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Home | Events Schedule | 2011 Participants | About Us | Charities | Sponsors | Press | Travel & Lodging | Photos |  |
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Celebrity Guests |
ABOUT US
GRAND TASTING COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS Bob and Jennifer McMahon
GRAND TASTING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
CELEBRITY GUESTS Below are the cornucopia of celebrity guests that are participating in the 2010 Martha’s Vineyard Food & Wine Festival. Contact us today about how you can participate in the upcoming Martha’s Vineyard Food & Wine Festival.
In 2009, New York Times writer, Eric Asimov, proclaimed Joseph Carr, a producer to watch for, and put his wines alongside the likes of Far Niente, Clos du Val, Heitz, Grgich Hills and Rubicon. Mr. Asimov continues to comment, that these are “wines of balance and restraint”. For centuries, the Nègociant has produced some of the world’s finest wines: Louis Jadot, Joseph Drouhin and Georges Deboeuf, to name just a few. Joseph Carr works with small estate growers, coopers and winemakers, not unlike a classic nègociant, to produce handcrafted boutique wines. After 10 years, serving as a world-class sommelier, then another ten as an international industry executive, Mr. Carr set out on his own in 2005, to form his family-owned wine company. It was, as Mr. Carr says “a chance to follow a dream.” As director of Joseph Carr Napa Valley, Joseph continues to work with many of the associates he has met throughout his long career; those who share his passion and desire to produce world class wines. Influenced by the wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, Joseph Carr’s winemaking philosophy is balance, sophistication and approachability. Mr. Carr, his wife Deirdre, his daughter Cailen, and Max, his dog, own and operate Joseph Carr Wines, producing fine wines from Napa Valley, California, along with limited production wines from Carneros and the Sonoma Coast. “We have the luxury of working with some of the best growers in Napa Valley and produce all of our wines at Larson Family Vineyards in Carneros” states Mr. Carr. Since launching his business in 2005, Mr. Carr’s wines have been received with great enthusiasm. His wines grace some of the finest restaurant lists in the United States and abroad. Joseph Carr has recently worked with Tom Larson to produce his second label, named “Josh Cellars” -his “vin de garage” -as he jokingly refers to it. It is a North Coast Vineyard project, from sites organically and sustainably farmed. It is dedicated to his father.
Executive Chef / Owner of Deuxave Christopher A. Coombs the young, trend-setting Executive Chef behind dbar's success opened his first restaurant, Deuxave, this past fall. As Executive Chef/Owner at Deuxave in Boston 's Back Bay , Coombs has created a menu that features his own brand of cuisine, showcasing American ingredients using the Nouvelle techniques of Contemporary French Cuisine -- which recently earned Coombs a Food & Wine nomination for "Best New Chef 2011." Coombs' culinary career began on the north shore of Boston working in a neighbor's seafood restaurant at an early age. Upon graduating high school, Coombs' drive and passion for food led him to pursue an education at The Culinary Institute of America in New York . It was there Coombs' talent began to flourish. His venture into the upscale restaurant scene began at Blue Ginger in Wellesley under award winning chef Ming Tsai in 2003. Following his eye opening experience at Blue Ginger, his next step was to pay dues at a Relais & Chateau property Toppers at the Wauwinet on Nantucket under Chef Chris Freeman. After a season on Nantucket, Coombs caught the attention of The Inn at Little Washington's owner and Executive Chef Patrick O'Connell in Virginia . Coombs was asked to prepare him dinner. This dinner led Coombs to an 18-month tenure at the Inn which would become most critical to his development as a chef. During his time at the Inn , Coombs had the opportunity to prepare special dinners for Laura Bush at The White House and for "Le Club des Chefs de Chefs". In late 2005 Coombs returned to Boston with a new outlook on cuisine. He began a short stint at Aujourd'hui, followed by numerous stagiers around Boston in search of a chef who shared his passion and vision for cuisine. Coombs soon found a restaurant to take him to the next level. Working under Chef Scott Hebert at Troquet, Coombs further refined his skills, giving him the confidence needed to undertake his first Executive Chef position. In August of 2006, Brian Piccini, owner of dbar, pitched Coombs his concept of an exciting and casual upscale cuisine in Dorchester and together, Piccini and Coombs placed a focus on fresh, local, seasonally inspired menus. Coombs furthers this philosophy through his commitment to sustainable cuisine and has been growing his own fresh ingredients in his rooftop garden at dbar for the past four years. Coombs' deep passion for food and proven culinary skills have been grabbing both local and national media attention, including a recent appearance on TVFN's Chopped. Today, Coombs continues to seek out the finest food available and further his growth as a trend-setting quality driven chef. His focus is to provide a great dining experience that reflects his culinary passions, taking both Dorchester's and the Back Bay 's dining scenes to a whole new level.
