As Executive Chef for Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Chef Thomas Connell is responsible for all operations including menu design, training and food production for all of the resort’s food and beverage outlets, as well as catering support for 150,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

Prior to his current role at the Fontainebleau, Chef Connell worked with the Ritz-Carlton for nineteen years opening properties with the brand in Bali, Shangai, Tenerife, Palm Beach, Hong Kong and Singapore. He most recently served as the Executive Chef for the Ritz-Carlton South Beach in Miami, Florida. There he was responsible for a culinary staff of 60 employees and operated seven restaurants and food outlets.  Prior to South Beach, he served in Barcelona, Spain as the Executive Chef for the Ritz-Carlton, Hotel Arts. At the five-star hotel, he oversaw a large culinary staff and operated seven restaurants and food outlets. Chef Connell was responsible for designing and implementing all culinary concepts at both locations. While in Spain, Chef Connell also had the opportunity to learn from some the country’s leading culinary masters including Sergi Arola, Julian Serraano and Ferran Adria.  His earlier culinary influences came from Chef Christian Rassinoux and Chef Michele Richard.  

As Executive Sous Chef at Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel in Dana Point, a five-star, five-diamond, 385-room resort, Chef Connell worked with seven restaurant and food outlets with a culinary staff of 90.  Before joining Ritz-Carlton, Chef Connell was a Sous Chef at the Hyatt Regency’s famed Brasserie Restaurant in Los Angeles. 

Chef Connell began his culinary training at the Institute of Culinary Arts in Palm Desert, CA, and later received his Associates Degree in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY in 1990.  During his studies, Chef Connell interned and trained at the Beverly Hilton Hotel and later became a chef saucier at the Beekman Arms Inn in Reinbeck, NY.

New Jersey native Chef Kevin Sbraga recently opened his first restaurant, SBRAGA, in Philadelphia. Featuring modern American dishes in an intimate, 65-seat dining room on the city’s iconic Avenue of the Arts, SBRAGA will also offer desserts from the chef’s wife, Jesmary, a talented pastry chef and his high school sweetheart. 

Before his season-winning stint on Bravo’s runaway hit Top Chef: Season 7, Sbraga created globally influenced menus grounded in classical technique for celebrated Philadelphia restaurateurs Stephen Starr of the former Washington Square restaurant (now called Talula’s Garden) and Rat’s Restaurant at the Grounds for Sculpture; Iron Chef Jose Garces of Tinto, Chifa, and Distrito; and The Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia. A graduate of Johnson & Wales’ prestigious College of Culinary Arts, Sbraga counts winning Best Meat Presentation in the 2008 Bocuse d’Or USA culinary competition among his many accolades. 

When he’s not cooking, Sbraga can often be found on his motorcycle or spending time with Jesmary and their two children at home in Willingboro, New Jersey.

For 34-year-old Antonio Bachour, whose earliest memories are kneading dough in his family’s bakery in Puerto Rico, his career choice was simple - he wanted to be a pastry chef. As corporate executive pastry chef for KNR Restaurant Group, which heads the food and beverage operations at W South Beach hotel, Bachour has realized his dream: he owns and operates its award-winning Spanish restaurant Solea; runs the food and beverage operations at The Trump Soho, New York; and owns and operates its Italian restaurant Quattro.

A graduate of Johnson & Wales, Bachour honed his trade in his homeland before coming to Miami Beach, where an exploding restaurant scene presented many options. His sweet creations have been acknowledged as “Best Dessert” in Miami New Times’ annual “Best Of” Issue. As head of pastries for The Trump Soho hotel and its restaurants, the young culinarian now splits his time between Miami and New York, wowing diners with his creative and delicate pastries and desserts.

Trained as a financial analyst, chef David Bracha traded in balance sheets for menus in his 20’s when he decided to pursue a career in the gastronomic arts. After completing culinary school, this native New Yorker burst on the Miami scene in the early 1990s opening one of South Beach’s first hip and cool celebrity hang-outs: the popular “411” eatery.

