Cheetie Kumar Chef Before Cheetie discovered her culinary calling, she was following a different path to becoming a rockstar. But things changed when she began studying recipes while pursuing her music career. Now she channels her creativity in both her musical and culinary practice. The award-winning chef learned cooking techniques from her mother, and she uses them to flavor ingredients she sources locally in North Carolina. In fact, she says…

5 Questions With Alison Roman Travel changes the way you see food, doesn’t it? I’ve never looked at a dried chili the same way after I get back from Mexico. It kind of ruins you, but it also encourages you to find better ingredients and to source things here, but also to understand that some things are best to be enjoyed in the places you find them. If we could…

6 Questions with Holly Perkins How did you first get interested in fitness? When I was a youngster, my very best friend was a little overweight and her mother made her take dance aerobics classes at our local YMCA in Pennsylvania. And she didn’t want to go alone, so I went with her and started taking these very typical ‘80s dance classes, and it was just the best thing ever.…

Elisabeth Akinwale Fitness & Lifestyle Coach Look at Elisabeth Akinwale’s athletic career, and you’d think she was a superhero. A successful CrossFit Games and Olympic-style weightlifting competitor, she’s known for events with marvelous monikers like the “Double Banger,” “Cinco 1,” and “Clean Speed Ladder.” On top of her incredible qualifications, she also holds a Masters in social work, is a proud mother and, with her partner, co-owner of Chicago’s 13th…

Sunstone Winery Bion Rice, Winemaker and CEO Since 1990, Sunstone Winery has been producing premium, organic Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Mourvedre and Viognier, from their 28-acre vineyard. Their varietals have won countless industry-coveted awards for organics as well as winning numerous international wine competitions. The Rice family—Fred and Linda, and their children, Bion, Ashley and Brittany—started their Santa Ynez estate with the vision to farm in a completely…

Bird Rock Coffee Jeff and Maritza Taylor Jeff and Maritza Taylor of Bird Rock Coffee recognize a great cup of joe starts well before the cup. Now with six locations around San Diego, and distribution across southern California, they still pride themselves on working with small farmers in Central and South America. They were recognized as Roaster of the Year in 2012—a national once-in-a-lifetime award given by Roast Magazine—are consistent high-scorers…

6 Questions with Nina Compton How did your familial experience draw you to cooking? Cooking is one of those things that’s very personal. Everybody has to eat! When you get to share those moments with other people around you it becomes very special. That drew me to cooking. For my family, having lunch together on the veranda back home was a big thing. Just being together, talking about things going…

Alex Seidel Chef & Farmer Alex Seidel will be the first to tell you he isn’t looking to open a 12-restaurant franchise. He just wants to cook, and he wants his ingredients to be fresh, local and delicious. His connection to food has earned him accolades and fans, alike. In 2010, he won the “Best New Chef” title from Food & Wine Magazine, and his creamery won two American Cheese…

6 Questions with Claudette Zepeda You’ve worked in a variety of restaurants. Did Mexican food always feel most natural to cook? I started off at a not-so-great pizza joint, you know, like every teenager. But I was bitten with the bug of restaurants, but never saw it as a viable career. I’ve cooked Italian, French, pastries, charcuterie, but when I started cooking Mexican food, it felt like what I was…

6 Questions with Tory Miller How did you know from working in your grandparents’ diner this was what you wanted to do? Oh man, I just loved the action and pace of it. And the instant gratification of making something for people to be able to eat. You make something and right away you hear how it is. Especially as a kid, that positive feedback was so great to have.…