Chef Jeremy Choo is a Senior Innovation Pastry Chef at King’s Hawaiian who was born and raised on the island of Maui, Hawaii. As a third-generation chef in his family, Chef Jeremy chose his career path early on. “At a very young age, I knew I wanted to be a chef, especially so that I won’t go hungry.” He started his culinary career with Roy’s restaurants while attending the University of Hawaii, Maui College Culinary Arts and Baking Program. From there he realized his passion for the Pastry and Baking Arts that was instilled in him from World Champion Pastry Chef Stanton Ho. Chef Jeremy continued his training in France where he staged at the famous Plaza Athenee Hotel in Paris, Maison Bouillet Patissere in Lyon and Sugar Art with Chef Stephan Klein in Belfort. He has also worked for top luxury hotel chains (Ritz Carlton, Wynn Resorts, Four Seasons, & JW Marriotts) and continually travels around the world to further broaden his culinary knowledge.

At King’s Hawaiian, Chef Jeremy developed and launched multiple items for grocery retail & food service applications. He was instrumental in establishing a new quick service concept in Georgia – Hello Hilo. Chef Jeremy is currently a World Chef Certified Master Pastry Chef by the World Association of Chef Societies, a Certified Executive Pastry Chef by the American Culinary Federation and a Certified Research Chef by the Research Chef Association.

Chef Bart Dewing is a Certified Research Chef and accomplished culinary R&D leader who currently heads the R&D Department at Eastern Fish Company in Teaneck, New Jersey, where he focuses on transforming seafood into innovative, value added products—particularly in shrimp and global seafood applications.

Raised in the Connecticut tri state area and long drawn to New York City, Bart spent more than 20 years living, eating, and learning in NYC. Inspired by his father’s passion for cooking and “gourmet” food, Bart began shucking oysters at the age of 15, sparking a culinary career rooted equally in craft, curiosity, and science. He went on to earn his culinary and management foundation at the Culinary Institute of America, and more recently expanded his technical expertise by completing a master’s degree in food science, solidifying his focus in the field of Culinology.

Chef Bart’s experience spans a wide range of global and regional cuisines, including Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican, Asian, and plant forward styles. He is driven by the belief that learning never stops and is fascinated by how cuisines can appear vastly distinctive while sharing deep cultural connections.

Prior to Eastern Fish Company, Bart held leadership roles at organizations including Handy Seafood, Ragozzino Foods, Seviroli Foods, American Pie, and FreshDirect—where he built and led R&D teams, implemented structured product development and project management systems, and launched early chef prepared, cook at home meal offerings.

Chef Bart holds a Bachelor of Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America, a Master’s in Food Science from Manchester Metropolitan University. When he’s not in the kitchen or lab, he brings the same curiosity and enthusiasm to his longtime joy of roller coasters.

Chef SyEnna Hackbarth is a culinary innovator and product development strategist shaping the future of flavor at Nestlé Professional Solutions. With roots in French pastry, fine dining, private cheffing, R&D, and large scale manufacturing, she brings a multidimensional approach to modern culinology—bridging artistry, science, and business impact.

As Chef, Culinary Innovation – Product Development, SyEnna leads end to end recipe and product creation across a diverse branded portfolio. She partners cross functionally with Marketing, R&D, Sales, and industry experts to translate insights into scalable, crave worthy solutions that drive both branded and custom growth. Her work reflects a sharp command of global trends, technical rigor, and an intuitive sense of how food creates emotional connection.

Formally trained at Johnson & Wales University with degrees in Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts, and Food Service Management, SyEnna blends precision, creativity, operational expertise, and business acumen. Her background in kitchen operations, menu optimization, product lifecycle management, and collaborative R&D fuels her signature approach: insight led innovation grounded in disciplined culinary craft.

Forward thinking, collaborative, and endlessly curious, Chef SyEnna Hackbarth creates food experiences that are memorable, meaningful, and market ready—propelling brands toward what’s next in flavor, culture, and consumer expectation.