Always a trailblazer, Bracha sees restaurants as an opportunity to define and advance the culture of a neighborhood. His ability to predict and deliver what people want, sets culinary trends so welcomed, they feel second nature.

Following his philosophy, he turned his attention to Fishbone Grille and after an extraordinary 11-year run, he knew the neighborhood was ready for a change and was eager to play a part in its evolution. In 2003, Bracha opened The River Oyster Bar, earning accolades from Bon Appetit, Zagat, The Miami Herald, among others. Whether South Beach, Downtown or suburbia, Bracha knows how to deliver what the neighborhood wants before it is ever ordered. It is this innovative vision and the flawless execution of his concepts that make chef David Bracha an exciting chef to watch and enjoy.

Richard Hales decided to be a chef while he was in business school and, despite what he calls a complete lack of experience, he persuaded Jean-Georges Vongerichten to give him a job at New York’s Vong. Hales stayed there two years, ending his time with Vongerichten as Vong’s sous-chef. He spent another year practicing classic technique at Le Grenouille. During his time at Vong, Hales traveled several times to Asia, at one point spending several months helping a fellow Vong alum open a restaurant in Hong Kong.

When the Mandarin Oriental opened in Miami in 2001, Hales was asked to be the Asian chef then was named assistant manager of Azul and finally, sommelier and wine director. In 2006, he was named wine director of the Mandarin Oriental in New York. He returned to Miami in 2008 and started Sakaya Kitchen at the end of 2009. “Sakaya Kitchen is a mixture of techniques I learned and the food I love to eat,” says Hales. “I never put anything down on paper, I just opened and started cooking again.” In 2010, Sakaya Kitchen took to the road with the popular Dim Ssäm à gogo, one of Miami’s most popular food trucks.

Dewey LoSasso is one of the nation’s most prolific apostles of Progressive American cuisine, with a culinary ethos that respects the past yet challenges the future. His bold, clean flavors and modern approach to American cuisine made him the natural choice, from a global search of 172 chefs, to spearhead The Forge’s rebirth. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, LoSasso honed his culinary skills working for legendary restaurants in New York and Miami. With an emphasis on organic ingredients born of global influences from his extensive travels, his cutting-edge cuisine catapulted him in South Florida’s culinary circles. LoSasso became Donatella Versace’s personal chef and food event coordinator, executive chef for the Lipton Tennis Tournament, executive and concept chef for Tuscan Steak and opened North One 10 to critical acclaim. LoSasso received the Food Arts “Emerging Taste Maker Award,” was named Miami New Times’ Best Chef 2010, Ocean Drive magazine “Great Chefs” and in October 2010 was honored as a “guest chef” at the historic James Beard House in New York.

Born and raised in Miami, Alejandro Piñero enjoyed cooking early on, but his culinary career was somewhat delayed. He attended college to study microbiology, but his interest in cooking swayed him to enroll in culinary school. He took his first job as a line cook in Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada, and it was working under Dawn Sieber, that he got an insight at working with local homestead farmers and fisherman, and the use of fresh seasonal eco-friendly products. From there on, his love of cooking matured and he embarked on his career as a chef.

Piñero worked under star chef Michelle Bernstein at The Strand in Miami Beach, before moving on to lead cook at the Loew’s Hotel in Miami Beach and The Ritz Carlton in Coconut Grove. He went on as sous-chef of Talula Restaurant and one of Miami Beach’s most exclusive restaurants, Casa Tua. He moved on to the Miami Design District’s Fratelli Lyon and most currently, to Sustain Restaurant as its executive chef.

Piñero’s desire for sustainable food stems from Sieber’s early influence and the understanding that dining sustainably means better health for restaurant patrons and the environment.

Chef Tom Rhyneer served as executive chef and food and beverage manager for European luxury hotel, Le Meridien Sunny Isles Beach, and The Diplomat Country Club & Spa, a Starwood Luxury Collection property on Hallandale Beach along with The Atlantic Hotel in Fort Lauderdale.

