Kelsey Barnard Clark is a born and raised Gulf Southerner from Dothan, Alabama. She has developed an impressionable resume including being the fifth woman and first southerner to win the title of Top Chef and was also voted fan favorite following her season 16 win. Kelsey got her start in the food industry working for a high-end caterer and catered her first solo wedding at age 15. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, she worked savory & pastry in several Michelin-star restaurants in New York City, including Café Boulud under Gavin Kaysen, and Dovetail under John Fraser. Her signature southern-French cuisine is inspired by family recipes and classic French techniques.

Edward Behr writes about food and wine and is the editor and publisher of the magazine The Art of Eating, now exclusively in digital form. His writing focuses on taste — the magazine was the first to stress the connection between taste and place. He has written about many of the best farmers and food artisans in France, Italy, and the United States. His article “The Lost Taste of Pork,” when it appeared in 1999, caused the fast-casual chain Chipotle to switch from conventional to humanely raised pork, creating the first major US market for decent pork. In 2014, Ed was inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America. His books include 50 Foods: A Guide to Deliciousness and The Food & Wine of France. He lives in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

Bonnie Benwick worked as a journalist for four decades, much of which was spent at The Washington Post. During her tenure at the paper’s Food section, she wrote the weekly Dinner in Minutes column and recipe-related features for The Post magazine. Her writing earned awards from the Association of Food Journalists and IACP. She edited The Washington Post Cookbook: Readers’ Favorite Recipes. Since Bonnie retired from The Post in 2019, she has been reviewing, testing, and editing cookbooks. She lives in Washington, D.C.

One thing that sets Back Forty apart from the other great breweries of Birmingham is our full restaurant under the leadership of Executive Chef, Russ Bodner. After graduating from Indiana University and completing his studies at the French Culinary Institute in New York City, Russ staged multiple kitchens across the City before landing at the Michelin-starred kitchen of Anthos, the haute Greek restaurant helmed by Michael Psilakis and Donatella Arpaia.

Rochelle Brown co-founded Powerhouse Productions in 2003, and serves as its Executive Producer and co-CEO, overseeing all content development and productions. Often referred to as the !Shonda Rhimes” of Lifestyle and Culinary Television, Rochelle is regarded as one of today"s hottest and most sought-after Executive Producers in food programming and development. Rochelle’s career in TV started in 1993 when she was hired as the third employee to help launch what would become one of the fastest growing and most impactful cable networks in history, The Television Food Network, now called, the Food Network.

Sonthe Burge, MS RDN LD, is a registered dietitian nutritionist who has helped scores of women and men achieve their wellness goals. Sonthe is an adjunct professor at Samford University in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is also an instructor with Samford’s Wellness Kitchen where she practices her passion for cooking simple delicious and nutrition meals. Sonthe is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier International Birmingham Chapter and Holy Trinity Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral.

As Digital Content Director, Jason Burnett leads the Allrecipes.com editorial and social team. His editorial oversight includes Allrecipes.com’s onsite experiences, voice skills, smart appliances, app and podcasts. Allrecipes, the world’s largest community-driven food brand, provides trusted resources to more than 60 million home cooks, publishes recipes from home cooks around the world who connect and inspire one another through photos, reviews and videos. Since its launch in 1997, Allrecipes has become a dynamic, indispensable resource for cooks of all skill levels seeking trusted recipes, cooking trends, entertaining ideas, every day and holiday meal solutions, grocery savings information and practical cooking tips.

Javier Cabral is the former Restaurant Scout for the late Pulitzer-award-winning food critic, Jonathan Gold. He is the co-author of the cookbook, "Oaxaca: Home Cooking from the Heart of Mexico (Abrams, 2019)." Last year, he won two James Beard Awards for his work as the Editor-in-Chief covering tacos and social justice for L.A. TACO, and as an Associate Producer for 'Las Cronicas del Taco' (The Taco Chronicles) series on Netflix.

Cyndy Cantley of Cantley & Company is an award winning, nationally published designer leading a successful Kitchen Design business for over 30 years. Known for her affinity of classic aesthetics she marries timeless appeal with modern sensibility, her designs are undeniably elegant but always practical, revealing a keen awareness towards the lifestyle of every client and their family. Cyndy mentors design students at several universities each semester and gives her time to the community, sitting on numerous boards and professional organizations.

