Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Widely recognized as the face of Chicago’s dining scene, Executive Chef and Partner Paul Kahan has earned international acclaim for his hand in helping to pioneer the chef-driven farm-to-table movement, which subsequently swept across the country in the years to follow. His restaurants, now considered institutions, are all part of the renowned One Off Hospitality collective and have included community pillars like Blackbird, avec, The Publican, Big Star, Publican Quality Meats, Dove’s Luncheonette, and Publican Quality Bread. Each establishment reflects Kahan’s commitment to working with Midwestern farmers—which helped him earn the James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Chef in 2013, Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America in 2014, Best Chefs in America in 2004, and retain a Michelin star at Blackbird for all nine years stars were offered by the tire company in Chicago while the restaurant was operating. Kahan has garnered the praise of many who claim him to be one of America’s most influential working chefs. In 2018, his cookbook “Cheers to the Publican, Repast and Present: Recipes and Ramblings from an American Beer Hall," won the IACP award in the “Chefs and Restaurants” category. In 2019, Kahan released his second book, ‘Cooking For Good Times,” which was named ‘One of The Best Cookbooks Of The Year’ by the New York Times Book Review. Despite numerous accolades, Kahan’s biggest accomplishment remains his work as a mentor for young chefs. Kahan is a co-founder of Pilot Light, an organization dedicated to enhancing school children’s perception of food through hands-on education, and he is a passionate supporter of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for pediatric cancer research.

Raised in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Dylan Patel became interested in food as a child when his uncle moved in with him and his family. Often cooking traditional Indian food or lighting up the grill to barbeque, Patel found himself drawn to watching his uncle cook. This spark would eventually lead him to enroll at Kendall College after high school to pursue a career in culinary arts. While attending Kendall, he was recommended by his professor to intern at the James Beard award-winning restaurant avec by acclaimed Chef-Partner Paul Kahan and One Off Hospitality in Chicago’s West Loop. Under the guidance of then Chef de Cuisine Perry Hendrix, Patel expanded his culinary knowledge to all corners of the Mediterranean, learning to cook the popular shared dishes at the intimate restaurant. His internship ultimately led to a place on the avec team, and after a year or so, he was promoted to kitchen supervisor before becoming sous chef in 2017. In 2020, Hendrix gave over the reins and title of chef de cuisine to Patel, allowing him to introduce the familiar flavors and portfolio of spices from his personal background to expand upon avec’s portfolio of creative, wine-friendly fare. At the age of 27, Patel was promoted to Executive Chef of avec River North and bar avec, the sister rooftop of avec’s second location, and was recognized by Nation’s Restaurant News on their 2022 Chefs “Power List” as well as being named a “Top Innovator” by CS Magazine for the culture he’s cultivated for the avec brand through the years.

Brooklyn-born Sherry Yard is a celebrated chef, consultant, presenter, and author who spent her extensive career making a mark as a disruptor in the hospitality industry. Her innovative approach has garnered three James Beard Awards and an induction into their Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America.

Yard has received accolades from renowned publications such as Bon Appétit Magazine, Food + Wine Magazine, and became affectionately known by the media as “L.A. 's Sweetheart”, both for her bubbly personality and her incomparably creative and fresh from the farm food and desserts. Her creations became staples at events such as the Academy Awards Governors Ball, the Grammy Awards, and the Emmy Awards, where she could be spotted in her iconic pink chef’s jacket in support of breast cancer awareness. Sherry began her four decade culinary career at the venerable Rainbow Room and went on to expand her skills as a partner within Wolfgang Puck’s empire for nearly 20 years, encompassing the crafting of masterful breads, creating menus, and opening new restaurants while simultaneously mentoring an entire generation of chefs in kitchens from Singapore to Santa Monica.

Sherry has appeared on over 30 television cooking programs including ABC, Food Network, Cooking Channel, and Bravo. Yard is the author of 2 award winning cookbooks, Secrets of Baking and Desserts by the Yard, and is working on her 3rd Cookies by the Yard. She frequently appears as a judge on television, including Iron Chef, Alex vs American and the widely popular Great American Baking Show.

In 2021 she opened her dream shop, Bakery by the Yard, at the beach in Southern California, where whips up seasonal sweets, custom cakes, hand painted cookies, teaches the craft of baking, and consults for wildly successful hospitality industry clients.

Tayler Ploshehanski is Chef De Cuisine of Creepies, alongside Chef/Owner David Posey who spearheads the savory, while Pastry Chef/Co-Owner Anna Posey handles the desserts. Tayler crossed paths with the Posey’s early on–first as a culinary intern under David at Blackbird, then with Anna at The Publican. She later cooked at Avec–another of Chicago’s revered restaurants–only to reunite with the Posey’s to open Elske in 2016 as sous chef. She was there as the restaurant made its mark not just in the Chicago dining scene but as the restaurant gained national recognition (ie Bon Appetit magazine’s "Best New Restaurant," Eater’s "Best New Restaurant") in addition to receiving one Michelin star.  Though she later left for a role as Chef de Cuisine at Wherewithall from 2021 to 2023, she eventually returned to Elske as Creepies was taking shape. In August of 2025, Creepies opened, quickly cementing its place as a must-dine destination. Since its debut, and with Tayler as an integral team member, Creepies received a three-star (excellent) review from the Chicago Tribune, and landed the #1 spot as Chicago Magazine’s "Best New Restaurant."

