Meet the Chefs of FEAST 2023

Abra Berens is a Michigan chef, author, and former farmer. Through every recipe written and meal served, she aims to tighten the connection between eaters and growers. She believes we can invest in a stronger, more equitable food system for everyone, from producers to grocers to consumers. She is the author of Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables, a 2020 Michigan Notable Book winner and James Beard Award nominee, and Grist: A Practical Guide to Cooking Grains, Beans, Seeds, and Legumes. Her dinners at Granor Farm in Three Oaks, Michigan, made her a James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Chef: Great Lakes.

At Centrolina restaurant and market in CityCenterDC, Chef and Owner Amy Brandwein shows Washingtonians the versatility, grace, and overall delicacy of Italian cuisine. The five-time James Beard Award nominee believes food should taste as good as in Italy, plated with pose, and viewed through the seasonal lens of the Mid-Atlantic—tenets she instills in her fast- casual project, Piccolina, an osteria that opened across the alley from Centrolina in July 2019. “I take Italian food and keep it in its raw state but elevate it presentation-wise without complicating it or losing flavor,” Brandwein explains. “There is something inherently captivating about Italian flavors with an artistic and modern edge, while still being fresh and natural.” Brandwein and her flagship restaurant have earned many accolades, including James Beard Foundation Award finalist for five years (2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017) in the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic category; nomination for 2019 Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington RAMMY Awards; 2018 Chef of the Year at the RAMMY Awards (2018); as well as previous RAMMY Award nominations, including Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year (2018), Chef of the Year (2018, 2017, 2016), and New Restaurant of the Year (2016). Piccolina was also recognized as one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in 2019. In spring 2015, Brandwein opened Centrolina to fanfare not just for her appealing approach to Italian cuisine, but also because of her business savvy and the then-distinctive position of being a sole female chef and owner. Brandwein soon realized her accomplishments meant she needed to play a larger role for the culinary industry: to be an example for women chefs to visualize and realize their own success. In 2017, Brandwein accepted the James Beard Foundation’s prestigious Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Program fellowship. She earned additional scholarships from the foundation, as well as the International Association of Culinary Professionals. In 2023, Brandwein was appointed to the American Culinary Corps, a select group of chefs with a mission to use food, hospitality, and community as diplomatic tools. A participant of President Biden’s Council for Nutrition and an advocate for charities that support access to healthy eating, Brandwein is also an active supporter of So Others Might Eat, DC Central Kitchen, and Martha’s Table. Brandwein is also a proud member of Chef José Andrés’s World Central Kitchen. With a dedication to responsibly and locally sourced ingredients, Brandwein became an early partner with DC Urban Greens, a nonprofit urban farm located in Ward 7 and 8, that provides fresh and affordable produce to the local community—Centrolina and Piccolina are DC Urban Green’s only wholesale client. She is also a longtime member of Les Dames d’Escoffier and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs.

A product of the Ohio River Valley, Babz Goldman Nartowicz is proud to call the town of Maysville, Kentucky home. Her culinary training covers a wide range of regional tastes. All the way from the Himalayas of Northern India where Babz worked with Tibetan Monks,to the Amalfi coast of Southern Italy where she studied the varieties of olive oil curated from volcanic ash. There was something about the river and Appalachian foothills that always pulled Babz back to Mason County. She can be found at the end of the Simon Kenton Bridge with her husband Alex, cooking up the flavors of the seasons and local farms in their gardenside food truck, Babz Bistro. The coolest backyard vibes around are in this creative bistro-on-wheels concept serving up Southern-fused dishes in a tranquil garden. When Babz isn’t at the table eating, she’s usually at it writing about different ways to incorporate the tastes and flavors from her travels and bluegrass heritage. Her recipes and adventures are on full display weekly in her food column Babz Bites featured in the Maysville Ledger Independent as well as Seasons magazine. Babz also teaches kids and adult culinary classes for Maysville Community and Technical College at the Institute of Culinary Arts.

Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico she developed an interest in Art and Food early in her life. After attending University of Puerto Rico, she decided to move to Pittsburgh and enroll in Culinary school. It was then that she applied to work at the recently opened Legume Bistro, which was Pittsburgh first true farm to table restaurant, teaching her valuable lessons on sustainability, butchery and fermentation. She was promoted to Sous Chef and left the restaurant six years later as the Chef di Cuisine to pursue her first Executive Chef job. As Executive Chef at the Livermore and Bar Marco, she led an ambitious preservation program and developed a rotating tasting menu in the Wine Room cellar along side, Sarah Thomas, now Advanced Sommelier at Le Bernardin. Her commitment to a unique “farm to table” dining experience led Bar Marco to be nominated for Best New Restaurant 2013 by Bon Appetit and The Wine Room being named “Best Dining Experience in Pittsburgh”. Her work also includes time as the Executive Chef of Food Revolution Cooking Club, a program that taught nearly 30 high school students cooking techniques and provided them with nutritional guidance. A new opportunity to take on the role of Executive Chef at Spoon, one of Pittsburgh finest restaurants, surged and she partnered with long time friend and mentor Brian Pekarcik to implement a new, simplistic and whimsical menu and décor at the established restaurant. In 2015 she was recognized by the James Beard Foundation as a Rising Star Chef Semifinalist and was honored as Best Chefs America’s Rising Star Chef. In 2016 was named Starchefs Rising Star for the Rustbelt Region. In 2018 she was named Pittsburgh Magazine Chef of the Year, recognizing her commitment with her community, culinary skills and voluntarism. She was also recognized by the James Beard foundation in 2019 as a semi finalist for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. In the same year she was also recognize as part of the 2019 Pittsburgh Magazine 40’undet 40 class. She is currently working towards opening her new venture Lilith.

Joy Crump, a culinary graduate of the Art Institute of Atlanta, honed her skills alongside Atlanta farm-to-table pioneers, Chef Michael Tuohy and Chef Kevin Gillepsie. In 2011, Crump opened her first restaurant, FOODE in Historic Downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia with business partner Beth Black. In 2014, the duo opened their second restaurant, the breakfast-centric Mercantile, also in Fredericksburg. Crump appeared on Season 12 of the Emmy Award-winning competition series, Top Chef. Crump has had the honor of cooking as a featured chef at the James Beard House in both 2016 and 2017, and is actively involved in the James Beard Foundation’s Impact Programs for Food Policy, Chef Advocacy and Change. In September of 2018, Crump appeared in the James Beard Foundation’s Cookbook, “Waste Not: How to Get the Most From Your Food.” The goal of the cookbook is to shine a light on the collective efforts of the food community to tackle the food waste epidemic. Faced with the industry challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, in early 2020, Beth and Joy pooled their resources by merging FOODE and Mercantile into a single location. With the newly co-branded FOODE + Mercantile, the restaurateurs were able to essentially operate two distinct restaurants under one roof, retaining more staff members and remaining steadfast members of their local downtown business community. In 2021, Joy and Beth purchased 718 Venue, a meticulously-renovated 100-guest special events and lodging facility in the heart of downtown Fredericksburg. In 2023, Crump was named a James Beard Foundation Semi-Finalist, Best Chef Mid-Atlantic Boards / Affiliations ● Monticello Heritage Harvest Festival (Advisory Board, 2019 and 2020) ● Atlanta Food & Wine Festival (Advisory Board, 2019). ● James Beard Foundation (Advisory Board and mentor for Open for Good Program, 2019 and 2020) ● Re: Her DC Chapter (Advisory Board, Founding Board Member for DC Chapter, 2022) ● Downtown Greens – Fredericksburg-based non-profit Community Greenspace and Land Advocacy (Advisory Board, 2022) ● University of Mary Washington’s Women’s Colloquium (Advisory Board, 2021, 2022, 2023) ● No Kid Hungry (Chef Participant, Fundraiser, Thinktank, 2017-2021)

Since 2001, when Ouita Michel and her husband, Chris, opened the Holly Hill Inn in Midway, Ky., she has made locally grown ingredients a priority in her world-class cuisine. Her restaurants (Holly Hill Inn, Wallace Station, Windy Corner, Smithtown Seafood, and Midway Bakery) have purchased more than $2 million of Kentucky-grown meats, dairy products, fruits and vegetables over the last 16 years. Ouita is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. She is a member of Slow Food USA; Les Dames d’Escoffier; deacon and free community supper programs coordinator for Midway Christian Church. She, Chris and their daughter, Willa, live in Midway. She has been a Board Member since FoodChain was founded in 2011.

