Southern Exposure Participants

	Thomas Keller Chef/Owner of "The French Laundry" in Napa, CA; winner of multiple awards, including "America's Best Chef" by Time Magazine; only American-born chef to hold multiple three-star ratings by The Michelin Guide. Click here to learn more.
THOMAS KELLER Thomas Keller, one of the most inventive American chefs working today, is as renowned for his well-honed culinary skills as he is for his ability to establish a restaurant that's both relaxed yet exciting. Good food coupled with a memorable social and sensual experience has always been Keller's focus. "Our food is serious," says Keller, "but we also want people to have a good time with it." If the reputations of his restaurants are any indication, he has succeeded. A native of California, Keller began his culinary career at a young age, working in the Palm Beach restaurant managed by his mother. After serving apprenticeships in Rhode Island, Florida, and the Catskills, Keller relocated to France in 1983, where he worked in several Michelin-starred houses including Guy Savoy and Taillevent. He followed with successful runs at La Reserve and Restaurant Raphael in New York. In 1986, he opened his first restaurant, Rakel, also in New York, which resulted in extensive critical acclaim and a loyal clientele. Five years later, Keller moved westward to California to work as executive chef at Checkers Hotel in Los Angeles. In 1994, he opened The French Laundry in Yountville, which quickly became a destination restaurant known for its innovative, compelling cuisine. His bistro, Bouchon, opened in Yountville in 1998, with Bouchon Bakery following five years later. In February 2004, Keller brought his distinct style to New York City with Per Se. The restaurant features Keller's French-influenced contemporary American cuisine presented in a classically elegant space, designed by premier restaurant/hotel designer Adam Tihany. A man of exceptionally high personal standards, Keller values genuine collaboration. Having assembled staffs with equally high standards and expertise within all of his enterprises, he has been able to concentrate on many interests. Keller is the author of the award-winning "The French Laundry" cookbook, and released his second book "Bouchon," in November 2004. He has collaborated with Raynaud and the design firm Level on a collection of simple, sophisticated white porcelain dinnerware called Point, (in homage to the great French chef and restaurateur, Fernand Point) and has created Modicum, a Napa Valley Cabernet; vintage 2000, blended to best accompany the cuisine at The French Laundry and Per Se. In 2001, Keller was named "America's Best Chef" by Time Magazine and World Master of Culinary Arts by a panel of international judges at the Wedgwood Awards. He was the 2004 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Food Allergy Initiative. He has collected many accolades within the last decade, including consecutive "Best Chef" awards from the James Beard Foundation, the first chef ever to achieve this honor. In 2003, The French Laundry was at the top of "The World's 50 Best Restaurants" list published by London based Restaurant Magazine. In 2004, Per Se was honored with a 4-star rating from the New York Times; and has since been heralded in top publications such as Gourmet, Food and Wine, and New York Magazine. Per Se was also deemed "Best new restaurant of the year" by Restaurant Magazine. The Michelin Guide New York City gave Per Se its most prestigious recognition, a three star rating, in both 2006 and 2007. The French Laundry was additionally awarded three stars by the Michelin Guide San Francisco for 2007, making Thomas Keller the only American-born Chef to hold multiple three star ratings. Chef Keller now has eight restaurant properties in the United States. In addition to The French Laundry, Per Se and Bouchon, branches of Bouchon and Bouchon Bakery opened in Las Vegas in 2004. In early 2006, Bouchon Bakery opened at the Time Warner Center in New York City. Most recently, Ad Hoc, a casual dining establishment inspired by the comfort food Keller enjoyed growing up, opened in Yountville, California.
	Iverson Brownell Executive Chef/Owner of Iverson Catering in Park City, UT and Charleston, SC; Chef to stars, such as Lisa Kudrow and Chevy Chase. Click here to learn more.
