Fanny Gerson

Fany Gerson is the chef, founder, and co-owner of La Newyorkina, a Mexican frozen treats and sweets business, and Fan-Fan Doughnuts, a gourmet doughnut shop. Fany takes great pride in representing her cultural heritage, Mexican, and religion, Judaism. Daniel Ortiz de Montellano is the founder of a Mexican-based company The FoodWorks Co., administering food and beverage facilities for the US Embassy in Mexico and more. Fany and Daniel met in 2014, married in 2016, and had their son, Gael, in 2018.

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Jimmy Rizvi

Rizvi’s first restaurant, GupShup, fulfilled his dream of opening a Bombay-inspired restaurant to provide a modern Indian brand with genuine hospitality and creative cuisine. Rizvi currently serves on the board of NYC Hospitality Alliance & City Harvest’s esteemed Food Council.

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Maiko Kyogoku

Kyogoku grew up in a restaurant-owning family that opened the first sushi restaurant on the Upper West Side. Her modern approach to traditional Japanese dishes reflects her multicultural heritage as a Japanese American New Yorker. Kyogoku has over 15 years’ experience running operations for Daniel Boulud and the Thompson Hotel group.

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Erika Nakamura & Jocelyn Guest

After a babymoon trip to Rome, the Amalfi Coast, and Sicily, they created Due Madre as a labor of love between two mothers. Their journey into motherhood was profoundly informed by the region’s air, water, and food and guides their approach.

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Kim, Kevin & Stacey

Harlem Hops is the realization of years of hard work and collaboration by three friends, Kim, Kevin & Stacey, HBCU grads and business partners, who have combined their experiences in restaurant management, event production, and community service with a lifelong passion for beer.  As minority business owners and operators, the Harlem Hops team features the growing number of brewers of color on the Harlem Hops beer list.

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Ben “Moody” Harney

Ben “Moody” Harney is the founder of MotherShuckers, the only oyster cart in Brooklyn. Harney was inspired by the story of Thomas Downing, “the Oyster King of New York,” and the son of freed slaves. Downing peddled oysters on Wall Street in the late 1800s and opened one of the most successful oyster restaurants of his time.

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Raymond Z Mohan

A New York Restaurant School graduate, Executive Chef Raymond Z. Mohan apprenticed under renowned chefs such as Douglas Rodriguez. His culinary interest developed as a child shopping at the market daily with his mother for their family’s roadside stand.

Skai was born and raised in Manhattan. She is a graduate of Brearley, University of Pennsylvania and the Culinary entrepreneurship program of the French Culinary Institute as well as the Columbia University community Business Program.

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Jared Howard

Chef Jared Howard spent summers visiting his father’s family in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, or on Maryland’s Eastern shore, each of which has influenced the menu at HoneyBunny. After eating and working his way through different restaurants and cuisines, Chef Howard saw food as a means of exploring different cultures and communities. After six years in some of New York’s best kitchens, it was time to bring it back home to the Chesapeake Bay with Honeybunny.

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Wen-Jay Ying

A proud Asian, female-owned small business, Local Roots serves Chinese farm-to-table food using local and sustainable ingredients. Dishes are inspired by Ying’s favorite childhood foods. Local Roots hosts weekly farmers’ markets at bars/cafes throughout New York.

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Brandon and Faith Lee

Serving coffee, non-coffee drinks, and baked goods, the creations are inspired by flavors the Lees grew up with and incorporate both Asian and American tastes. The Lees don’t have all the answers, but invite you to join them for a good cup of coffee to figure things out together.

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Anna Gordon

Gordon is best known for her playful diversity of ingredients and textures, some of which are secretly vegan and gluten-free. Gordon splits her time between chef and CEO of the company and is a James Beard Foundation Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Alumna.

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Romeo Regalli

Romeo Regalli is a self-taught plant-based chef who has dedicated his career to creating delicious and nutritious dishes using only whole, natural ingredients. As the cofounder of Ras Plant Based, a company that specializes in creating vegan meals for individuals and families, Romeo has become a leader in the plant-based movement.

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Dave Seigal

Chef Dave Seigal was the opening Executive Chef for Cull & Pistol in 2013 and is responsible for all kitchen operations in the combined Lobster Place Seafood Hall and Cull & Pistol enterprise. Several industry greats trained him, including Martin Berasategui in Spain and Charlie Palmer, Jean Georges Vongeritchen, Gray Kuntz, and David Bouley in the U.S. His culinary vision finds inspiration in a life-long love of seafood and the global breadth of his cooking experience.

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Pooja Bavishi

Bavishi previously worked in public policy before switching careers to focus on food. She is a 2018 Tory Burch Foundation Fellow recipient and was named one of Inc. Magazine’s Female Founders 100 in 2020. In one of her sweetest accomplishments, she won a battle on Food Network’s Chopped Sweets – her winning Agate Candy & Saffron ice cream is currently on Malai’s menu.

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Aniwat Khotsopa (Tong)

Bryan Chunton was born into a restaurant family; his parents owned and operated Thai restaurants in the 1980’s. Chunton started working in kitchens at the early age of 12 and introduced NYC to the authentic flavors of Northeastern Thai Cuisine with the help of Chef Aniwat Khotsopha and Pei Shan Wei. Chef Aniwat hails from Udon Thani and was the chef at the Centara Grand Hotel, serving Isan cuisine. Wei, a long-time business partner, and entrepreneur, oversees the operation.

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Wilson Tang

Owner Wilson Tang and his team at Nom Wah at Pier 57 are making dim sum an all-day casual affair serving an assortment of dumplings perfect for sharing with friends and family. Nom Wah is a beloved Chinatown institution with a second location in Nolita that originated as a tea parlor in the 1920’s. After taking over from his uncle, Tang shifted the business to a fast-casual Dim Sum restaurant.

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