Chef Zubair Mohajir is a Chennai-born, Chicago-based chef whose cuisine explores migration, memory, and cultural exchange through a distinctly modern South Asian lens. Raised in Doha, Qatar, and later the United States, his cooking reflects a layered global perspective—bridging regions, techniques, and traditions with intention and narrative at the forefront.

After beginning his career in finance, Zubair pivoted to the culinary world in 2008, training in some of the industry’s most rigorous kitchens. His experience includes time at Jean-Georges’ The Pump Room in Chicago, Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in California, and an apprenticeship at Gaggan in Bangkok—one of the world’s most influential progressive Indian restaurants. These formative experiences shaped his technical foundation and sharpened his interest in pushing the boundaries of South Asian cuisine.

Zubair first gained recognition with Wazwan, an underground supper club that evolved into a defining voice in Chicago’s dining scene, followed by the opening of Coach House and Lilac Tiger. He is now co-founder and chef of MIRRA, where he collaborates with Chef Rishi Kumar to explore the intersection of Indian and Mexican cuisines through a bold, globally informed lens.

MIRRA has earned a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand, been named one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America (2025), and received national recognition for its genre-defying approach.

A multiple-time James Beard Award nominee and StarChefs Rising Star Chef, Zubair continues to push forward a new narrative around South Asian food in America—one rooted in identity, movement, and evolution.

He is also preparing to open Muhājir, a deeply personal new concept in Chicago. Named after the word for “immigrant”—and sharing his own last name—Muhājir reflects Zubair’s ongoing exploration of displacement, belonging, and cultural storytelling through food, offering a more intimate and introspective expression of his culinary voice.

Chef Rishi Kumar is a Singapore-born, globally trained chef whose cuisine bridges cultures with precision, storytelling, and a modern lens on regional technique. After training at the Singapore Branch of the Culinary Institute of America, he worked in Southern France and Singapore with Michelin-starred chefs including Jason Atherton and Ivan Brehm before moving to Chicago, where he joined Frontera Grill.

At Frontera and Topolobampo, Rishi rose from intern to line cook, sous chef, and later Private Events Chef, working closely with Chef Rick Bayless and contributing to the team that earned a James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant. He went on to help conceptualize and open Bar Sotano before serving as R&D Culinary Director for 50 Eggs Hospitality Group and Chica Restaurants.

Rishi is now co-founder and Culinary Director of MIRRA, which has earned a Bib Gourmand designation, been named one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America (2025) and was featured in The New York Times for one of the “23 Best Dishes in America.” He is also a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Great Lakes.
Rishi, alongside Chef Zubair Mohajir and Beverage Director David Mor, also opened Mariela in Chicago’s Loop on May 6, further expanding the group’s footprint with a new coastal dining experience highlights recipes from the shores of Southeast Asia to the coasts of the Americas and Europe.
 

Chris Cosentino is a passionate chef, author, cyclist, and philanthropist. After graduating from Johnson & Wales University, Cosentino got his professional start at some of the country’s most beloved restaurants in Washington, D.C. and then the Bay Area. In his first executive chef position at Incanto in San Francisco, he elevated a neighborhood Italian restaurant to the international scene. Cosentino helped raise awareness about sustainability and utilizing the entire animal. He then mastered the art of hand-crafted cured meats in creating Boccalone, a celebrated cured meat company.

In 2014, Cosentino opened Cockscomb, showcasing dishes inspired by San Francisco’s rich culinary and artistic history. As critic Michael Bauer noted: "There’s nothing else like it, and Cosentino has a consistent, unwavering vision." In 2017 Cosentino expanded beyond the Bay Area with Jackrabbit in Portland, celebrating the Pacific Northwest’s rich history, ingredients, and artisans. Next, he opened Acacia House in the Napa Valley to rave reviews. “Cosentino strategically blends his bold style with a more refined approach.” In 2019, Cosentino opened Rosalie Italian Soul in Houston, inspired by his great-grandmother and his Italian American upbringing. In 2023, Cosentino channeled his New England roots to revamp the menu at Nick’s Cove, updating classic dishes to create a delightful blend of East and West Coast fish houses at this West Marin destination.

Next up, Cosentino partnered with Cockscomb alums to open Koast, a celebration of local ingredients and coastal cuisine, in Wailea Village on the island of Maui. Cosentino wrote a James Beard Award nominated cookbook, Offal Good: Cooking from the Heart with Guts (2017), the seminal cookbook on offal. He also wrote Beginnings: My Way to Start a Meal in (2012), collaborated with Marvel to write Wolverine: In the Flesh (2013). Cosentino won BRAVO's "Top Chef Masters,” earning over $140,000 for The Michael J. Fox & A member of the POW bicycle alliance dedicated to protecting the planets climate.