Molly was born and raised in Paris, KY, where food and entertaining were a constant fixture. Her mother and aunt ran a small catering business and the family often hosted gatherings, with the menu and hospitality always taking center stage. After graduating with a BA in Sociology from DePauw University in Greencastle, IN, Molly spent five years in Chicago working at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. In the evenings, Molly bartended downtown and got her first glimpse of the service industry. From there Molly returned to her roots in the bluegrass state and enrolled in culinary school at the Midwest Culinary Institute. While studying at MCI, she began working as a server and cook at Otto’s, a neighborhood bistro in Covington’s Mainstrasse Village. As Molly was finishing culinary school, the owners tapped her to be the Chef de Cuisine of Otto’s. With nervous excitement, she stepped into the role and from there her culinary career has flourished. Over the next 15 years, the company grew to 5 concepts and Molly now serves as the Vice President of Otto’s Restaurant Group. She and her husband Joe, who met through Otto’s, live in Mainstrasse with their two children.

Agnes Teresa Marrero Rosa was born and raised in Puerto Rico. Growing up in kitchens meant she washed dishes on a stool at the age of five, and graduated to cooking red beans and rice at age seven. She trained at the Culinary Escuala Hotelier de Puerto Rico, continued her education through a scholarship program at the Culinary Institute of America and was mentored by Chef Juan Carlos Vicens. Since coming to the States she has worked in many kitchens and alongside many chefs including Johnathan Lundy, and currently, Ouita Michel. When asked why she cooks she says simply “Because I am Puerto Rican” and her love of the art shines as big as her smile. “Farm to table, sustainability and ending hunger go hand in hand” she says, and it shows in the work she does. As a FoodChain board member Agnes advocates for food justice as well as volunteers her time towards our efforts.

Introducing Chef Anetra and her innovative plant-based eatery, Woke Junk Food Vegan, located on the University of Kentucky campus since August 2021. After a successful career as a beautician for 15 years, Chef Anetra followed her passion for vegan cooking and established Woke Junk Food Vegan in 2019. Despite having no formal training, Chef Anetra’s dedication to cooking led her to be a showcased chef for Feast Eve in 2020, and then to join Nourish Lexington powered by FoodChain in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2021, Chef Anetra worked as the executive chef for the opening of The Social Vegan, a current local vegan restaurant, where she curated the menu and helped build a strong, collaborative team before moving on to her own venture. Chef Anetra’s culinary talents have been showcased at numerous events, making her a sought-after chef in the community. At Woke Junk Food Vegan, Chef Anetra offers a wide selection of plant-based dishes ranging from raw to comfort, all prepared with love and dedication.

Known locally as The Pie Queen, Brie Golliher is a hard-working creative dedicated to her craft and community. She and her husband, Brad, purchased Alvaton’s Boyce General Store in 2012, giving Brie a place to live out her passion of baking. They transformed the small grocery and deli into a restaurant that served burgers, attracting locals, tourists, farmers and business professionals until October 2020 when Brie pivoted and went to solely making pies and even went mobile with the Pie Wagon! Through local partnerships, she has created a brand loved and respected by many, also taking her talents outside of Bowling Green to sell her products at major grocery brands and teach baking demos in New York. While Brie is a small business owner, most importantly, she is a mother and wife, always finding time for her family. Boyce General Store and The Pie Queen have been featured in Where Women Cook, Southern Living, USA Today, Good Grit, and Garden & Gun, along with regional shows and cookbooks.

Growing up in Bourbon Co. Jane learned a love for cooking on her mother’s apron strings. Chef Jane Thompson is a Kentucky native. She has been a devoted employee of Dupree Catering and Events for the past 13 years, Executive Chef for the past 5. Chef Janey (as her staff lovingly refers to her) attained a culinary degree from Sullivan University graduating Magna Cum Laude. Janey enhanced her culinary skills by working in different restaurants throughout the bluegrass region including; Dudley’s, The Village Idiot and Proof on Main in Louisville. She is also dedicated to using locally sourced food and green products. During her time as Executive Chef, she helped Dupree Catering and Events became the first caterer in Kentucky to receive a 2 Star certification by the Green Restaurant Association (GRA) and one of only 13 caterers in the United States to be certified. Chef Janey loves to tie in her southern roots with flavors and techniques picked up from her experiences elsewhere to provide a traditional and eclectic food experiences for our guests.