Nancy’s passion for sake was sparked over a decade ago in her hometown of Chicago. After her first sake experience, she became fascinated with it and made studying the beverage her mission. She left her career as an advertising executive and in 2006, she completed the Sake Professional Course in Japan with John Gauntner, who is recognized as the world’s foremost sake expert. She has traveled extensively and observed sake production at breweries in Japan. In Boston in March 2007, she opened o ya, a contemporary Japanese restaurant, with her husband Tim Cushman. o ya has received numerous awards, including being named by the New York Times’ Frank Bruni as the #1 new restaurant in the U.S. outside of New York, and being named by Boston Magazine as Boston’s “Best Restaurant” and “Best Japanese” 2008. As o ya’s sake sommelier, Nancy enjoys serving and pairing an extensive selection of premium sakes with the cuisine. She also regularly teaches sake courses for public and private organizations.
Tim is Chef Owner of o ya restaurant in Boston Cushman opened o ya, a contemporary Japanese restaurant, with his wife, Nancy, in March 2007. Since opening, he and o ya have received numerous accolades, including being named by New York Times food critic, Frank Bruni, as the #1 new restaurant in the United States in 2008. Cushman was also picked as a Best New Chef 2008 by Food & Wine magazine. Food & Wine also selected o ya as one of the top 10 new restaurants in the world, and gayot.com named the restaurant as one of the Top 40 in the U.S. Bon Appetit and Details magazines have recognized o ya as one of the top 10 sushi restaurants in the U.S. Locally, Boston Magazine named o ya as the #1 restaurant in Boston in 2009, and Best of Boston 2008 – Best Restaurant Overall Excellence and Best Japanese, and Best of Boston 2007 – Best New Restaurant and Best Sushi. Chef Cushman, 56, is a Boston native. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz & Classical Guitar from Berklee School of Music in Boston, then moved to California in the early 1980’s to pursue the music business. Cushman took a job in a restaurant, as many aspiring musicians do. That was the start of what would become a culinary adventure around the world. He has spent the last 28 years cooking around the world in Japan, France, Thailand, Italy, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico and Taiwan. In that time, he also served for seven years as a Corporate Chef with Lettuce Entertain You in Chicago, where he developed menus for the group’s new concepts. In 1994, Cushman launched his own consulting business, Ideas in Taste, and developed menus for a variety of restaurateurs, from independents to large operators. Presently, Tim and his wife, Nancy, are Co-Proprietors of o ya, in addition to working on various restaurant consulting projects. Website: oyarestaurantboston.com
Chef / Co-Owner Dante de Magistris is the Executive Chef and Co-Owner of the eponymous, Restaurant dante in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as well as il Casale in Belmont, Massachusetts. Raised in an Italian-American home in the Boston suburb of Belmont, Dante de Magistris always loved to cook. At the age of four, the Belmont Fire Department responded to the de Magistris home to put out a kitchen blaze created when the budding chef attempted to prepare stovetop eggs in Tupperware. His talent and technique evolved with age and by the age of 18 Dante was prepared to take his career to the next level. Dante's culinary journey is packed with unique and impressive experiences, including a sojourn in Italy, where he not only honed his own skills but touched the lives of those he met along the way. After culinary stints in Bologna and Florence, the young chef made his way to the Amalfi Coast, where he debuted as sous-chef at Ristorante Don Alfonso. What happened next is the stuff of legends. The chefs left Dante in charge while they traveled to France. While they were away, Michelin came to visit. The young "understudy" helped the restaurant win its third star in their absence, and won rave reviews of his own. Returning to Boston with no shortage of praise and respect from his colleagues, Dante found himself