Michelle Bernstein

Chef, Michy's Restaurant

Since the pivotal Mango Gang era in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, virtually no other Miami chef has made as big a splash on the national culinary scene as Chef Michelle Bernstein. A Miami native of Jewish and Latin descent, this passionate culinaire has dazzled diners and critics alike with her sublime cuisine and a personality as bright and vibrant as the Florida sun.

“My food is luxurious but approachable,” says Bernstein. “You don’t need heavy handed technique and over the top presentations to make a dish work. It’s about amazing ingredients, layered flavors and simplicity. I cook the food I love and I think that love translates to the diners.” Right now, diners are loving Bernstein’s cuisine at her two successful Miami outposts, Michy’s and SRA. Martinez, which she owns and operates with her partner/husband David Martinez. Sporting distinctly different styles and cuisines, both display the earnestness, passion and dedication that have made Bernstein one of the region’s brightest culinary stars.

In addition to an ever-growing restaurant empire – Michelle Bernstein at The Omphoy in Palm Beach county, Florida opened fall 2009 – Bernstein recently launched the Miami chapter of Common Threads, an after-school program dedicated to teaching underprivileged kids ages 8-11 to cook, socialize, and eat healthy. Most recently, the duo opened Crumb on Parchment, a cozy café located just steps away from Sra. Martinez as well as MBC catering for events and private parties and her signature collection of cookware and cutlery sets Michelle B, through Fagor America.

David Bull

Executive Chef/Owner, Congress & Second Bar + Kitchen

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 1994, Chef David Bull joined The Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas. He moved quickly through the ranks at The Mansion to earn distinction as the youngest-ever sous chef employed by the venerable hotel. He then moved to Austin, serving as executive chef of the Driskill Grill, where he and his team earned the Austin American-Statesman’s Number One Restaurant Award for three consecutive years. Food and Wine Magazine honored Chef Bull as one of “The Best New Chefs 2003.” 

In 2006 he appeared on the Food Network as an Iron Chef America competitor. And in 2007, Chef Bull was nominated for the prestigious James Beard award for Best New Chef Southwest.  In 2010 Chef Bull opened Congress, Second Bar + Kitchen and Bar Congress in downtown Austin. In 2011 Congress was recognized as the only five-star restaurant in Austin by the Austin American-Statesman and was named as one of the “Best New Restaurants 2011″ by Esquire. Esquire also named Bar Congress as “One of the Best New Bars in America,” and all three establishments were named in the “Top 10 Best New Restaurants in America” by Bon Appétit. 

Tim Byres

Chef/Co-Owner, SMOKE

Tim Byres is co-owner and Chef of Dallas’ acclaimed restaurant, SMOKE. Returning to his roots and the basics of his culinary education, Tim pulled from his experiences of growing up in California, the traditions of the old-world kitchens in Belgium and the front-porch folklore and backyard bar-b-que recipes he found on his recent travels across the U.S. SMOKE is known for it’s slow-smoked meats, family-style entertaining and old-school cooking handcrafted from scratch.

Byres made a life changing decision when he decided to open SMOKE. He wanted to be true to himself as well as his cooking. Byres follows a “back to basics” approach by aspiring to serve all-natural and hormone-free meats, in turn building relationships with independent farms whenever possible. He stresses the importance of seasonal food education by growing his own vegetables in the garden behind SMOKE. These principals have influenced the local and regional community of Texas.

Byres has been asked to speak by leaders in the environmentally sustainable community in reference to his “bloom where you are planted” approach to cooking with what is available to us both locally and regionally. The team at SMOKE seeks to adhere to the fundamentals in life – be real, be honest and be genuine. As Byres puts it, “it’s not what you do, it’s how you do it.

Tyson Cole

Chef/Owner, Uchi & Uchiko

Award-winning Chef Tyson Cole is a passionate student of the Japanese tradition having trained for more than 10 years in Tokyo, New York, and Austin, under two different sushi masters before opening his acclaimed restaurant, Uchi, in 2003. Cole became fascinated with sushi in his early twenties while working at an Austin Japanese restaurant and he dedicated himself to learning every aspect of the cuisine.

Demonstrating skill and dexterity with the knife, he quickly worked his way from dishwasher to head sushi chef. Cole then moved to Austin’s top sushi restaurant, Musashino, where he completed an intensive traditional apprenticeship under owner Takehiko Fuse. In May of 2003, Uchi opened with Cole as executive chef and co-owner. Cole’s gift of marrying global ingredients with traditional Japanese flavors quickly garnered him local as well as national attention and Uchi became one of the top fine dining restaurants in Austin. The accolades continued when he was awarded a coveted spot on Food & Wine Magazine‘s Best New Chefs of 2005 list and in May 2011, the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Southwest.

Jason Dady

Chef/Owner, Jason Dady Restaurant Group

Chef Jason Dady pioneered an innovative culinary culture in San Antonio and developed a reputation of top quality, excellence and professionalism in food, service and hospitality through each of his five San Antonio dining establishments and gourmet food truck.

As Executive Chef and Owner of The Lodge Restaurant of Castle Hills, Bin 555 Restaurant and Wine Bar, Tre Trattoria, Two Bros. BBQ Market, @DUK Truck and recent expansion of Tre Trattoria at The Fairmount Hotel. Dady has a passion preparing the best ingredients to perfection and providing exceptional service for each and every guest. Dady’s love for food and h began at the side of his grandparents. One set of grandparents own a small tavern for over 40 years, while his other grandfather was a master butcher who handed down his personal set of knives Jason.

Dady holds a B.A. in Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management from Texas Tech University and culinary degree at the California Culinary Academy (CCA) in San Fransisco. He worked at the world-renowned Stars Bar and Dining. After graduating from the CCA he set his sights on Napa Valley and the Beringer Wine Estate. There he perfected his wine pairing techniques and New American-style cuisine.

Aaron Franklin

Pit Master, Franklin Barbecue

Aaron Franklin’s parents owned a barbecue stand in his native Bryan, Texas, so it could be said that making good brisket was in his blood. But barbecue runs thick in the veins of every Texan, and when Aaron began experimenting with brisket and a backyard smoker a decade ago, it just so happened that with him it ran thicker than most. With the encouragement of friends, Aaron and his wife Stacy debuted Franklin BBQ in late 2009 on an East Austin parking lot.

From the walk-up window of a travel trailer turned brisket stand, patrons quickly noticed the Franklins were selling the best barbecue around. By spring, the line of admirers snaked around the block, and the press followed. In less than two years, the duo could count contributors from The Washington Post, Texas Monthly, and Cooking Channel among a growing chorus hailing Franklin among America’s BBQ elite—mentioned in the breath as Smitty’s, Kreuz’s, and other stalwart temples to the holy craft of smoked meat that line the Central Texas brisket belt. In the summer of 2010, Bon Appetit hailed Franklin BBQ as the best in America.

Aaron and Stacy quickly outgrew their trailer, now parked behind a bricks-and-mortar restaurant a few blocks south. And despite the new digs and every reasonable effort to increase production, Franklin BBQ’s line is as long as ever, and the restaurant has sold out of brisket every day of its existence.