A Seattle native, Rhyneer was executive chef of the historic Everett Golf & Country Club, and corporate executive chef for Lombardi’s Italian, a casual-upscale concept with high-volume restaurants in the Greater Seattle area.

Rhyneer also served as executive sous-chef of the landmark Sorrento Hotel and Hunt Club Restaurant in downtown Seattle, where he trained with award-winning chef, Brian Scheesher. Earlier, Rhyneer was sous-chef for Seattle’s popular Chandler’s Crabhouse, and opened several restaurants along the West Coast and Japan for Schwartz Brothers Restaurants. He has participated in many charitable and community events and is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, and a member of the American Culinary Federation.

Cynthia Betancourt, the certified sommelier at Azul, the award winning fine dining establishment at Mandarin Oriental, Miami, brings a wine lover’s enthusiasm, along with the expertise and experience gleaned from a thorough education and stints at some of South Florida’s finest restaurants, to her position at Azul.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Ms. Betancourt moved to Miami in 1997.  In 1998, she attended the Art Institue of Fort Lauderdale School of Culinary Arts, receiving an Associates degree, and then enrolled in Florida International University, graduating with a Bachelors degree in hospitality, in 2004.  She has obtained the rank of Certified Specialist of Wine Certification from the Society of Wine Educators Organization and has her sights set on earning a Master of Wine certification.  Currently, she holds the Advanced Sommelier certification. 

“Obtaining a Master Sommelier status is very important to me, both personally and professionally. I believe that if more women earn this title, it will encourage other talented women to enter this most exciting and challenging field,” observes Betancourt.

While attending Florida International University, in 2003, Betancourt served as assistant sommelier at Azul and also explored the culinary side of the restaurant business, with part-time stints at restaurants including 1200 and the Cellar Club at Biltmore Hotel and Ortanique in Coral Gables; Armadillo Café and Johnny V, in Fort Lauderdale.  While attending wine tastings, wine seminars and bartending classes, she developed a deep passion for wine and knew she had discovered her personal niche.

In 2007, she was named sommelier at Azul, putting that passion to good use. Overseeing Azul’s savvy wine list, Betancourt works with thousand of selections from around the world, including a vast assortment of Spanish wines, older vintage Bordeaux and an assortment of hard-to-find white and red burgundies.

“At Azul, I try to put together wine offerings that will complement Chef Joel Huff’s creative cuisine, while appealing to all tastes at a variety of price points.  I also like to select a particular country and cover all the regions in that area.  My personal favorites include wines from Austria and Hungary,” Betancourt notes.

Never content to rest on her laurels, Ms. Betancourt was named “the best young sommelier” in the Southeast Regional Competition sponsored by Les Chaines de Rotisseurs.

Lyn Farmer is Director of the Miami Wine & Food Festival, South Florida’s most successful charity wine event. Over the past 15 years, the festival has raised millions of dollars benefitting the region through United Way of Miami-Dade and Camillus House.

Lyn is a widely published writer on wine and food and is Senior Editor of The Wine News magazine. His articles have been honored with the James Beard Foundation Award for best writing on wine and spirits, the most prestigious award in the wine and food business. He has written widely on the wines of France and Italy, conducted seminars for the Italian Trade Commission and VinItaly and was elected a Chevalier and Officer of the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne, an association of the Grande Marques, the great houses of Champagne.

Lyn is the Wine and Spirits Ambassador of Silversea Cruises and is active as a wine consultant for the hospitality industry. He is co-founder of TasteAutonomy, a video production company that creates interactive wine experiences for wineries, hotels and cruise lines. Lyn’s basic premise is that “behind every bottle of great wine, there is a great story – the story of a wine is a story of people.” Lyn’s extensive writings and videos are as much about people as about the wines they make.

For a decade Farmer was restaurant critic of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper and over the years he has led dozens of tours of major food and wine regions of the world. He is the author of the Louis Vuitton City Guide Miami (2009) and has written two other books about South Florida.