For over 45 years, I have been fortunate to dedicate my life to the culinary arts and the study of food science, or what is known as Culinology. My journey began on the South Shore of Boston, where I was deeply shaped by the traditions of my mother and grandmother—Italian immigrants who taught me that food is a universal language. From my earliest memories, I knew I wanted to be a chef.

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in 1979, I began my career in the fine-dining rooms of Cape Cod and Nantucket. These formative years led me into the luxury hotel industry, starting at the Ritz-Carlton in Boston. I was eventually recruited by Sheraton Hotels to join an elite opening task force, traveling the country to launch resorts from the winters of Anchorage to the deserts of Tucson. By 1985, I was honored to serve as the Executive Chef at the La Costa Hotel and Spa in Carlsbad, CA, followed by leadership roles at the Ritz-Carlton and Marriott in Chicago.

In 1992, I took a leap into entrepreneurship by founding Desserts Etcetera in Chicago. What began as a boutique bakery for fine-dining restaurants grew into a successful frozen pastry distribution company in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which I eventually sold in 2001. This experience paved the way for my transition into large-scale food manufacturing. I’ve had the privilege of working with industry leaders like The Schwan Food Company and Sara Lee, specializing in everything from baking and prepared sauces to sous-vide protein technologies. Today, I am proud to be part of the Culinary Innovation team at Wolverine Packing in Detroit.

My career has taken me from the dishwasher station to the executive suite, and I have been humbled by the opportunity to cook for U.S. Presidents, celebrities, and world-class artists. Through it all, I’ve remained a student of the craft, believing that an understanding of food chemistry and physics is essential to creating lasting "flavor memories."

Beyond the kitchen, I have dedicated myself to giving back, serving three terms as President of the Research Chefs Association. To me, food is the "great equilibrator"—the tie that binds us all together. Today, I am simply grateful to share the flavors of my childhood and the lessons of a lifetime with the next generation of food leaders.

Chef Nick Landry, a native of Abbeville, Louisiana, attended the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute on the campus of Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Culinary Arts. During and after his studies he worked in every aspect of the Culinary field from catering, restaurants, country clubs, and resorts. Chef Landry has worked in some of the most prestigious places of the Culinary world with working at The Ritz Carlton Resort and Spa on the island of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, The Westchester Country in Rye, New York, Bruce Foods Corporation, Cajun Maritime, LLC and has been Culinary Development Chef and Director of Culinary & Business Development for Summit Hill Foods where he has been the last 10 years. Chef Landry has worked under 3 Certified Master Chefs throughout his career.

At Summit Hill Foods Chef Landry works with National Accounts, Industrial Accounts, Broadline accounts, and Retail to create innovative and delicious menu ideas for all aspects of their menus and product portfolios. He focuses on studying their menus, marketing trends, and building white paper concept ideas to show customers and then works internally with the marketing team, sales, and product development team in making these ideas come to life. He has over 10 years of experience in Research and Development and working hand in hand with Food Scientists and Commercialization teams. Chef Landry’s duties are also being involved with all sides of the sales spectrum with retail, food service and industrial.

Chef Landry’s top focus in the industry is having a chance to not only give back to the communities, to his Alma Mater at the Chef John Folse Culinary School as well as his biggest focus being involved in the industry. In 2022, Chef Landry was awarded the Outstanding Alumnus Award for the College of Culinary Arts at Nicholls State University. Chef Landry has been involved with the Research Chefs Association for 12+ years. He has served on the Board of Directors, Executive Committee as Secretary and Vice President of the organization. He served his 3 terms, 6 total years on the RCA Board and cooked with the 2025 RCA James Beard Team with a Tribute to Julia Child.

