chefs

Ted Allen, Food and Wine Ambassador for Discover Wine with Robert Mondavi
Rodelio Aglibot, Sunda New Asian
Jerome Bacle, Courtright's Restaurant
Jimmy Bannos, Heaven On Seven and The Purple Pig
Jimmy Bannos Jr., The Purple Pig
Rick Bayless, Frontera Grill/Topolobampo/XOCO
Fabrice Bouet, Lockwood at the Palmer House Hilton
Graham Elliot Bowles, graham elliot
Alexander Brunacci, Franks 'N' Dawgs
Frank Brunacci, Sixteen
George Bumbaris, Prairie Grass Café/ Prairie Fire
Niall Campbell, Firefly Grill
Gregory Carso, Metropolitan Club
Michael Cisternino, Tavern at the Park
John Coletta, Quartino
Federico Comacchio, Phil Stefani’s 437 Rush
Judy Contino, Bittersweet Pastry Shop and Cafe
Cat Cora, Bon Appétit
Chris Curren, Blue 13 Restaurant & Bar
Jesse DeGuzman, Sunda New Asian
Radhika Desai, English
Federico Destro, Ristorante Luca
Stephen Dunne, Paramount
Dirk Flanigan, The Gage/ Henri
Jo-Marie Frigo, Nonna Santi's Biscotti
Klaus Fritsch, Morton’s The Steakhouse
Dirk and Terry Fucik, Dirk's Fish and Gourmet Shop
Meg Galus, Café des Architectes at Sofitel Chicago Water Tower
Gale Gand, Tru
Jose Garces, Mercat a la Planxa
Luigi Garcia, RIVA Restaurant
John Gatsos, Tavern on Rush
Carlos Gaytan, Mexique
James Gottwald, Rockit Bar & Grill
Eliva Granados, Francesca's Restaurants
Laurent Gras, L20
Koren Grieveson, Avec
Mark Grosz, Oceanique
Stephen Henry, Lockwood at the Palmer House Hilton
Kevin Hickey, Four Seasons Hotel
John Hogan, Keefer’s
Sandra Holl, Floriole Bakery
Trevor Hoyte, IPO
Tony Hu, Lao Szechuan
Brian Huston, The Publican
Stephanie Izard, The Girl & The Goat
Randal Jacobs, Elate 
Paul Kahan, Blackbird
Gene Kato, Japonais
Paul Katz, Harry Caray's Restaurant Group
Bill Kim, Belly Shack
Dian Kochilas, Avli and Pylos
Eddie Lakin, Edzo's Burger Shop
Mariano Lanfranconi, 5411 Empanadas
Ryan LaRoche, NoMI
Bernie Laskowski, Park Grill
Chan Le, Le Colonial
Dale Levitski, Sprout
Joshua Linton, Aja
John Manion, Branch 27
Tony Mantuano, Spiaggia
Shawn McClain, Spring Restaurant Group 
Michael McDonald, one sixtyblue
Jason McLeod, Balsan at the Elysian Hotel
Nathaniel Meads, Fritz Pastry
Mario Navarro, Gene & Georgetti
Martial Noguier, Café des Architectes at Sofitel Chicago Water Tower
Chris Nugent, Les Nomades
Jessica Oloroso, Black Dog Gelato
Terry Opalek and Michael Frontier, Terry's Toffee
Chris Pandel, The Bristol
Mark Payne, deca RESTAURANT + BAR
Nicole Pederson, C-House
Bradford Phillips, LM Restaurant
Ryan Poli, Perennial Restaurant
David Posey, Blackbird
Tony Priolo, Piccolo Sogno
Thierry Rautureau, Rover's Restaurant
Geoff Rhyne, SugarToad
Toni Roberts, C-House
Alain Roby, Hyatt Regency Chicago
Patty Rothman, More Cupcakes'
Arun Sampanthavivat, Arun’s
Marcus Samuelsson, C-House
Patricio Sandoval, Mercadito
Mario Santiago, May St. Cafe & Catering
Mindy Segal, Hot Chocolate
Alex Shalev, Sola
Patrick Sheerin, The Signature Room at the 95th
Jackie Shen, Red Light
Bruce Sherman, North Pond
Michael Shrader, N9NE Steakhouse
Kerry Simon, Simon at the Palms/ Simon LA
Art Smith, Table Fifty-Two
Mark Sparacino, Prosecco
Chad Starling, aria
Jeffrey Starr, Trinchero Family Estates
Sarah Stegner, Prairie Grass Café
Todd Stein, The Florentine
Carly Sullivan, The Gage
Giuseppe Tentori, Boka Restaurant
Jacques Torres, Jacques Torres Chocolate
Rick Tramonto, Tramonto's Steak and Seafood/ RT Sushi Bar & Lounge
Dan Tucker, SUSHISAMBA rio
Jared Van Camp, Old Town Social
Paul Virant, Vie
Fabio Viviani, Santa Margarita
Randy Waidner, Gibsons Restaurant Group
Carol Wallack, Sola
Scott Walton, Markethouse Restaurant and Bar
Stephen Wambach, Epic
Michael Wisner, Zapatista
Takashi Yagihashi, Takashi
Shelley Young, The Chopping Block
Andrew Zimmerman, Sepia
Randy Zweiban, Province