Jorge Castro received his college degree in Business Administration in Mexico from the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. Before he moved to Alabama in 2000, Jorge worked in the banking industry and for several corporations. He is now the co-owner and general manager of Sol y Luna Restaurant. In 1998, his brother Guillermo Castro started the first family restaurant Sol y Luna, he later opened Cantina Tortilla Grill in 2003. Jorge has been a part of family business since the year 2000. A strong advocate in our local community, he is an active member of the Board of The Birmingham Originals and Board of The Bare Hands Gallery, and has served both organizations since 2011. Serving on these organizations has been an opportunity to organize and participate in food events such as “Breakin Bread” and in multicultural events like “Dia de Los Muertos Festival” and The Taco Fest.

Kristina Cho’s culinary perspective is rooted in her experiences as a first-generation Chinese American who grew up in Cleveland going to her family’s Chinese restaurant, before moving to one of San Francisco’s unofficial second Chinatown in the Inner Richmond neighborhood. A self-taught home cook and baker, Kristina is behind the popular food blog and Instagram page Eat Cho Food, where she showcases her Asian-inspired recipes to tens of thousands of followers. Kristina's debut cookbook, Mooncakes and Milk Bread: Sweet and Savory Recipes Inspired by Chinese Bakeries is the first English-language cookbook dedicated to Chinese baking culture, and was inspired by the Kristina's years experimenting with her own versions of recipes inspired by her favorite Chinese cafe dishes.

John grew up in Birmingham, AL. While at Auburn University, he studied Mass Communication and Journalism, as well as played wide receiver for the Auburn Tigers. After graduation, John left Alabama to work in the film production industry. His work and travels took him to various places including New York, New Zealand, Atlanta and Los Angeles. In each location he worked with global companies and production studios like Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Nike, and the NBA. John has a passion and deep desire to tell stories that have a true meaning and implore others to live their lives to the fullest, every day. Which is why for John, Dread River is more than just a brand and business. It’s about creating a place where cultural elements come together; a place where people can mix and mingle and enjoy an experience that is both lively and celebratory.

Cheryl Day is a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, a James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef, a self-taught scratch baker, and an entrepreneur. With her husband, Griffith Day, she is a cofounder of the Back in the Day Bakery in Savannah, Georgia, and coauthor of The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook. Cheryl is a cofounder of Southern Restaurants for Racial Justice and a founding member of the leadership committee for the James Beard Foundation Investment Fund for Black and Indigenous Americans. Cheryl lives with Griff, her baking soul mate; Story, their beloved dog; and a vast collection of vintage cookbooks in Savannah. Her first solo cookbook, Cheryl Day’s Treasury of Southern Baking, will be published in November 2021.

Stephanie Dikis, Jill of all trades coming to you from Columbiana, AL. Stephanie is a devoted member of Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral and very active in Philoptochos, a women’s outreach ministry serving as President for four years. When the Greek Food Festival rolls around each year she cochairs the baklava workshop and is very involved in all the cooking workshops preparing pastries and food for the festival. Stephanie is a graphic artist by trade and owns a small promotional and printing business. When Stephanie is not at church or working, you will find her in her pottery studio or most likely spending time with her three precious grandsons and family.

The Rev. Fr. Gregory Edwards, Ph.D., was raised in Virginia and eastern Pennsylvania, and became a member of the Orthodox Church while studying for his bachelor's degree in religious studies at Brown University. After completing a master's degree in New Testament and early Christianity at Florida State University, he conducted doctoral studies in Greece at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, graduating summa cum laude in 2012. Ordained in 2007, he served parishes in Thessaloniki and Volos for nine years. Fr. Gregory and his wife, Presvytera Pelagia, lived in Greece from 2006 to 2016, where their four children were born. Since March 2019, Fr. Gregory has served as Dean of Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Birmingham, Alabama.

Sid Evans is Editor-in-Chief of Meredith Corporation’s SOUTHERN LIVING, where he is responsible for the editorial vision, direction, and content for the iconic brand. Reaching more than 25 million people each month, SOUTHERN LIVING connects consumers to the region’s rich culture through a variety of print, digital, social, and video platforms. Evans is responsible for ensuring that the media powerhouse’s digital franchises, special issues, books, events, and licensed products reflect the brand’s core mission and values. A proud native of Memphis, Tennessee, Evans attended Connecticut College. He lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with his wife and two children.

As Executive Chef and Co-Owner of The Essential and Bandit Pâtisserie in Birmingham, AL, Kristen Hall’s journey to culinary success is as unique as her sought-after confections. A southerner at heart, Hall grew up in the small town of Dalton, GA, before earning a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Samford University and a master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Never having dreamed of becoming a pastry chef, Hall started baking in her free time and began dropping pastries at neighbors’ doorsteps. Shortly thereafter, she became known as a “baking bandit” among the Birmingham community and held her first holiday bakery pop-up in 2013, cementing her culinary career.

