Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Chef Franklin Becker, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, co-founded and Chef-Partner of the Hospitality Department, who have developed, own, and operate New York City restaurants: Point Seven, located in the iconic MetLife Building, which finds its inspiration in coastal cuisines from around the world and the bounty of the ocean; Bento by Point Seven; Coral Omakase; and at The Martinique New York on Broadway, The Bronze Owl, and Sweet Graffiti.

With a distinguished career spanning acclaimed kitchens nationwide, Becker's culinary journey includes pivotal roles such as co-founding partner and Chief Culinary Officer of Hungryroot, and as Co-founder/Chef of Little Beet and Little Beet Table. He also served as Culinary Director for Aurify brands.

Previously, Becker made significant culinary impacts as Corporate Executive Chef at the EMM Group, overseeing venues like Abe & Arthurs and Catch. His career highlights also feature roles with Starr Restaurant Group, Grand Hospitality, and Capitale.

Recognized for his culinary artistry, Becker has received accolades from New York Magazine and The New York Times’ esteemed critics who praised his "talent for delivering big, punchy flavors." His tenure at Capitale earned the #1 spot on Esquire’s "Best New Restaurant in America" list.

Beyond his kitchen prowess, Becker is a familiar face on television, appearing on shows like Bravo’s Top Chef Masters, Iron Chef America, The Today Show, Dr. Oz, The Rachael Ray Show, and as a judge and winning contestant on Beat Bobby Flay. Becker is an author of three cookbooks: Eat & Beat Diabetes, The Diabetic Chef, and the latest, Good Fat Cooking.

Committed to giving back, Becker dedicates his spare time to charitable endeavors, particularly in support of autism-related causes. He serves on the National Board of Autism Speaks and co-chairs their Celebrity Chefs Gala, which has raised over $25 million for charities such as Pop Earth and The Center for Discovery. Additionally,
 
Becker is a spokesperson for Ozempic, advocating for diabetes awareness.

Chef Franklin Becker continues to inspire through his culinary innovation, television presence, and philanthropic efforts, shaping the culinary landscape and making a difference in the community.

Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Romina Peixoto has honed her skills in world-class kitchens around the globe. She began her culinary journey in Argentina before moving to the U.S. at 20, where she discovered her passion for pastry. Over the years, Romina has worked at renowned establishments, including Broussard’s in New Orleans, Chef Alan Wong’s in Honolulu, Eleven Restaurant in Pittsburgh, and Eleven Madison Park, where she also staged at WD-50 with Alex Stupak. Her experience also includes working at Fishtail by David Burke and Gilt under Pastry Chef David Carmichael.

Romina made history as Le Cirque’s first female and first non-French Executive Pastry Chef, overseeing the acclaimed pastry program. Her groundbreaking role at this prestigious restaurant highlighted her exceptional talent and solidified her place in the culinary world. She later returned to the Palace Hotel to open Pomme Palais for Michael Richard and went on to work at Root & Bone. For six years, she served as Executive Pastry Chef at The Chocolate Room, where her focus on chocolates grew.

Romina now serves as Corporate Pastry Chef for The Hospitality Department. In this role, she oversees the pastry programs at all locations, with a particular focus on her recent work at Sweet Graffiti, located within the historic Martinique Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. At this prestigious landmark, Romina continues to showcase her innovative talent while contributing to the hotel’s rich culinary legacy.

Julian Medina, acclaimed chef-owner of Soledad, Toloache, Amarena, La Chula Taqueria, El Fish Marisqueria, Barra Vieja Miami, El Verano, and El Farm Southampton, has been creating refined Mexican cuisine for 25 years.

Raised in Mexico City, Julian was inspired by his family’s authentic home cooking. Trained professionally in Mexico City, Julian later moved to New York City and enrolled in the French Culinary Institute, graduating with honors.

