CELEBRITY PRESENTERS
Martha Stewart is the Founder of the first multi-channel lifestyle company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, an entrepreneur, bestselling author of 99 to date lifestyle books, and Emmy Award-winning television show host. Reaching more than 100 million devoted fans on a monthly basis through her magazines, television shows, books, and products for the home, sold at multiple retail and online outlets, Martha is the “go-to” source for the homemaker. She and her talented staff provide trusted, timely, and useful information on all aspects of everyday living: cooking, entertaining, gardening, home renovating, collecting, organizing, crafting, healthy living, holidays, weddings, and pet care, both in print and social media.
Gavin Kaysen is the award-winning chef and founder of Soigné Hospitality Group in Minneapolis, known for his nationally renowned restaurants and cafés in the Twin Cities as well as his leadership in the culinary profession. In October of 2022, Gavin released his first cookbook titled At Home, filled with approachable recipes to inspire novices and professionals alike. Chef Gavin is passionate about mentorship and creating a more professional work environment for hospitalitarians. He is the proud recipient of two James Beard Awards: Rising Star Chef of the Year in 2008 and Best Chef: Midwest in 2018. He is the executive culinary producer for the 2022 reboot of Iron Chef on Netflix.
Daniela Soto-Innes has always been surrounded by strong women who love cooking. Her culinary passion was ignited as a young girl by the vibrant food scene of her native Mexico City and the after-school cooking classes she began at age five.
After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and working in restaurants across Texas and Mexico City, Daniela moved to New York City to open Cosme as the executive chef. There, she quickly garnered praise as one of the city’s top chefs and was named Rising Star Chef of the Year by the James Beard Foundation. Accolades continued as she opened Atla as the executive chef/partner, later named Time Out magazine’s Restaurant of the Year.
In 2019 Daniela became the youngest chef named World’s Best Female Chef by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and was featured in Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30 and Crain’s 40 Under 40. Under her leadership, Cosme was the highest-ranked U.S. restaurant on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 list. Most recently, Daniela was recognized by the Consulate of Mexico for her work representing her native country abroad.
Daniela continues to be a globally recognized industry leader and has her sights on Mexico for her newest restaurant venture, Rubra, opening at the W Hotel Punta de Mita in 2023.
Fabio Viviani has harbored a passion for food since his childhood in Florence, Italy. Between training in Italian and Mediterranean cuisines at top hospitality schools, working with culinary luminaries Alessandro Panzani and Saverio Carmagnini, Fabio also owned and successfully executed multiple concepts in Florence.
Best known for his participation in Bravo’s Top Chef seasons 5 and 8—earning the “Fan Favorite” title—his on-screen appearances and off-screen successes have propelled him to become one of the most influential culinary and hospitality names in the country.
Since coming to the US in 2005, Fabio has launched over 40 hospitality ventures. In 2013, Fabio teamed up with DineAmic Hospitality, and launched Siena Tavern, Bar Siena, Prime & Provisions, Builders Building, and BomboBar in Chicago - also the city he calls home. He has launched several full-service restaurants in major cities across the country, airport dining concepts, casino dining outlets with major gaming brands like PENN National Gaming and Morongo Casino and Resort as well as developing culinary cuisines in Hilton's Curio hotels, and a dessert concept named JARS - all with multiple locations across the US.
Fabio is a recurring guest on national television shows such as Good Morning America, The Rachael Ray Show, and numerous Food Network shows, such as Cutthroat Kitchen: All-Star Tournament, which he won. Off-screen, Fabio is a regular headliner at global food events, and he has authored four successful cookbooks: Café Firenze Cookbook, New York Times Best-Seller Fabio’s Italian Kitchen, Fabio’s American Home Kitchen, and most recently Fabio’s 30-Minute Italian.
Eddie Jackson is a former NFL player turned celebrity chef and owner of Rosehill Beer Garden and Food Truck Park located in Houston, Texas. After winning the 2015 season of The Next Food Network Star, he became a beloved member of the Food Network family and has been the face of several shows Outchef’d, Christmas Cookie Challenge, BBQ Blitz, Kids BBQ Championship, and Cooking Channel's Yum and Yummer, as well as Eddie Jackson’s Game-Day Playbook on foodnetwork.com. Eddie also authored his first cookbook, Game-Day Eats.
Eric Kim Haugen is a renowned chef, operator, and Food Network personality. He can be seen on the Food Network from his time on Iron Chef America, as well as serving as the lead judge on Big Restaurant Bet. He is the founder of ERICKIMGROUP and an operating partner of Ring On Hook, both leading hospitality development and advisory companies. His work includes The Twelve Thirty Club, The Global Ambassador Hotel, Las Botellas, and Osteria La Baia.