Zoë François is the author of ZOË BAKES CAKES and co-author of the best-selling Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day book series. She is also the host of Zoë Bakes on the Magnolia Network. Zoë was formally trained as a pastry chef at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New York. Since then, she has been the executive pastry chef at several Twin Cities’ restaurants, taught baking and pastry nationally and her work has been featured in many publications, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Food52, Today Show, Cherry Bombe and Better Homes & Gardens. Zoë's portfolio of work can be found on her award-winning Instagram account @zoebakes.

Samantha Fore is a first-generation Sri Lankan-American chef from Lexington, Kentucky. She started her pop up, Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites, in 2016, after traditional Sri Lankan brunches in her home outgrew her dining room. Tuk Tuk is one of the few representations of Sri Lankan cuisine in the United States and reflects Sam’s Sri Lankan upbringing in the American South. Her dishes include her spin on Southern classics as well as riffs on her mother's time-tested recipes. Her work has been featured in multiple national publications, including the cover of Food & Wine magazine. She was named one of Plate Magazine’s 2018 Chefs to Watch and was selected as one of Southern Living’s 2020 Cooks of the Year.

Originally from India, Nandita is an internationally known entrepreneur, writer/author, & a multi-faceted professional in the food and wellness space. Her work centers around Indian cuisine, health, wellness and Ayurveda. She has authored several books on Indian cuisine. Having been a lifelong student of Ayurveda, her most recent book is on Ayurveda and Ayurvedic brews, called "Seven Pots of Tea: an Ayurvedic approach to sips & nosh".Nandita was most recently profiled in The Boston Globe, and has been featured on NBC-Asian America, NPR, BBC-Futures, CNN, Forbes, and many others. Nandita lives in Atlanta, Georgia but also is active in the LA & Bay Area. She is also the energy behind the brand Curry Cravings(TM) LLC.

Darra Goldstein is the Willcox B. and Harriet M. Adsit Professor of Russian, Emerita at Williams College and founding editor of the journal Gastronomica. She has written six award-winning cookbooks, including the recently published Beyond the North Wind: Russia in Recipes and Lore. Darra sits on the board of the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts and is a member of the advisory “Kitchen Cabinet” of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. In 2020 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from IACP. Darra lives in Williamstown, Mass.

Ushering in a new era of bite sized livable health, nutrition and fitness solutions, Patricia Greenberg, The Fitness Gourmet is an expert in all aspects of living life to the fullest at any age. As the creator of Eat Well, Live Well, Age Well she consults, teaches, and speaks at seminars nationwide. She has a special interest in enhancing the education of the general public, providing accurate health information to today’s consumer. Passionate about wellness for life, Patricia completed 20 marathons and 115 half marathons, and loves the sport of tower climbing, having conquered buildings all over the country. Married with a grown daughter, in her downtime she is an avid reader and knitter.

With the publication of Baking with Dorie, New York Times bestselling author Dorie Greenspan marks her thirtieth anniversary as a cookbook author. She has won five James Beard Awards for her cookbooks and journalism and was inducted into the Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America. A columnist for the New York Times Magazine and the author of the xoxoDorie newsletter on Bulletin, Dorie was recently awarded an Order of Agricultural Merit from the French government for her outstanding writing on the foods of that country. She lives in New York City, Westbrook, Connecticut, and Paris.

Fanoula Gulas comes from a Greek family that had large gatherings with traditional Greek foods, so she learned early about the love of family, food and hospitality. After marrying into a large Greek family, the Gulases, known for their restaurants, she perfected some of the recipes that had been passed down for generations. When she shared her pastries with others, people always asked if they were sold anywhere. So Fanoula started the Greek Kouzina, which specializes in homemade Greek food items. She truly enjoys her business, because she loves sharing her culture and its delicacies.

Born and raised in the Avondale neighborhood of Birmingham, Alabama, Chef John Hall began his journey through the culinary world with a degree from the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island. Upon graduation, John seized the opportunity to move to Luxembourg to apprentice under Lea Linster, the only woman to date to win a gold medal at the prestigious Bocuse d’Or international cooking competition. New York called to him shortly thereafter, providing John the chance to work under the notably perfection-driven chefs at Per Se, Gramercy Tavern, and Momofuku Saam Bar, all of which he credits for teaching him precision and style.

Justin Hill is a multi-generation farmer from Eastaboga, Alabama. He was named the Alabama Farmers Federation named him the Outstanding Young Family Farmer of the year for the Bee and Honey division for 2013-2018. His farm Eastaboga Bee Company provides honey to the best restaurants in the south.

