September 22nd at NFA Burger

Billy is the founder & owner of NFA Burger as well as the creator of The Burger Benefit.

Billy’s father, Marshall, spent a significant portion of his career heavily involved in the Two-Ten Foundation…an organization dedicated to helping members of the shoe industry who are struggling.

Billy’s entry into the restaurant industry led him get involved with The Giving Kitchen, an organization dedicated to helping restaurant workers in need.

Andrew Zimmern is an Emmy-winning and four-time James Beard Award-winning TV
personality, chef, writer and passionate global citizen. As the creator, executive producer and
host of the Bizarre Foods franchise, Andrew Zimmern’s Driven by Food, What’s Eating America,
Emmy-nominated Family Dinner, Wild Game Kitchen and the Emmy-winning The Zimmern List,
he has devoted his life to exploring and promoting cultural acceptance, tolerance and
understanding through food. You can also find him judging Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron
Legend on Netflix, The Silos Baking Competition on HBO Max and mentoring young chefs on
Food Network’s All Star Academy. Later this year, he will premiere Andrew Zimmern’s Field to
Fire. He has written four books, including the Ippy Gold Medal award-winning AZ and the Lost
City of Ophir. Andrew is the founder and chairman of Intuitive Content, named one of the top
100 production companies in the world by Realscreen, and Passport Hospitality, a restaurant
and food service development company. He is passionate about his philanthropic endeavors
and sits on the boards of Services for the UnderServed, EXPLR Media, Soigne Hospitality, Giving
Kitchen and Beans is How. He is on the advisory boards of Procure Impact and the Charlize
Theron Africa Outreach Project, and serves on City Harvest’s Food Council. Andrew is a Global
Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme and The Nature
Conservancy, and is the International Rescue Committee’s Voice for Nutrition. He is a founding
member of the Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture and the Independent Restaurant
Coalition.

Executive Chef at East Lake Golf Club since May 2014 Chef is a Certified Executive Chef, Nick Barrington was previously the Executive Sous Chef of the prestigious Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge for the past 20 years whose members include CEOs, celebrities and athletes including the Hall of Fame Legend and Owner Arnold Palmer. In 2024, Chef Nick will celebrate overseeing the kitchen operations for 30 years of PGA Tour Events including The Bay Hill Invatational & The Tour Championship.

Member of the American Culinary Federation and mentor to many of our future culinary stars. Chef Nick's professional experience spans many years and has includes cooking with numerous of the nation’s most prestigious chefs from coast to coast while being featured in National Culinary Review, Florida Fresh and multiple other food publications. As a member of the American Culinary Federation Chef Nick has accumulated multiple awards including 11 Gold, Silver & Bronze medals and competitor/ bronze medal winner for the U.S. Culinary Cup both 2012 & 2013. Chef Nick is also a proud recipient of the American Culinary Federation Central Florida Chapter Chef of the year 2012 and past President of the Central Florida Chapter of the ACF. While working at Bay Hill Club Chef Nick has cooked for the past 4 President as multiple CEOs, celebrities, athletes as well as members and distinguished guests. Chef Nick is the current president of ACF Atlanta Chefs were in 2021 & 2023 the chapter was awarded Regional Chapter of the year.

Chef Nicks charitable accomplishments include ACF Chef & Child, Give Kids the World, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Women & Children, Taste of Compassion, Ronald McDonald House, East Lake Foundation, C.H.O.I.C.E.S, Giving Kitchen and numerous others.

Chef John Benhase is “from” a lot of places – from early days growing up in Durham, North Carolina, to formative years in Washington, D.C., where he fell in love with serving others and the power of the restaurant community. John moved to Savannah, GA where he started working his way up from washing dishes. With new skills and a love for seasonal and ingredient driven cooking, John made his move to Atlanta to pursue opportunities with The Ford Fry Group and The Rye Restaurant Group, under chef’s like Craig Richards, Adam Evans, and Todd Ginsberg and more mentors than can be named.

In 2018, John and his wife, Sarah, moved back to Savannah to help open Starland Yard, an outdoor street food and drinks venue, and fine-dining spot, Common Thread. In 2021, he served as culinary consultant for Searchlight Picture’s “The Menu,” coaching lead and background actors on things like knife skills, restaurant flow, presence and plating. During his time on set, he collaborated with world-renowned Chef Dominque Crenn and her team. His most notable contribution to the film was the development of the cheeseburger (if you know, you know!) that served as a pivotal plot point for the film’s dramatic ending.