Bryce Gilmore

Chef/Owner, Barley Swine

Bryce Gilmore’s journey from bussing tables to managing a restaurant has been one that’s spanned over ten years and had his migration from Texas to San Francisco, to Colorado and back. The journey led him to two successful eateries and the honor of being named a 2011 Food & Wine Best New Chef.

Son of a chef and restaurateur, Bryce’s destiny was cooking. After bussing tables and serving in high school, he was ready to move behind the line and attended the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Gilmore returned to Austin and worked at Wink and Moonshine and Café 909 until 2007, before leaving for San Francisco to work at Nancy Oakes’ Boulevard. Gilmore then moved to Aspen, Co., where he worked at Montagna Restaurant at The Little Nell.

A Texan at heart, Gilmore returned home to a burgeoning food trailer scene and jumped on the bandwagon—with one stand-a-part element, a focus on fresh, local ingredients. In 2009 he opened Odd Duck Farm to Trailer. At Odd Duck, Gilmore creates dishes with farm fresh, local ingredients, priced them for the “average Joe”.  Following much success, Gilmore opened his first brick and mortar restaurant in 2010, Barley Swine.

Jack Gilmore

Chef, Jack Allen's Kitchen

Jack Gilmore’s bold, flavorful style hails from his experience across the Gulf Coast Region of the South, his upbringing in the Rio Grande Valley, and extensive work with Master German chefs. However, his legendary hospitality is 100% Texan. Gilmore began his culinary career working with “old school” Cajun chefs in South Padre Island, Texas. Seeking new challenges, Gilmore relocated to Austin where he helped open the original Chez Fred’s and longtime seafood favorite Louie’s on the Lake, before moving to Louisiana.

Returning to Texas in the mid-1980s, chef Gilmore worked under Master German chefs in Fredericksburg, which truly helped shape his culinary vision. In those kitchens, he learned to “put everything you have learned together and use it,” Jack remembers. “The Masters taught me to be humble when it does not work out and glad when it does.”

Gilmore came back to Austin in 1990 to create the culinary vision for the legendary Z’Tejas Grill, a perfect fit for his unique background and talent. As the founding executive chef for the Austin-based operation, fresh ingredients and signature elements marked his distinctive style.

In October of 2009, Jack and partner Tom Kamm left Z’Tejas to create their dream project – Jack Allen’s Kitchen, focusing on farm to table fresh ingredients, spirited Texas cuisine, and ‘Jacked up’ hospitality. Since its opening in December 2009, the restaurant has enjoyed rave reviews, loyal-already fans, and big time crowds.

“We focus on fresh ingredients in everything we do – from the produce to the meat to even the local honey and olive oil we use,” he says proudly. “Jack Allen’s is 80% local after only four months of operation. I tell the farmers, ‘Bring me everything you’ve got – it won’t go to waste.’ For example, if I get a bunch of great tomatoes, we might use the extras in tomato jam. I can get really creative.”

“Growing up in a coastal border town of South Texas, my meals came from the fresh seafood of the Gulf of Mexico and farm fields full of fruits and vegetables. I remember experiencing many layers of flavors,” explains Jack. “My number one goal is to honor the ingredients, and we work hard to create bold, fresh flavors in every dish we serve.”
Cocktails, using premium liquors, creative combinations, and fresh squeezed juices, are a big part of the successful equation at Jack Allen’s Kitchen.

When not in the kitchen, Gilmore enjoys spending free time with his wife LuAnn, and their two sons, Bryce and Dylan. His hobbies include gardening, cooking in his outdoor home kitchen, water skiing, and Longhorn football. He is actively involved in the Lone Star Paralysis Foundation, and received the Carolyn Nelson Award in April 2010 for his dedicated support of the organization.

Sarah Grueneberg

Executive Chef, Spiaggia & Cafe Spiaggia

Houston born-and-raised Sarah Grueneberg’s passion for the culinary world began as a small child as she spent much of her time cooking and baking with her grandparents. After attending the Art Institute of Houston, she began her professional culinary career as a sous chef at Brennan’s in Houston where she learned southern hospitality and Texas Creole cuisine.

In 2005, Grueneberg joined the award-winning team at Spiaggia, Chicago’s only four-star Italian restaurant, where she quickly climbed up the ranks to her current position as executive chef. Her growing knowledge of Italian food, culture and language has enabled her to create one-of-a-kind experiences for Spiaggia guests and has provided diners with the most authentic Italian dishes. To further develop her cooking skills, she travels to Italy at least once a year to work with the country’s best chefs and producers. Grueneberg has been covered in The Wall Street Journal, Wine Enthusiast, Chicago Tribune, Time Out Chicago, Eater, The Feast and The Daily Meal, among others. Grueneberg was named one of Chicago’s Rising Star Chefs by Chicago Social Magazine in July 2010, named Chicago Chef of the Year in the 2011 Eater Awards and is one of the 16 cheftestants on Bravo’s Top Chef: Texas.

James Holmes

Executive Chef, Olivia & Lucy's Fried Chicken

A fifth generation Texan, Chef Holmes is the quintessential proud Texan. Growing up with a father and grandfather working in the oil fields, Holmes’ memories pay special attention to food and can fondly remember his grandfather taking BBQ to the oil rigs for lunch. Holmes left Texas to attend college at the University of Oklahoma where he received his Bachelor’s degree with concentrations in Communication and Political Science. He then moved to New York to learn his craft from The Institute of Culinary Education. Upon graduation, Chef Holmes began his career working at Joseph’s Table in Taos, New Mexico. Holmes then built his resume working with renowned New York City restaurants including Craft and Picholine, and eventually moved to Strausbourg, France to work in the kitchen at La Panier du Marche.

Chef Holmes made his way back to Texas and opened Rose-Hill Manor in Fredericksburg. He then settled in Austin and worked for the Texas Culinary Academy where he was a Chef Instructor for Ventana Restaurant. After Ventana, Chef Holmes helped open the Alamo Drafthouse and shortly after made the move to Out There Catering where he managed backstage catering for popular Austin music venues.

While Holmes’ tireless work often leaves him exhausted, he still makes time for his family. Daughters Olivia and Lucy—for whom the restaurants were named——and his wife and business partner, Cristina, are his driving force every day. Next in line to his love of cooking and family, are his loves for West Texas Mexican food, live music (especially Willie Nelson) and not surprisingly, bacon.

Elizabeth Karmel

Executive Chef, Hill Country Barbecue & Hill Country Chicken

North Carolina native Elizabeth Karmel was raised on barbecue—at roadside stands, neighborhood cookouts and county fairs—but it wasn’t until she moved away from home that the barbecue love affair began.

When it wasn’t at her fingertips, she had to learn how to smoke it herself and a pit-mistress was born. Karmel, a.k.a. Queen of the Grill, is a nationally respected authority on grilling, barbecue and Southern food. She is the Executive Chef of Hill Country Barbecue Market in NYC and Washington, DC, and NYC’s Hill Country Chicken. She developed the award-winning concept, menu and flavor profiles from the meats to the sides and desserts for all three restaurants.