CHEF/OWNER, IVERSON BROWNELL Iverson Brownell is an artist chef from the South who loves fresh, gourmet cuisine, the beach and the mountains. After graduating from Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina, Chef Iverson was contracted to be the opening Executive Chef at Park City's The Viking Yurt, a remote gourmet restaurant reachable only by sleigh in Park City, Utah . Working in a completely open kitchen with no electricity or running water, Chef Iverson created such memorable experiences that his work was featured on The Discovery Channel, The Food Network, The Travel Channel, and The Today Show. In the summers, Iverson was the the Executive Chef at Southern Utah's acclaimed Café Diablo . He led the restaurant to several awards, including "Best Fare in the State," from Salt Lake Magazine. During the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, Chef Iverson had the honor of serving as an Executive Chef for the USA House: the official hospitality venue for the United States Olympic Committee. Beginning in the winter of 2005, Chef Iverson became a member of ESPN's "Offshore Adventures," the nation's most-watched outdoor show. He also continues to cook on ESPN's "American Gun Dog," where he showcases his skill for cooking small game. More than an experienced chef, Chef Iverson is also a masterful instructor. Rare within his trade, Chef Iverson has a confident but approachable demeanor. He is patient and shares his passion with ardent enthusiasm. Iverson has taught several cooking classes for the Atkins Nutritionals Corporation and the top executives of Nike, Inc. Celebrities such as Lisa Kudrow, Peter Fonda, Chevy Chase, and Justin Timberlake have all enjoyed Iverson's cuisine. Today, Chef Iverson owns and operates Iverson Catering in Park City, Utah and Charleston, South Carolina. In his spare time, he enjoys skiing, mountain biking, and traveling.
	Scott Crawford Chef de Cuisine of the "Georgian Room" at Sea Island, GA; declared "one of the best young chefs in America" by writer John Mariani. Click here to learn more.
SCOTT CRAWFORD GEORGIAN ROOM, THE CLOISTER AT SEA ISLAND Sea Island, Georgia - A new era in fine dining has emerged at Sea Island under the direction of Chef de Cuisine Scott Crawford of the Georgian Room. Opened in April 2006 as part of the rebirth of the storied Cloister hotel, Crawford's simple, yet refined approach to Southern cuisine brought the Georgian Room immediate acclaim as one of John Mariani's "Best New Restaurants in 2006" in Esquire Magazine. Mariani named Crawford "one of the best young chefs in America." Prior to joining Sea Island, Crawford honed his skills in some of the country's most esteemed kitchens. Born and raised near Pittsburgh, PA, Crawford graduated from the American Culinary Academy in Tampa, Florida, and was mentored by Chef Scott Howard of Mise en Place in Tampa. During this period, Crawford developed his interest in the "farmer's mission," which embraces a daily partnership between the chef and the farmer to create flavorful produce that is cultivated in an environmentally conscious manner. Gaining experience at prestigious restaurants throughout the United States, including San Francisco's Black Cat, Crawford joined The Ritz-Carlton at Amelia Island, Florida in 2001. During his tenure, the hotel's Grill Room received the AAA Five Diamond award for three consecutive years, and Crawford was selected to assist in the opening of The Ritz-Carlton at Central Park in New York City. This was followed by a tenure at the award-winning Woodlands Resort and Inn, a Relais & Chateau property, in Summerville, South Carolina. Under Crawford's direction as Executive Chef, the Dining Room at the Woodlands maintained its Mobil 5-Star designation for two years. It was during this period that Crawford was recruited by Sea Island to develop an echelon of fine dining that would complement the grandeur and elegance of The Cloister. Marrying a passion for fresh Georgia flavors with his prestigious culinary background, Crawford's menu of seasonal Southern fair offers an elegant dining experience for guests of Sea Island.
	David Guas Executive Pastry Chef for Passion Hospitality Group in Washington, D.C.; featured in numerous magazines and The Today Show. Click here to learn more.
