Hubert Keller
Hubert Keller, a Frenchman classically trained by France’s top Chefs, Paul Haeberlin, Gaston Lenotre, Paul Bocuse, Jacques Maximin and Roger Verger, is one of America’s most widely recognized and acclaimed chefs. He has owned and operated Fleur de Lys in San Francisco, Fleur by Hubert Keller and the widely popular Burger Bar in Las Vegas.
Chef Keller has won numerous awards, the James Beard Foundation’s “Best Chef: California” the prestigious Who’s Who in Food and Beverage, Ten Best Chefs in America, by Food & Wine Magazine and Restaurant & Institutions gave him its Ivy Award.
Chef Keller has cooked for several United States Presidents and was the first guest chef invited to the White House by President Clinton.
Chef Keller is also known for his many performances on Top Chef , Top Chef Masters and Top Chef Just Desserts.
Keller has appeared on “The Chew” on ABC, “Regis & Kelly” on ABC, “Rachel Ray”, “The Travel Channel“, “ The Food Channel Network”, “The Real Housewives of Orange County”, “Good Morning America”, “Hell’s Kitchen” with Gordon Ramsay and “Bizarre Foods” with Andrew Zimmern. Chef Keller’s also owns his cooking show, Secrets of a Chef, (6 seasons) on PBS, while filming, in cities like Rio de Janeiro, Las Vegas, San Francisco and back home in France.
Chef Keller is the author of three cookbooks, The Cuisine of Hubert Keller, Burger Bar, Build your Own Burgers, and his latest cookbook Hubert Keller’s Souvenirs.
Chef Keller is also known for his generosity and support for a wide range of educational, charity and community events around the country.
Scott Conant
Scott Conant brings flawless technique and an unwavering passion to creating soulful food in a convivial atmosphere. With a career spanning more than 35 years, a portfolio of acclaimed restaurants, cookbooks, television shows and an ever-expanding brand, Conant has established himself as one of the world's leading chefs.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Conant built a reputation for outstanding leadership and culinary creativity early in his career, running the kitchens of famed Italian spots such as il Toscanaccio, Chianti and City Eatery, all of which earned glowing reviews throughout his tenure.
Conant officially put his name on the map in 2002 when he opened the beloved L’Impero in Manhattan, which garnered a three-star review from The New York Times, the title of “Best New Restaurant” from the James Beard Foundation and praise from top publications such as Gourmet and Food & Wine.
Following the success of L’Impero, Conant opened Alto, an elegant Italian restaurant in midtown Manhattan, to great acclaim, and in 2004 was named a "Best New Chef” by Food & Wine. Always looking to raise the bar, Conant eventually moved on to bring his own vision of sophisticated Italian cooking to life. While no longer affiliated, Scott opened Scarpetta in NYC, which was nominated by the James Beard Foundation in early 2009 for “Best New Restaurants in America.” Conant went on to build the Scarpetta brand to national acclaim with locations in New York City, Miami, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas, and published The Scarpetta Cookbook, inspired by dishes from the restaurant.
Conant’s current restaurants includes Italian steakhouse Cellaio at Resorts World Catskills in Monticello, New York, and The Americano Atlanta at the newly renovated InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta in Georgia. He is well known to fans worldwide for his Food Network appearances, including his long-running role as a judge on “Chopped” for over a decade and frequent co-hosting on “Beat Bobby Flay.”
In addition, Conant has made numerous guest appearances on “The Today Show,” “Rachael Ray Show,” “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” and “Good Morning America,” among others. In addition to The Scarpetta Cookbook, Conant has published New Italian Cooking, Bold Italian, and in 2021, Peace, Love, and Pasta: Simple and Elegant Recipes from a Chef's Home Kitchen. The latter, Conant’s fourth and most personal cookbook, delves into the evolution of how his cooking has changed throughout his career, and how his connection to food has strengthened because of his deep family relationships. The book showcases the foods Scott grew up with and those he makes for his loved ones today, offering restaurant-quality meals that emphasize the beauty of simple, fresh, and flavorful Italian dishes. It also includes authentic Turkish recipes as an homage to his wife Mel’s heritage and features stories about his life growing up in New England with Southern Italian roots.
As Chef Conant embarks on new opportunities, he looks forward to continuing to share his enduring philosophy that emphasizes the beauty of simplicity.
Shawn McClain
James Beard Award Winner and nationally recognized restauranteur Chef Shawn McClain has opened seven renowned restaurants in Chicago, Las Vegas, and Detroit, including Spring (innovative seafood), Sage (new American), Green Zebra (modern vegetarian ), Five50 PizzaBar, (East coast inspired pizza) Libertine Social (next generation gastropub), Highlands Detroit (modern steakhouse), Balla Italian Soul (southern Italian) and most recently ChefDanceSocial (Italian-inspired) in Park City & Wineaux (wine bar & retail experience) @ UnCommons Las Vegas.
A midwestern native and graduate of the School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College in Chicago, Ill, McClain’s star rose quickly in the culinary world. He broke into the national scene at Trio restaurant in Evanston, earning four stars from both the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. His acumen for redefining established genres to win both media praise and establish smart, sustainable businesses is the hallmark of his career. While McClain brings work-recognized acclaim to any project he takes on, he takes personal pride in his hands-on approach and deep commitment to developing all aspect of operation and guest experience.
With his team at McClain Camarota Hospitality Group, McClain has developed a collection of award winning restaurants. These inventive concepts earned McClain multiple accolades including James Beard Award nominations for Outstanding New Restaurant, Esquire Magazine's “Chef of the year” and Desert Companion’s “Restaurant of the Year.” In addition, McClain’s culinary portfolio has been lauded by The New York Times, Bon Appetite, FOOD & WINE, among others. In 2012, McClain put his skills to the ultimate test when he appears on Food Network’s Iron Chef American and competed against Chef Marc Forgione. The epic battle paired McClain with renowned mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim and resulted in a win for McClain.
McClain draws on his experience in both independent ventures as well as management partnerships with Fortune 100 organizations, such as MGM Resorts and General Motors to deliver the greatest results from any restaurant opportunity. McClain, a midwest native, now resides in Grosse Ile, just outside of Detroit with his wife and business partner Holly, and their two young daughters.