As a sought after media personality, Karmel writes for, and is frequently featured in an array of national magazines from Saveur to Better Homes & Gardens, and appears regularly on all three network morning shows. She writes a bi-monthly column for the Associated Press called The American Table. She is also the author of three acclaimed cookbooks, the designer of an innovative line of outdoor cooking and kitchen tools, and the founder of the gender-breaking GirlsattheGrill.com.

Tim Love

Chef/Owner, Lonesome Dove

Fort Worth, Texas chef Tim Love is known as much for his freewheeling personality as his signature urban western cuisine. As chef and owner of The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro and The Love Shack, he’s as comfortable cooking for the Dallas Cowboys as he is for his own kids, and his inspired and innovative dishes have earned critical and popular acclaim.

In 2000, Love opened The Lonesome Dove in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards district, earning his reputation as a veritable meat master for his preparations of everything from steaks to rabbit, wild boar, kangaroo, elk, and even rattlesnake. In 2007, Love opened a classic burger joint called The Love Shack, also in the Stockyards, and it was another instant hit, earning three stars from The Dallas Morning News, and was singled out as having the “most perfect burger on the planet” by The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Love’s second Love Shack location opened in 2009, and in April 2011 he opened a third location, this time in his hometown of Denton, Texas. This fall, Love plans to open yet another restaurant — The Woodshed – on the banks of Fort Worth’s Trinity River.

Through his restaurants and work in the community, Love is always doing his fans and family proud. His charm and southern hospitality are always on display, whether it’s at his restaurants or at culinary events and cultural festivals around the world such as the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, and as the official chef of Austin City Limits. Love has appeared on countless other television shows, including Top Chef Masters, Iron Chef America, The Today Show, Paula Deen, and the Food Network, where he was a judge on the popular series “Best in Smoke”.

Tony Mantuano

Author & Chef/Partner of Spiaggia, Cafe Spiaggia, Terzo Piano, Bar Toma

Regarded internationally as an influential culinary force, Chef Tony Mantuano is the chef/partner at Spiaggia, the only four-star Italian restaurant in Chicago.  Awarded the 2005 James Beard Foundation Award for “Best Chef: Midwest,” Mantuano worked in several Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy before opening Spiaggia in 1984 to critical acclaim, and has since gone on to win The Chicago Tribune’s highest culinary prize, “The Good Eating Award” and named a Food & Wine “Best New Chef” in 1986. 

His other ventures include Mangia Trattoria in his hometown of Kenosha, Wisconsin, chef/partner of Terzo Piano at the Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago, and the recently opened Bar Toma in Chicago. Mantuano is a cookbook author, television personality, seen on season two of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters, making it to the Champions round, and has been covered in the media in outlets such as, Nightline, The TODAY Show, MARTHA, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Food & Wine, Wine Spectator and Bon Appétit, among others. Chef Mantuano and Spiaggia held their one Michelin star in the 2012 Chicago guide. Under Chef Mantuano’s leadership Spiaggia continues to mark the culinary map, highlighting unique and “first seen” in the U.S. Italian products and producers.

Sam Mason

Chef/Owner, Empire Mayonnaise

Sam Mason is currently the chef/owner of Empire Mayonnaise a luxury, exotically-flavored mayonnaise company based in Brooklyn, NY. After studying at Johnson & Wales University, he honed his craft and built his reputation, working for Jean Louis Palladin, Paul Liebrandt, and Wylie Dufresne. 

Formerly the chef at TAILOR restaurant in SoHo, and the pastry chef at WD~50, Mason  is considered to be one of the most creative chefs in America. His aesthetic culinary vision uses inventive ingredients to produce sweet as well as savory dishes that continually surprise the palate.

Masaharu Morimoto

Chef, Morimoto NYC, Napa & Mexico City

Known to millions as star of Iron Chef and Iron Chef America — is as comfortable cooking against the clock for a live television audience as he is preparing his signature omakase menu at his namesake restaurants. In 2001, he opened his first Morimoto restaurant in Philadelphia. In 2004, Wasabi by Morimoto opened to great acclaim at the Taj Mahal in Mumbai.

In January 2006, Morimoto brought his eponymous restaurant to New York City. Earning the James Beard Foundation award for Outstanding Restaurant Design in 2008, Morimoto New York has garnered numerous awards, including being named by Condé Nast Traveler as a 2006 Hot List restaurant; one of New York’s Top 50 restaurants by Travel + Leisure; Top Newcomer by Zagat Survey; and one of New York Magazine’s Best New Restaurants. 

In 2008, he opened another Wasabi by Morimoto at the Taj Mahal in New Delhi and Morimoto Sushi Bar in Boca Raton Club & Resort. In July 2010, Morimoto opened his first West Coast restaurant in Napa, California. Morimoto Napa received three stars from San Francisco Chronicle and was named one of the best new restaurants in the United States by Food & Wine Magazine. In September, he opened Morimoto Waikiki at the Modern Hotel (formerly the Edition Hotel). In October 2011, he opened Morimoto Mexico City at Camino Real Hotel in Mexico City.

Pichet Ong

Pastry Chef, Coppelia NYC & Qi Restaurant

Eating and cooking are Pichet Ong’s hobby and heartbeat. He enjoys mixing classical and modern flavors to create whimsical sweet and savory foods. Pichet combines the fond flavors of his childhood with new cooking technique to create culinary offerings that are seasonal, pure and light, delightfully experimental, yet nostalgic. His creations can be found worldwide from New York to Sydney, Istanbul to Beijing, Tokyo to San Francisco. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Brandeis University and a Master’s in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley, Pichet elected to pursue yet another one of his passions.

As a self-taught chef, Pichet has worked with culinary luminaries, including Jean Georges Vongerichten and Max Brenner. Pichet has beennamed one of the Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America by Pastry Arts & Design and Chocolatier, and was selected as a “Pastry Provocateur” by Food & Wine Magazine.  In 2002, he was named Starchefs.com’s “Rising Star” and featured in the prestigious “The Chef” column of The New York Times for four weeks.  His desserts, including those from Spice Market, RM, and 66, have garnered numerous “Best of” awards. He is a multiple nominee for the James Beard Award in several national categories.

His work frequently appears in Bon Appétit, Food Arts, The New Yorker, Elle, New York Magazine, Time Out, People, Vogue, Condé Nast Traveler, Out, Harper’s Bazaar, W, and O, The Oprah Magazine. He has been on Iron Chef America, Martha Stewart Live, CBS News, Emeril’s Live, LX TV, and most recently as a judge on Top Chef Just Desserts. Pichet’s cookbook, The Sweet Spot, has been hailed by The New York Times as “a standout and one of the most original dessert cookbooks in years.” Pichet lives in New York and consults on culinary projects worldwide, including the recently opened Coppelia, Qi, and La Esquina in New York City. He is presently working on a new book – Desserts on a Whim.

