Meet the Chefs

Kathleen Blake is a four-time James Beard Foundation “Best Chef South” semi-finalist and an advocate for local, seasonal cuisine. After training in top restaurants and opening Primo by Melissa Kelly in the JW Marriott Orlando, she launched The Rusty Spoon, earning national recognition for its farm-to-table approach. Kathleen is also dedicated to mentoring women in culinary, having led industry fundraisers and served on the board of Women Chefs & Restaurateurs. She now lives in Texas, focusing on menu development and restaurant projects for the Taste & Theory Division with Aimbridge Hospitality.

Team Challenge Winner 2015 | 2016 Participant | 2018 Participant

Executive Chef Omar Collazo joined Omni Hotels & Resorts in 2014, and since then has held multiple culinary positions with the brand. In 2021 he was promoted to the Executive Chef role at Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa, where he oversees culinary operations for over 10 dining outlets and banquet functions across the resort’s 80,000 square feet of meetings and event space. Prior to joining Omni Hotels & Resorts, he spent years working alongside Chef Kenny Gilbert in Jacksonville Beach, FL.

Individual and Team Challenge Winner 2024 | Individual Challenge Winner 2023

 Chef Samuel-Drake Jones, French-born and British-raised, is a modern American chef whose global roots shape his cuisine. Inspired by his childhood and a lifelong passion for hospitality, he has cooked in Paris, London, Los Angeles, and New York, blending omakase, live wood-fire, and modern American techniques. Now an American citizen, Chef Sam tells the story of an immigrant discovering himself on the U.S. culinary stage through his inventive, deeply personal dishes.

2025 Participant

Chef Carlos Raba, born and raised in Sinaloa, Mexico, learned to cook alongside his family, mastering traditional dishes like cochinita pibil and lengua. After moving to the U.S. as a teenager, he worked his way up through the grocery industry before channeling his heritage and creativity into opening Clavel in Baltimore in 2015. There, he serves the same shrimp ceviche recipe he learned as a child, earning accolades including Best Chef in Baltimore in 2017 and James Beard Award semifinalist in 2022. A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Raba also co-founded Guardian Baltimore, a nonprofit martial arts gym providing free and affordable training to youth and adults, fostering community and belonging through discipline and mentorship.

2023 Participant

Chef Kevin Tien, Executive Chef and Owner of the nationally acclaimed Moon Rabbit in Washington D.C., is a five-time James Beard Award nominee, 2023 RAMW Chef of the Year, and Food & Wine Best New Chef (2018). A New Orleans native, Tien draws inspiration from both his Vietnamese heritage and Southern roots, creating modern Vietnamese cuisine that honors tradition while pushing boundaries. Through Moon Rabbit, he explores his identity as a first-generation Vietnamese American, crafting inventive dishes that celebrate culture, flavor, and storytelling.

Chef’s Choice, Individual Challenge, and Team Challenge Winner 2025

Born in Beijing and raised in Queens, Shuai Wang refined his culinary skills in Manhattan after studying at the Art Institute of NYC. His heritage-driven, locally rooted cooking now shines in North Charleston. He has been recognized as Eater Young Gun, James Beard nominee, and 2024 StarChefs Restaurateur of the Year (with wife Corrie). Shuai leads acclaimed restaurants Jackrabbit Filly, a heritage-driven New Chinese American Restaurant, and King BBQ, a Chinese BBQ restaurant with southern smoke, which won Top 10 best new BBQ restaurant of 2024 by Southern Living Magazine and 2024 Top 20 Best New Restaurants by Bon Appetit. He is also a 2024 South Carolina Chef Ambassador and a Top Chef Season 22 finalist.

Team Challenge Winner 2017 | 2018 Participant

Chef Joey Ward, executive chef and owner of Michelin-recommended Southern Belle and Georgia Boy in Atlanta, is known for his imaginative cuisine and commitment to creating a supportive, inclusive restaurant culture. An Atlanta native and CIA graduate, Ward blends creativity with purpose, advocating for causes like No Kid Hungry, mental health awareness, and sustainable local farming. A James Beard Award semifinalist and Trifoliate Award recipient, he continues to elevate Atlanta’s dining scene while building community both inside and outside the kitchen.

Chef’s Choice and Team Challenge Winner 2016 | Chef’s Choice and Individual Challenge Winner 2017 | Chef’s Choice, Individual Challenge and Team Challenge Winner 2018

Chef Cesar Zapata is one of Miami’s most dynamic culinary forces, celebrated for his bold fusion of Colombian and Vietnamese flavors at the Michelin-recognized Phuc Yea. A trailblazer since launching Miami’s first pop-up restaurant in 2011, Cesar’s creativity and hustle have earned national recognition on platforms like Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Tastemade, Vice TV, and most recently, as a guest judge on Chopped.
A graduate of the Art Institute of Houston, Cesar sharpened his craft in Michelin-starred kitchens and worked alongside James Beard Award-winning and nominated chefs at acclaimed properties like the Four Seasons and Setai Hotels. His restaurant portfolio includes the fast-casual Pho Sho and LcKy ChKn at Hard Rock Stadium, with brand collaborations ranging from McCormick and Tabasco to Toyota.
Beyond the kitchen, Cesar is a James Beard Foundation Chefs Boot Camp alum and an advocate for food justice, supporting No Kid Hungry and The Humans Who Feed Us.

Team Challenge Winner 2016