A preeminent voice in ethical farming and slow food culture, Drew Deckman is chef and co-owner of Deckman’s Restaurant Group. Alongside his wife and business partner, Paulina Deckman, their concepts include several MICHELIN-starred and MICHELIN Green Star restaurants in Baja, Mexico—among them Deckman’s en el Mogor and Conchas de Piedra—as well as their newly opened restaurant, 31 Thirty One, in San Diego, CA.

Outside of his kitchens, Chef Deckman applies his passionate ethics and deep knowledge of food systems to his roles as a board member of the Sustainable Seafood Foundation, an active member of the Blue Ribbon Task Force by Seafood Watch, and a culinary advisor for Meals on Wheels. He is also the host and producer of Ingrediente: Mexico, a docuseries highlighting Mexico’s rich culinary heritage and local producers, now streaming on Amazon Prime.

Chef Rebecca King is the founder of Rebecca Kooking, a high-touch private chef placement and culinary concierge agency serving clients worldwide. Known for curating unforgettable dining experiences, she has become a trusted culinary partner for families, events, and luxury hospitality groups across the U.S. and abroad.

Before launching her agency, Rebecca was the chef and creative force behind The Bad Jew, a cult-favorite Los Angeles pop-up celebrated for its playful reimagining of Jewish comfort food classics. Signature creations like her “porkstrami” and smoked BBQ dishes earned her a devoted following and national press recognition, cementing her reputation for bold, inventive cuisine.

Pitmaster and Chef Daniel Castillo, co-owner of Heritage Barbecue, spent seven years as a corporate chef for Whole Foods Market before discovering his passion for craft barbecue. That obsession led to an apprenticeship at Brett’s Backyard BBQ in Texas—and ultimately to leaving his day job to pursue barbecue full-time. With the support of his wife, Brenda, the two began hosting backyard pop-ups and brewery collaborations around Orange County before opening their first brick-and-mortar, Heritage Barbecue, in August 2020 in historic San Juan Capistrano, Calif.

From day one, Heritage drew lines around the block and widespread acclaim—from Food & Wine (“America’s Best New BBQ Spots”) and the LA Times 101 Best Restaurants to OC Register’s Restaurant of the Year and a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation.

This year, Daniel was named a James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef: California. In February, he expanded his vision with Le Hut Dinette in Santa Ana, his take on the classic American diner. When not at the restaurant, Daniel enjoys time at home with his son, while his older children, Benjamin and Karina, both work alongside him at Heritage.

Chef Neal Fraser is a celebrated Los Angeles chef and restaurateur known for his refined yet approachable modern American cuisine. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Fraser honed his craft at legendary kitchens including Wolfgang Puck’s Eureka and Spago, Checkers Hotel under Thomas Keller, Joachim Splichal’s Pinot Bistro, and Hans Rockenwagner’s Rox, before opening his own acclaimed restaurants—Boxer, BLD, and Grace. Today, he is chef-owner of Redbird, housed in the historic rectory of Vibiana, a former cathedral turned special events and performing arts venue in downtown Los Angeles.

Located in one of the city’s most treasured architectural gems, Redbird showcases Fraser’s seasonal menus with plates designed to be shared, from playful snacks and “kickshaws” to inventive entrées. The restaurant has earned recognition from the Michelin Guide California and 50 Best Discovery, as well as the Los Angeles Conservancy’s 2019 Preservation Award Chair’s Award, the organization’s highest honor, celebrating the persistence, creativity, and success of the revitalization and adaptive reuse of the cathedral, rectory, and surrounding property.

Most people know Troy from Food Network. He’s been humorously waxing about food on TV for 15 years—as anchor judge and expert on nearly 200 episodes of Guy’s Grocery Games, plus guest stints on Iron Chef America, Best Thing I Ever Ate, Superchef Grudge Match, Alex vs. America, and Wild Card Kitchen. But Troy’s real skill is as a national award-winning food writer who’s been telling the stories of California’s food culture for two decades. Four years ago, he and his wife took over San Diego Magazine to rebuild a media icon in California’s southernmost city. To lift up the people of the food culture, they launched the region’s largest festival, Del Mar Wine + Food. His funny riffs on life have been posted on CNN, Washington Post, Buzzfeed, Reader’s Digest, and Funny or Die!