Rene Ortiz

Executive Chef La Condesa Austin & La Condesa Napa Valley

Native Texan Rene Ortiz has come home. Born in Houston and raised in San Antonio, Chef Ortiz spent the past two decades traveling the world cultivating his international culinary skills. Now he returns to the Lone Star state as Executive Chef of La Condesa, a modern Mexican restaurant located across the street from Austin City Limits in Austin’s vibrant 2nd Street district that was nominated for a 2010 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant.

He is also Executive Chef/Partner of La Condesa Napa Valley, located in the historic Keller Brothers Meats building in downtown St Helena, heart of the Napa Valley. A culinary homage to Mexico City’s popular Condesa neighborhood, the new restaurant offers modern Mexican cuisine inspired by the diverse cultures and varied regions of Mexico. A reflection of his global culinary influences, Chef Ortiz uses both traditional and modern cooking techniques and ingredients.

Monica Pope

Chef, t'afia, Beaver's, Boulevard Bistrot

Named 2009’s Best Chef at the Houston Culinary Awards, Monica Pope is a 2007 James Beard Award Nominee for Best Chef: Southwest and the owner of t’afia and Beaver’s in Houston. The only Texas woman to ever be named a Top 10 Best New Chef by Food & Wine Magazine (1996), Pope first learned to cook from her Czech grandmother and went on to earn her Chef’s title from Prue Leith’s School of Food and Wine in London.

After working in Europe and San Francisco, Pope returned home to Houston to open her first restaurant, the critically-acclaimed Quilted Toque. Soon after opening her second Houston restaurant, Boulevard Bistrot, she garnered national praise from top critical publications including Travel & Leisure, which hailed her “one of the most ingenious restaurateurs around.”

“As a chef, I have spent the last eighteen years cooking in one place – Houston, Texas. My cooking style has developed organically from certain fundamental truths: first, what grows together goes together, and, second, that food simply tastes better when you eat where your food lives. For over eighteen years, I have supported local farmers, ranchers and food producers, and also helped found the Midtown Farmers Market; ultimately, the efforts of these local food producers form the heart and soul of my current restaurant, t’afia.”

t’afia has been featured in Gourmet, O: The Oprah Magazine, Bon Appetit and Fortune, and is home to the weekly Midtown Farmers Market. Chef Pope teaches a free cooking class at her Green Plum Cooking School which takes place during the Saturday morning Midtown Farmers Market.

Monica also teaches a monthly cooking class to MacGregor Elementary’s 4th graders as part of Recipe for Success Foundation’s Chefs in Schools™ program. Recipe for Success Foundation is a Houston non-profit dedicated to fighting childhood obesity. As the founding chair of the Chefs Advisory Board and current Board Member, Monica also regularly appears as an RFS media spokesperson and national advocate and was recently invited as part of an RFS delegation to the White House for the launch of Michelle Obama’s Chefs Move to Schools initiative.

Never one to say no to a nationally-broadcast challenge (in the late 90’s, Monica competed on the Food Network’s Ready, Set, Cook), Monica Pope appeared in Season 2 of Bravo TV’s competitive cooking hit, Top Chef Masters (which aired in April 2010). Her Quick Fire Grilled Cheese win on the show brought a $5,000 donation and much-deserved national attention to Recipe for Success Foundation.

Monica Pope recently published a digital cookbook, Eat Where Your Food Lives and writes about cooking and eating where your food lives in her weekly blog. She is also currently working on a cooking memoir entitled Eating Hope (and Other Things I’ve Had to Stomach), an insightful, poignant and humorous look at a woman’s place in the (restaurant) kitchen.

Paul Qui

Executive Chef, Uchi & Uchiko

Paul Qui‘s love of food began as a child with the “sweet smells of freshly baked breads in the mornings and the diverse culture of the Philippines” that he found in the bustling bakery of his family’s grocery store. Qui moved to Springfield, Virginia at the age of ten and then on to Houston to attend college.

Qui spent his collegiate years waiting tables at several restaurants, igniting his passion for food and his curiosity about the restaurant business. This growing enchantment with cuisine led Qui to Austin’s Texas Culinary Academy in 2003 and ultimately to Uchi…as a customer: “I was introduced to Uchi by a friend – I was so impressed with my meal there that I asked if I could work in the kitchen for free,” recalls Qui. When Cole offered Qui a job, everything just seemed to fall into place. “I’ve worked for him going on three and a half years now, and I have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge both in the kitchen and the sushi bar,” said Qui.

Marcus Samuelsson

Chef/Owner of Red Rooster & Co-Founder of FoodRepublic.com

Chef Marcus Samuelsson is an internationally acclaimed chef who has thrilled the food scene with a blend of culture and artistic excellence. Celebrated as one of “The Great Chefs of America” by the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Samuelsson launched his career as a graduate of the Culinary Institute in Gothenburg, with apprenticeships in Switzerland, Austria, France and the United States. Chef Samuelsson was raised in Gothenburg, Sweden, after his parents adopted him and his sister from Ethiopia at the age of 3. They encouraged him to pursue his talents without geographic bounds.

At the early age of 24, Chef Samuelsson caught the attention of the culinary world at Aquavit. During his tenure as executive chef, he received consecutive four-star ratings in Forbes and two impressive three-star ratings from The New York Times, the youngest person ever to receive such an accolade. In December 2010, Chef Samuelsson opened Red Rooster Harlem. The restaurant celebrates the roots of American cuisine in one of New York City’s liveliest and culturally rich neighborhoods.

In 2011, he co-founded FoodRepublic.com, the first food and lifestyle website for men. Chef Samuelsson continues to receive awards and accolades; these include honors such as hosting President Obama at Red Rooster Harlem, and being named on the “International Best Dressed List 2011” in Vanity Fair Magazine. While Chef Samuelsson has been honored by the prestigious James Beard Foundation on multiple occasions including “Rising Star Chef” (1999), “Best Chef: New York City” (2003), and “Best International Cookbook” (2007), he continues to maintain humility to the art of food and his UNICEF endeavors, working towards immunization and curbing malnutrition for children throughout the world.

Laura Sawicki

Pastry Chef, La Condesa

For pastry chef Laura Sawicki of La Condesa, the James Beard-nominated modern Mexican restaurant in the heart of downtown Austin, food isn’t merely a passion—it is an obsession.  With a culinary heritage that stems from her Argentine roots to her formative years in some of the finest kitchens in the Northeast, food is the undertone to nearly every facet of Laura’s life. As for her desserts, her garden friendly, savory-meets-sweet approach is all at once as stunning to the eyes as it is to the palate. 

Originally a graduate of the Colorado College with a degree in art history, Laura had never considered becoming a chef.  However, influenced by her grandmother’s natural baking instinct, as well as the frequent “food adventures” she shared with her mother, both her biggest inspiration and biggest supporter, a life in kitchens seemed rather inevitable.  Recently graduated and uninspired by the lack of art-related jobs in New York, she turned to cooking, resulting in a degree from the renowned Culinary Institute of America in 2005.  Beginning with a stint at City Bakery in Manhattan, success seemed to follow Laura as she moved from pastry cook at the Canyon Ranch in Massachusetts to a more leading pastry role at Tom Colicchio’s Craftbar in New York nearly overnight. 

