Talent
Chef Beau MacMillan
Chef Beau MacMillan has cooked in some of America’s most distinguished kitchens. A two-time James Beard Foundation award-nominee for Best Chef: Southwest, he hails from Plymouth, Massachusetts and is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island.. read more
Troy Johnson
Troy is an award-winning food writer who’s been a host and cooking competition judge on Food Network for 13 years. He and his wife Claire own San Diego Magazine, telling the stories of the Southern California food culture. In 2011 he wrote and hosted his first primetime TV series for Food Network (“Crave”), and has since been a judge on over 150 episodes of “Guy’s Grocery Games” with Guy Fieri. read more...
Chef Fabio Viviani
About Fabio Viviani: Fabio Viviani is a celebrity chef, hospitality developer, restauranteur, best-selling cookbook author and TV Host. In 2005 he moved from Florence, Italy to the United States to expand his horizons within the hospitality industry. In 2008 he appeared on the reality television competition series Top Chef where he was voted “Fan Favorite.” He subsequently returned to the Bravo network to compete on Top Chef: All Stars. Read more..
Chef Jonathon Sawyer
An old world German chef was the best thing to happen to Jonathon Sawyer. Back in the early 2000’s Sawyer found himself in engineering school staring at an auto-cad program on a computer screen every day and cooking in a local Dayton Ohio restaurant every night. The Chef, staunch in his stubborn ways one day came to Sawyer and said in his thick German accent “you, you are good at cooking.” Read more...
DJ JERZY
Named one of the “Top 100 DJs in America,” Jerzy is a multifaceted DJ, producer, and personality featured in the Chicago Sun-Times, New York Times, Vegas Magazine, and more.
Inspired by theater, film, and pop culture, Jerzy is one of the most in-demand DJs and is widely known for his creative ability to energize a crowd of thousands as the official DJ of the Chicago Blackhawks. Read more...
Chef Dominic Zumpano
Chef Dominic Zumpano is the co-founder of the Cotton Duck Hospitality Group, which owns and operates The Gallery, The Peanut Gallery and Lucky Duck restaurants in Lake Forest, Illinois. He started his career on the west side of Chicago at an American fine dining restaurant. In just a few years he worked his way from dishwasher to chef tournade. Read more...
Artist Ari Smejkal
Painter and sculptor, Ari Smejkal, has been creating for over 30 years. Known around the world for his exquisite furniture designs and his uniquely skilled craftsmanship, Smejkal has always shown a passion for true artistry in all its forms. Having found an opportunity to feature his knowledge, skill, and workmanship on HGTV’s Windy City Rehab, Read more...
Sommelier Philippe André
As a second-generation Sommelier and restaurateur, Philippe André has been a leader in the wine and hospitality industry for almost two decades. Philippe first developed a passion for hospitality and wine education growing up in the fine dining restaurant business. He answered his professional calling as the Wine Director of the highly awarded wine program at Oceanique restaurant in Evanston, Illinois managing a cellar of over 1,300 selections and overseeing a dedicated Sommelier team. Read more..
Sonja Kassebaum
Sonja Kassebaum is the Co-Owner and Co-founder of North Shore Distillery, located in north suburban Chicago. North Shore is the original craft distillery in Illinois, opening at a time when there were just a few dozen craft distilleries in the United States. Sonja loves making spirits and cocktails of all kinds, and enjoys sharing them with others, including the history, tools and techniques involved in making them. read more...
Chef Todd Stein
Chef Todd Stein leads the culinary team for Ballyhoo’s North Shore locations and is focused on crafting menus that uphold and drive the Ballyhoo brand. He cultivated his love of culinary arts from a young age, having interned as a boy at a restaurant in his hometown of Highland Park. Chef Todd has had a storied career in the kitchen, serving as Executive Chef at some of the most acclaimed restaurants in Chicago, including The Hudson Club, mk, Cibo Matto, The Bristol, and Quartino. read more...
Chef Ryan Clark
At 38 years of age, Chef Ryan Clark has accomplished much in his career. A Tucson native true to his roots and committed to using local and sustainable ingredients, Chef Clark’s dishes reflect the freshness and unique flavors that only result from this kind of culinary sensibility.
In 2017 Chef Ryan Clark was hired as Executive Chef for the AAA 4 Diamond and Forbes 4 Star Hotel Casino Del Sol. He oversees and manages a culinary/food and beverage staff of over 450 Associates in 11 different culinary operations read more...
Chef Paul Boehmer
Chef Paul Boehmer's commitment to fine cuisine spans more than four decades. Learning his craft as an apprentice, he went on to hone his craft at several top Toronto establishments. After an apprenticeship under the noted chef Michael Stadtländer in 1983, Paul moved to Scaramouche in 1985 as chef tournant. Thereafter, he went on to Bistro 990 as sous chef in 1987. Paul rejoined Michael Stadtländer Read more...
Musician Matt Feddermann
Taking his early rock influences and melding them with acoustic based music, Matt Feddermann has created a sound that is reminiscent of early Tom Petty, The Beatles, Rhett Miller & Dawes. His music is melodic & his sound is accessible. Over the years, Feddermann has performed at venues like House Of Blues, Metro, Double Door and at festivals such as Taste Of Chicago, read more...
Artist / Curator Cecilia Lanyon
Cecilia Lanyon is the co-founder of The Cotton Duck Hospitality group which owns and operates The Gallery, The Peanut Gallery restaurants in Lake Forest. She serves on the Advisory board of The Deer Path Art League, Where she recently served as the Executive Director. Cecilia opened her first business in 2012, Read More..
