Duncan is a chef, writer, musician, and urban planner. A Scott by lineage and born in England, Duncan and his family relocated to the US (Kentucky, specifically, where he spent most of his youth and adolescence) before moving to Washington, DC after college. It was in DC that Duncan honed his culinary chops – first as restaurant chef of the Cosmos Club, later during a five-year term as Chef d’Partie at the AAA Five Diamond Fairmont Hotel. In Los Angeles, Duncan held the positions of Chef Garde Manger at Michael Mina XIV, and Sous Chef at Michelin-starred Patina. During his tenure overseeing the kitchen at Patina, the restaurant was nominated for a James Beard Award, it received a four-star review from the LA Times. After opening Mess Hall Restaurant in LA’s historic Brown Derby, Duncan took a break from kitchen life to pursue a master’s degree in urban planning at UCLA. He learned to navigate the intricacies of city planning, land use policy, zoning, and development through positions at the City of Los Angeles and SWA Urban Design.

Sarah has always been intrigued by food and people. After graduating with a Religious Studies degree from Elon University (where her research explored food and religion), Sarah expanded her interests in hospitality by receiving a degree in culinary arts and a WSET level 2 certification from Johnson & Wales University. After working as a prep cook, pastry chef, bar manager, and general manager, Sarah pursued a position within the home office of the prominent Charlotte-based FS Food Group where she managed marketing, events, and community engagement for five concepts and fourteen locations. Born and raised in Orange County, Sarah was eager to move back to CA and focused on hospitality recruitment at BMRS in Los Angeles. Eventually, Sarah received an M.S. in Applied Psychology at the University of Southern California alongside certifications in emotional intelligence assessments. She has since been working to support professional organizations by building a foundation of employee and organizational effectiveness focusing on areas such as recruitment, training, development, and retention.

Alix is a seasoned designer and creative director who has specialized in branding for over a decade. Since graduating from the Sam Fox School at Washington University in St. Louis, she has worked hard for big brands, small brands, fancy agencies and bootstrapped start-ups. Years of working FOH in fine dining on the side quickly lead her to focus her creative energy on the industry that she lives and breathes: hospitality.

Ty Thorpe, a former touring musician, transitioned to the production side of the music industry after earning a BA in Electronic Communication Arts from SFSU. For over a decade, he played a pivotal role at Light Rail Studios, helping it become San Francisco's largest recording and broadcast facility. Concurrently, he was also pursuing a career as a craft cocktail bartender. His bartending expertise contributed to the success of venues like Peacekeeper and August Hall, cementing his presence in SF's nightlife industry. Leveraging his music and nightlife connections, he began producing live concerts and pop-up cocktail events across the Bay Area. In 2020, Ty moved to Los Angeles and started to focus solely on the world of mixology. A current alum of the acclaimed - Bar Flores in Echo Park, Ty also founded Honey House, a beloved Eastside LA pop-up bar.

An LA native, Leeor holds dual degrees from Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration and Questrom School of Business. After graduating, Leeor moved back to Los Angeles with the Hillstone Restaurant Group, managing restaurants from South Beverly Grill to Houston’s Pasadena. It is there that she fell in love with the creation of invaluable guest experiences. Following Hillstone, Leeor curated brand partnerships and arranged member events at Erewhon, creating health and wellness centered experiences for Erewhon’s top customers. Following Erewhon, Leeor transitioned to Ocean Group, where she focused on the construction stage of restaurant development, building out restauranteur’s dream spaces.

A born and bred New Yorker, Jeff has a deep love and appreciation for bars & restaurants. Upon graduation from Cornell University Hotel School, Jeff was immersed in world-class hospitality onboard the Crystal Symphony cruise ship where he circumnavigated the globe and peaked his passion for hospitality. Returning to the US, Jeff honed his skills in hospitality with industry leaders The Rio by Harrah’s and Tao in Las Vegas. After cutting his teeth on the Vegas strip, he then joined LA powerhouse SBE where he opened and operated elite restaurants and nightlife. Jeff recently completed his Executive MBA from the prestigious HEC Business School in Paris with an emphasis on the transformation of hospitality strategy & operations utilizing emerging technology, innovative business models, and best-in-class business solutions.

Patricia “Pete” St. Peter hails from San Francisco, where she grew up climbing over kegs and doing homework under the bar-top of one of SFs oldest bars. After attending UCLA where she was dedicated to the study of classical vocal music, she accidentally landed behind the bar and fell in love with the collection of intelligent creative souls that grace the hospitality world. Over the course of the past decade she has filled a multitude of roles in the restaurant, bar, and beer world from one woman bar prep team- to General manager of mid sized brewery and tap room. Her journey reached peak synchronicity at Parks Bars group under the discerning eye of Karla Flores where she refined her extensive and diverse collection of skills. This is where she gained an immense appreciation for the artistry and science of cocktail making, from sugar to shaker and the creation of cocktails became her main focus. This focus has culminated in her most recent role as beverage director of Capri Club Los Angeles where her primary emphasis is on curating menus centered around amaro and spirit-based libations.