Brian Hart Hoffman is the editor-in-chief of Bake from Scratch and made his way to baking through his love for travel and a previous career as a flight attendant. After years of traveling, stopping in bakeries all over the world, and returning home with a mission to recreate the baked goods he fell in love with, he took that same passion and launched a brand dedicated to the celebration of the global baking community. Bake from Scratch has grown into one of the world’s largest baking platforms, with magazines and best-selling cookbooks, a podcast (The Crumb), in-person baking retreats, and @thebakefeed on Instagram, where there are hours of Brian’s baking video content.

Amanda Hesser is Founder and CEO of Food52, a leading innovator in the food, cooking, and home space named one of the world’s most innovative companies by Fast Company in 2020. Earlier in her career, she was a reporter, feature writer, and food editor at The New York Times and authored several award-winning books including The Essential New York Times Cookbook, a New York Times best-seller. Amanda has been named one of the 50 most influential women in food by Gourmet, played herself in the Nora Ephron film Julie & Julia, created the Twitter app Plodt, and served on President Obama's Commission on White House Fellowships. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and twins.

James O. Hill is Professor and Chair of the Department of Nutrition Sciences and Director of the Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB ). Dr. Hill has studied the etiology and treatment of obesity for over 30 years and has published over 650 peer-reviewed papers in those areas. He is particularly interested in how diet and physical activity impact body weight. He co-founded the National Weight Control Registry and the newly launched International Weight Control Registry to factors related to long-term success in obesity treatment. He also co-founded America On the Move, a non-profit initiative to get people to make small changes to prevent excessive weight gain. He has published two practical weight management books for the public – The Step Diet and State of Slim.

A leading figure in the publishing industry, Phyllis Hoffman DePiano is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Hoffman Media, LLC. A native of Alabama and a graduate of the University of Alabama in Birmingham, she began her career as a Certified Public Accountant with a nationally known firm before founding a special-interest publication company in 1983 that is now known as Hoffman Media, LLC. DePiano is recognized industry-wide as a savvy businesswoman and talented entrepreneur. She serves as the creative engine of the company which defines and celebrates the lifestyles of Southern women through such magazines as TeaTime, Southern Lady and Taste of the South.

Ashley M. Jones is Poet Laureate of the state of Alabama (2022-2026). She holds an MFA in Poetry from Florida International University, and she is the author of Magic City Gospel (Hub City Press 2017), dark / / thing (Pleiades Press 2019), and REPARATIONS NOW! (Hub City Press 2021). Her poetry has earned several awards, including the Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers Award, the Silver Medal in the Independent Publishers Book Awards, the Lena-Miles Wever Todd Prize for Poetry, a Literature Fellowship from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the Lucille Clifton Poetry Prize, and the Lucille Clifton Legacy Award. She teaches Creative Writing at the Alabama School of Fine Arts and in the Low Residency MFA at Converse College.

Well known from her hit Food Network show “Healthy Appetite,” and host and executive producer of the cooking series “Ellie’s Real Good Food” on Public Television, Ellie Krieger is a New York Times bestselling, IACP and two-time James Beard Foundation award winning author of seven cookbooks. She is a weekly columnist for The Washington Post and has also been a columnist for Fine Cooking, Food Network magazines and USA Today. Ellie is a registered dietitian nutritionist who earned her bachelors in clinical nutrition from Cornell University and her masters in nutrition education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her most recent book is, Whole in One: Complete, Healthy Meals in a Single Pot, Skillet or Sheet Pan.

Hunter Lewis is the Editor-in-Chief of Food & Wine. Prior to that he was the editor-in-chief of Cooking Light, executive editor of Southern Living, food editor of Bon Appétit, and kitchen director of Saveur. Lewis cooked under Jonathan Waxman in Sonoma County, California, and at Barbuto in New York City. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he was also a reporter at The Herald-Sun in Durham, North Carolina. You can find him in his home kitchen in Birmingham, Alabama, cooking for his family, or on Instagram and Twitter @notesfromacook.

Adrian founded the 40 Acres Project, which seeks to preserve the legacy of Black agriculture and foodways through the purchase of Black owned land. She is a founding member of the Muloma Heritage Center, a non-profit organization that is an educational, culinary and pastoral destination exploring the African Atlantic influences in American culture, and its contribution to American cuisines in addition to serving on the board of the Edna Lewis Foundation. Adrian is currently a PhD candidate in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Texas at Austin.

Vallery Lomas’s debut cookbook, Life is What You Bake It was published Sept 7, 2021. She is the winner of The Great American Baking Show and the first Black winner of the Great British Bake Off franchise. She hosts the digital show Vallery Bakes Your Questions on Food Network’s website and the Food Network Kitchen app. She has also appeared on CNN, the Today show, Live with Kelly & Ryan, the History Channel, and the Hallmark Channel. Originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Vallery attended college and law school in Los Angeles, practiced law in Washington D.C., and spent a gap year in Paris—where she perfected both her French and pastry skills—before settling in Harlem. She is a frequent columnist and recipe contributor to the New York Times.

