Learn more about the chefs participating in Grand Tastings XXX below! Chefs that have committed but are not pictured below include: David Burke, 1776, Ryan DePersio, Battello, Ember & Eagle, Kitchen Step, and Tillinghouse, Joel Nierenberg, D'Artagnan Meat Wholesaler, Ralph Ruiz, Emilio's Neapolitan Pizza, Rose Innella, Enjou Chocolat, Antonio De Leso, Fiorentini Restaurant, Sal Pisani, Jersey Artisan Co., Amy Sur Trevino, Landmark Hospitality, Lindsay Spinnato, Ninety Acres, and Nick Derosa, The Black Sheep.
*Please note that this list is not complete and is subject to change as we get closer to the event!
Grand Chefs:
Nestor F. Bedoya, General Manager/Owner, Chef Fredy’s Table, Morristown
Nestor Bedoya is a very passionate and driven restaurateur with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Born and raised in Colombia, Nestor came to the United States in 1996 to live with his family in Morristown, New Jersey.
Bedoya began his career as a busser in 1998 at a local restaurant in Morristown. Seeing everyone’s enjoyment and hard work at the restaurant made him fall in love with the restaurant business and was the inspiration for pursuing a career in the industry. He worked every position from back of the house to restaurant manager and finally fulfilled his life-long dream of owning his own restaurant.
His favorite thing about working in the restaurant business is seeing how genuine people can be when sharing a meal at one of his tables. Nestor’s advice for those interested in pursuing a career in the restaurant and hospitality industry is to master the fundamentals, strive to be an expert in every job you do, take full accountability, and learn as much as you can.
Michael Cetrulo, chef and owner of Scalini Fedeli began his cooking career at age 13 working as a dishwasher and doing food prep with his father. By the time he was 17, his whirlwind career began to take off. He went from being a line cook to becoming a Sous Chef at Il Tulipano in Cedar Grove, NJ. Chef Cetrulo then began searching to open his own restaurant. In 1990 , at 23 years old, Chef Cetrulo opened Il Mondo Vecchio in Madison, NJ. This first restaurant received awards from Zagat Survey and New Jersey Monthly magazine and prompted Chef Cetrulo to expand his training by spending time at several internationally renowned restaurants in the U.S. and in Europe.
This new training led him to change the menu at Il Mondo Vecchio and prompted him to open the highly successful Scalini Fedeli in 1995, which quickly became a hot spot and earned many national publication’s top honors. In just a few more years in 1999, Chef Cetrulo and his wife opened a second Scalini Fedeli in New York City and in 2006 that restaurant was awarded a Michelin star {which was Michelin’s inaugural issue in America}.
During all of Michael’s years of working, he enjoys honoring and awarding hard working and dedicated employees the opportunities to expand into partnerships with him, which launched a new restaurant in Jersey City in 2004 named Porto Leggero. In 2013, Chef Cetrulo opened in Montclair with his sister Sally and nephew Anthony and called the restaurant Scala Del Nonna, and it quickly developed a loyal following.
Michael’s most recent venture was in February of 2020 when he purchased the “Montville Inn” in Montville and is now renamed Locanda Vecchia which is also in partnership with longtime employees.
Leia Gaccione is the chef+owner of South+ Pine American Eatery in Morristown, NJ. As a child, she was enamored with cooking shows like “Yan Can Cook” and “Julia Child”. As an adult, she studied culinary arts and restaurant management at the New York Restaurant School and has trained in New York City, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Las Vegas, before opening South + Pine in 2015.
Leia has appeared on “Iron Chef America”, “Beat Bobby Flay”, “Iron Chef Showdown”, “Chopped”, “Top Chef” and is the host of “Her Name Is Chef”. Her mission is to serve seasonal and locally sourced food made with lots of love and to remain a neighborhood staple in the Morristown community.
Corey Heyer realized his passion for cooking and fine cuisine at a young age and dedicated himself to becoming a chef at age 19. Corey attended the Culinary Institute of America and while there had externships at The Frog and The Peach in New Brunswick, NJ, as well as at Restaurant Daniel in NYC.
Following his graduation, Chef Corey worked at Fromagerie in Rumson, NJ where he received rave reviews and multiple awards. After a four-year tenure, Chef Heyer decided to hone his skills in some of the finest kitchens in New York. Subsequently, he was sought out as the opening chef for Restaurant Nicholas in Middletown, NJ where he garnered four-star reviews.