Growing tired of Manhattan, she then took the position of pastry chef at the critically acclaimed Marlow and Sons in Brooklyn.  There, alongside chefs Caroline Fidanza and Sean Rembold, Laura helped further the impact of the burgeoning farm-to-table movement that was establishing Brooklyn as a legitimate culinary destination.  It was also at Marlow and Sons where Laura truly came into her own as a chef, establishing her rustic yet elegant aesthetic that focuses on each season’s finest offerings. Upon leaving Marlow in 2008, Laura’s relationship with food changed forever.  While working at Brooklyn’s Paloma, another in a handful of Brooklyn restaurants feverishly aiming at establishing a small community in a large metropolis, she met Rene Ortiz.  Laura and Rene quickly became lifelong friends and culinary counterparts. They encouraged one another to evolve and expand their shared, seasonal approach to food, using only the freshest ingredients possible to create simple yet bold dishes that linger on the palate. 

This relationship ultimately brought Laura to Austin, where she now resides, when she was invited to help open La Condesa in early 2009 alongside Rene.  In 2010, the two were awarded with a James Beard nomination for Best New Restaurant in the United States and consequently asked to cook at the James Beard House in New York later that year.  Though she landed in Austin amidst a whirlwind career, Laura has come to call it her home and sees a wealth of opportunity there for the future. 

Gail Simmons

Author of "Talking With My Mouth Full" / Special Projects Director at Food & Wine Magazine

Gail Simmons is a trained culinary expert, food writer and dynamic television personality. Since the show’s inception, she has lent her expertise as a permanent judge on BRAVO’s 2010 Emmy-winning hit series Top Chef, and is host of Top Chef: Just Desserts, its pastry-focused spin-off, which just completed its second successful season.

Gail joined Food & Wine Magazine in 2004 and directs special projects for the epicurean magazine. During her tenure, she has been responsible for overseeing the annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, America’s premier culinary event. Prior to joining Food & Wine, Gail was the special events manager for Chef Daniel Boulud’s restaurant empire. She was born in Toronto, Canada and moved to New York City to attend culinary school. She then trained in the kitchens of legendary Le Cirque 2000 and groundbreaking Vong restaurants, and worked for esteemed food critic Jeffrey Steingarten at Vogue.

Gail makes regular national culinary event and TV appearances and has contributed to several cookbooks. Her first book of her own, entitled Talking With My Mouth Full, will be published in February 2012 (Hyperion). Gail is an active supporter of Common Threads, an organization that teaches low-income children to cook wholesome and affordable meals. She is also a founding member of the Grow for Good Campaign, an organization started by Food & Wine to raise funds and awareness for sustainable agriculture programs in the United States. She sits on the boards of City Harvest, Hot Bread Kitchen, the American Institute of Wine & Food, the Institute of Culinary Education’s Alumni Committee and the Women at NBCU Advisory Board.

Philip Speer

Pastry Chef, Uchi & Uchiko

Chef Philip Speer conceives desserts that are an anticipated finish to dinner rather than an afterthought. As a 17 year old, Speer began experimenting as a scratch baker in his hometown of Houston, Texas. Early in his career, Chef Speer gained experience by helping to open the critically acclaimed Jean-Luc’s Bistro in Austin, Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Bank in Houston and finally Seven and Starlite in Austin where he took on the task of revamping their dessert programs.

Speer left Starlite in 2005 to work at Uchi with recent James Beard Award winning Chef Tyson Cole. Combining elements of surprise and artistry with fresh ingredients are hallmarks of Speer’s approach to his craft and these techniques have garnered him awards in the Austin Chronicle, the Austin-American-StatesmanTexas Monthly as well as national recognition in Bon Appetit, Cooks Illustrated, and USA Today. He appeared as a judge on The Food Network’s Throwdown with Bobby Flay as well as part of Chef Tyson Cole’s team that competed on The Food Network’s Iron Chef America. Speer has been named a James Beard Award semi-finalist in the overall pastry chef category for the past two years.

Gabe Thompson

Executive Chef, dell'anima, L'Artusi, Anfora

Gabe Thompson is the executive chef of dell’anima, L’Artusi, and Anfora and Culinary Advisor for Epicurean Management. This Texas native began his career cooking in Austin. He cooked throughout the country, including the famed Little Nell in Aspen and Clarke Lewis in Portland, Oregon, prior to settling in New York City, where he worked at two of the country’s most acclaimed restaurants, Le Bernardin and Del Posto, before opening dell’anima in 2007. He lives in New York City with his wife Katherine and their son Luke.

Christina Tosi

Chef/Owner, Momofuku Milk Bar

Christina Tosi is the chef and owner of Momofuku Milk Bar, called “one of the most exciting bakeries in the country” by Bon Appetit Magazine. As founder of the dessert program at Momofuku, Christina helped Momofuku Ko earn two stars from the Michelin Guide and Momofuku Ssäm jump onto Restaurant Magazine‘s Top 100 Restaurants in the World list at #31. She has been shortlisted for a James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef Award and named to the New York Times Magazine‘s “Nifty Fifty” list.

Christina and her confections have appeared on Martha Stewart, Live with Regis & Kelly and Conan O’Brien, among others. To much acclaim, the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook was published in the fall of 2011, published by Random House & Clarkson Potter. Christina lives in Brooklyn, NY with her three dogs and eats an unconscionable amount of raw cookie dough every day.

Jonathan Waxman

Chef/Owner, Barbuto NYC

Working as a successful chef, restaurateur and author, Jonathan Waxman has graced such prestigious kitchens as Chez Panisse in Berkeley and Michael’s in Los Angeles. Waxman went on to open his own restaurant in New York City – Jams, described by the New York Times as ‘a culinary comet’, as well as the famed Washington Park. Today, Waxman is the chef and owner of Barbuto in Manhattan’s West Village.

His first cookbook, A Great American Cook, was published in 2007 and his second book, Italian My Way, was released in April of 2011. He participated in two seasons of Top Chef Masters on Bravo, where he earned the nickname ‘Obi Wan Kenobi’ and Jonathan Gold of the Los Angeles Times calls Jonathan ‘the Eric Clapton of chefs’. Giving back is important to Waxman and he works closely with many charities including City Meals on Wheels. He currently lives in Manhattan with his wife and three children.

Andrew Weissman

Executive Chef, The Sandbar Fish House & Market & Il Sogno

With four James Beard Award nominations under his belt for “Best Chef,” Andrew Weissman has made an indelible mark on the San Antonio culinary scene. Weissman has been a pioneer in introducing world-class cuisine to San Antonio since the opening of his first restaurant, Le Rêve, which received critical acclaim from such esteemed publications as the New York Times, Forbes Traveler and Gourmet Magazine having ranked it sixth among the nation’s top 50 restaurants. Weissman continues the culinary journey by expanding his expertise to specialties that consist of seafood and Italian cuisine.