Chef Ben Lee is the Senior Corporate Chef of Creative Food Solutions, having held his own in the most storied restaurants across the United States. He worked up the ladder at Philadelphia and New York landmarks such as the James Beard Award winning Osteria and Michelin rated Marea, plus completing a stage in Italy’s Michelin rated Ristorante Loro. Stints at restaurant institutions such as Morimoto, LaCroix, and Per Se ultimately led him to make his own impact in the restaurant scene once he took over as the Executive Chef at A Voce Madison, receiving both Michelin and New York Times nods. After 20 years of experience as a foodservice operator, his passion for cooking led him wanting to create an impact on the food scene on a grander scale. He joined the commercial culinary division of The Food Group at Creative Food Solutions, bringing a deep understanding of consumer palates and global flavors. From sourcing ingredients and tracking profitability to orchestrating kitchen teams and developing menus, his vast knowledge has made him an invaluable resource to his clients. Ben continues to be driven by his passion for influencing consumers on how to think about, eat and understand food.

Jerry is an innovative Senior Executive Culinary Officer with 30 years of food industry experience and business skills that reach far beyond the kitchen. As a highly-decorated and well-respected culinarian and member of the Research Chefs’ Association, Jerry has seen success in all spheres of the foodservice industry (Independent Restaurants, Hotels, Country Clubs, Multi-Concept Operations, Chain Restaurants, and Food Manufacturing). He has a culinary degree from Columbus State Culinary and also has completed a formal apprenticeship through the American Culinary Federation. After having success in both the casual and upscale independent and chain restaurant segments, he moved to the research and development arena and has been successful in multiple food manufacturing areas. He has won multiple awards and accolades in food competitions and has developed thousands of food products, including but not limited to soups, sauces, side dishes, seasoning blends, sauce and glaze blends, bakery mixes, menu items and consumer products. Additionally, he has served as a judge for many culinary competitions, been a featured speaker, was the RCA 2025 Outstanding Achievement Award winner, has led multiple teams to cook at The James Beard House, and has contributed to many articles on food trends, food development, and food manufacturing.

Gaetano Nardulli has over 20 years of culinary leadership experience in the industry with a proven background in innovation. As Director of Culinary for Direct Food Service, Inc, he oversees the research, product development, and manufacturing of multiple facilities in Chicago and Puglia, Italy.

After attending DePaul University, Gaetano embraced his true passion for cooking and enrolled at Kendall College. After receiving his degree in Culinary Arts and working at local Chicago restaurants, he made the decision to move to Italy and immerse himself in the kitchens and culture of the food he truly loved. Upon returning to the United States, he took leadership roles in some of the preeminent kitchens of Chicago. In 2010, he decided it was time to open a restaurant where he could put the years of learning from some of the world’s top chefs into his own vision.

Eight years after initially opening, Gaetano’s priorities had changed with his growing family taking precedence. Gaetano accepted a role as corporate chef at Direct Food Service where he embraced the research and development side of manufacturing for the aviation industry. Growing with the company he began his new role as Director of Culinary in early 2021 where he leads a team of motivated individuals who are committed to creating innovative products and meals for the travel and ecommerce industry.

When Gaetano is not in the kitchen or traveling for work, you can find him at home cooking simple, clean-living meals or building Legos with his two young boys and wife. He has a passion for all things sports and is an avid fan of all Chicago teams.

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 2005, Christina Olivarez officially started her culinary career as a line cook at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and in only five years, worked her way up from cook to executive chef. In 2010, Christina became the Executive Chef at Diego, a restaurant located in the MGM Grand Casino, which specialized in modern-Mexican cuisine. While working at Diego, Christina was named Eater.com’s 2012 Vegas Chef of the Year, and also participated (and won) an episode of the Food Network television series, Chopped. In 2013, Christina left Las Vegas and moved to New York to join the GNT Group, a world leader in natural food coloring solutions made entirely from fruits, vegetables, and edible plants. Her cooking philosophy involves serving food that can be enjoyed both in eating and preparing and highlighting the deliciousness of ingredients of challenging ingredients and products. She remains an active member of the Research Chefs Association.