master
sommeliers

Serafin Alvarado, Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois
Frederick Dame, Heirloom Wine Group
Doug Krenik, Dr. Loosen Wines
Geoff Kruth, Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant
Alpana Singh, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises

speakers

Bridget Albert, Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois
Leone Bonacossi, Capezzana
Tim Clark, Chateau Ste Michelle
David Edmonds, Nobilo Wines
Barbara Fairchild, Bon Appétit
Andrew Knowlton, Bon Appétit
John Legnard, Blue Moon Brewing
Monica Pederson, HGTV
Peter Scott, Premium Port Wines
Martin Sinkoff, Frederick Wildman and Sons
John Terlato, Terlato Wines International
William Terlato, Terlato Wines International  
Lori Tieszen, Wines of Chile
Luis Torres, Constellation Wines US
Darryl Woolley, Kim Crawford Wines
 

Nicole Pederson

C-House

Executive Chef Nicole Pederson leads the culinary team at C-House Fish and Chops, acclaimed Chef/Owner Marcus Samuelsson’s restaurant located at the Affinia Chicago hotel. At C-House, Chef Nicole’s Midwestern roots lend to her focus on pure flavors, simplicity and seasonality in her cuisine.

 Growing up in Minneapolis, Chef Nicole was surrounded by food and cooking from an early age, but it was her first trip to France at the age of nineteen that solidified her fascination with food. Inspired by her eye-opening European experience, she enrolled in culinary school within the newly opened Art Institute of Minneapolis, officially embarking upon her journey into the culinary world.
 
Upon graduation, Chef Nicole returned to France to not only experience more of the amazing food and culture, but to gain solid work experience. She spent a summer working at Hotel Bellevue, an innovative gastronomic restaurant in the southwest of France. With the change in season came a change in scenery as Chef Nicole made the exciting move to Vail, Colorado where she began working at La Tour, a French American restaurant in the heart of the ski village. There, she started as a line cook and eventually moved up to take the role of Chef de Cuisine where she spent two years running La Tour’s kitchen.
 
Wanderlust and the desire for new challenges eventually led Chef Nicole from Colorado to New York City, where she staged at many top restaurants in Manhattan before joining the team at the famed Gramercy Tavern. She continued to refine her culinary skills and talents, ultimately leading her full circle and back to the Midwest with a final move to Chicago. Working as Sous Chef at Lula Cafe, she developed an increased understanding of artisanal ingredients and cooking, as well as an appreciation for the importance in working with local farmers and creating a sustainable community.
Recently, Chef Nicole was privileged with the opportunity to assist Chef Samuelsson at the White House during his Guest Chef appearance for the Obama Administration’s first State Dinner, preparing a meal for the first family, Prime Minister Singh of India and 400 of their guests. In addition, in April 2010 Chef Nicole and the C-House team were invited to host a dinner on behalf of C-House at the James Beard Foundation’s prestigious Beard House in New York City.
 
At C-House, Chef Nicole takes a simple and seasonal approach to her menu, working closely under esteemed mentor Chef Marcus Samuelsson. According to Samuelsson, she is, “akin to a young Alice Waters with a passion for pure, simple food and a true understanding of the beauty in flavor combinations.” Chef Nicole continues to garner acclaim as a top upcoming chef, including being nominated for Best New Chef in TimeOut Chicago’s Eat Out Awards in 2010 and being named as one of Chicago’s Best New Chefs in CS magazine’s January 2010 Best Of issue.