurant concepts while in Atlanta before moving to Charleston in 2017. While in Charleston, he found his love for Middle Eastern cuisine ad culture as Head Chef for The Butcher & Bee. Schorn would stay until 2019, when he would move to Denver to work as a Chef de Cuisine at Safta. Schorn returned to Atlanta and met the Akly family, which brought about the idea to open Zakia.

Main Event Chefs

Chef Costanzo Astarita, Baraonda Ristorante

Costanzo Astarita was born on the isle of Capri, Italy at a young age his parents emigrated to Bermuda. After high school, he attended Bermuda Culinary College. After graduating, he moved to the United Kingdom to further his education and received a BA in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Upon his return to Bermuda and working there for a while, he was offered a position at Chateau Elan as Food & Beverage Director. His ambition was always to own his own restaurant and at present owns Baraonda Ristorante, Publik Draft House and E Ke Pizza.

Chef Monique Barrow, Tre Vele

Monique Barrow was nine years old when she discovered her passion and love for food; born and raised in Barbados, her Caribbean influence has been her sole foundation throughout her culinary journey. After completing school and working at two luxury hotels in Barbados, Barrow enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Atlanta in 2009. After finishing her degree, she worked her way from Line Cook to Sous Chef under Chef Ian Winslade at Buckhead Bottle Bar. Barrow then followed Winslade to Murphy’s and would eventually go to Dantanna’s, where she became Executive Chef. In 2020, she reunited with Chef Winslade as Sous Chef at Mission + Market. Quickly after, Barrow would transition in 2022 to Tre Vele as Executive Chef. She continues to rely on her rich Barbadian heritage, ready to grow and take on new challenges.

Chefs Nicole Benza and Simone B. Essman, Atta Girl Bakery and Catering

Atta Girl Bakery and Catering is the culmination of years of learning, experience, dedication, and commitment. Women minority owned and operated, this business is a beautiful blend of different cultures from two ends of the globe coming together to create a unique, harmonious, and dynamic menu. Nicole Benza is a Peruvian native and Atlanta transplant who brings her unique style and flavor with signature traditional Peruvian desserts. Simone B Essman loves blending her Indian flavor profiles and techniques with her new-found love for classic Southern Cuisine, learnt from her mother-in-law, a true southern belle. Put these two ladies together and you have stunning, fun, unique and memorable desserts.

Chef Arnaldo Castillo, Tio Lucho’s

Arnaldo Castillo is an enigma; born in Peru, raised in the South, and with one foot planted firmly in both cultures. Inspired by his father, Luis, Castillo has been a part of the restaurant industry since the age of 16. Castillo has been recognized as a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef in the Southeast. Having worked in a variety of roles along his culinary journey, he has learned the industry ropes as a server, dishwasher, cook, sous chef, and chef de cuisine in the kitchens of esteemed Atlanta restaurants including Minero, Pura Vida, Empire State South and Little Trouble, which he also helped open. Castillo set out on the venture to open Tio Lucho’s after the pandemic, taking developing a full Peruvian experience for Atlantans to enjoy.

Anthony DiNardo, Henri’s Bakery & Deli

Anthony DiNardo, through his family, learned the art of baking and the importance of keeping family traditions. His great-grandfather, Henri Fiscus, started the original Henri’s Bakery in 1929. DiNardo took over the business from his aunt, Madeline Leonard. Leonard ran Henri’s for 43 years and truly helped to show DiNardo the ropes. Now, Anthony DiNardo taking charge of the family business has brought a modern spin, while still focusing on the traditions passed through multiple generations. The stories of DiNardo’s great-grandfather continue to influence his decisions for the business.

Chefs Justin and Jonathan Fox, Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q

Born in San Antonio, raised in Houston and then Fort Worth, Justin and Jonathan took an interest in cooking during their teens, watching Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse on the Food Network and hosting dinner parties for their friends. They took their first food-service jobs at Six Flags Over Texas, where Justin made funnel cakes and Jonathan managed a lemonade stand. Moving to Atlanta in the late 1990’s, they made it their mission to try BBQ all over Atlanta. They never found a restaurant that lived up to the Texas standards they came to know. Through backyard barbeques and concert series, they broke into the local scene with their food. Justin and Jonathan eventually went on to open Fox Bros. and have since become the most popular BBQ in Atlanta.