Lyn is an avid traveler and began his professional career in the US Foreign Service with the US Information Agency specializing in cultural affairs. He has written many guides and tours for prominent American museums including the National Gallery of Art, The Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Smithsonian Institution and has taught courses in music and art history at the University of Miami and Florida International University. He was the program annotator of the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra and for many years was program director and morning host of South Florida classical music radio station WTMI-FM.

Grace Abel’s ardent interest in wine began after working at a wine bar in her late teens which led her to the Wine and Viticulture program at Cal Poly University San Luis Obispo. After extensive work with family-owned wineries in California’s Central Coast, Abel moved to Florida in 2009 and pursued the sommelier certification while working at The Grateful Palate restaurant and wine bar in Fort Lauderdale. She received her Advanced Sommelier certification from the United States Sommelier Association in September 2010 and now teaches with the organization and serves on the Board of Directors. She also writes food and wine reviews for the online magazine, Dinnerreviews.com.

Angelo serves as the Sommelier for Chef Michelle Bernstein Restaurants, Michy’s and Señora Martinez. A native of New Haven, CT and a biological anthropology major at Emory University (Atlanta), she started her food and beverage career at Watershed Restaurant (Decatur, GA). After graduation, she apprenticed as a cook for a fine dining French restaurant in Connecticut before attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. With a degree in Culinary Arts, Angelo made the transition to pastry, working for James Beard Award Winning Chef, Johnny Iuzzini, at Jean-Georges, NY. She moved to Miami in 2006 and began her career at Michy’s, discovering an interest for wine. Angelo has worked with Chef Michelle Bernstein and Director of Operations, David Martinez for 5 years and became director of the wine program at Michy’s in 2007, created the wine program at Señora Martinez in 2008, and created the original wine list at Michelle Bernstein’s at the Omphoy Ocean Resort in Palm Beach in 2009. She was a finalist for Copa Jerez in 2008 and 2010, has been featured in Food & Wine Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and was awarded Wine & Spirits Best New Sommeliers of 2010. Angelo is a special contributor for http://www.thedailymeal.com and I, am the creator and writer of www.thefriendlywinedictionary.com.

Florida native Don Derocher, Sommelier at The Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale, has achieved three Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence for his wine programs at Via Luna in Fort Lauderdale and Solu in Palm Beach.  He is certified through the United States Sommelier Association, and currently pursuing higher certifications through the Court of Master Sommeliers.  He has served as a Judge for the American Fine Wine Competition and has been invited to judge in the 2012 International Wine & Spirits Competition in Napa.

Being born and raised in rural Illinois, Caleb Ganzer's connection to the wine industry is not an obvious one. Growing up on a farm, he took for granted the fresh, seasonal flavors delivered from the garden during the year. As he grew up and moved further away from this nutritional source, he developed a deep appreciation of the art and role of farmers as stewards of the land.

During college, the magic and allure of the wine industry captured Caleb's attention, and once he had that first introduction he was hooked. He immersed himself in wine, incorporating into his college curriculum whenever relevant, working retail and on the floor of a restaurant alongside his studies. After graduation, he moved to New York City to pursue his dream of becoming a sommelier. He landed in the dining rooms of Chef Daniel Boulud under the tutelage of Wine Director Daniel Johnnes, spending the majority of his NYC experience at the acclaimed Restaurant DANIEL.

Caleb is currently the Chef Sommelier at Boulud's Miami outpost of DB Bistro Moderne. His vision of an ideal wine list brings him back to where he began, on the farm. Wine is, and forever will be, an agricultural product. He believes the greatest and most interesting wines speak of a place, and the greatest winemakers and vignerons take care of this place and treat their land and their customers with the respect each deserves.