During his thirteen years at The Bernards Inn, he earned four-star reviews from The Star-Ledger and the Courier News and elevated the eatery to be included in the Top 10 Restaurants by the Artful Diner and The Star-Ledger, was an OpenTable.com Diners’ Choice winner in 2012, and a Wine Spectator Best Award of Excellence recipient. After a short stint at Roxiticus Golf Club, Chef Corey is currently the Executive Chef at Canoe Brook Country Club.
Over the years, Chef Corey has been featured in GQ, New Jersey Countryside, as well as on News 12 New Jersey. The James Beard Foundation has recognized him for “Outstanding Contributions,” and he enjoys directing his culinary efforts to worthy causes such as A Dinner of Hope, the American Heart Association, and JBWS.
A graduate of Syracuse University’s Nutrition and Hospitality Management Program and The French Culinary Institute’s Bachelors in Culinary Arts, Chef Lauren Hirschberg worked for Crafted Hospitality over a twelve year period. After holding the titles of Executive Chef for Craftbar and Director of Culinary for Crafted Hospitality,
Chef Hirschberg moved back to New Jersey and opened Turtle + the Wolf as Chef/Owner and is a partner at Pineapple Express Barbecue. Both restaurants are located in Montclair, where Hirschberg grew up.
Chef Driola Kaloshi is famed for her signature interpretations of traditional Northern Italian cuisine updated with touches of the classic French technique inspired by her continuing studies at Le Cordon Bleu’s Paris Institute. Formally trained at the Apicius International School of Hospitality in Florence, Italy, Chef Driola has drawn a faithful following to her popular Millburn restaurant with an ever-evolving menu that showcases treasured family recipes and the finest of locally sourced seasonal ingredients.
Her husband, Agron, brings their shared passion for entertaining and meticulous detail to his oversight of La Pergola’s elegant dining room and attentive waitstaff.
La Pergola is named after the beautiful wooden structures that adorn the countryside of Italy. Just as a pergola beautifies its surroundings and captures the essence of Italian handiwork, La Pergola strives to surround you with warm and elegant ambiance, while providing you with quintessential Northern Italian cuisine. La Pergola recently celebrated its thirteenth anniversary and looks forward to celebrating many more joyous occasions with their beloved clientele.
Jamie Knott is a highly acclaimed chef whose hospitality career began at age 13. A graduate of the New York Restaurant School, Knott rose through the ranks in the kitchen before becoming the opening sous chef of the critically acclaimed Fascino.
He later joined Salute, where he worked under Chef Clifford Crooks, gaining recognition in the chef community. Knott became the Executive Chef at China Grill and later joined ESquared Hospitality as Corporate Executive Chef.
In 2013, Knott purchased the Saddle River Inn, which received numerous accolades for its excellent food and service. He and his business partner also opened Cellar 335, a highly acclaimed Asian-inspired tiki bar, as well as Saddle River Cafe, a farm-to-table restaurant concept. Knott’s latest venture, Madame, a modern French bistro and cocktail parlor, opened to critical acclaim in Jersey City. He has a Japanese concept, Kinjo, set to open in June.
Notable Guests:
Afficionado Coffee Roasters was born out of a desire to disrupt the coffee industry status quo. Our company is built on the lasting relationships with our farmers at origin and a belief that trust and superior quality go hand in hand. Equipped with a bootstrap mentality, we travel to remote corners of the world searching for a deeper meaning in every cup.
Through years of partnerships with communities across the world, we’ve committed to providing our farmers with the tools they need to thrive. To us, that translates to increased revenue streams, a low-waste infrastructure and a definition of sustainability that’s based on opportunities for a better tomorrow. Our final product is a celebration of the rugged beauty of the land and the people who call it home.
We believe food raised right tastes better. Before such buzz words existed, and for more than 35 years, D’Artagnan has been committed to free-range, natural production and sustainable, humane farming practices. We partner with small farms and ranches that have the strictest standards to never use added antibiotics or hormones, and sign affidavits to that effect.
We support these methods so that we can offer you the best-tasting conscientiously raised meat possible. We are passionate about quality from the farm to your fork, which is why our products hold pride of place in professional and home kitchens alike. We educate consumers about the importance of understanding and appreciating how food is raised and harvested.
Chef Robert Sigona has had a love for ice cream for as long as he can remember, inheriting his passion from his father, who has been in the ice cream industry for over 40 years. Armed with determination, Robert went on to compete in Gelato Festival America, becoming one of the youngest top gelato chefs in the world.
Along with frozen desserts, he has a love for a great cocktail, learning how to incorporate his favorite drinks into delicious gelatos and vegan sorbets. Always excited about food, Robert is constantly searching for innovative dishes and restaurants utilizing new ingredients and techniques around the world.