Nick Stellino

Nick started in his culinary career as a dishwasher. Over time, he apprenticed with the best chefs in America. "I was in heaven working my way up the restaurant line," says Nick. "But I wanted to share my enthusiasm for Italian cooking with more people. I decided a cooking show was the answer."

Nick Stellino's Friends

Lawrence C.C. Chu - Chef Chu’s | Los Altos

Lawrence Chu was born in Sichuan province, China, and raised in
Taiwan, Shanghai and Hong Kong. In 1970, he opened his award-winning Chef Chu’s restaurant. His creative flair, firsthand knowledge of the regional cuisines of China and dedication to using the highes tquality ingredients have made Chef Chu’s one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s best-loved Chinese restaurants. A renowned cookbook author, lecturer and media personality, Larry recently released his newest cookbook, Celebrating Your Place at Our Table, commemorating his restaurant’s 40th anniversary. He continually gives back to the community by supporting local charities and civic fundraisers, and is one of the founders of the Asian Culinary Association.

For more, visit: chefchu.com

Sylvain Delpique - David Burke Townhouse | New York

Sylvain Delpique grew up in Albertville, France. After graduating from Challes-les-Eaux culinary school in 2000, he relocated to the U.S. to work as chef de partie at Union League Café in New Haven, Connecticut. He moved on to Restaurant Jean-Louis in Greenwich, Connecticut, and was promoted to sous chef in just one year. Moving to New York City, he took on his native cuisine as sous chef at the French bistro Artisanal. Two years later, he found a home at David Burke Townhouse, a destination for clever and delicious modern American food. As the restaurant’s executive chef, Sylvain’s enthusiasm in the kitchen lends to an energetic atmosphere where creativity thrives in the form of innovative cuisine.

For more, visit this link: davidburketownhouse.com

Michael Galata - Osteria del Circo | New York

Growing up in his family’s New Jersey restaurant, Michael Galata discovered a talent for cooking at an early age. After graduating from high school, he took over the kitchen and helped manage the business while earning his culinary arts degree. After working for two years at New Jersey’s Stage House Inn, Michael joined the staff of the Maccioni family’s Le Cirque 2000, becoming sous chef there at age 22. Today he creates fabulous Italian dishes as executive chef at the Maccionis’ Osteria del Circo. His passion for continually learning reflects the philosophy that “we can always grow and improve, no matter how satisfied we are with the current result.”

For more, visit this link: providencela.com

Gale Gand - TRU | Chicago

Gale Gand, executive pastry chef and partner at TRU, a AAA Five Diamond restaurant in Chicago, was named pastry chef of the year by the James Beard Foundation and Bon Appétit magazine in 2001. Gale hosted Food Network’s long-running Sweet Dreams and has appeared on other shows including Iron Chef America, Baking with Julia and Top Chef Just Desserts. She is an accomplished cookbook author whose seven titles include Chocolate and Vanilla and Gale Gand’s Brunch! She also has her own root beer company producing Gale’s Root Beer. Gale attended culinary school at La Varenne in Paris. She is married to an environmentalist and has a 14-year-old son, Gio, and twin 6-year-old girls, Ella and Ruby.

For more, visit this link: trurestaurant.com

Maria Hines - Tilth Restaurant | Seattle

Winner of the 2009 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Northwest, Maria Hines has been turning heads on the national culinary scene since she took the helm at Seattle’s Earth & Ocean in 2003. In 2005, Maria was named one of Food & Wine magazine’s 10 Best New Chefs. In 2006, she opened her own restaurant, Tilth, which features New American cuisine. In September 2006, Tilth became the second restaurant in the U.S. (after Washington, D.C.’s Restaurant Nora) to receive organic certification from the nonprofit research and education organization Oregon Tilth, and in 2008, The New York Times named it one of the 10 best new restaurants in the U.S.

For more, visit this link: tilthrestaurant.com

Andy Husbands - Tremont 647 & Sister Sorel | Boston

In 2010, Husbands celebrated the 14th anniversary of his acclaimed restaurant Tremont 647 and the 10th anniversary of his popular café Sister Sorel. He’s also currently at work on his second cookbook, Brunch. A master of adventurous American cuisine, the Seattle native has received local and national praise, and even showcased his talents on the hit TV show Hell’s Kitchen in 2009. When he’s not in the kitchen, Andy can be found on the competitive barbecue circuit with his team iQUE BBQ (sponsored by Harpoon Brewery, 2009 World Champions). He has been honored as Chef/Restaurateur of the Year by hunger-relief organization Share Our Strength, with which he has worked closely for the past 20 years.