His latest ventures include The Sandbar Fish House & Market, an upscale oyster bar offering San Antonio’s widest variety of oysters and seafood; and Il Sogno, a five-star Italian Osteria featuring Italian fare found in the trattorias and osterias of Rome and Florence. Both are located at the Pearl Brewery in San Antonio. Later this year, Weissman will add another unique entry to the San Antonio food scene with The Luxury, an outdoor restaurant consisting of four retro-fitted cargo containers and featuring a menu that focuses on high end cargo cuisine, fine beers, wines, champagnes and desserts.

A San Antonio native, Weissman began his gastronomic pursuits at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. After graduating at the top of his class in 1996, Weissman worked in the most revered establishments in France and received tutelage from some of the most prominent chefs in the country including the famed Bernard Andrieux at his Michelin starred restaurant in Durtol in the Auvergne and Master French Chef Jacques Thiebeult Andrew. He also worked at Restaurant Bernard Andrieux, Hotel de la Poste, and Troigros in Roanne. There, Weissman discovered a newly inspired passion for food. Upon his return to the states, Weissman went on to work at Le Cirque 2000 in Manhattan. Weissman also owns Sip Coffee & Espresso bar in San Antonio and is part owner is his family’s restaurant, Big’z Burger Joint.

Kevin Williamson

Chef/Owner, Ranch 616

Kevin Williamson is a native Austinite who had a career in real estate and on Wall Street prior to being an award-winning restaurateur. In 1998, Williamson opened Ranch 616, a South Texas-style ice house reminiscent of his many years hunting and fishing the lands of South Texas and the Gulf of Mexico—where ice houses served him some of his finest meals and memories. As the chef-owner of Ranch 616, Williamson combines the flavors of the Gulf Coast with the spices of the border towns of Texas. Prior to Ranch 616, he worked as Chef for the original Central Market, located on North Lamar. His culinary career also included cooking in La Jolla, California; New York City; and Aspen, Colorado. While in Aspen, he worked for the famed Ajax Tavern with Chefs Michael Chiarello and Nick Morfogen. He is a co-owner of Star Bar and The Rattle Inn with Matt Luckie.

Andrew Zimmern

Chef, Author, Teacher, James Bear Award Winner, Host of Bizarre Foods

Andrew Zimmern is a James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, food writer, teacher and is regarded as one of the most versatile and knowledgeable personalities in the food world. As the creator, host and co-executive producer of Travel Channel’s hit series’, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre World, and his new series, Bizarre Foods America. He travels the globe, exploring food in its own terroir. From world class restaurants to street carts and jungle markets, it’s all about discovering and sharing the authentic experience.

In May 2010, Zimmern won the prestigious James Beard Award for Outstanding Television Food Personality. He is a three-time Beard Award nominee. His online series, Toyota’s Appetite for Life, received an Effie in 2010. Bizarre Foods also took home two CableFax awards in 2009, one for Best Television Program: Food, another for Best Online Extras for Andrew’s Travel Channel web series, Bizarre Foods in the Kitchen.

Zimmern is a contributing editor at Food & Wine Magazine, an award-winning monthly columnist at Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine and a senior editor at Delta Sky Magazine. As a freelance journalist, his work has appeared in numerous national and international publications. Andrew has served as a corporate and product spokesperson for Target, Cascal, Pepto Bismol, Toyota and Travel Leaders. Andrew is the author of The Bizarre Truth, and Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre World of Food published by Broadway Books/Random House and has several books slated for release in the coming year.

Tony Abou-Ganim

The Modern Mixologist

Tony Abou-Ganim is the author of The Modern Mixologist, Contemporary Classic Cocktails. This in-depth look into Tony’s take on modern day cocktails, featuring spirits and ingredients available to today’s Mixologist, both professional and amateur alike but not forsaking classic traditions and techniques.

This entertaining and informative journey will take you from the early beginning’s of the cocktail to what Tony has come to deem Modern Mixology!

Devon Broglie

Master Sommelier, Whole Foods Market

Master Sommelier Devon Broglie lives and works in Austin, Texas where he is the Coordinator of all Specialty products for Whole Foods Market’s Southwest region.  Upon graduation from Duke University, Devon began a five-year stint in the restaurant industry, working his way up through every aspect of the business, from busboy to management.  His true passion for wine developed in the late 1990’s as the Manager of Brightleaf 905 restaurant, declared one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants of 1999 by food writer John Mariani. 

In 2000 Devon packed his bags and followed his love to Spain where he worked the harvest season for the pioneering winery Bodegas Costers del Siurana in the Priorat region of Catalunya.  Upon returning to the United States in 2001 he began his career with Whole Foods Market.  Devon won the Texas’ Best Sommelier Competition in August of 2006 and is an active member of the Texas Sommelier Association and a board member of the TEXSOM wine conference.  In 2011 Devon passed the rigorous Master Sommelier Examination making him one of 118 wine professionals in the United States and 186 in the world to hold the title Master Sommelier.

Joe Campanale

Beverage Director, L'Artusi, dell'anima, Anfora, ellabess

Joe Campanale is partner and Beverage Director for Epicurean Management (L’Artusi, dell’anima, Anfora and ellabess) in New York City. A former sommelier at Babbo Ristorante, he earned his M.A. in Food Studies from NYU and has appeared on national television shows including The Today Show and Martha, and currently is Rachael Ray’s Mixology buddy on eHow.com. Joe grew up in Queens, NY, but now lives in the West Village, and is an avid runner.

Craig Collins

Master Sommelier

Master Sommelier Craig Collins has been passionately exploring his love for wine since the day he turned 21 and began working at a local winery. His advancement continued after graduating from Texas A&M University and working for Glazers Fine Wine Division. It was through this appointment that Craig was introduced to the Court of Master Sommeliers and refined the professional skills and industry knowledge that would shape his career.

Craig moved to Austin, Tx in 2005 to manage Prestige Wine Cellars where he was responsible for the sales and marketing of over 300 boutique wineries. In 2011 he followed his love for all things Italian and began working for Dalla Terra as their South Central Regional Manager. He currently lives in Austin, Texas with his wife April. Craig is also a board member of Texsom, an organization which is responsible for top-notch education of Texas wine professionals. In 2011, Craig became one of only 180 people in the world to have passed the esteemed Master Sommelier Exam.

Anthony Giglio

Author & Sommelier

Anthony Giglio is one of the most entertaining wine authorities on the planet. He is a journalist, sommelier, educator, author and raconteur who has written several books, including three editions of Food & Wine Magazine’s annual Wine Guide review of 1,000+ wines; five editions of the enormously popular Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide, and his highly-regarded first book, Cocktails in New York.