DAVID GUAS In the beginning, odds were against native New Orleanian David Guas, Corporate Pastry Chef of DC Coast and Ceiba Restaurants in Washington, DC, having a culinary career. He was supposed to be a doctor. However, it was clear to this young man that becoming a chef was his calling and the only job he could ever consider. Fortunately for Guas, his background of culinary devotion helped him chase his dream, all the way to the nation’s capital. In the Guas family, all gatherings and entertainment centered around food. At the early age of six, during visits from his Cuban relatives, a curious, younger hand in the bunch seemed to be playing indoors and not outside with the other kids. And in this family, it was not always the woman taking charge in the kitchen. Guas’ first mentor, his grandfather, inspired this impressionable young man and taught him that being in the kitchen did not make him any less of a man. “Abuelo” (grandfather) opened Guas’ eyes to appreciate the cuisine of his Cuban heritage. “When Abuelo was visiting, my lunch changed drastically and my classmates knew from the whiff of an odd smell who had made my lunch that day.” Guas has fond memories of the pressed Cuban sandwiches with extra pickles and mustard. Whenever Abuelo visited, he prepared a new Cuban dish for his family to taste. “If only I had written down the recipes, I would have my first cookbook already,” Guas laments. Of course there was feminine influence as well, right in his own backyard, in the form of his grandmother from Amite, Louisiana. “Granny” could often be found in the kitchen “burning” flour and butter in an iron skillet and promising that it was “goin’ to be good eatin’.” Learning to appreciate the fruits of Louisiana’s soil, Granny taught Guas how to cook with seasonal blackberries, strawberries, and even wild berries from the back woods. “It was so much fun going with our cousins, early in the morning, to pick berries or visit nearby fruit and vegetable stands.” Unlike most native Louisianians, who used large amounts of sugar and butter in everything they cooked, Guas’ Granny stewed and puréed the fruits naturally, often blending them with savory herbs to flavor poultry and meats. Sunday morning breakfast was a ritualistic gathering, with buckwheat or cornbread pancakes and puréed fig preserves or fruit syrup, all natural and no sugar added. (But don’t think for a minute that Guas did not sneak some of the homemade butter tucked away in the fridge, which was, after all, an acceptable sneak with Granny—she made it!) Unknowingly, the young Guas was learning techniques he would eventually incorporate into his future desserts. The base provided by Guas’ family was strong. Add to that natural talent and a passion for creating timeless desserts with a bit of updating, and you have a recipe for success. For someone without formal training, Guas has come far. He did take a few specialized cooking classes at a small culinary school in New Orleans after college, where he not only learned the basic, classical preparations, but also many of the cutting-edge techniques he needed to secure a job in a high-profile kitchen. As an associate pastry chef at the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans, with Executive Chef Jeff Tunks at the helm, Guas churned out thousands of desserts per week, to the delight of locals and national critics alike. Tunks took notice of this talented young assistant and began courting him—Tunks was leaving New Orleans to open his own restaurant in Washington, DC, and he needed a pastry chef. Guas packed up his bags and followed Tunks to Washington. The rest is history. DC Coast opened in June 1998 to critical acclaim. TenPenh followed two years later to more of the same. With the opening of TenPenh in August 2000, Guas became Executive Pastry Chef, splitting his time between the two restaurants. In September 2003, he drew deeply from his Cuban heritage to create Latin American- and Caribbean-inspired desserts for the third restaurant owned by the group, Ceiba. And two years later, with the opening of Acadiana, Guas developed sophisticated interpretations of his hometown dessert favorites from beignets to Bananas Foster. During his seven years with Passion Food Hospitality, Guas’ desserts have been recognized and praised by such publications as Food & Wine, Chocolatier, Santé, Cooking Light, Food Arts, Where Washington, Restaurant Digest, Restaurant Business, National Culinary Review, and Nation’s Restaurant News. In September 2003, Bon Appétit featured Guas as one of eight Dessert Stars in the country. In 2004, the fourth year he was nominated, Guas was named Pastry Chef of the Year by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. He is listed in The International Who’s Who of Chefs, and has appeared three times on The Today Show, demonstrating his expertise on national television. Of Guas’ sweets at Ceiba, Restaurant Critic Tom Sietsema of The Washington Post writes, “I have yet to find a single dessert I can say no to,” and Thomas Head, writing in The Washingtonian, states emphatically that Guas’ desserts are “worth saving room for.” Very sweet, indeed.
	Bob Kinkead Owner Kinkead's Restaurant in Washington, DC and Colvin Run Tavern in Tyson's Corner, Virginia; James Beard Award winner and member of the Nation's Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame. Click here to learn more.