Kirsta Grauberger is the owner of Market 17 a Ft. Lauderdale restaurant featuring Wine Country Cuisine. She and her business partner and brother Aaron Grauberger, both Sommeliers and restaurant veterans, opened Market 17 in October of 2010 inspired by their travels to many wine regions around the globe. One of the goals of the restaurant is to elevate and harmonize their farm-sourced food with unique and complimentary wine pairings. Market 17 has a carefully selected a diverse international wine list with over 400 selections by the bottle and over 30 by the glass. Directly prior to opening Market 17, Kirsta held the GM and Wine Director position for 3 years at the acclaimed restaurant Johnny V in Ft. Lauderdale.  It was here where she ran a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence program that included over 500 international labels and expanded her passion for the vast and fascinating world of wine and began pursuing the different levels with the Court of Master Sommeliers.

One of the world’s only female Scotch whisky experts, Heather Greene - who is also an acclaimed performing artist - joined William Grant and Sons in 2007 as a Whisky Ambassador and Scotch specialist for Glenfiddich, one of the premiere whisky distilleries in the world. Having moved to Scotland two years earlier after the release of her debut album, Greene discovered a passion for the world of whisky. She joined the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Edinburgh, becoming the first American woman to be invited to serve on the Society’s prestigious tasting panel, prior to being recruited by Glenfiddich and returning to New York City, where she often performs and records in addition to hosting tastings. Her recent album – Argon40’s “Fair Lawn," is receiving critical acclaim, with live DJ shows accompanied by classic cocktails, vintage whiskies, and her musical partner Adam Williams. In addition to receiving "Icon of Whisky Status" by Whisky Magazine two years running, she has also been featured in national media outlets such as Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Newsweek, CBS, and MSNBC.

Justin Hall has dined with Robert Mondavi. He has worked in the kitchen alongside some of the most notable chefs in the world including Thomas Keller, Tetsuya Wakuda, Heston Blumenthal, Ferran Adrià, Sergi Arola and Susur Lee, to name a few. In addition, he has helped contribute tasting notes for two of Charlie Trotter’s cookbooks. However, what stands out most for the 34-year-old wine director of BOURBON STEAK Miami, a Michael Mina restaurant and three-time recipient of Wine Spectator’s coveted “Best of Award of Excellence,” is the time he has spent cooking for underprivileged high school students and his charitable support to organizations such as Share Our Strength. “It’s such a neat and exciting time to be working in restaurants,” says Hall. “I’ve learned the business from the ground up and have been afforded the opportunity to meet some of the biggest personalities in the industry. Being able to give back through what I love most has kept me excited both professionally and personally.”

Although Justin has always loved gastronomy, he started working in restaurants as a means to pay for school. It was while serving as a cook that the young sommelier, who at the time was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and political theory at the University of Texas – Austin, decided that hospitality held a future career for him. Shortly after college, Justin moved to San Francisco and started doing odd jobs at acclaimed restaurants like sweeping floors, which he says was “not so exciting, but still provided a valuable experience” and allowed him to learn more about food and wine, while rising up through the ranks. Prior to joining BOURBON STEAK, Justin worked for Mina Group in several capacities including dining room manager at Aqua toward the start of his career and most recently as sommelier at RN74 in San Francisco, where he’s credited with playing a large role in creating one of the most dynamic beverage programs in the country. Previous to this, Justin spent six years at Charlie Trotter’s beginning with the position of sommelier & manager of the Chicago restaurant; taking over as general manager of ‘C” Restaurant at One & Only Palmilla in Cabo San Lucas; and then becoming manager of operations for Trotter’s corporation overseeing the Chicago, Las Vegas and Mexico locations. In his short time with BOURBON STEAK, he has already made considerable contributions from further expanding the restaurant’s wine program to over 1,000 selections to helping the team gain a greater appreciation and understanding for all aspects of wine service.

Along with receiving guidance from great mentors, Justin has traveled to some of the world’s premier wineries and enjoyed tastings with top vintners in discovery of the finest selections to bring to the dinner table. He is active in the Court of Master Sommeliers program and is hoping to accomplish the title of Master Sommelier—a designation that has only been bestowed to a limited number of people worldwide. He passed the certificate and advanced exams and is a candidate for the fourth and final Master Sommelier exam.