Throughout his career Anthony has attracted countless fans and admirers nationally, all of whom appreciate his sense of humor as much as they do his insight and his perspective, which is that wine is best regarded as a pleasure, not a problem. Giglio is currently a wine correspondent for CBS News Radio as well as the wine columnist for La Cucina Italiana, the American edition of Italy’s most prestigious magazine dedicated to gastronomy. He has written for numerous publications, including Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, New York, Esquire, Details, Robb Report, Worth, Every Day with Rachael Ray and Parade.

Ray Isle

Executive Wine Editor, Food & Wine Magazine

Ray Isle is the Executive Wine Editor of FOOD & WINE, where he oversees F&W’s wine department, writes the magazine’s monthly wine column, Tasting Room, and directs the title’s spirits coverage.

He regularly conducts wine-tasting seminars at epicurean events and appears as a wine and spirits expert on national television, including NBC’s Today and CBS’s The Early Show. In addition, he reports on his tasting adventures as Twitter.

Prior to joining FOOD & WINE, his articles about wine, food and spirits appeared in a range of publications including Wine & Spirits, The Washington Post, Martha Stewart Living and Gastronomica. He has also been nominated for a James Beard Award. He has a BA in Literature from Rice University, an MA in Creative Writing from Boston University, and was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford in Fiction Writing. Isle lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife and daughter.

Russell Kane

Author & Texas Wine Expert

Dr. Russell Kane is a wine writer, author and aficionado with articles and tasting notes that have appeared in local and regional publications. Russ’s recently published book titled; The Wineslinger Chronicles: Texas on the Vine will be released February 2012. On his blog, he is chronicling his tastes, travels and search for Texas terroir. Russ has organized and moderated winemaker panels at major festivals including: “Hot Weather, Cool Wines” at the Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival, and “Mediterranean Cowboys” and “Pinot Gringos” at the Grand Wine and Food Affair.

He and Chef Terry Thompson-Anderson were the creative sparks that came up the concept of the highly successful, first of its kind, Edible Texas: Wine Food Match (wine and food pairing competition). In 2010, Russ was selected to present a tasting of Texas wines, “Cowboys, Cabernet and Beyond”, at the George Bush Presidential Library at Texas A&M University. Russ was a Houston entrepreneur for over 20 years and has traveled extensively and has an active interest in regional cuisines, wine education, and wine and food pairing. Both Russ Kane and his wife, Delia Cuellar, come from families with restaurant ties and understand the qualities of wine in a context of family, friends and food. Russ has served as a judge in several international wine competitions. He was also the founder and organizer of the annual Texas’ Best Wine Competition for the Wine Society of Texas (2000 – 2005).

He developed wine training lectures and seminars to promote a knowledgeable and responsible wine culture in Texas. In 1998, Russ and Delia started the Houston Chapter of the Wine Society of Texas, a 501c3 non-profit, educational organization. Russ has served as its President, on its Board of Directors, and as its Executive Director, on the Board of Directors of the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association (TWGGA), and on the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Wine Industry Development Advisory Committee. In 2002, Dr. Kane received his first level certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers and, in 2011 he was accepted into the program of study by the Institute of Masters of Wine.

Jim Meehan

Chef & Managing Partner, PDT

Jim Meehan, a bar operator, educator, and author of The PDT Cocktail Book, has worked at some of New York City’s most popular restaurants and bars including Five Points, Gramercy Tavern, Pegu Club, and PDT, of which he is a managing partner. Meehan is the Deputy Editor of Food & Wine Magazine’s annual cocktail book and writes a monthly column for Sommelier Journal.

In 2007 and 2008, he was recognized as a rising star mixologist by StarChefs.com and Cheers Magazine, and in 2009, he was named American Bartender of the Year at Tales of the Cocktail. He lives and works in New York City’s East Village with his wife Valerie and French Bulldog Pearl.

Mark Oldman

Author & Food Network Wine Columnist

Passionate about helping wine enthusiasts jostle the jaded, slay the snooty, and drink bravely, Mark Oldman is one of the country’s leading wine personalities.  He is the wine expert for Pottery Barn and wine columnist for The Food Network.  His signature style was best summed up by Bon Appètit Magazine as “winespeak without the geek” and by Publishers Weekly as “the ideal mix of wine connoisseur, showman, and everyday dude.”  He has twice won the Georges Duboeuf Best Wine Book of the Year Award.

June Rodil

Sommelier, Congress & Second Bar + Kitchen

Born in the Philippines and bred in Texas, June Rodil is a talented professional who combines her deep knowledge of wine with her personal passion for the culinary industry. Though her original aim was a career in law, she was deterred by her intense love of food and drink, and after several memorable dining experiences, she decided to pursue a career in wine. June began her studies at Austin’s highly acclaimed Driskill Grill, where she quickly rose from service to sommelier, and spent seven years honing her hospitality skills and learning the intricacies of varietals and vintages before taking on the role of beverage director at Austin’s highly distinguished Uchi and Uchiko restaurants. 

June graduated summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin with degrees in English and Philosophy.  In August 2009, she took home top honors as Texas Best Sommelier, awarded by the Texas Sommelier Association and the Wine and Food Foundation of Texas, outscoring her peers in a three-part exam that required mastery in service, blind tasting, and theory and was most recently recognized as Best New Sommelier 2011 from Wine and Spirits Magazine. Remaining diligent in her wine studies, June continues preparation for the arduous Master Sommelier exam, the final level of the Court of Master Sommeliers.

photo courtesy of Ivan Figeroa

Nate Wales

Mixologist, La Condesa

Nate Wales is a La Condesa’s General Manager and in-house mixologist. He’s a long-time Austinite, graduate of the University of Texas, and world traveler. Through his travels he experienced food, drink, and culture all of which helped him develop his cocktail style and perspective dining. To Nate, dining is more than a meal, but a tool to connect with friends and family and believes there is a proper cocktail for every occasion.

Josh Wesson

Award-winning Author, Wine Retailer & Former Top Gun Sommelier

Once a hugely respected sommelier who reveled in the extravagance of princely pours, Josh now sips from the cups of carpenters in his never-ending quest for deliciousness. Co-founder of Best Cellars — a chain of award-winning wine stores where the bottles are arranged by taste and affordably priced, Josh recently began work on a revolutionary new retail venture involving wine, beer, spirits and under-clothed Estonian runway models.

In 1984, he won the title of “Best Sommelier in French Wines and Spirits in the United States”. In 1986, he was named one of the top five sommeliers in the world by SOPEXA/Food & Wines from France. In 1989, he was nominated for Who’s Who in American Cooking. In 1997, Food & Wine Magazine named him “Retail Wine Innovator of the Year”. In 2003, he received the prestigious “Ambassador’s Award” from the European Wine Council. In 2005, JetBlue Airways selected him as its official “Low-Fare Sommelier”. In 2009, the Wine Enthusiast honored Josh and Best Cellars with the Wine Star Award for “Retailer of the Year”.