John has taken a step back from everyday kitchen life as he and his wife have welcomed their first child, Chance, in April of 2022. He is currently working on new concepts with his partners at Starland Yard, consulting, and spending as much time with his son as possible.

John is proud to have supported Giving Kitchen through their aid to his coworkers, benefit dinners, volunteering, and fundraising and events at Starland Yard.

Louisiana native Gary Caldwell brings over two decades of culinary experience from renowned restaurants across the country to his role as executive chef at Marcus Bar & Grille.

Caldwell’s official culinary journey started at the age of 15 working at a Popeyes in downtown New Orleans – quickly adapting to the lively restaurant environment, especially throughout Mardi Gras with the frenzy of parades passing by – but, before that, soaked in his hometown heritage in his grandmother’s kitchen. ​​After graduating from the Culinary Institute of New Orleans in 2001, Caldwell launched his career in fine dining at Pascal’s Manale, known for its Italian-Creole cuisine. His path then led him to Las Vegas, where he spent 15 years – some of which was spent on the opening team for the Wynn Las Vegas – before moving to Atlantic City and joining the team at Borgata Hotel. Ultimately, he made his way back down South, working as executive chef at Ludacris’ Chicken and Beer in Atlanta and Covington’s City Pharmacy before joining the Marcus Bar & Grille team in 2024.

Known for his “modern Bayou” cooking style and crowned a winner on Food Network’s Chopped in 2024, outside of the kitchen, Caldwell finds joy in family time, fishing trips, gardening, and exploring small towns to support local businesses.

Georgia native, Chef Danny, is the corporate chef for The Hansen Group. With over 25 years of experience, most of Chef Danny’s career was spent in private clubs in the Southeast, to include a decade with Cherokeee Town & Country Club. He has competed in over 30 competitions including Bocuse D’or USA, La Chaine Des Rotisseurs, and many American Culinary Federation sanctioned events. He and his wife currently reside in Roswell where he enjoys curling in his spare time.

Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q is an award-winning barbecue restaurant located just south of Little Five Points in Atlanta as well as their newest location on the Westside at “The Works.” Opened in 2007, Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q is owned and operated by twin brothers and co-pitmasters Jonathan and Justin Fox. Fort Worth-natives, Jonathan and Justin are known for their unique Southern-style barbecue infused with Texas flair, serving up pulled pork, smoked brisket, and wings with original side dishes to Atlanta natives and visitors seven days a week. Fox Bros Bar-B-Q has earned raved reviews from top publications including Southern Living, Travel + Leisure, USA Today, and Sports Illustrated. The restaurant has been featured on national television programs including The Travel Channel’s “Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern: Southern Barbecue Trail” and Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.” Jonathan and Justin Fox have cooked at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City on three different occasions. Get your ATL-style bar-b-q fix at Fox Bros. two Atlanta locations 1238 Dekalb Ave. and 204 Chattahoochee Row NW. For weekday grab-n-go sandwiches, be sure to check them out at the Fox Bros. Que-osk located at 120 Ottley Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30324. Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q is also available at the Battery Atlanta’s Terrapin Taproom. For more information, visit Fox Bros. online or call (404) 577-4030.

George Frangos co-founded the innovative grassfed burger chain, Farm Burger, in 2010. A seasoned veteran of the hospitality industry, George aligned with restaurateur and grassfed cattle rancher Jason Mann to make farm-to-table both accessible and scalable through a fast-casual business model. The menu is simple but thoughtful, featuring ingredients from local, sustainable farms. Over the past 11 years, George has overseen Farm Burger’s growth from one Atlanta store to 12 locations across the Southeast—but growth is not Farm Burger’s priority, nor will it be its legacy.

Farm Burger’s legacy will be in creating a lifeline for small to midsize local farms—a sector of agriculture that continues to struggle, despite the countless brands in today’s market who tout “sustainable” and “locally sourced” ingredients. A passion for George is connecting consumers with the local farms who nourish them. It’s not always easy, and Farm Burger is transparent about the challenges and compromises involved with maintaining a farm-to-table model at scale. Before expanding to new markets, George and team must find the right farm partners who meet the restaurant’s standards for quality, can fill its demand, and who share its ethos. For George, it’s not about creating a copy-paste growth model; it’s about establishing roots, cultivating relationships and nurturing community in every Farm Burger market.

Chef Andy Gonzales is the chef-partner of Steinbeck’s & The Companion. He brings with him an extensive amount of experience in Atlanta’s culinary scene to create the distinctive comfort food served at both locations. At Oakhurst Market, Steinbeck’s sister concept, Gonzales is a partner/consultant.