Katie Startzman is the founder and creative force behind Berea restaurants Native Bagel Company and Nightjar. She is driven to create community-centric gathering spaces that enrich the culture of her small town thru carefully-sourced, scratch-made food and beverages. Whether it’s hand-rolled bagels, smashburgers with perfectly-cooked fries, or well-balanced cocktails featuring fresh juices and seasonal garnishes, she is creating a new standard for neighborhood restaurants in Berea while cultivating creative staff who provide warm and genuine hospitality.

Martine Holzman founded, and has owned Martine’s Pastries with her husband Jim in Lexington, KY since 1999. Martine’s started as a cake and pastry shop which was located on Industry Road in Lexington through 2017. In 2018, Martine, Jim, Chelsea their longtime manager and team moved and expanded the cake and pastry shop into a bakery, café, and cake shop on East Third Street in the east end of Lexington, KY. Only flavor exceeds the beauty of Martine’s exquisite savories, cakes, wedding cakes, and pastries. Martine is renowned for the rich yet delicate buttercream frosting on her delicious cakes, which come in a variety of flavors. Her café items and desserts are made from the finest ingredients, such as real butter, local ingredients, cake flour, premium flavorings, and European chocolates. Martine’s philosophy from the beginning was to build a business, with a team providing excellence in customer service, using the finest gourmet ingredients and artisanal skill to create a product and environment that is also an experience.

Nokee Bucayu’s (she/her) passion for cooking started at a very early age, helping her Lola (grandma) make traditional foods like ube halaya and rice cakes in the Philippines. She moved to Kentucky when she was 10 and turned to Filipino food to remedy her homesickness. As she learned more about Kentucky cuisine and produce, she fell in love with merging the two in her own unique way. Nokee is currently the executive chef of Wiltshire at the Speed and Wiltshire Pantry and Bakery on Main. In 2022 she competed in the Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship Gingerbread Showdown, winning the dessert baking challenge component with her bourbon pecan pie. She was named Best Pastry Chef by the ACF Kentucky Chapter in 2019.

Samantha (Sam) Sabad is the Assistant Director of Production & Fulfillment at Crank & Boom Craft Ice Cream. She’s a Lexington native and graduated culinary school from Sullivan University. She is a key member of the “creative brain trust” at C&B since joining the company 2 years ago. A few of her best new flavor collaborations are Sweet Potato Pie, Lemon Sorghum Cookie and Yuzu Sake Sorbet.

Sam Fore is a Sri Lankan-American chef and recipe developer based in Lexington, Kentucky. Her pop up, Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites, crisscrosses the country to bring her Sri Lanka meets the South dishes to diners far and wide. She started the pop up in 2016, after traditional Sri Lankan brunches in her home outgrew her dining room. Fore’s cooking is a reflection of her Sri Lankan upbringing in the American South; her dishes include her spin on Southern classics as well as new riffs on her family’s time-tested recipes. Her recipes can be found in multiple national publications and across the web — her take on tomato pie graced the cover of Food & Wine in 2019. She was named one of Plate Magazine’s Chefs to Watch (2018), was one of Southern Living’s inaugural Cooks of the Year (2020) and was named one of Taste of the South’s Taste50 (2022). In 2021 she joined the cast of Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street, which airs nationally on PBS stations. In 2023, Fore was honored by the James Beard Foundation Awards as a Finalist for Best Chef: Southeast. Fore plans to open the Tuk Tuk Snack Shop in Lexington, Kentucky by Fall 2023.

A lifetime of personal and professional twists and turns prepared Chef Tanya Whitehouse for her position as Chef and Program Manager for The Food Connection at the University of Kentucky. As the former Sous Chef of Holly Hill Inn for Ouita Michel, she brings both her culinary expertise and a passion for Kentucky-grown foods to her cooking classes. You’ll find her both in our learning kitchen and out in the community inviting students and professionals, children and adults to gain new skills, explore new flavors, and enjoy new experiences. Chef Tanya passionately believes that we are inexorably tied to what we eat and that sitting down to a meal together can connect you with other people in a way nothing else can.