Kathleen Blake, chef de cuisine, formerly of Primo, JW Marriott Orlando
Kathleen Blake, formerly chef de cuisine at Melissa Kelly’s Primo Orlando in the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes, attended The Shipley School of Catering and worked with small, locally sustained restaurants and markets in Texas and California. She has worked under Joyce Goldstein at Square One and under Drew Nieporent and the Myriad Restaurant Group. In addition, she helped initiate the Women Chefs and Restaurateurs' Local Exchange. 

Michael & Wendy Jordan, chef/co-owner, Rosemary’s Restaurant
Husband-and-wife team Michael and Wendy Jordan met and trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Together they established Rosemary’s Restaurant in Las Vegas in 1999. Since its opening, Rosemary’s Restaurant has been featured in countless publications, including Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Santé, Gourmet, Conde Nast, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. They have released Food of Love, a 238-recipe cookbook on disc and are in the process of compiling recipes for their first traditional printed cookbook.

Dean Thomas, executive ehef, Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino
Dean A. Thomas, CEC, CCE, is the executive chef at Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, Lakeside, California. He earned his associate chef degree in culinary arts at Joliet College in Joliet, Illinois, in 1982. Since he has held positions at the New England Culinary Institute, Essex Campus, Vermont and at several fine restaurants in Arizona, South Carolina, and Illinois. He has received over 50 professional distinctions and is the ACF San Diego Chefs Association vice president and apprenticeship chairman.

Randy Caparoso, wine educator, journalist, consultant
Randy Caparoso has devoted himself to a career in wine since 1978. As a restaurant wine professional, Caparoso is best known as a founding partner and the former corporate wine director of the James Beard Award-winning Roy’s restaurant group, founded in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1988. Between 2001 and 2005, Caparoso was sole proprietor of Caparoso Wines, LLC. In recent years, Caparoso has served as opening consultant and general manager of Circa by John Bragg, in Memphis, Tennessee, and chef sommelier of the five-star/five-diamond Sea Island resort on the coast of Georgia. He also has managed the largest enomatic wine bar/retail store in the world as vice president of operations of The Wine Room in Winter Park, Florida.

George Miliotes, director of Beverage & Hospitality, Seasons 52
George Miliotes is a passionate educator and inspiring leader at Seasons 52, a casually sophisticated fresh grill and wine bar. As Director of Beverage and Hospitality and one of the world’s few Master Sommeliers, George oversees all aspects of Seasons 52’s wine and beverage program, from the development of the award-winning wine list to educating and motivating service teams about wine.

Viriginia Philip, Master Sommelier, The Breakers
Virginia Philip, MS, is a magna cum laude graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. She has traveled extensively to visit some of the most famous vineyards and wineries throughout the world. In November 2002, Philip became the ninth woman in the world to pass the Court of Master Sommeliers Diploma exam in London, and three weeks later she competed and won against 30 men and one other woman for the title of Best Sommelier of the United States 2002-2004. She has worked at some of the most prestigious properties and restaurants in the United States, including the Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado, and currently, The Breakers, a AAA five-diamond resort. As chef sommelier for the property since November 2000, Philip writes and oversees a total of 13 wine lists for the property, including the award-winning list for L’Escalier.

Tony Abou-Ganim, proprietor, the Modern Mixologist
Tony Abou-Ganim is the proprietor of The Modern Mixologist, a beverage consulting firm that specializes in bar-staff training, product education, and cocktail development. He and his recipes have been featured in a variety of magazines, books, and television and radio shows. In 2004 Abou-Ganim was awarded the “Raising the Bar” award by Cheers and was Santé’s “Spirits Professional of the Year” Grand Award winner for his contributions to the beverage industry. His first book, The Modern Mixologist, will be published this year.

Adam Seger, general manager, Nacional 27
Adam Seger, manager/beverage director for Chicago’s Nacional 27, has a natural passion for ingredients and quality that has led him to farmers’ markets for locally grown ingredients, to collaborate with Nacional 27’s Executive Chef/Partner Randy Zweiban to bring new kitchen technologies to the bar, and to create his own liquors and condiments when the originals just didn’t seem up to snuff.

Michael Waterhouse, partner, Drink Tank, Ltd., Dylan Prime
Michael Waterhouse was 2006 Santé Restaurant Awards Spirits Professional of the Year and founding partner of Drink Tank, Ltd., the New York-based restaurant group and consulting firm that owns and operates Dylan Prime and Devin Tavern restaurants. Renowned for his signature cocktails as well as his takes on seasonal classics, Michael leads education sessions for consumers and restaurant employees throughout the country.

Richard Femenella, CFO/VP, the Charlie Palmer Group
Richard Femenella has been with the Charlie Palmer Group since its inception in 1997. Past culinary graduate and chef, Mr. Femenella also holds an accounting and finance degree from Bernard Baruch College. While maintaining his CFO position, he has played an intricate role in operations through the life of the company. From 1998 thru 2002 he was the General Manager of Aureole Las Vegas and Charlie Palmer Steak Las Vegas. Today he oversees operations on a daily basis working closely with Chef Charlie Palmer and Director of Operations, Chef Joe O’Brien.

Gilles Kolakowski, general manager, Picasso Restaurant, Bellagio Resort
Gilles Kolakowski, general manager of Picasso at the Bellagio, Las Vegas, began bussing tables to pay his college tuition in 1988. He was promoted quickly to bartender and then to server. He opened his own restaurant in a French ski resort in 1995. In the US since 1998, he has worked in Deer Valley, Utah and in Chicago. He has worked in Las Vegas since 2004.

Tracy Vaught, owner, Backstreet Café, Hugos, Prego
Tracy Vaught is owner of three of Houston’s most popular restaurants – Backstreet Cafe, Hugo’s and Prego – and co-operator of Trevisio restaurant and Waterside Food Court in the Texas Medical Center.  The geologist-turned-restaurateur changed her career path with the opening of Backstreet Cafe 25 years ago. She and her restaurants have won numerous accolades over the years, most recently she received the coveted “Outstanding Restaurateur of the Year” award from the Texas Restaurant Association.