Jackie Fukuya Merkel, Bishoku

Hailing from Osaka, Japan, Jackie Fukuya Merkel came to the States at age nine. She grew up working in her family’s restaurant. She grew up peeling onions, finding that she did not love the restaurant industry, but then falling back in love after stints in the retail industry and corporate world. She opened Bishoku in 2009 in Sandy Springs, drawing in locals who have since become longtime patrons. Merkel has other businesses that she has run for almost 10 years. She also teaches an annual culinary program at Riverwood International Charter High School. Between Bishoku and her other businesses, Merkel has built a tight knit community in Sandy Springs.

Chef Jessica Gamble, KR SteakBar

Chef Jessica Gamble was born and raised in the Atlanta area. Recognizing her love for the food industry, she started working in restaurants as a dishwasher at 16 and grew from there. She has worked her way up to be Chef de Cuisine for Chef Kevin Rathbun at KR SteakBar in Buckhead. She was Rathbun’s first female Chef de Cuisine and one of the youngest. Chef Gamble draws on her experience from traveling and trying different food from a myriad of cultures. She builds her menu at KR SteakBar with a focus on Italian food, local and seasonal products, and prime steak. Outside of work she enjoys hanging out with her giant dog, Dudley, and aggressively playing trivia.

Chef Chris Hall, Local Three Kitchen & Bar

Chris Hall’s story begins right around the corner from Local Three at the Pizza Hut on Collier Road, where he worked as a teenager. After leaving Atlanta for college in Philadelphia, Hall landed at Lec Bec Fin. Hall eventually headed home to Atlanta and found work at Canoe, working at the restaurant until he finally opened Local Three in 2010 with the help of Ryan Turner and Todd Musman. His main role now is as partner in charge of day-to-day operations of Unsukay Partners restaurants, Local Three, Roshambo, Muss & Turner’s and MTH Pizza.

Chef Stephen Herman, Arnette's Chop Shop

Growing up in Knoxville, Tennessee, Chef Stephen Herman would watch in awe as his mother, an exceptional baker, would spend hours in the kitchen. This sparked Stephen’s love for cooking at a young age, and he has never looked back. Inspired by his mother, Herman decided to pursue a culinary career. Herman got his culinary chops as a mentee to renowned Chef Bob Waggoner when he invited him to cook in some of France’s finest establishments. he then returned to Atlanta and worked at JOËL until moving to Haven with Word of Mouth Restaurants in 2003. He would eventually become partner in 2012, and then move to Arnette’s Chop Shop, where he is now delighting patrons with his extraordinary cuisine.

Chef Eddie Hernandez, Taqueria Del Sol

Eddie Hernandez was born in Monterrey, Mexico. As a child, Eddie learned to cook from his grandmother in her restaurants. At age 16, he moved to the United States to pursue his dreams of becoming a famous drummer. He decided it was not the life he wanted to live and moved to Atlanta in 1989 and found work in a Mexican restaurant south of Atlanta. He quickly made his mark in the kitchen, laying the groundwork for his business partnership with Taqueria del Sol CEO Mike Klank. They opened the first Taqueria del Sol on Atlanta’s Westside in 2000, creating a menu inspired by Hernandez’s native country and Klank’s experiences in the American Southwest. He and Klank have been named semi-finalists in the James Beard Foundation Awards for Excellence’s Outstanding Restaurateur category for four years.

Chef Terry Koval, The Deer and The Dove

Chef Terry Koval moved from South Carolina to Atlanta in 2000 and worked at the famed Buckhead Diner before moving to work under Chef Gary Mennie at Canoe. There, he rose to the position of Executive Sous Chef. He then went to join Concentrics Restaurants as the Executive Sous Chef of Lobby at TWELVE and was promoted to Executive Chef at the sister restaurant Room at TWELVE. He was offered the position to conceptualize burgers for Farm Burger in 2010, eventually earning awards from Food and Wine Magazine. By 2013, Koval moved to Wrecking Bar Brewpub as the Executive Chef. In 2019, Chef Terry and his wife opened their own dream restaurants, The Deer and the Dove and B-Side. Koval has since been nominated as a finalist for the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southeast.