Chef Mark Newman
Locally grown chef Mark Newman started his career as an ad man who enjoyed cooking for friends and family. Realizing the best career is one in which you are doing something you love, Neman left media to enroll in culinary school. Graduating at the top of his class, he worked at several high-profile restaurants and also spent time abroad, staging and traveling, working his way across Italy and Sicily...read more
Chef Todd Stoner
Chef Todd Stoner is a fourth generation chef. He grew up on the grounds of the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia where his father served as Vice President of Food and Beverage for 30 years. His early memories are of running through the massive kitchen of the Greenbrier grabbing cookies as they were pulled hot from the ovens. By the age of 16 he was working in that same kitchen performing a variety of kitchen tasks. Read more..
Josh Post
Josh was born and raised in Libertyville while made the downtown area a natural location for his two restaurants. Milwaky Trace offers diners a chef-driven, seasonal menu and popular craft cocktails. Milwalky Taco is an inviting 150-seat taco joint for friends and family to enjoy traditional tacos and the best margaritas around. A hands-on restauranteur, you will find Josh at either restaurant at almost anytime
Pastry Chef Hailey Marciniak
Hailey inherited her passion for baking from her family. At a young age, she began cooking and baking with her grandmother. With guidance from her uncle, a baker with many years of experience in cake decorating.
Hailey is a graduate of Purdue University with a bachelors of arts in psychology. After graduation in 2011, Hailey took her grandmother’s advice and continue to follow her passion for pastry by enrolling in Le Cordon Bleu Chicago’s Patisserie and Baking Program read more...
Laura Caplan
If there’s such a thing as a Jill of all trades, Laura Caplan qualifies. She’s just as handy with a Phillips-head screwdriver as she is mixing up a screwdriver with Birch Vodka. Laura has called Chicagoland home her entire life, growing up in Lincolnshire and currently residing in Gurnee. She’s been an integral part of the Birch Beverages brand read more...
Mike Caplan
Mike Caplan is a meteorologist for FOX 32’s Good Day Chicago. He joined the WFLD team in December 2015.
Caplan was born and raised in the northern suburbs and has called Chicago home for most of his life. Read more...
Chef Brian Kane
As Chef de Cuisine at The Gallery in Lake Forest, Brian Kane brings over 20 years of diverse culinary experience to your plate. Chef Brian has worked in a wide array of settings — from supervising food service for major arenas read more...
Nick Barnum Band
Nic Barnum is a local singer/songwriter, co-founder of The Hellhounds and all around JAM catalyst. Nic has been playing music since he was 12 years old and loves collaborating with other musicians. Nic's catalog of original music has influences of all genre's. Nic has three simple rules when it comes to songwriting: to push outside of his comfort zone, to seek truth and to write something that the listened will want to listen to twice. Nic treats every gig, performance, song, word and note like it's his last and puts all of himself into it!
Chef Ahmed Mora
Ahmed G. Mora is an Executive Chef with over two decades of experience in varied upscale cuisine, from French and Italian to New American and steak houses. Chef Ahmed trained under Chef Luc Dimnet at The Brasserie in New York City. His haute style reflects his passion for delicate sauces and stylish preparation.
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Artist Linda Scholly
Linda Scholly is a Lake Forest based artist who specializes in oilpainting but also combines oil with gold and silver leaf, mixed media as well as encaustic. Her painting style combines a softened realism with looser brushstrokes. Linda’s subject matter can range greatly, painting the things that most inspire her. She is influenced everyday by her immediate surroundings, big and small. Read more...
Artist ISz
Call me ISz. I chose this name and identity because it expresses that which simply is- the immediate and active life-state and timeless connection with all things.
Originally from cosmic parts unknown, my arrival point on earth was Peoria, IL, there I spent many years in self-discovery and playing. Thriving at making marks of all shapes and sizes on a variety of surfaces, I ultimately found my way to Northern Illinois University School of Art. read more...
Chef Brian Bilous
Chef Brian received his culinary degree in 1994, He has traveled all over the country cooking in a wide array of restaraunts- from Mom & Pop diners, to large Corporate Venues. Chef starting working with Ravinia Brewing Company in 2020, and is the Executive Chef at Ravinia Brewing Highland Park- A community gathering place for Chicago's North Shore, featuring a scratch kitchen and craft brews.
Anmol Chandock
Singh in Punjabi means lion, the animal that we take pride in associating ourselves with. We approached the flavors integrated to our menu at Singh’s Kitchen with the same level of ferocity as the lions we choose to represent our culture. Growing up immersed in that culture in Bombay, India, read more...
Chef James M Bondoc
James M. Bondoc
Executive Chef Onwentsia Club
Lake Forest,IL
Tarlac,Tarlac, Philippines
Matt BonAnno
Growing up in Ohio with a family heavily involved in supply and distribution, wine and food were always at the forefront for Matt Bonanno. He cut his teeth in the industry early in life and his story is the BonAnno Wine Story.
Chef Christina Alejandro
Recently inducted into the prestigious Disciples Escoffier International, Chef Christian Alejandro was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico and currently resides in the Avondale neighborhood of Chicago. He was the youngest ever competitor to reach the finals of MasterChef Latino and has led culinary teams at many boutique downtown hotels as well as private clubs including The Signature Room at 95th and The Mid-America Club. Read More...