Josh has been a frequent guest on CBS’s The Early Show and CNN, and is a much sought-after speaker at prestigious wine & food festivals across the United States. He is also a featured commentator on NPR/Public Radio International’s The Splendid Table with Lynne Rossetto Kasper.  His latest book, Williams-Sonoma Wine & Food—A New Look at Flavor (2008, Simon & Schuster), is available everywhere lushly photographed food-and-wine porn is sold. Most mornings, you can find Josh hanging out at Tarallucci e Vino on 83rd and Columbus, reading The New York Post while sipping a doppio macchiato. Best to give him a wide berth until the caffeine kicks in.

Mayer Hawthorne & The County

Celebrity Chef "Rock Your Taco" VIP Event Headliner

The Ann Arbor, MI native released his self-produced independent debut, A Strange Arrangement, in 2009. A limited-edition 7″ heart-shaped vinyl of the single “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out”/”When I Say Goodbye” was pressed and — combined with the traditional digital single — exceeded sales of 50,000 copies while critics everywhere began embracing his unique vintage flare. Mayer Hawthorne’s stellar debut was included in Entertainment Weekly‘s “Best-Of” 2009 issue, as well as one of Playboy‘s breakout artists of 2009.

Lucinda Williams

Taste Of Texas VIP Friday Kickoff Event Headliner

It’s not all that hard to find an artist who’s capable of offering a guided tour of life’s dark clouds – nor is it rare to come into contact with one who can hone in on the silver lining. But the ability to do both with equal grace, well, that’s an altogether rarer gift – and it’s one that Lucinda Williams displays with remarkable élan on her latest Lost Highway album, Blessed.

Blessed, recorded at the end of what Williams calls “a really big writing streak that gave me enough to make two albums,” brings those textures to play in some of the most straightforward songs she’s ever written. While it’s not a concept album as such, Blessed – recorded with producer Don Was – brings together a dozen masterfully-crafted pieces that fall into place beautifully, their welcoming sonic tenor offering an ideal foil for the conversational narrative that runs through the dozen short stories – tales that take in plenty of topical territory, but invariably end up offering the listener a sense of affirmation.

“Being married and feeling comfortable in my life, I’ve been able to go outside myself and write about other things,” she says. “I feel like this album, as a whole, is positive, but it’s not my so-called ‘happy’ album. Yes, I’m in love and I’m happy in my personal life. But my personal life isn’t the only focus. There aren’t all those unrequited love, ‘I’ve been shot down by a bad boy songs’ … well, there’s one of those … but there are songs about all sorts of things. It’s just a lot easier to stretch these days.”

The expanse of Williams’ palette is gradually revealed over the course of Blessed, a collection that unfolds in an origami-like fashion. The gentle plaint of “I Don’t Know How You’re Livin” – a stripped-to-the-bone track on which she uses the appealingly weathered edges to carve out a loving message of hope – gives way to the pedal-steel laced “Copenhagen”, a tender requiem for her late manager.

While that air of mortality imbues a few of Blessed’s songs – notably the fiercely slashing “Seeing Black,” on which Williams cuts through a hail of angry guitars that come courtesy of Elvis Costello, who makes a rare non-vocal cameo, with stark, poignant questions to a friend who chose to end his life, the album offers as many looks at the light at the end of the tunnel as it does glances into the abyss. “Kiss Like Your Kiss” exudes a sassy sensuality, while the closing “Sweet Love” is, quite simply, an aural incarnation of that title, pure, warm and sweet.

“I didn’t have a fully realized picture of what I wanted the album to sound like going in, but I hardly ever do,” says Williams. “Back when I was playing open mic nights by myself, I’d be sitting up there with my Martin guitar and doing ‘Angel’ by Jimi Hendrix or ‘Politician’ by Cream’ alongside Robert Johnson and Memphis Minnie songs. It never occurred to me to pick just one style. That’s stayed with me ever since. ”

Williams has never hesitated to wave that flag of iconoclasm, but she’s never used it as a shield. Ever since the release of her 1978 debut Ramblin’ on My Mind (recorded on the fly with a mere $250 budget behind her), the Louisiana- bred singer-songwriter has been ready, willing and able to call upon both her natural affinity for roots music and her familial literary tradition. She learned the importance of professional integrity around the same time most kids are learning their ABCs, thanks in large part to her award-winning poet father Miller Williams — who invested her with a “culturally rich, but economically poor” upbringing where artistic expression was of primary importance.

“Thanks to my dad, I grew up around poets and novelists and they all had families and normal lives and most of them didn’t achieve even nominal success until much later in life,” she recalls. “I have to keep reminding people that, yeah, I’m a musician, but first and foremost, I’m an artist and art is about expression, about expressing your feelings about what you’re going through every day. I think this is the closest I’ve come to capturing that essence completely as an artist.”

She’s never settled for any sort of pigeonholing, entering the ‘90s with the rich, sepia-toned Sweet Old World — a disc that, as much as any release, helped place the Americana movement at the forefront of listeners’ minds — and cementing her own spot in the cultural lexicon with 1998’s raw, immediate masterpiece Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. The latter disc earned Williams her first Grammy Award as a performer (she’d also scored one as a writer thanks to Mary-Chapin Carpenter’s version of her “Passionate Kisses”), but rather than try to capture the same lightning in a bottle a second time, she stretched her boundaries on 2001’s Essence, an album rife with both cerebral interludes and soul-stirring stomps.

In recent times, Williams has shown herself to be the kind of artist who’ll never back down from a challenge, whether collaborating with surprisingly kindred spirits like M. Ward and Flogging Molly or putting her own spin on iconic tunes like Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street” and Jimmy Webb’s classic “Galveston”. She’s taken that same approach to her most recent recordings as a solo artist as well: The 2006 release West and 2008’s buoyant Little Honey – an album Paste hailed as “an album that brims with varied, impeccable writing” – made for an ethereal emotional travelogue that takes in both great loss and the sort of discovery one can only make when emotional barriers are taken down.

“People buy into this myth that once you’re quote happy unquote, you just die as an artist – that’s inane. It’s ridiculous,” she says. “People have actually asked me, ‘well, will you still be able to write now that your life is happy?’ That’s a somewhat pedantic point of view, the myth that happiness can’t be part of the backbone of creativity.

Indeed, she takes on a number of roles here, from the fallen fighter who narrates the whisper-soft elegy “Soldier’s Song” to the affably hard-nosed kiss-off specialist delivering “Buttercup.” But whatever the topic, Williams’ voice – both literally and figuratively – is unmistakable. It’s a voice that conveys experience without world-weariness, purity of spirit without naiveté – a combination that reaches its zenith on the album’s title track, a poignant acknowledgment of those who bestow blessings upon us each day, whether we know it or not.

“I had this image in my mind of how a stranger can affect you, and you them, at the same time,” she says. “We have this concept that someone who is less fortunate than we are in some way has nothing to offer us, and that’s not true at all. Everyone has a gift to give as long as you’re willing to accept it, from the girl selling flowers at a Mexican restaurant to the homeless man on the street. It’s all about the hope that there’s good in humanity if you look for it – which is really the feel of the whole album.”

By the time Blessed’s final notes resound, that hope will not only be clear, it’s likely to be passed on to the listener – paid forward in the most touching way.