Allison Lowery is the Director of Meredith Food Studios, the food content hub for Meredith Corporation. Allison oversees the strategy, budget, and team of test kitchen chefs, photographers, and stylists who create over 6,000 recipes and photographs across print and digital platforms annually. Allison has the honor of creating content for the country’s finest lifestyle brands, including Southern Living, Real Simple, Food & Wine, Eating Well, People, and more.

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Pastry Chef Jennifer Lyne began working at Bar Boulud, followed by DB Bistro Moderne and, finally, Boulud Sud. After a six-year tenure working for Daniel Boulud’s hospitality empire, Dinex Group, Jennifer brought her background in classical French culinary training to lead the pastry programs at numerous high-profile kitchens in NYC. Through that experience, Jennifer has become a leader in her field. She has mastered the analytics of menu design and always produces beautiful, high-quality food at very reasonable costs across many different cuisine platforms.

Chef Tyler Lyne honed his skills in Japan and at such highly regarded restaurants as Restaurant Cru, Bouley, Momofuku Ko, and Ciano before landing his first job as Chef de Cuisine at La Esquina. From there, he became a partner and held the title of Executive Chef at Cloud Catering, Riviera Caterers, and Creative Edge Parties. He is currently VP of Culinary at Neuman’s Kitchen. His clients have included NASDAQ, Facebook, the NFL, and various A-List events for celebrities, fashion houses, and the like. Simultaneously, he serves as Culinary Director for Bamboo Asia – Far Out Market in San Francisco and Lucky Rooster Market Street in Miami, Chicago, and South Carolina.

Andrea is an Alabama-based registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of the healthy food blogs, Beautiful Eats & Things, and Little Eats & Things and author of The Complete Book of Smoothies. Andrea has worked in several healthcare settings including clinical, public health and long-term care. Andrea believes in achieving optimal health by incorporating healthier eating habits into your lifestyle and making healthy eating fun! When she’s not running after her two boys, she enjoys creating content to encourage self-love and promote body positivity.

Carrie Morey founded her handmade biscuit business in 2005 with the goal of making the tender, buttery, made-by-hand biscuits of her mother accessible across the country. Over 15 years later, Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit is widely recognized as an iconic Southern brand with national retail exposure, 4 grab-and-go eateries in Charleston, Atlanta, and Charlotte, a food truck, and a cult-like following. Carrie is the author of cookbooks: Callie’s Biscuits and Southern Traditions and Hot Little Suppers (October 2021), and stars in the culinary docu-series, How She Rolls, about biscuits, business, and balance in her life as an entrepreneur. She resides in Charleston, SC with her husband and three daughters.

Lindsey Noto is a Birmingham native and career food and beverage professional, currently holding the position of Culinary Specialist for Sysco of Central Alabama. After graduating from Jefferson State Community College in Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management, Lindsey spent the next ten years managing, owning, and operating multiple restaurants, event venues, and catering companies. She is the co-founder of B’ham Femme, a Birmingham-based group of women hospitality professionals that empowers, educates, and mentors other women in the industry. In her current role with Sysco, Lindsey continues to share her passion for food and service while helping local restaurants achieve their business goals.

Dr. Martin O’Neill is the Horst Schulze Endowed Professor and Department Head of Auburn University’s Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Hospitality Management within the College of Human Sciences. Dr. O’Neill joined Auburn in 2002 and has taught a range of undergraduate and graduate courses in the hospitality field. He has served as Department Head at Auburn University’s Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Hospitality Management for more than ten years, and previously served as Program Director for Auburn’s Hotel and Restaurant Management program.

Crystal Peterson is the co-owner and general manager of Yo’ Mama’s Restaurant in Downtown Birmingham and Chief Marketing Officer of Denidine Group, LLC. She has her BA in Marketing with a concentration in Management from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She is also a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI). Under her leadership, Yo’ Mama’s has repeatedly been voted the Best Lunch in Birmingham (Best of Birmingham). The restaurant has also been recognized as one of the Top 50 Black Owned Restaurants in the U.S. and has been featured in every major publication in the Birmingham metro area, including Birmingham Magazine, B-Metro, al.com, Over the Mountain Journal, Birmingham News, Birmingham Times, and the Birmingham Business Journal. Yo’ Mama’s has also been featured monthly on WBRC’s Good Day Alabama, featured on national television via the Cooking Channel and featured internationally on Fresh, Fried & Crispy via Netflix.