working alongside some of Boston's finest chefs, including: Michael Schlow at Café Louis, Eric Brennan at The Federalist, Lydia Shire, Susan Regis, and Daniele Baliani at Pignoli. However, it was at Micheala Larson's blu in The Sports Club/LA, located in Boston's Ladder District, that Dante mastered the art of sophisticated simplicity, turning blu into a major destination for discerning diners. In 2006, Dante, along with his brothers Filippo and Damian, opened Restaurant dante in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to critical acclaim from Food & Wine and O Magazine, as well as being named one of Bon Appetit Magazine's "Hot 10 Restaurants" of 2006, Boston Globe Magazine's "Best of the New" for 2007 and winning Boston Magazine's coveted "Best of Boston" award for Best Italian Restaurant in 2008. At Restaurant dante, de Magistris has flawlessly established his culinary paradiso as one of the premier dining destinations in Boston. Located in the Royal Sonesta Hotel, Restaurant dante takes a fresh, modern approach to traditional Italian cuisine with Chef de Magistris' unique use of ingredients, innovative techniques and invigorating twists on Italian classic. A true family affair, Dante works with his brothers at his side every day. Brother Damian manages the front of the house, while Filippo manages the wine program In April 2009, Dante and his brothers joined forces again, combining their expertise in food, wine and stellar service, to open il Casale in their hometown of Belmont. In a stroke of poetic justice; the rustic cucina Italiana is located in the old fire house which once housed the department that had responded to the blaze in his family's home when Dante was a child. il Casale's talented team has perfected century-old de Magistris family recipes and created a menu that is equal parts traditional Italian comfort food and exclusive family classics. Separated into Sfizi (small tastes), Primi (appetizers), Secondi (entrees), Contorni (sides) and Dolce (dessert), il Casale's menu is designed to create a culinary experience reminiscent of the way the brothers were taught to dine by their Grandmother. Dante's following as well as the extraordinary success of the de Magistris brothers premiere establishment, made il Casale amongst the most anticipated openings of the year. In the few short months that it has been open, il Casale has earned the attention and praise of national and local culinary critics, including being named in Esquire Magazine list of "15 Places Not to Miss", and earning an almost unheard-of three and a half out of four stars from the Boston Globe's Devra First, an A- from the Boston Herald's Mat Schaffer, and two Best of Boston awards from Boston Magazine.
Executive Chef-Proprietor When the topic of sustainability arises, Chris Douglassí name is never far behind. His commitment to local ingredients spans more than 20 years. Chris forges close bonds with his food purveyors; from hook-and-line fisherman and clammers on Cape Cod, to local mushroom foragers, to exotic Asian green growers and inner-city gardeners. He also plays an active role in Share Our Strength, Seafood Choices Alliance, the Boston Public Market and countlesss organizations in the neighborhood where he does business. A self-taught chef who began as a restaurant dishwasher as a teenager, Chris credits "the works of Julia Child and Alice Waters" for his culinary inspiration. When Chris began cooking at ICARUS in the late 70's, it served peasant food from a funky storefront in an ungentrified section of Boston called the South End. Thirty years later, the South End is the city's hottest dining location. ICARUS served upscale New England cuisine until 2009, when it shuttered. The Boston Globe calls Chris's cooking style "an intelligent way to approach food ... dishes and flavors with integrity." His imaginative and well-executed dishes have won countless regional accolades and "best ofs." In 2005, innovative municipal funding and participation by neighborhood investors allowed Chris to open ASHMONT GRILL in Dorchester, where he and his family have lived for decades. In 2007, Chris opened the casually Italianate TAVOLO just down the block from the Grill.