Robert H. Kinkead, Jr. Chef/Owner Bob Kinkead’s professional goal is simple: to be remembered as a chef and restaurateur who consistently provides excellent food and service to the public, while engendering respect from his peers for his creative cuisine. He describes his restaurant, Kinkead’s, as “an American brasserie with a heavy emphasis on seafood.” And while categorized as a “modern American chef,” Bob Kinkead is not restricted by boundaries — his signature dishes include Wild Mushroom Strudel, Portuguese Style Roast Monkfish with Chorizo, and Pepita Crusted Salmon with Crab, Corn and Chilies. He adapts unique dishes from around the world to American ingredients and tastes, resulting in a light, yet intense and full-flavored experience. Located on Pennsylvania Avenue’s historic Red Lion Row, the 220-seat restaurant offers a choice of two menus and settings — the more casual street level bar and café, and the upstairs dining room featuring a kitchen open to full view. It is from this vantage point that Kinkead, wearing a headset, runs the show, ensuring that every dish emerges as a culinary masterpiece. Since Kinkead’s opened to immediate critical acclaim in 1993, the restaurant has been selected as one of the 25 best new restaurants in America by Esquire magazine and has been awarded the Mobil four-star rating eight consecutive years, making it one of only two four-star restaurants in Washington, D.C. Other awards and accolades include being named the best restaurant in D.C. by Zagot, the Washingtonian and Food & Wine magazine and Kinkead was inducted into the Nation’s Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame in May 1999 and received the Restaurants and Institutions IVY Award in 2002. Winner of the James Beard Award for “Best Mid-Atlantic Chef,” Kinkead is a self-trained chef who began his career as a teenager working summers in restaurants on Cape Cod. While pursuing a four-year study program in psychology at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, he continued his career in the foodservice industry, gaining first hand experience in several of New England’s finer restaurants and hotels. His prior success stories include Twenty-One Federal, the well-known Washington restaurant that launched him into national prominence. Before moving to Washington, he was head chef, and later a partner, at Twenty-One Federal in Nantucket. Kinkead is on the board of directors at Sullivan College’s National Center for Hospitality Studies, and a member of the American Institute of Wine and Food, the James Beard Foundation and the International Association of Culinary Professionals. He is also a founder and past president of the Council of Independent Restaurant Owners. Chef Kinkead opened his second restaurant, Colvin Run Tavern in Northern Virginia in October 2001 which was listed as one of the “Best New Restaurants” by Esquire. In 2004, he and his brother, David, opened Sibling Rivalry in Boston to rave reviews by both the Boston Globe and Boston Herald. Sporting a dueling menu, chef Kinkead’s latest venture was also listed in Bon Appetit’s “Top 50 Hot Restaurants” list. In 2005, he published his first cookbook, “Kinkead’s Cookbook” which was featured on the NBC Today Show in April and was listed as one of Nation’s Restaurant News “Top Ten Cookbooks” for 2005.
	Kathryn King Pastry Chef of "Aria" in Atlanta, GA. Click here to learn more.
KATHRYN A. KING Pastry Chef At Aria, Pastry Chef Kathryn King prepares delectable desserts such as wild blueberry tarts with lemon cream and vanilla sauce, and warm chocolate cheesecake with walnut crust, chocolate sauce and vanilla cream. Creating the perfect complements to the flavors of Aria's slow-cooked American cuisine, King delights diners with her virtuosity on sweet finishes like Bing cherry custard with fresh cherry compote and almond macaroon tartlets, and Valrhona chocolate gratin with Tahitian vanilla sauce and peppermint ice cream. Originally from Springfield, MO, King gained a love of cooking at a young age from her mother, grandmother and great aunts. Previous to her appointment as pastry chef at Aria, she held the same title at We're Cookin's fine dining destination, Hedgerose, which formerly occupied Aria's space. King has also served as assistant to Pastry Chef Michael O'Connor at Canoe and the Occidental Grand Hotel. King attended the University of Georgia and studied fine art and ceramics.
	Gerry Klaskala Executive Chef/Managing Partner of "Aria" in Atlanta, GA; winner of the 2001 Robert Mondavi Winery Culinary Award of Excellence. Click here to learn more.