Janae Pierre is an award-winning journalist covering news, culture and all things Birmingham at WBHM where she also serves as local host of NPR’s All Things Considered. Pierre has worked and volunteered with several media organizations, including NPR affiliate WWNO in New Orleans, her hometown. In her spare time, Pierre enjoys cooking and listening to old vinyl records (she loves that scratchy sound). Some of her favorite artists include Al Green, Anita Baker and Prince. Pierre earned an Edward Murrow award for “Hard News” in 2020. In 2019, she was recognized as “Best Large Market Radio Reporter” by the Alabama Broadcasters Association. Pierre was also listed on Radio Ink’s 2017 “Future African American Leaders in Radio.”

Jamila Robinson is the Food Editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer where she leads a team of reporters and, and directs its multiplatform food content franchise. Previously, Jamila was an editorial director for Atlantic Media where she led content strategy projects for media companies, a senior content strategist for the USA TODAY NETWORK, where she managed editorial strategy for special projects including USA TODAY’s Wine and Food Experience; a senior editor for features at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, leading its features and entertainment team.

Jennifer Ryan is the founder and CEO of BLUEROOT, a wellness brand and healthy, fast-casual eatery. Prior to moving to Birmingham, the southern California native spent over a decade working in finance and technology in New York City. Jen launched BLUEROOT in 2020 to fill the healthy food gap in town, and she did so by following the formula that initially put the Magic City on the national food map: pairing locally sourced foods with local culinary talent. Through BLUEROOT and other ventures, she is on a mission to fuel the local community, which she believes begins - but certainly does not end - with food.

Description gChef & restaurateur Abhishek Sainju, better known as “Abhi,” is a self-trained chef and native of Kathmandu, Nepal. Abhi developed his culinary skill set from a longing for his native Nepalese cuisine and other Asian dishes from his youth. In 2013 he started his own sushi catering and pop-up business, Everest Sushi. He currently owns and operates ABHI Eatery & Bar located at Mountain Brook Village and Summit Shopping Center and Mo:Mo: in the Pizitz Food Hall in downtown Birmingham. oes here

Pitmaster Rodney Scott has been cooking whole-hog barbecue, over wood coals since he was 11 years old. For the next 25 years he worked with his family in their bbq stop in Hemingway, SC until 2017 when he opened Rodney Scott’s BBQ in the North Central neighborhood of Charleston, SC. In the same year the restaurant was named one the 50 Best New Restaurants by Bon Appetit Magazine and in 2018, Scott was awarded the James Beard Foundation’s award for Outstanding Chef Southeast. In 2019 Rodney Scott’s BBQ opened a second location in the Avondale neighborhood of Birmingham, AL and in the summer of 2021, a third location in Atlanta, GA bringing whole-hog, South Carolina-style barbecue, along with his famous “Rodney’s Sauce” to another part of the South.

During nearly two decades as Alabama’s tourism director, Lee Sentell has placed high priorities on promoting the state’s robust food culture and its rich civil rights history. The initial campaign of The Year of Alabama Food in 2005 captured the first of six marketing awards from the National Council of State Tourism Directors. His department has received additional attention for “100 Dishes to Eat Before You Die,” the Year of Alabama Barbecue, and the Barbecue Hall of Fame that honors restaurants in business for more than 50 years. The Alabama Tourism Department created the U.S. Civil Rights Trail in partnership with surrounding states in 2018, capturing media coverage around the world. A 10-page feature on civil rights travel was published in all 17 million copies of the Reader’s Digest magazine, a first for the 99-year-old publication.

A pen and a passport have been the tools of the trade for Niki Sepsas for most of his life. As a writer, Niki has had more than 900 articles published in fifty national, regional, and local magazines and newspapers. He is a contributing author to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books where one of his stories was adapted into a short film that aired on PAX Television. In addition to having written 22 coffee table books, four commemorative books, and seven personal memoirs, Niki’s first novel, Song of the Gypsy, was published in 2003 and is set in the wild mountains of the Peloponnesos region of Greece. Another book chronicling the history of Greek immigration to the United States was published in 2012.

Kim Severson is a national food correspondent for the New York Times covering food trends and news across the United States. She was previously the New York Times Atlanta bureau chief and, before that, a staff writer for the Dining section of The Times. Her first full-time food writing job was with the San Francisco Chronicle. She also spent seven years as an editor and reporter at the Anchorage Daily News in Alaska. Before writing about food, she covered crime, education, social services and government for daily newspapers on the West Coast. She has written four books, “The Trans Fat Solution," “The New Alaska Cookbook," a memoir called “Spoon Fed: How Eight Cooks Saved My Life,” and, in 2012, "Cook Fight!" a collaborative cookbook with fellow New York Times food writer Julia Moskin.