For more, visit this link: tremont647.com

Rick Moonen - Rick Moonen’s RM Seafood | Las Vegas

Rick Moonen has devoted his career to being America’s top culinary advocate for sustainable seafood. A native New Yorker, he graduated first in his class from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, in 1978. He apprenticed at L’Hostellerie Bressane in Hillsdale, NY, working side by side with Chef Jean Morel. In February 2005, Rick opened Rick Moonen’s RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. The multilevel restaurant offers regional coastal favorites, a world-class raw bar, and inventive tasting and à la carte menus. When not behind the stove, Rick can be found traveling throughout the U.S. educating about the dangers of over-fishing and the importance of ocean conservation.

For more, visit this link: rmseafood.com

Brian Poor - Portland City Grill | Portland, OR

Brian Poor grew up in the farm land of eastern Washington state. The sharing of meals around the family table helped inspire his interest in food. That interest took him to culinary school and then out to seek his fortune as a chef. He worked in some of Seattle’s coolest restaurants, which resulted in a performance at the James Beard House in New York City. Brian also spent seven years behind the microphone with his foodtalk show The Poor Man’s Kitchen on Seattle’s KOMO Newsradio. Today, as director of culinary for Portland City Grill, one of the West Coast’s busiest restaurants, he creates new and exciting menu items featuring local, sustainable ingredients.

For more, visit this link: portlandcitygrill.com

Kent Rathbun - Abacus, Jasper’s Restaurants, Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen, Zea WoodFire Grill | Texas

After rising rapidly through the ranks of some of the world’s finest restaurants, Kent Rathbun continues to demonstrate his culinary skills not only with the expansion of restaurant concepts but also with his new product line, Kent Rathbun Elements. Kent has created an astounding culinary legacy in Texas and has thrived on the national scene. He has cooked at the James Beard House in New York on several occasions and has been nominated four times as the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef: Southwest. In 2008, Kent and his brother Kevin defeated Bobby Flay in a culinary battle on Food Network’s Iron Chef America.

For more, visit this link: kentrathbun.com

Kevin Rathbun - Rathbun’s, Krog Bar, Kevin Rathbun Steak | Atlanta

Kevin Rathbun is a pivotal force on the local and national restaurant scenes. In 2004, he opened his namesake restaurant Rathbun’s, which features his take on Modern American cuisine and has earned accolades from Travel & Leisure (Best New American Restaurant) and many others. His award-winning Spanish-style wine bar, Krog Bar, opened in 2005. Kevin Rathbun Steak opened in 2007 and went on to become one of the top steakhouses in the U.S. Kevin continuously donates his time and energy to charitable events in Atlanta and throughout the country. He resides in Atlanta with his wife, Melissa, and in his spare time enjoys philanthropy, reading cookbooks, dining out, fine cigars and traveling.

For more, visit this link: rathbunsrestaurant.com

John Tesar - DRG Concepts | Dallas

Known widely for his sustainable-food ethic and seafood mastery, John is DRG Concepts’ culinary director, responsible for the creation of new restaurant concepts and the continued development of three existing brands: Dallas Chop House, Dallas Fish Market and Go Fish Ocean Club. During John’s tenure as executive chef at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, the restaurant earned raves from Dallas food critics and was named one of America’s best new restaurants by Esquire. A semifinalist in the 2009 James Beard Foundation Awards (Best Chef: Southwest), John serves on Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation Culinary Council. John— who was “Jimmy Sears” in Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential - will release his cookbook Exploring the Great American Burger in 2011.

For more, visit this link: dallasrestaurantgroup.com

Wade Wiestling - The Oceanaire Seafood Room | Minneapolis

Wade Wiestling has been at the helm of The Oceanaire Seafood Room since 1998. Now, this award-winning recipe has created hit restaurants all over the U.S., in major cities such as Washington, D.C., Dallas, San Diego, Boston, Atlanta and Miami, just to name a few. A wellknown figure on the Twin Cities restaurant scene, Wade has donated his time and talents to help many charitable events, including Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation and the March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction. His guidance has led Oceanaire to five James Beard House appearances and has led 14 chefs through James Beard House kitchen events.

For more, visit this link: theoceanaire.com

Jason Wilson - Crush Restaurant | Seattle

Jason Wilson, 2010 James Beard Foundation Award winner (Best Chef: Northwest) and alumnus of Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs class of 2006, is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy and has worked in kitchens as far afield as France and Singapore. In 2005, he realized a lifelong dream when he opened Crush with wife Nicole. One of Seattle’s hottest restaurants and most innovative dining experiences, Crush offers seasonally changing menus that highlight the finest local, organic ingredients and sustainable seafood, as well as an award-winning wine list. The name of the restaurant was inspired by Jason and Nicole’s wedding, which took place at a private estate during the 2001 crush.