Scott Rodriguez is a seasoned culinary and product innovation executive with more than two decades of leadership experience across national restaurant brands. He currently serves as Vice President of Culinary & Product Innovation for Ascent Hospitality Management, where he leads end-to end culinary strategy, product innovation for the Perkins and Huddle House Restaurant Brands. Previously, he was Senior Vice President of Culinary & Kitchen Innovation at BJ’s Restaurants, Inc., where he led end to end culinary strategy, menu innovation, kitchen operations excellence, and cross functional integration for a system of over 200 restaurants and more than $1.4B in annual sales.

Before rejoining BJ’s in 2023, Scott served as Senior Vice President & Chief Culinary Officer for Applebee’s, where he led the brand’s innovation strategy, stage gate processes, consumer insight connected menu development, and cross functional collaboration with supply chain, QA, marketing, and franchise partners. Prior to that, he was Senior Vice President of Menu Strategy & Product Innovation at Papa John’s, driving menu strategy, new product innovation, cost improvement initiatives, and the brand’s stage gate development process.

Scott’s earlier tenure at BJ’s Restaurants, spanning over a decade, included progressive leadership roles from Research and Development Specialist to Senior Vice President of Culinary & Kitchen Innovation. Throughout this period, he played a central role in advancing BJ’s menu identity, consumer insights strategy, kitchen operations systems, and major product innovation launches—particularly during the brand’s expansion into new markets.

His foundational experience includes operational leadership roles at Original Roadhouse Grill, Buffet’s Inc., Johnson & Wales University (as a culinary demonstrator and recruiter), TGI Friday’s, and Erickson Retirement Communities, where he led culinary operations and staff development.

Scott holds a B.A. in Food Service Management and an A.A.S. in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University.

Chef Salvatore has over forty-five years of culinary, management, and ownership experience. His strong hospitality background took flight beginning as the youngest Executive Chef hired by Hyatt Hotels and led them for eight years. Chef has owned two fine-dining restaurants affording him an owner’s fiscal responsibility. Additionally, he possesses extensive product knowledge, R & D, operational transitions, system implementation, procurement, and sourcing expertise after fifteen years as Director of Culinary Resources for Sysco and five years with Ruck-Shockey Associates, Inc.

Chef specializes in food service solutions that deliver profitable sales, a positive team atmosphere, and ensuring guest delight. He has brought hospitality into the healthcare segment and has applied safe food and personnel practices with self-audit tools that have passed rigorous Federal, State and Local inspections within large healthcare systems.
Salvatore’s largest undertaking was the rebranding of Sysco Metro NY for Manhattan. This entailed graphic concepts, product alignment, and brand equity enhancement though multiple customer-facing events and management of local Corporate Citizenship.

He currently holds the position of Senior Director for Ruck-Shockey Associates, Inc., a national consultancy specializing in operational excellence in foodservice and environmental services.

Casey is a research and development professional with over a decade of experience spanning culinary arts, food science and innovation. She currently holds the title of VP of Culinary at Midas Foods where she is responsible for new product development, culinary innovation, and strategic planning. She has previously held positions at Bell Flavors and Fragrances & Nutek Food Science where she developed a robust background in ingredient applications, culinary sales demonstrations and innovation. She has demonstrated the ability to drive business growth and foster innovation across a wide range of products. Her career is defined by her ability to blend technical expertise with creative innovation. In addition to her professional achievements, Casey holds an Associate's Degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor's Degree in Culinary Science from the Culinary Institute of America. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Food Science from Kansas State University and currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Research Chefs Association.

Andrea Todd is a classically trained pastry chef and seasoned culinary leader with over 15 years of experience in the foodservice industry. As Vice President of Culinary Customer Development at Dessert Holdings, Andrea specializes in trend-forward dessert innovation, combining artistry and strategy to surprise and delight dessert consumers.