GERRY KLASKALA Executive Chef/Managing Partner As one of the nation's most critically acclaimed restaurant chefs, Gerry Klaskala has earned a reputation for award-winning, contemporary American cuisine. His style is simple and direct. He captures and enhances individual flavors, resisting the temptation to combine too many. With the launch of Aria in March 2000, Klaskala has found the perfect element in which to showcase his creativity and commitment to the overall dining experience. While he heads up the kitchen at Aria, Klaskala's influence is found in the innovative menus of all three restaurants he owns with partners George McKerrow Jr. and Ron San Martin. Their company, We're Cookin' Inc., owns Aria, as well as Canoe and Che Tapas & Rum Bar, all in Atlanta. All of the restaurants are distinctly different in concept, yet very similar in popular appeal. Prior to beginning work on Canoe in 1995, Klaskala was the chef and managing partner at Buckhead Diner, one of Atlanta's highest volume restaurants. During his tenure, Buckhead Diner was consistently one of the most acclaimed dining establishments nationwide and was featured in Gourmet, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Esquire and The New York Times. Klaskala helped launch Buckhead Diner after managing the start-up of 45 South in Savannah, another restaurant with national kudos to its credit. Klaskala also worked with the Hyatt Hotels Corporation for nearly ten years, ultimately serving as executive chef at two of the hotel company's locations in Boston and Savannah. The prodigy art student began cooking at 15 and entered a gourmet food show as an apprentice at age 17. He subsequently took home "best of show" honors, the first time a cooking novice had earned such a prestigious award. He abandoned his professional aspirations in the art world for another passion - culinary artistry - and graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America. A recognized spokesperson for his industry, Klaskala is frequently sought by local and national media outlets as an authority on American cuisine. He has appeared on NBC's "Today" show, "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee," and CNN, among others. During his nearly 25 years of cooking, he has received numerous awards including the 2001 Robert Mondavi Winery Culinary Award of Excellence and is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, the American Institute of Wine and Food and The Chaine Des Rotisseurs. He has exclusively represented Atlanta in such prestigious events as the James Beard Foundation in New York, The International Association of Culinary Professionals and the Hanna Winery Celebration in Santa Rosa, California. An avid painter and gardener, Klaskala resides in Atlanta with his wife Sally, and their children, Michael and Max.
	Frank Lee Executive Chef of "Slightly North of Broad" (S.N.O.B.) in Charleston, SC and partner in Maverick Southern Kitchens; recognized as a culinary standout by magazines ranging from Gourmet and Food Arts to Food & Wine and Southern Living. Click here to learn more.
FRANK LEE EXECUTIVE CHEF, SLIGHTLY NORTH OF BROAD Vice President of Culinary Development, Maverick Southern Kitchens He wears a baseball cap instead of a starchy chef’s toque. His accent is country Carolinian, not downtown Parisian. And rather than barking orders in his bustling restaurant kitchens, he smiles a lot. He’s also one of the region’s most celebrated chefs. Meet Frank Lee, culinary guru for Maverick Southern Kitchens and the inspiration behind the creative approach to cooking that’s become a Maverick trademark. He brings a passion for fresh, local foods, a mastery of French technique, and a love for the authentic multicultural flavorings that have characterized Charleston cooking for centuries. Frank is a Carolina native who launched his cooking career in 1973 as co-owner of a natural foods restaurant in Columbia. A few years later, he started broadening his horizons by apprenticing with chef Malcolm Hudson, then working with some of the household names of American-French cooking, like Jovan Trboyevic at Chicago’s Le Perroquet, and Yannick Cam of Washington’s Le Pavillion. He came to the Lowcountry to handle chef duties at Wild Dunes and the highly acclaimed Restaurant Million. In 1992, restaurateur Dick Elliott lured Frank to The Colony House, Charleston’s oldest restaurant and banquet operation. Soon, they partnered with David Marconi to form Maverick Southern Kitchens, the group that now includes Slightly North of Broad, High Cotton, Old Village Post House and the Maverick kitchen store, Charleston Cooks! Chef Lee has been recognized as a Southern and Lowcountry culinary standout by critics from international food/travel magazines ranging from Gourmet and Food Arts to Food & Wine and Southern Living. The same goes for national publications like The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today and the LA Times. He’s done guest appearances on ABC’s Good Morning America as well as Great Chefs of the South, and he’s been featured in dozens of local and regional journals. In October 2006, Charleston’s The Post and Courier named Chef Fee’s flagship restaurant, Slightly North of Broad, the Restaurant of the Year. Frank also has an impressive collection of awards for menu specialties and even the restaurants he’s helped conceive. He’s helped some of the area’s most promising chefs move their careers along, and he’s a big-time supporter of local, independent organic farmers and food purveyors.
	Barton Seaver Chef & Partner of "Hook" in Washington D.C.; Leader in sustainable seafood movement. Click here to learn more.