Chef Clayton Sherrod is and American Culinary Federation (ACF) Certified Executive Chef and an ember of the elite American Academy of Chefs. Chef Clayton currently serves as the Culinary Arts Consultant for Lawson State Community College, located in Birmingham, Alabama and is a proud member of the ACF Accreditation Team for Culinary Colleges. In October of 2018, Chef Clayton opened the Housing Authority Birmingham District (HABD) Culinary Arts School, which received a commendation from Ben Carson, Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on April 18, 2019.

Dr. Sephira Bailey Shuttlesworth brings 30+ years’ experience as an educator, administrator, trainer, and motivational speaker to this event. Born and reared in rural Tennessee, she and two of her siblings integrated the Jackson-Madison County School system in the summer of 1966 in search of a better education. The next eight years were wrought with rich experiences as they grappled with open racism, isolation and crippling stereotypes; but their willingness to stay the course and break down existing barriers led to many “firsts” by the end of their formal education.

Cheryl Slocum is the senior food and features editor at Allrecipes magazine. She has had a long career as a magazine food editor, first at Country Living and later at Cooking Light. She is a James Beard award winner for food writing and has contributed to a variety of publications and food media including Martha Stewart Living, Eating Well, O Magazine, Food Network, Everyday with Rachael Ray, Skinnytaste, and Epicurious. Cheryl lives in Birmingham.

Leigh Sloss-Corra is Executive Director of the Market at Pepper Place, in Birmingham, Alabama, the largest certified producers-only farmers market in the state, with a national reputation and 350,000 visitors each year. She previously owned her own catering business in New York City, produced children’s videos for Scholastic Publishing, and as head of Time Inc.’s Lifestyle Video Studio, produced thousands of cooking and decorating how-to videos. She served on the Board of LDEI’s Birmingham Chapter as Vice-President, Membership, and has helped lead a number of initiatives to help underserved women and women in business, including expanding food access programs, offering small business education workshops, and promoting women chefs and food producers through an annual month-long tribute at her farmers market.

Catherine Sloss Jones is President and CEO of Sloss Real Estate Company, Inc., an urban redevelopment firm founded by her grandfather in 1920. Noteworthy achievements include Pepper Place, a vibrant mixed-use design district in Lakeview, home of the nationally recognized Market at Pepper Place, which she founded in 2000. Her company also developed Park Place, transforming blighted public housing into Birmingham’s first HOPE VI project, now a jewel in the downtown. She built One Federal Place, a prominent office building and pocket park and renovated the historic Young and Vann Building along with numerous other historic structures throughout the city center.

V. is the Host and Creator of TikTok’s @underthedesknews with over 1.5 million subscribers. "The Nice Side of the News," UTDN offers 60 second daily no spin wrap ups of current events, political analysis, and special interest stories “explained”. With a deep passion for the democratization of food, V. co-created FoodFarmacy and harvestRX, is a founding board member of the Queer Food Foundation, and former Director of Impact for the James Beard Foundation.

As Executive Director of Jones Valley Teaching Farm, Amanda is responsible for the overall leadership and management of the organization and works to secure local, regional, federal, and national funding partners. She also develops and maintains strategic community and school-based alliances, manages donor relationships, and connects Jones Valley Teaching Farm to health, food, and education-focused coalitions currently working at the local, state, and national levels.

Christopher Ruben Studdard is an American R&B, pop and gospel singer. He rose to fame as winner of the second season of American Idol and received a Grammy Award nomination in December 2003 for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Superstar". In the years following Idol, Studdardhas released six studio albums, including his platinum-selling debut, Soulful, and the top-selling gospel follow-up, I Need an Angel. He is most well known for his recording career, which has produced hits including "Flying Without Wings", "Sorry 2004", and "Change Me", but he has also segued into television and stage work. Most notably, he toured with Robin Givens in the comedy-drama I Need a Hug and in 2008 starred as Fats Waller in a national tour revival of Ain't Misbehavin, which spawned a Grammy-nominated soundtrack.

Ann Taylor Pittman is the recipient of two James Beard Foundation Awards: a feature writing award for “Mississippi Chinese Lady Goes Home to Korea” and a cookbook award for The New Way to Cook Light. For 20 years, she built a career of creating healthy recipes at Cooking Light magazine, where served as Executive Editor when the magazine closed in December 2018. She is now a freelancer specializing in recipe development and food writing. Ann lives in Birmingham, Alabama

​​Bryant Terry is a James Beard & NAACP Image Award-winning chef, educator, and author renowned for his activism to create a healthy, just, and sustainable food system. He is editor-in-chief of 4 Color Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House and Ten Speed Press, and he is co-principal and innovation director of Zenmi, a creative studio he founded. Since 2015 he has been the Chef-in-Residence at the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) in San Francisco. His collection of recipes, art, and stories entitled Black Food was published by 4 Color Books/Ten Speed Press in October 2021.