Raised in Portland, Oregon, Matt (more widely known as “Cheeks”) landed in LA in 2003 to study German philosophy and printmaking at Occidental College, during which he studied abroad in Rome and experienced first-hand the powerful connection between a place, its people, and their cuisine. A life-long lover of food, upon graduation, he found himself helping scoop gelato at a friend’s local shop, falling in love with the process of creating food and serving guests. While cooking at the James Beard-award winning Thai restaurant Pok Pok in his hometown, he worked his way up to Chef de Cuisine, and then to Director of Culinary Operations, helping to expand the brand to the NYC and LA markets. Back in LA, he worked as Executive Sous Chef for Suzanne Goin at AOC, where he learned the intimate connection between chefs and the region’s bountiful farmers markets, forging lasting relationships that he would rely upon as he set forth opening restaurants featuring menus of his own in the years to come. After opening Botanica in Silverlake as CDC, he was recruited by New School to join Park Hospitality as Executive Chef in Echo Park, where he opened and operated Adamae, Lowboy, and Bar Flores. He is an avid musician and lover of pizza.

Shane is a chef and operations professional born and bred in Los Angeles, CA. Born in Whittier, Shane has been living and breathing hospitality for almost two decades. He credits experiencing the elite leadership, seamless operational execution, and sublime flavors working at the Spice Table by Chef Bryant Ng, with sparking his ascent. These values led to his move to Bazaar by Jose Andres. Here, Shane oversaw all kitchen stations and executed menu development efforts as Chef De Partie. In 2018, under Think Food Group Creative Director chef Aitor Zabala, Shane joined the opening chef team of Jose Andres’ most ambitious and pioneering restaurant to date, Somni. The 10-seat restaurant was awarded 2 Michelin stars in its first year. Further collaborations with perennial place-holders on the “World's 50 Best” list, including Chef Virgilio Martinez of Central Restaurant, as well as at Myomi in South Korea during Seoul Art Week, afforded Shane singular exposure and influence from the industry’s best. His noteworthy career experience has informed his thoughtful and inviting consulting approach.

A graduate of the world famous, Le Cordon Bleu Paris’ Diplôme de Pâtisserie and Wine and Spirits Program and Global Executive MBA Program of the University of Southern California, Amber’s unique culinary backgrounds combined with business training allowed her to translate culinary insights and market trends into smart, breakthrough business plans by utilizing various creative emerging platforms. Her passion for transforming culinary concepts into great businesses has always been the motivation for establishing partnerships with global F&B brands and cultivating international networks with respected culinary talents in the hospitality industry. Prior to joining New School, Amber was responsible for developing new prospect business opportunities and providing R&D recommendations for SPC Group, one of the largest, leading F&B corporation based in Seoul, Korea operating over 3,300 Paris Baguette stores worldwide. Amber also managed various F&B projects including Korea Tourism Organization’s participation in Walt Disney’s Epcot Food & Wine Festival as well as Hong Kong Tourism Board’s involvement in the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, an annual premier event hosted by Food & Wine magazine featuring wine tasting, cooking demonstrations, as well as a cooking competition.

Ed took a modular approach to his hospitality career. He has been an event planner, management professor, F&B exec, and a life coach. Learning the theory meant mastering mise-en-place at the California Culinary Academy, immersing himself in spreadsheets and marketing at UC Riverside, and then developing strategic plans to receive his Masters degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management from Golden Gate University. Walking the talk entailed the most valuable adventures of managing operations, educating college students, and developing teams. He found his most enriching restaurant experiences to include leading operations within Chefs Charles Phan’s Slanted Door Group when its flagship restaurant won the James Beard Foundation’s “Most Outstanding Restaurant” award and within Paul Pruitt’s and Roy Choi’s restaurant group, 10 Grand Hospitality, when it changed the Los Angeles restaurant landscape by bringing Commissary and POT to Koreatown. Ed’s overall hospitality leadership service additionally comprises of stints with Mandarin Oriental, Hilton, and Compass Group.

Hayden currently makes wine in Santa Barbara for his winery, Trippers & Askers, having previously worked as the Corporate Wine Director for Acme Hospitality (The Lark, Loquita, Les Marchands, Santa Barbara Wine Collective, Helen Ave. Bakery, and Tyger Tyger). Before moving to Santa Barbara, he worked with celebrity chefs Roy Choi and Ludo Lefevre in Los Angeles, opening The Line Hotel as General Manager of Food & Beverage with Chef Roy, and as Director of Operations/Wine Director of Trois Mec and Petit Trois for Chef Ludo. Before coming west, he lived in New York City where he served as General Manager/Wine Director of Craftbar for Tom Colicchio. He has a BA from Amherst College in Literature and is a former All-American squash player.