Prior to joining Steinbeck’s, Chef Gonzales worked at some of Atlanta’s most successful restaurants including Bluepoint, Nava, South City Kitchen-Midtown and Spice Market. Over years he honed his skills with international cuisines, which continues to shape the fare he creates. In addition to his inventive cooking, Gonzales brings professional-level knowledge of beer, wine, & spirits which came from study, home brewing & years of pairing beverages and food in fine dining establishments.

Merging his passion for food and community, Gonzales participates in multiple culinary fundraisers throughout the city. When he’s not working, he loves to play video games with his twin boys, dine with his wife and play a lovely round of golf.

Chris Hall is clearly the most rakishly handsome and debonair of the three Unsukay Partners.

His story begins right around the corner from Local Three at the Pizza Hut on Collier Road, where he worked as a teenager. Somehow, the magic smell of pepperoni and yeast lured him in and 25+ years later he is still at it. Either that, or he is just too dense to figure anything else out…So he threw some pizzas and moved up the proverbial ladder, eventually landing, while in college, at Philadelphia’s famed Lec Bec Fin where he was begrudgingly taught to cook by an angry Frenchman & his minions. It was a kitchen ripe with talent (and he was too dumb to be scared), so he set off to learning and taught himself how to cook.

Some folks, including a few dining critics, claim he never learned to cook, but undaunted, he still kept trying.
Hall eventually headed home to Atlanta in search of bourbon and a Southern Belle. He found both and is still in love with both to this day. He landed at Canoe on his return and cut his teeth with Gary Mennie, George McKerrow, Ron San Martin and the gang by the river. It was an amazing time at an incredible restaurant and the most formative of his cooking years; but he always knew he wanted his own place, and if nothing else, to cook what he wanted, however he wanted, whenever he wanted. So after meeting Turner and Muss, a fast friendship formed and they began talking about a partnership. It was a long winding road to eventually get there, but the seed for Local Three was born. Years later, they opened Local Three to a swell of critical and guest acclaim and the rest, as they say, is history.

Now you can find Hall mentoring cooks and doing what he likes most: working on the creative aspects of Local Three, Warhorse Investments, and Unsukay. His true passion these days is to help people in much the same way people helped him in his career.

He loves to coach and mentor and is still entranced by the machinations of the restaurant business.
Hall participates actively in a number of charities and is Vice Chairman of The Giving Kitchen. In 2015, Chris, Ryan, and Todd were named Cornerstone Humanitarians by the National Restaurant Association’s Educational Foundation for their role in kickstarting The Giving Kitchen. In 2019, the Giving Kitchen was named Humanitarians of the Year by the James Beard Foundation

He out-kicked his coverage by a long way and has been married to his wife Julie since 2000 They live in Smyrna, and when he is not in the restaurants, he is golfing, crashing around the woods, shooting at things, and generally acting the fool. Hall loves both kinds of football, round & oblong and is obsessed with Atlanta United, Arsenal winning the Premier League, and Georgia Tech winning a national championship. He likes breaking 80 on the golf course, Dusty Rhodes, the Dude, a great bottle of wine, a fine cigar, brown whiskey, piña coladas and getting caught in the rain…… But most of all, he is incredibly grateful for the staff, guests, and friends, old & new, who keep the company going.

The use of local ingredients to appeal to the palates of one’s new locale is an integral part of the culinary story of American Chinese food. Chef Matthew Hyland (Emily, Emmy Squared) wanted to offer an expression of the comfort food of his youth without being beholden to the limitations of tradition. At Zoe Tong, he embraces Austin’s bounty to create compelling dishes that still evoke the weekly, family dinners at Mr. Tang in Brooklyn and Johnnie Chih’s in Westhampton Beach where he learned to delight in dumplings.

Shai Lavi’s culinary journey is a tribute to family, redefining fine dining with a unique, welcoming atmosphere. Growing up in Or Yehuda, Israel, he learned the art of cooking from his mother and grandmother, instilling in him a deep appreciation for tradition and quality ingredients. Despite owning a toy store and marketing company, Shai’s passion for food led him to create his catering “Let’s Eat!” and The Third Space, where he shares his family’s recipes and commitment to authentic Mediterranean cuisine.