"From insanely sweet Katama Bay oysters and Sengekontaket littlenecks to hauling in a striper off Wasque the freshness of Martha's Vineyard seafood makes you absolutely giddy with anticipation and set your cooking imagination soaring." Says chef Nicanor Garrido. An Island chef for many years, and currently Edgartown Yacht Club's Chef of The Galley Grill and Special Events, Chef Nic is in love with the bounty that the Vineyard offers to chefs every summer. "You just can't wait for the farmers to start calling you up to tell you what they have available." Raised in Florida and Hawaii, Chef Nic first started out cooking as a knife twirling japanese chef in Maui, Oahu and Palm Springs, California. To expand his knowledge of classical and American cuisine he enrolled in Walt Disney World's Culinary Apprenticeship. Where, for three years, he rotated throughout Disney's parks and resorts learning everything from fast service to fine dining. While still a student he was asked to join the team opening Disney's newest seasonal concept, The California Grill, It went on to revolutionize both food and wine service across Disney. After opening the Mediterranean concept Citricos in the Grand Floridian Resort Chef Nic spent his first summer in Martha's Vineyard. It was love at first sight. As the chef for local award-winning restaurant Lattanzi's, Chef Nic found out first first hand what it was like to work closely with the fisherman and farmers of the Vineyard. "It was intoxicating. From the first spring asparagus to still sun-warmed tomatoes to the first bay scallops of the late fall. So fresh!" Chef Nic spends has spent his winters in Hawaii, as a consulting chef to island favorite Sansei restaurant and sushi. Even cooking at the James Beard House in NYC with them. In Florida as a catering chef for Morton's Gourmet Market in Sarasota. And recently in Vermont as Chef of the Wobbly Barn Steakhouse for Killington Resort.But he always return to the Martha's Vineyard for the summer. "It's my addiction. I can't stop and I don't want to."
Division Manager, Genesis Northeast A native of Boston, MA, Domenic Giammarco, has always been captivated by the world food and wine. Having grown up in Boston's historic and Italian culinary mecca of the North End, it is only fitting that he found a passion and career in wine and food. After completing his traditional university education, Domenic worked in many of Boston's fine Italian restaurants, honing his craft of selecting fine wines for the restaurant wine programs. In 2006, Domenic began working in the wine trade with Ruby Wines, and that paved a path to his Division Manager position with fine wine & spirits importer, Palm Bay International. In both positions, he has spent time traveling to many of the world's wine regions including the many wine regions located throughout Italy, France and South Africa. Domenic currently resides locally in Quincy, MA with his wife Elena and young family.
Tremont 647 opened its doors in 1996 to local and national acclaim of Chef Andy Husbands’ boldly flavored adventurous American cuisine. Husbands’ commitment to locally grown and organic ingredients is reflected in his restaurants eight-season cycle, where the menu changes bi-monthly to take advantage of what’s fresh in the market. Beginning to exceed capacity, Andy converted the adjoining space to Tremont 647 in October 2000, into a café-like, and slightly more casual setting, naming it after his sister Sorel, creating a now combined 107- seat restaurant, in Boston’s South End. Andy takes great pride in contributing to local and national charities, and was awarded the Chef/Restauranteur of the Year in 2004, by the Nation’s leading hunger relief organization, Share Our Strength, which Andy hasw orked closely with for the past 15 years. Also known as “The Fearless Chef,” Husbands has published a cookbook by the same name and is well-known by his peers both locally and nationally, for his bold cooking style, extensive charity work with leading hunger-relief organization Share our Strength, and his endeavors on the competitive barbecue circuit. In the spring of 2005, he was one of only 5 “Celebrated Chefs” chosen by the National Pork Board. He participated in the Board’s national media tour for its “Pork, the Other White Meat” campaign. A particular passion for Husbands is participating in barbecue competitions, which he has done from Vermont to Tennessee, capturing numerous trophies with his team. Most notably in 2009, Husbands’ team (iQUE BBQ, sponsored by Harpoon Brewery) became the World Champions of BBQ at the Jack Daniels World Championships in Lynchberg, TN and in 2007 took 1st place out of 510 teams in the Brisket category at the Kansas City Royal. Husbands can be found blogging, and on Twitter and Facebook, as well as on his first-of-its-kind Kitchen Cam, an online live-feed from Tremont 647’s kitchen (kitchencam.com)
Dan moved to Mass in 1986 after a number of years working in the restaurant business and traveling extensively. He has been with a family operated wine distributor and importer since first arriving (Ruby Wines Inc.) where he is the Director of Special Events and a Fine Wine Specialist. Outside of work, he currently chairs the Boston University Wine School Founding Advisory Board and still travels to wine country around the world. Website: www.rubywines.com