For more, visit this link: chefjasonwilson.com

Chef Laurent Manrique

Chef Laurent Manrique has learned, combining simplicity with challenge walks a tightrope between passion for one's craft and a desire to constantly seek new opportunities. One of his career's most significant accomplishments in achieving that balance was introducing his renowned Gascon cooking to contemporary seafood-centric Aqua. "It was a whole new adventure," he says, "but one I was ready for. I needed to take a challenge like this."...

For more, visit this link: www.aqua-sf.com/aqua/chef/

Chef Kent Rathbun, Abacus/Dallas

After rapidly rising through the ranks of some of the world's finest restaurants, Chef Kent Rathbun has created two of the most talked about restaurant concepts in the nation – Abacus and Jasper's. Rathbun's roots are firmly set in food and at the age of nine, he discovered his passion for culinary creativity and began to live his life learning the skills and techniques needed to become the renowned and impressive chef that he is today...

For more, visit this link: kentrathbun.com

Chef Michael Cimarusti, Providence/Los Angeles

Michael Cimarusti's passion and curiosity for food was ignited at an early age by his grandmother, Jo Cimarusti. In the great Italian culinary tradition his grandmother, alongside his great-grandmother and aunts, made sure that every Sunday get-together was an event. Cimarusti can trace his reverence for ingredients and proper technique back to those Sunday family meals...

For more, visit this link: providencela.com

Chef Patricia Williams, District/New York

Patricia Williams is the new chef at District, chef Sam DeMarco's former perch adjacent to The Muse Hotel. Williams is formerly of Morell's Wine Bar & Café, and has worked as a chef in the city for many years at places like Berkley Bar and Grill and at Butterfield 81, way way back...

For more, visit this link: districtnyc.com

Chef Walter Pisano, Tulio/Seattle

For Chef Walter Pisano, running an Italian restaurant was preordained. As the son of a New York restaurateur, the business runs in his blood; as part of an East Coast Italian family, the food is in his heart. Pisano is a longtime fixture on the Northwest restaurant scene, most notably for opening and operating Tulio Ristorante. Since its inception, Tulio has been a regular on the awards lists, including Seattle's Best Italian Restaurant, Best Business Lunch and Best Kept Secret...

For more, visit this link: tulio.com/tulchef/

Chef Elise Wiggins, Panzano's/Denver

Panzano's Executive Chef Elise Wiggins knew she wanted to be a chef from an early age, even if she wasn't sure exactly what that meant. She just knew that she wanted to “cook and make people happy,” she says. Now, leading the culinary efforts at Panzano in downtown Denver, Wiggins cooks and makes people happy - locals and visitors alike - with her distinctive contemporary Northern Italian cuisine...

For more, visit this link: panzano-denver.com/panchef/

Chef Michael Hillyer, The Capital Grille/Seattle

Chef Hillyer, the former Executive Chef of The Capital Grille, in Seattle draws inspiration from Pacific Northwest ingredients to create unique dishes . The Lobster and Crab Burger with Tartar Sauce and Corn Relish are available daily at the Capital Grill Restaurant.

For more, visit this link: http://www.thecapitalgrille.com/

Chef Heather Terhune, Atwood Cafe/Chicago

Executive Chef Heather Terhune has been messing and cleaning up kitchens since she was a young girl, but it wasn't until college that she began her formal training. After attending the University of Missouri, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture and Hotel and Restaurant Management, Terhune continued on with her education at the New England Culinary Institute, earning an Associates Degree in the Culinary Arts...

For more, visit this link: atwoodcafe.com/atwchef/

Chef Neal Fraser, Grace Restaurant/Los Angeles

Neal Fraser began his culinary career in Los Angeles at the age of 20, working as a line cook at Eureka Brewery and Restaurant, one of Wolfgang Puck's earliest restaurants. Inspired by this introduction to the life of a professional chef, Fraser entered the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, in the fall of 1990. During his tenure at the CIA...

For more, visit this link: gracerestaurant.com/index.php/grace/exec_neal

Chef Daniel Bortnick, Firefly/Washington DC

Firefly’s executive chef, Danny Bortnick, is no stranger to the DC Metro area.  Born and raised in Maryland, chef Bortnick is dedicated to supporting the region’s bounty.  His commitment to seasonal, sustainable, and local food is evidenced by his ever-evolving menu, relationships with local farmers, and his bountiful organic garden. The menu at Firefly features timeless dishes, updated with passion and whimsy, all designed to be approachable and delicious. Many menu items were inspired by meals from Bortnick's childhood. The simple, clean flavors and seasonal products shine of every plate. And he is glad to be leading the kitchen right in his own back yard.

For more, visit this link: firefly-dc.com