At The Third Space, Shai goes beyond traditional dining by offering a one-of-a-kind experience centered on community and comfort. By partnering with local, family-owned farms and fishermen, he ensures that every dish is crafted from the freshest, locally-sourced ingredients. The menu changes daily based on what’s in season, allowing Shai to showcase the diversity of Mediterranean flavors while supporting his community.

In this unpretentious setting, guests are welcomed as if they’re part of Shai’s own family. The focus is on creating connections and memories through food, redefining the notion of fine dining to be inclusive, warm, and deeply rooted in tradition. At The Third Space, every meal is a celebration of family, community, and vibrant, global flavors.

Spending much of his childhood in France’s Provence region, Chef Nick likes to say that his earliest memories were of flavors. Add his time spent in Bermuda and London, and you begin to understand the timeless techniques, and multi-cultural nuances that Nick celebrates in his kitchen today.

Currently, Chef Leahy is the Executive Chef and co-owner for Vice Kitchen.

Chef Leahy is a passionate supporter of Georgia Grown, No Kid Hungry, The James Beard Foundation, and The Giving Kitchen. Most notably, he holds the honor of being the first chef ever to be elected to Meals on Wheels Atlanta’s Board of Trustees.

In his free time, Chef Leahy enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, Danielle, along with his two daughters and their dog, Lilly Bean

Michael Lennox is the CEO and Founder of Atlanta-based Electric Hospitality, a hospitality group
on a mission to create “electric experiences” for their guests, teams, and communities.

A true visionary, Michael opened Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall in 2014 — the first restaurant to open on the Atlanta BeltLine’s Eastside Trail. Since then, Michael and team have opened multiple award-winning concepts that have received accolades from Bon Appetit, Travel + Leisure, and Eater, including Muchacho, an all-day, all-night, West-Coast-inspired coffee and taco shop, Ranger Station, a cozy cocktail lodge situated above Ladybird, and Golden Eagle, a retro-inspired cocktail bar (since closed during COVID).

Seeking opportunities to expand the curated “electric experiences” that Electric Hospitality is
known for beyond simply the restaurant setting, Lennox and his team launched Electric Events
in 2023, the company’s newest and fastest growing business line, offering full-service catering and events to various clients across metro Atlanta. As part of the group’s expansion into full-service catering and events, The Electric Room opened in 2023, quickly becoming a premiere rooftop event venue in Atlanta.

An Atlanta native, Michael has been recognized as one of Atlanta Magazine’s 500 Most Powerful Leaders each year since 2019. He was also named one of Thrillist’s national “Hometown Heroes” for his work with ATLFAMILYMEAL, the 501(c)(3) Michael and Electric Hospitality incubated in 2020, which produced 250,000 meals for families in need during the COVID-19 crisis. Electric Hospitality continues to support local nonprofits, including Giving Kitchen and Second Helpings, through a robust partnership kicking off in 2024.

When Michael is not dreaming up new innovations or concepts, he can be found traveling in search of inspiration, “treasure hunting” at local antique shops, or slowing down with his wife
and kids at their family farm just south of Atlanta.

With more than 35 years of restaurant and hospitality experience, John C. Metz knows what it takes to create, run and maintain a successful restaurant company and has done just that with his many culinary ventures in the Atlanta area.

As CEO, Executive chef and Co-founder of Marlow’s Tavern and Sterling Culinary Management which operates onsite corporate dining café concepts Market Street Café, Bistros, Social Kitchen, Metz has been creating neighborhood gathering places for guests all across the city.

Metz’s love for the restaurant business originated at a young age when he started as a dishwasher at one of his father’s restaurants, soon moving on to prep cook and eventually running the kitchen. Metz brings knowledge and flavor to the menus of Marlow’s Tavern, Aqua Blue, Hi Life and Sterling Spoon. Trained by the best, he began his education at, The Pennsylvania State University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management. He then went on to pursue his culinary education from the Culinary Institute of America where he graduated at the top of his class.

Metz began his laudable career in New York City at the 21 Club, Tribeca Grill, Park Avenue Café, Montrachet and Della Famina’s in East Hampton. Metz served as executive director of research and development for Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, the franchisor for T.G.I. Friday’s, developing brands like of Italianni’s, Front Row Sports Grill, Timpano and Samba Room. As well, he headed up research and development for Carlson’s international restaurant division opening restaurants in 12 countries around the world.

In 1996, Metz and partner started their business creating an upscale neighborhood spot, Hi Life Kitchen & Cocktails in Atlanta. Hi Life focused on fresh & local for a menu of reinvented American cuisine and a wine program that boasted over 50 wines by the glass. “Hi Life put our company on the map at a time when those trends were not as developed as they are today,” says Metz. Aqua Blue Restaurant & Bar, another Metz concept, was opened in 2001 and sold in 2018.