Guided by these words, Ric Orlando brings an inspired blend of lust for life, outspoken passion for the flavors and ingredients of the world community, and nationally renowned cooking prowess to his roles as chef, lecturer, author, and media source. Ric has been preparing and promoting both global and local food for over 20 years. New World Home Cooking Co. is a Hudson Valley landmark and the Albany Gastro-Pub he designed and manages, New World Bistro Bar, is a local BEST OF winner. His recipes and commentary are consistently in demand by the regional media. His tireless work in promoting the products, people, and beauty of the region has made him one of the Hudson Valley's leading culinary spokespeople. A man with a colorful past, Ric's cultural roots stem from the underground music and art scene through 1980s in New York, New Haven, and Boston where he also gathered his passion for Global flavors eating urban ethnic cheap eats. He developed in his culinary experience at groundbreaking restaurants such as the Elm City in New Haven, (the original) Harvest in Cambridge, Massachusetts, The Wild Goose in Boston, Sugar Reef in Manhattan, and Yates Street and Justin's in Albany. He has cooked in the kitchens widely of respected chefs Bob Kinkead, Jake Jabobus, and Emmett Fox. Website: www.ricorlando.com
Growing up an Army brat, Matthew lived on both coast, the Midwest, and in Germany. He was lucky enough to travel with his family through Sweden, France, Holland, Austria and the Czech Republic and also went on several Boy Scout camping trips to Italy and Switzerland. The first thing Matthew remembers cooking was chili at the age of seven. Unfortunately, he did not know the difference between chili powder and cayenne pepper and what he made was completely inedible. As an adult, Matthew has worked in Seattle, New York City and Dublin, Ireland for such notable chefs as Jonathan Sundstrom, Maria Hines, Jan Birnbaum, and John Mooney. He has since developed a more delicate touch with spices. Matthew has worked for four years with Chef Christian Thornton at Atria, bringing Latino flavors to the Mediterranean and Asian inspired menu. He hopes to someday cook for Bill Murray, Stephen Colbert and/or Maynard James Keenan.
The philosophy of Chef Dunstan Smith, who formally cooked with the L'Espalier team in Boston, Hungry Mother in Cambridge and State Road Restaurant in West Tisbury, is to make everything from scratch, and to have diners experience home-cooking at it's best. He cooks in an honest style, allowing simple, local ingredients speak for themselves.
Executive Chef/Owner Atria Chef-Owner Christian Thornton of Edgartown’s Atria restaurant & The Brick Cellar began his culinary career in his native San Francisco Bay area, attending the California Culinary Academy before continuing his training at some of the nation’s finest restaurants. Thornton has worked with such “top toques” as Wolfgang Puck, Nora Pouillon, and Julia Child. Christian traveled across the country to cook for gourmets, celebrities and presidents. He and wife Greer opened Atria in 2000 and quickly earned a devoted following with their commitment to the finest local ingredients, winning rave reviews in the Boston Globe, New York Times, Food and Wine, Wine Spectator, and Zagat. In the spring of 2012 the Atria team is bringing two new restaurants to Oak Bluffs, One Fish Two Fish & Lola’s Soul. Get ready….. Website: www.atriamv.com
A California Native, Chef Levon Wallace attended the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. From there his undying passion for food was born, apprenticing at some of the city’s finest restaurants and absorbing all that he could. He has cooked for several prestigious inns where his culinary leadership has provoked recognition from Zagat and the Los Angeles Times in addition to receiving both AAA Four and Five Diamond Restaurant Awards during his tenure at the Ojai Valley Inn as the Chef de Cuisine. After a stage at the world-renowned restaurant Charlie Trotter’s, Chef Levon sought out his own kitchen and joined the Harbor View Hotel & Resort and The Kelley House in 2008 as Executive Chef. There, Chef and his team strive to reflect and reinvent classic New England flavors while drawing inspiration from truly artisan sources and the people who produce them. The Hotel’s flagship restaurant, Water St. has garnered appreciation from the New York Times, Boston Magazine and The Travel Channel as well as the islands own unique and high profile residents. Since then, Chef Levon has taken a more global perspective as Corporate Executive Chef for Scout Hotel & Resort Management in 2010, bringing his culinary sincerity and dedication for excellence to the company’s growing portfolio of hotels including properties Florida, Cape Cod and the Islands of Martha’s’ Vineyard and Nantucket. Levon lives in Falmouth, MA with his wife Kim and their two beautiful children Santiago and Coco. |
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