BARTON SEAVER Executive Chef and Partner He is 28, but his culinary resume reads like a seasoned 40-something. Washington, D.C. native, StarChefs.com Rising Star of 2006 and recently nominated as a Rising Star by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, Chef Barton Seaver of Hook (3241 M Street NW, 202.625.4488, Hook) was taught at an early age about the importance of food. Dinner in the Seaver home was a seven nights a week family affair. Eating dinner with his family was a "communal celebration" and involved shopping for the freshest ingredients at local markets, instilling this value in him at a young age. "Mac and Cheese" was never just out of the box, but prepared with a homemade béchamel cheese sauce and pasta made from scratch. Summers spent at a family friends' hog farm on the Chesapeake Bay, along with crabbing and going with his father to buy fresh seafood from local fisherman, taught Seaver the importance of supporting local purveyors and using quality and fresh ingredients. According to Seaver, "Seasonality and locality made sense to me early on." Seaver began his professional career working for popular D.C. restaurants such as Ardeo, Felix, and Greenwood. After years of invaluable kitchen experience, Seaver made his way to Hyde Park, New York, where he trained at the renowned Culinary Institute of America. During his schooling, he spent time in the kitchens of Tru restaurant and The Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton under Sarah Stegner in Chicago. Upon graduating with honors, he immediately took a fellowship position at C.I.A. as a graduate teacher in both the meat and fish classes. Working in this hands-on environment taught Seaver the importance of proper handling and techniques of exceptionally fresh products, all the while giving him direct access to sources of fish through the eastern seaboard ports. Under the guidance of Chef Corky Clark, he learned to appreciate underutilized species of fish and became a proponent of sustainable ocean products. After completing his tenure at the C.I.A., Seaver went on to the Finch Tavern in New York to work under renowned Chef Dan Kish, where he was eventually promoted to Executive Sous Chef. Seaver's classical training later led him to Europe. Traveling extensively throughout the Iberian Peninsula and Africa, he participated in old world traditions of farming and harvesting from the sea. He spent time working in small seaside restaurants and cooking with families in their homes. This form of simple, market driven food has greatly affected his personal style of cuisine. Seaver later returned to Washington, DC, to work for star Chef Jose Andres at his flagship restaurant Jaleo, where he gained experience in cutting edge small plates cuisine. In early 2005, Seaver accepted the position of Executive Chef at Café Saint-Ex. At Café Saint-Ex, Seaver maintained the restaurant's established bistro style, he adapted the menu to focus on simply prepared wood-grilled items. Using local organic ingredients and focusing on sustainable fish species, Seaver blended Mediterranean simplicity with stylized sustainable modern cuisine. In July 2006, Seaver also oversaw the revamp of the menu at sister restaurant Bar Pilar into Italian inspired small plates. Seaver left Café Saint-Ex and Bar Pilar in March 2007 to open Hook restaurant in Georgetown. Hook allows Chef Seaver's dedication to the use of sustainable seafood to flourish. As one of the cause's biggest advocates, Chef Seaver looks to his restaurants, both past and present, to serve as the "educational arm" of his beliefs and will continue to powerfully influence his community with the opening of Hook, which is a 100% sustainable, fish focused restaurant. His menu will focus on crudos, which means "raw fish" in Italian. Highlights include Smoked Pacific Yellowfin Tuna with extra virgin olive oil, chervil and grapefruit, Maine Scallops with almond milk and sofrito, and Striped Bass with yellow watermelon and mint. Appetizers include a Country Ham Tasting with seasonal accompaniments and biscuits, and Rosemary Braised Cuttlefish with Marcona almond sauce. Adventurous fish eaters can tuck into Halibut Cheeks with parsley garlic chile and sherry and Slow Roasted Alaskan Halibut with sea urchin parsley butter. Seaver is a certified sommelier through the Sommelier Society of America and is continuing his studies with Wine and Spirits Educational Trust in London. Additionally, he is also active in the Slow Food movement, and recently cooked at the bi-annual Slow Food Terra Madre conference in October 2006 in Italy. Other organization involvements include the Chef's Collaborative, the James Beard Foundation, the National Restaurant Association, the International Seafood Conference, Chef's Congress, and the Seafood Alliance. As a firm believer in the idea that chefs are the keepers of food culture, he is publishing a monthly article for the online newsletter for StarChefs.com. In an effort to educate fellow industry members, Chef Seaver will address the issue of sustainability from the perspective of a chef offering solutions to common problems they face in their profession such as buying decisions and their responsibility as the definers of what is fashionable eating. Monthly columns are archived on the StarChefs.com website with new articles posting on the 15th of each month.
	Bryan Voltaggio Executive Chef of "Charlie Palmer Steak" in Washington, DC.; Former Sous Chef of "Aureole" in NY City; multiple stagings in Mahanttan, and at "Pic", a 2-star Michelin restaurant in Valance, France.