Metz is the chief executive, co-founder and executive chef of Sterling Hospitality, co-founding and operating; Marlow’s Tavern, an upscale neighborhood gathering place. In addition, Metz operates an upscale contract foodservice company, Sterling Culinary Management, which specializes in on-site restaurant management. Sterling offers a unique corporate dining alternative to the on-premise business cafeterias of the past by creating a full-service restaurant environment, adding a chef-driven culinary flair to ensure the highest quality flavor and presentation in the Atlanta area. This on-site foodservice and catering company created the unique concepts Bistro del Sol, The GROVE, Market Street Café, Bistro 191, The Bean Counter and Tower Market bringing a true upscale, fresh restaurant experience into the corporate space and 55+ luxury communities. In addition, in 2018 Metz and his partner opened The Spinning Room in Dalton Georgia, an upscale wine & beer bar with small plates and live music.

Metz, who was named “Atlanta 2020 Most Admired CEO” by Atlanta Business Chronicle, brings his knowledge and flavor to all of the menus he creates. Metz is very involved in the industry and communities in which he operates his businesses. He serves on numerous local and national boards as well as many local charity organizations. He is on the National Restaurant Association’s and Georgia Restaurant Association’s Boards of Directors, the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Board and was appointed as vice chairman in 2005 for the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) and later became the chairman of the organization’s board in 2007 and 2008. Currently, he serves as the 22nd Chairman of the Culinary Institute of America board of trustees. In addition, he is actively involved with Special Olympics Georgia and Share our Strength. Sterling Hospitality has raised more than $1.7 million for these and other local community organizations.

Chef Freddy Money, with a rich culinary background and a passion for innovative food presentation, creates memorable dining experiences. He believes in storytelling through food, crafting menus that emphasize ingredients, origin, and texture. Trained in top European kitchens, including the Alain Ducasse Group, he took the helm at Atlas to design unique and stylish dishes for guest enjoyment. Freddy has been appointed as the Culinary Director for Atlas and The Garden Room within The St Regis Atlanta and Nami in Lake Nona, Orlando, Florida. Chef Freddy has contributed his experience, imagination and passion across Tavistock Group hospitality projects at the highest level.

Kevin Rathbun is a big presence on Atlanta’s culinary scene. His physical stature may be what people notice initially, but it’s his robust flavors, genuine hospitality, and big heart that make a lasting impression.

Kevin’s passion for food and hospitality started early. He grew up in Kansas City, where his mother operated several prominent restaurants, and where his father, a jazz musician, provided musical stylings. Kevin started as a dishwasher, worked his way up through the ranks, and never looked back. As a child and teen, he worked hard to become an Eagle Scout (a feat only about 5% of scouts achieve), showcasing his exemplary perseverance, leadership, dedication and integrity, all qualities that set him apart to this day. Following culinary school, he worked in New Orleans, Dallas, Houston, and Atlanta with nationally known celebrity chefs and restaurateurs including Bradley Ogden, Emeril Lagasse, Stephen Pyles, Ella Brennan, and Pano Karatassos.

No matter the style of cuisine, Kevin brought his signature bold flavors and generous leadership style to each project. In 1994, he was nominated for the James Beard Awards “Rising Star Chef” for his work at Baby Routh. In 1996, he introduced Southwestern fare to Atlanta with the opening of Buckhead Life Restaurant Group’s pioneering restaurant, Nava, and then presented Asian-fusion cuisine with the group’s Bluepointe. He then served as the company’s Corporate Executive Chef, overseeing several BLRG restaurants.

After years of building blockbuster restaurants for other entrepreneurs, Kevin decided to make his long-time dream of owning his own place a reality. He discovered a warehouse-style space in Inman Park and became a pioneer in the area, opening his first namesake restaurant, Rathbun’s, in 2004, laying the groundwork for it to become the dining destination it is today. When he opened the doors to the modern American-style eatery, he invited the city of Atlanta to come experience his dream. What a dream it was! Both culinary fans and media caught the vision; a seat at Rathbun’s quickly became the hottest ticket in town. It was named to Esquire’s coveted “Best New Restaurants in America” list, as the year’s “Best New American Restaurant” in Travel + Leisure, and was showered with a host of other accolades.