Her journey into the culinary world began with a foundation in business and art, earning a degree in Business Administration with a minor in Art from Chadron State College. Shortly after, she took an entrepreneurial leap—purchasing a hometown bakery in Alliance, NE, with her mother. It was here that Andrea taught herself cake decorating, igniting her passion for pastry. She later honed her skills formally at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts and expanded her expertise with a Master’s in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America in 2021.

Andrea’s early career was shaped by hands-on experience in regional restaurant chains, retail bakeries, and large-scale hotel operations. In 2014, she found her niche at CSSI Culinary + Marketing in Chicago, where she represented manufacturing companies from a culinary perspective. Her talent for bridging food innovation with business insights led her to Dessert Holdings in 2017, where she drives foodservice sales through chef-to-chef relationships and data-driven culinary strategies.

A dedicated industry advocate, Andrea is a member of the Research Chefs Association and has had the honor of cooking at the James Beard House in New York for two consecutive years. She is also an active member of the Culinary Institute of America’s Fellows Program, supporting scholarships for future culinary professionals. Passionate about mentorship, Andrea established a scholarship at Alliance High School to inspire the next generation of culinarians.

With a deep love for desserts and a keen eye for innovation, Andrea continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of pastry and beyond.

Chef Dan Varga is a talented chef who has won several awards for his culinary creations, is an expert at controlling food costs and managing staff and is a culinary asset. He has been satisfying appetites in Columbus, Ohio since 1996. Chef Varga began his career as the Executive Pastry Chef of Columbus’ French Loaf. The culinary trendsetter has since built a name for himself as the creator of sought-after signature dishes for restaurants like Ray Ray’s Hog Pit, Double Comfort, The Explorer’s Club, G Michael’s, The Burgundy Room, and The Refectory. He has truly honed in his skills in kitchens ranging from high-end dining to award winning barbecue. Through his unique ability to infuse flavors, cuisines, and creativity, Chef Dan has won attention from local and national press including: Best BBQ in Ohio, Food & Wine; Best Dessert Menu, Columbus Magazine; Top Five Best New Chefs, Columbus Magazine to name a few.

Currently, Dan is the Owner/Operator of The Hungarian Butcher which was named in the Top 3 Butcher Shops in Columbus, Ohio by The Columbus Monthly. Here he provides a modern twist on classic recipes he learned from his grandmother who was a Hungarian immigrant. His shop specializes in smoked and cured meats which earned him Tastemaker of the Year by The Columbus Monthly in 2023. When Dan isn’t at his shop, he’s known to sell out ticketed kitchen takeovers for fine-dining coursed meals, cooking classes and charity events showcasing his skills.

Cara Watkins is a Research & Development (R&D) Chef & Scientist at Blommer Chocolate Company with over 17 years of baking and pastry and 11 years of R&D experience. She is a Certified Research Chef with multiple degrees including an A.A.S. in Baking and Pastry Arts, a B.A. in Hospitality Management and a B.S. in Culinology.
Throughout her career, Watkins has worked at widely recognized fine dining establishments both in Chicago and in France. She interned under chef Simon Scott at Michelin-starred Bistrot Saveurs, at the Peninsula Hotel and Union League Club of Chicago and alongside her studies, she joined the pastry team at Everest Restaurant, which garnered recognition worldwide, from the James Beard Foundation, Michelin Guide, Relais & Chateaux, and Les Grandes Tables Du Monde.

Watkins took her passion, experience & love for fine dining pastry beyond the restaurant and into the classroom where she served as a Teaching Assistant for the pastry students at Kendall College before moving into other sectors of the food industry.

The culmination of her education & experience led Watkins from back of the house to research and development positions at Tone Products, VJI, Flavorchem and now, Blommer Chocolate Company. At Blommer, she has found the perfect harmony of baking, pastry, and research and development.