Valerie moved to Birmingham in 2010 with her husband Steven, who accepted the Director position for the UAB Hospital Burn Service. Reluctant to leave San Antonio, but always optimistic – she invested in getting to know the city, and eventually, fell in love with all that it offered. She concluded that The Magic City is one of the nation’s best kept secrets and decided to help change that in April, 2014 by forming The VAL Group, Inc. a recruiting support service to UAB, Children’s of Alabama and others who need to showcase Birmingham to visitors or future residents. Valerie has become one of Birmingham’s Greatest Ambassadors!

Toni Tipton-Martin is a culinary journalist and author using cultural heritage and cooking to build community. She is Editor in Chief of Cook’s Country by America’s Test Kitchen and a two-time James Beard Award winner for her books on African American cooking. Jubilee: Recipes From Two Centuries of African American Cooking, brings to life 125 dishes from the African American cookbooks in Toni’s rare collection through breath-taking pho tography and engaging storytelling. Jubilee is a James Beard Award winner, earned the IACP (In ternational Association of Culinary Professionals) Book of the Year Award, and was named one of the “Cookbooks You Need for 2020” by the New York Times. Jubilee is the follow-up to The Jemima Code: Two Centuries of African American Cook books, which The New Yorker named one of the “Best cookbooks of the Century So Far.”

As a Super Bowl champion and retired NFL player, Reggie Torbor has experienced success on and off the football field. He uses the lessons learned from his 8-year NFL career to invest in and empower others in the community. Reggie has made a shift into the work that he is most passionate about - leading and motivating others within their purpose. He is currently a motivational speaker and Personal Development Manager for a national construction company. Reggie and his wife Michelle own Taproot Cafe in Hoover, AL.

Paul Willis is a 5th generation family farmer and founder of the Niman Ranch Pork Company. He has owned and operated the Willis Free Range Pig Farm in Iowa since 1975. Today he works hard to increase opportunities for traditional, sustainable and humane family farmers while representing the Niman Ranch brand. Paul’s involvement in sustainable agriculture began after he graduated from the University of Iowa and joined the Peace Corps. He returned to the states to start his own farm. Paul initially sold his hogs in the conventional market. When he met Bill Niman in 1995, the two discovered a shared dedication to sustainable farming, strict animal husbandry standards and raising the highest quality product possible. Their partnership led to the establishment of the Niman Ranch Pork Company in 1998, which has since grown into a network of over 600 independent family hog farmers.

Roy Wood Jr.’s comedy has entertained millions across stage, television and radio. In addition to stand-up comedy, producing and acting, Roy is currently a correspondent on Comedy Central's Emmy and NAACP Award winning The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. During his tenure, he has used The Daily Show’s brand of satire to shed light on serious issues including gun violence, police reform, LGBTQ+ discrimination, ICE deportations and PTSD in the Black community. Roy is a graduate of the Florida A&M University with a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism. True to his roots, he is an outspoken advocate for reshaping the image of Alabama and the American South as a whole. In 2018, he penned a New York Times piece on the subject. He is actively working with the Birmingham City Council and the Film Commission to bring more entertainment jobs to the state. During the Covid pandemic, Roy has also remained committed to fundraising for comedy clubs by supporting initiatives like TipYourWaitstaff.com and Laugh Aid.

Ms. Woolfolk grew up in the Titusville community and attended Birmingham public schools. She received a BA in History and Political Science from Talladega College (Alabama), an MA in Urban Studies from Occidental College (California), and additional graduate studies in Political Science at the University of Chicago, and at Yale University as a National Urban Fellow with a concentration in urban and regional community development. Her professional experiences include: teacher at Ullman High School (Birmingham), and senior level administrative positions with The Urban Reinvestment Task Force, Washington, DC; New York State Urban Development Corporation (NYC); YWCA of Utica, New York; and Arbor Hill Community Center and Inter-racial Council, Albany, NY. She was Executive Director of the Birmingham Opportunity Industrialization Center and Associate Executive Director of the Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity (JCCEO). For twenty-one years, she served the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in several positions including the Center for Urban Affairs Director, Adjunct Lecturer in Political Science and Public Affairs; Center for International Programs Staff Associate; and Assistant to the President for Community Relations.