The momentum kept going at full force. Kevin opened Krog Bar the next year, and followed up with Kevin Rathbun Steak, perfectly positioned on the Atlanta BeltLine, in 2007. In 2013, he opened KR Steakbar in Buckhead’s Peachtree Hills neighborhood. Ever a media favorite, Kevin has appeared on dozens of television programs including The Today Show, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, Good Morning America, CNN, and Good Day Atlanta. On Food Network, Kevin competed against Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America, besting the celebrity chef in “Battle Elk” (you can try the winning recipe on Kevin Rathbun Steak’s menu!) in front of a national audience. He went on to win on the network’s popular Chopped, in a sibling rivalry show with his brother, Dallas-based chef Kent Rathbun. Kevin’s natural combination of talent, skill, grace under pressure, and personality have made him a perennial fan favorite.

Philanthropy and improving his community has always been a major focus for Kevin. His tireless commitment to giving has led him to serve on boards, at events and through donations to organizations both local and national, including Taste of the NFL’s Kick Hunger Challenge, No Kid Hungry, Open Hand Atlanta, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, American Cancer Society, the High Museum of Art, Atlanta Community Food Bank, Les Dames d’Escoffier, March of Dimes, Giving Kitchen and many more.

In 2008, the Atlanta City Council issued a proclamation in his honor, recognizing his excellence as a chef and restaurateur, as well as his generosity to charitable causes. Kevin has been named the Georgia Restaurant Association’s Restaurateur of the Year at its annual GRACE Awards and was honored with 11Alive’s “11 Who Care” community service award. In 2022, the Atlanta Hawks presented him with the “Forever 404 Honors Presented by Sharecare,” acknowledging his ongoing commitment to the Atlanta community.

Kevin’s wife of more than three decades, Melissa, whom he met working at the famed Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, has been by his side every step of the way. She’s a constant source of inspiration and support, and frequent guests will recognize her warm smile that’s a regular fixture in the restaurants. In his spare time, the big-hearted chef enjoys collecting cookbooks, dining out, traveling, and smoking a fine cigar on occasion. He’s humbled to have the support of his Atlanta community, enabling him to continue to be a visionary in both the local and national restaurant landscape.

Chef Rhasaan’s culinary philosophy is an artful fusion of innovation, tradition, and an unwavering passion for quality ingredients, masterfully brought to life by the tight-knit team of two, with his dedicated wife as an integral collaborator. Each meticulously crafted dish is a testament to this philosophy, tantalizing taste buds and inspiring both patrons and aspiring chefs. This culinary approach, achieved with a small but devoted staff, serves as a beacon of inspiration, illustrating the boundless possibilities achievable through the marriage of creativity and expertise.

A native of Puerto Rico, Chef Hector Santiago, began his culinary career nearly 25 years ago in the San Juan kitchen of his mentor, Chef Giovanna Huyke. Under her advisement, Santiago attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York. Following graduation, he trained in the kitchens of the Greenbrier Hotel in West Virginia, the Manhattan Ocean Club, Stony Hill Inn in New Jersey and Heartland Brewery. He expanded his culinary techniques with stints in the kitchens of renowned international chefs, including José Andrés, Wylie Dufresne, and Andoni Luis Aduriz.

In 2001, Chef Santiago moved to Atlanta and opened his acclaimed restaurant, Pura Vida. For more than a decade, the highly regarded tapas restaurant provided a venue for Santiago to showcase the authentic flavors and ingredients garnered from years of traveling, cooking and exploring his beloved Latino America. As Chef-Owner of Pura Vida, Santiago was a three-time James Beard Foundation “Best Chef of the Southeast” semifinalist; in 2011 he was named Star Chef’s Rising Star of Atlanta and earned a spot on Bravo’s Emmy-winning show, “Top Chef Las Vegas” (Season 6).

What started as a popular weekend popup at Pura Vida, Santiago officially opened El Super Pan at Ponce City Market in 2015, receiving accolades from VOGUE, Travel + Leisure, Eater, The Local Palate, CNN, Thrillist, USA Today, the Travel Channel, Food Network, Zagat, Food & Wine, and many more. In 2018, he opened a second El Super Pan location at The Battery Atlanta. El Super Pan is a classic Latin kitchen highlighting the bold and rich flavors of Cocina Criolla and the Spanish Caribbean, with a beautiful melody of Indigenous food, Spanish and African cuisine. His inventive takes on tropical cocktails lead guests through a vacation in the Caribbean, highlighting rum flavors from both Puerto Rico and Cuba.