Chef Laura Orellana, Table & Main

Laura was born and raised in El Salvador, where she enjoyed her earliest culinary memories. By age 17, she knew she would embrace cooking as a profession. In 2004 she moved to Seville, Spain to study at one of the best culinary schools, Escuela de Hosteleria de Sevilla. In her earliest professional experience, she learned at El Cingle in Barcelona, a Michelin starred restaurant. She moved to Atlanta in 2009 to work with the esteemed Buckhead Life Group. Laura joined Table & Main in 2012 as a Line Cook before opening Osteria Mattone, our sister restaurant, as the Sous Chef in 2013 and serving in that capacity for eight years. Most recently, Chef Laura helped open Casa Robles, R.O. Hospitality’s latest concept, in 2021. She is back at Table & Main now as Executive Sous Chef. .

Chef Craig Richards, Lyla Lila

Chef Craig Richards came to Atlanta in 2005 after five years of learning Italian cookery under Lidia Bastianich, opening restaurants in the Midwest and Northeast. He first worked at La Tavola, building out a regional Italian menu. From La Tavola, Richards continued to hone his European craft at Ecco, developing special menus biweekly. By 2014, Chef Richards was asked to open Ford Fry’s newest restaurant concept, St. Cecilia. He later transitioned to the position of Vice President of Culinary for Ford Fry before having the chance at ownership for Lyla Lila in 2019. Since opening, Lyla Lila and Chef Craig Richards have become nationally recognized by the James Beard Foundation, The New York Times, and most recently The Michelin Guide.

Chef Phillip Sandidge, C&S Seafood and Oyster Bar

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Phillip Sandidge has always had a passion for cooking. He began his career at the renowned Capital Grille and went on to hone his culinary skills at various acclaimed restaurants in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Now, Sandidge prould hangs his hat as Corporate Executive Chef where he takes great pride in collaborating with a talented and dedicated team, fostering an environment of creativity and innovation. With every dish, Sandidge not only showcases his culinary artistry but also ensures that each guest enjoys an unforgettable dining experience.

Chef Doug Turbush, Seed

Doug Turbush’s desire to learn every aspect of the restaurant business led him to a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from the University of Wisconsin in Stout, and later to the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, graduating with honors from both universities. Upon graduating from the CIA, a move to Minneapolis opened the doors to a position at Goodfellows, a restaurant by celebrity chef Stephen Pyles. Turbush eventually joined the Buckhead Life Restaurant Group in 1999 as Chef de Tournant at Nava under Chef Kevin Rathbun. He would go on to become Executive Chef of both Nava and Bluepointe before setting off to open Seed Kitchen & Bar in Marietta, where he now cooks and owns.

Chef Charmain Ware-Jason, Tiny Lou's

Chef Charmain Ware’s journey to becoming a pastry chef was unconventional. After a car crash left her bedridden, she discovered a passion for baking through The Food Network. Encouraged by a friend, she applied for a culinary grant and trained under instructors from the City of Refuge culinary program. Her career includes stints with Cirque du Soleil and various renowned restaurants. The pandemic forced her to confront personal trauma, leading to a transformative period. In January 2021, she became the Executive Pastry Chef at Tiny Lou’s. Chef Charmain pours her heart into her creations, striving for excellence with each menu. Her passion for baking has been a life-saving force, driving her to achieve greatness.

Chef Ian Winslade, Mission + Market

Ian Winslade’s career started at New York’s La Bernardin, progressing from the bakery to Sous Chef under Eric Ripert. Winslade's first 15 years focused on French cuisine, while his California period ignited a passion for multicultural dishes and fresh, local produce. Over 20 years in Atlanta, Winslade has shaped its dining scene through roles in top spots like Bluepointe, Spice Market, Market by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and ending as the executive chef of Murphy's and Paces & Vine. Winslade now oversees kitchen operations at Mission + Market, along with Tre Vele and Zakia.

Chef Camron Woods, Message in a Bottle

As a culinary professional with over 25 years of experience, there isn’t much Camron doesn’t love about cooking. He started his career in 1995 working as a dishwasher at 17. He completed an apprenticeship at the acclaimed Woodlands Resort and Inn, then rose through the ranks to executive sous chef. In 2003, Camron was recruited by Four Season’s Hotels in Atlanta and later the Bahamas. In 2007, he moved west to Southern California and opened The Grand del Mar Resort as well as a free-standing restaurant in La Jolla, California, then to Orange County to open The Ranch at Laguna Beach. Camron then spent 5 years overseeing the culinary operations of two properties with Omni Hotels in San Antonio, Texas before moving back to Atlanta to be closer to family.