Roger Mooking is a globally recognized, Trinidadian-born, Canadian-raised talent that creates immersive experiences in the arts. As a celebrity chef, restaurateur, television host, author, and award-winning recording artist Roger Mooking has earned an international reputation as a multimedia artist and entertainer how casing a globally inspired vision that reflects his rich family heritage and his love for people and travel.
Roger is best known as the host of the internationally celebrated grilling and barbecue show Man Fire Food. The popular traveling food series showcases a dynamic range of live-fire cooking. As if he didn’t already have a full plate, Roger is also the host of Greatest of America on Travel Channel, the host and cocreator of the internationally broadcast television series Everyday Exotic, and cohost of Heat Seekers on Food Network alongside chef Aarón Sanchez. In addition, Roger hosts Man’s Greatest Food where he sets out on a culinary odyssey around the U.S.A. seeking the greatest food.
Recently, Roger made his mark in the world of interactive art, cultivating a number of immersive experiences that merge visual, sonic, and culinary arts with the City of Toronto. His involvement has included Toronto’s Awakenings, a series of art projects created within the Toronto History Museum by Black and Indigenous artists, operating under the principles of anti-oppression, anti-colonialism, and anti-racism. In association with Awakenings and the City of Toronto, Roger has been the lead artist and/or collaborator for the exhibitions Read(In), Dis/Mantle, and The Burn.
Former NFL athlete turned chef Derrell Smith is the host of Tastemade’s hit show Mad Good Food, where he shows viewers the value of not only cooking for those you love, but also cooking for yourself. As the host of Mad Good Food, currently in its third season, Smith creates a meal he'd normally make family-style for friends and family, and then breaks it down into a new, distinct meal for one using the components of the original dish. He also serves as an executive producer as well as the creator and CEO OF 99EATS, LLC, a virtual culinary brand with a mission to spread love through food, content, and experiences.
After earning Delaware Gatorade Player of the Year honors in 2006, Smith accepted a full athletic scholarship to Syracuse University, excelling both on and off the football field. Smith was a three-year starting linebacker, two-time All Big East performer, team MVP and captain, and ranks second all-time for forced fumbles in Syracuse history. In 2010, he went undrafted to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and was picked up midseason by the Houston Texans. In his second season, Smith earned the starting fullback position until a neck injury, suffered in practice, ended his career. The following day, Smith returned to Syracuse to enroll in a master's program. This would be a decision that would change his life forever.
One evening after a long day of school, Smith decided to make spaghetti and meatballs using ingredients from his fridge and cabinets. The sauce was so good, he immediately called his best friend over to his apartment, and during dinner told him “I’m gonna sell this one day!” The rest is history. Smith moved to Los Angeles in 2020 with no plans, but ambitions to host his own food television show. This became a reality in April 2021 when the first season of Mad Good Food premiered on Tastemade. To date, Smith has hosted or worked with brands including Netflix, NBCUniversal, Disney, Amazon, Sesame Place, Subway, Bed Bath and Beyond, and others.
Jack Bishop is the chief creative officer of America’s Test Kitchen. He was part of the original team that started America’s Test Kitchen, beginning with the launch of Cook’s Illustrated in 1993. Jack directed the launch of Cook’s Country magazine in 2005 and the building of the company’s book-publishing division. He is the tasting lab expert on America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country. Jack leads the creative teams working on the company’s television shows, podcasts, videos, magazines, books, and online cooking school. Jack is a regular contributor to National Public Radio and has appeared on The Today Show, CBS Morning News, and CBS Sunday Morning.
Julia Collin Davison is an executive editorial director for America’s Test Kitchen. She is also co-host of America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country and is an original cast member of both shows, which are two of the highest-rated instructional cooking shows on television. Julia is also host of Julia at Home, which premiered on Pluto TV in November 2021. Julia began working as a test cook for Cook’s Illustrated in 1999 and led recipe development for America’s Test Kitchen cookbooks for more than a decade. Julia has been a guest on Good Morning America, Live with Kelly & Ryan, The Today Show, Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family, and The Tamron Hall Show. She graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1996. She received an Augie Award from the Culinary Institute of America and was inducted into the prestigious Disciples d'Escoffier culinary society in 2018.
Bridget Lancaster is an executive editorial director for America’s Test Kitchen. She’s known to millions of fans as a co-host of America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country, which both air on public television. Bridget began working as a test cook for Cook’s Illustrated in 1998; she was also part of the launch team for Cook’s Country magazine and led the magazine’s recipe development. Bridget is the lead instructor for America’s Test Kitchen Cooking School and has created hundreds of instructional videos. In her earlier career she cooked in restaurant kitchens in the South and the Northeast, concentrating on pastry. She was inducted into the prestigious Disciples d'Escoffier culinary society in 2018.