Since 1999, Chef Medina has created numerous acclaimed food concepts across New York City, the Hamptons, and Miami. He has garnered accolades from the food media, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Miami Herald, and has been featured on various high-profile television shows. In 2010, The New York Times food critic Sam Sifton praised Toloache’s food and service, awarding it a coveted one star. In March 2011, Julian made his premiere on Iron Chef America in the Mexican Chocolate Battle.

Chef Medina is also the founder of JM Restaurants, a hospitality group behind his growing portfolio of celebrated Mexican concepts. Most recently, he launched Camp Caviar, an exclusive caviar collaboration with hand selected varieties.

When Chris Bianco started Pizzeria Bianco in the back corner of a Phoenix grocery store in 1988, he had no idea that he would become a driving force in the artisanal pizza movement. His food would reflect the respect and sincere intention that he brings to each of his recipes while focusing on his relationships with local farmers and producers, customers and fellow chefs, in order to do so.

Hailed as one of the best pizza makers in America, Chris has continued to revolutionize pizza while remaining true to his original intentions. Now the chef-owner of multiple restaurants in Phoenix, Arizona and Los Angeles, California, Chris has expanded beyond pizza and operates over 6 locations (both Pizzeria Bianco locations in Phoenix are accompanied by their own unique Bar Bianco, which serves small plates and highlights specialty drinks). Pane Bianco was opened in Phoenix in 2003 by Chris, about four miles from the Pizzeria in Downtown Phoenix at Heritage Square. Pane Bianco features fresh baked focaccia, sandwiches as well as NY Style pizza, salads and more.

In 2013, Chris opened a second Pizzeria Bianco location in Phoenix at the Shops at Town & Country, the same location as his original Pizzeria Bianco. In 2016, Chris continued to expand on the type of experiences he could offer and opened Tratto, an Italian and Southwestern inspired trattoria. Tratto focuses on dishes, drinks and ingredients that are in season and produced in the Southwest. In 2022, Chris went beyond the borders of Arizona to open another Pizzeria Bianco in Los Angeles, with an additional Pane Bianco opening down the road soon after in 2023. Pizzeria Bianco Los Angeles offers a similar expanded menu like the Town & Country location, while Pane Bianco Los Angeles stays true to its dishes starring freshly baked breads. Each location is a reflection of Chris’ love for community and good food.

Chris has collected many accolades and awards throughout his restaurant journey. He first won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2003.

He was nominated for another James Beard Award in the Outstanding Restaurant Category in 2013 and 2014 and won his second James Beard Award in 2022 for Best Restauranteur. Critics, customers, and fellow chefs have also had plenty to say over the years. Zagat called Chris “1 0f 6 Chefs who changed pizza in the last 100 years” in 2013, and Ed Levine named his pies the best in the country in his book, Pizza: A Slice of Heaven. All of his restaurants have been featured in “Best Restaurants” lists over the years (like Pizzeria Bianco in the New York Times’ 2024 article “22 of the Best Pizza Places in the United States”.) Chris was also featured in Netflix’s Chef’s Table Pizza Series and credited with starting the pizza renaissance in the United States (Chef’s Table, 2022).

Beyond restaurants, Chris used his eye for detail and quality to also begin a line of Organic Tomato Products with Rob DiNapoli in 2010, called Bianco DiNapoli. Their tomatoes, which are grown in California, are now sold nationwide to home cooks and restaurants, and include a range of products. All of the Bianco restaurants use Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes. Bianco also has a private label Selezione Bianco Extra Virgin Olive Oil made for olives grown in Puglia, Italy. Chris is also heavily involved in community outreach, including Alex’s Lemonade Stand, and believes that supporting local farmers and producers is the best way to ensure we stay connected to our food and cultures. He continues to be actively involved in all of his restaurants and local communities, as well as with his family. Chris Bianco has never lost the passion, honesty and drive that he had when he first began making pizzas in the back corner of the grocery store over thirty years ago.