Morgan has been in the wine business for 10 years, beginning as a sales representative in Washington DC for National Distributing. From there, she moved to the import side, working as a supplier representative and managing 4 states for Appellation Imports. She then worked as the Assistant Director of Australian Imports at the Country Vintner, a position that allowed her to work on all aspects of wine importing, including consulting on flavor profiles, label design and packaging, and shipping details with 5 producers in Australia. This also included planning, programming, marketing, education, and all aspects of sales stateside. Morgan then took a position with The Grateful Palate, another Australian Importer, managing distribution and sales for 6 states in the southeast. A little over 4 years ago, Morgan took her current position with Vine Connections, a company that specializes in wines from Argentina and premium sake from Japan. With this company, she relocated to Miami, FL and now manages 8 states and 12 distributors. In June of 2007, she passed the first level Master Sommelier exam. She is currently working towards her CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine). In July of 2009, she completed the Sake Specialist Level I training, and in February of 2010, she earned her Advanced Sake Specialist Level II certificate, a distinction that fewer than 100 people in the world have achieved. She is a member of Consortium, a networking group for entrepreneurs, Sisters of the Vine, a wine tasting group for women, and Dine Magazine’s Wine & Dine club. She has consulted on sake events at Morikami Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach, SilverSeas Cruise Lines, and the Renwick Gallery in Washington DC, and she has been interviewed for the Miami Herald and the Tampa Bay Tribune. She wrote a section on sake for colleague Jaden Hair’s recent publication, The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook.

Gary Hayward, U.S. brand ambassador for Bombay Sapphire, brings vast experience from his U.K. background as a bar-owner and director, cocktail / bar consultant, and award-winning cocktail creator.

He has undertaken brand ambassadorship for Skyy vodka and Lambs rum – and was top three in the UK for Bartender of the Year by leading trade title, Theme in 2002, ‘04, ‘05. As a co-owner of Boutique in Leeds, his work achieved outstanding recognition including “Northern UK Best New Bar,” “UK Best New Bar,” and “Best Bar Team.”

“Working for such an inspirational brand is a dream come true. What I love most about BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is the creative freedom that comes with a spirit so versatile and balanced,” says Gary. He is most looking forward to the challenges of developing and executing bar strategies for bartenders and managers nationwide. Gary now resides in Miami.

Born in Venezuela, Carlos Jaen relocated to Miami, Florida in the year 2000 where he began his career in the culinary and service industry. He has worked at prestigious restaurants including, Touch Steak House, Texas de Brazil Steak House, The Meat Market Steak House and currently Two Chefs Restaurant, under the talented Jan Jorgensen, Executive Chef. His certifications include the United States Sommelier Association, Certified Sommelier, Miami, Florida, 2006, Court of Master Sommeliers, Guild of Sommelier, Orlando, Florida, 2007 and Court of Master Sommeliers. Certified Sommelier, Palm Beach, Florida, 2007.

Eric Larkee began his career in hospitality at the Edgewater Hotel while at the University of Wisconsin, graduating in 2002 with a Bachelors of Science in History. Driven by a budding interest in wine, Larkee decided to move to New York City after graduation with the hopes of learning more about restaurant wine programs by working in the city’s top fine dining destinations. He held multiple positions in a number of restaurants with notable wine lists. 

As a server and a bartender at Savoy Restaurant, Larkee’s experience with the food and the beverage program was essential in building a strong foundation which ultimately served him as Beverage Director and Maitre d’ at Wallsé, a highly regarded restaurant with a Michelin star to its credit. Since relocating to Miami and joining the Michael’s Genuine staff in late 2009, Larkee has crafted a creative, edited wine list built around a few important guiding principles, most importantly treating it like a menu. It offers escalating value by the bottle and by the glass, highlights grower labels and independent producers, and includes as many diverse varietals – some less common than others – that can reasonably, physically fit in the book, always keeping in mind the need to be in step with the many different kinds of food preparations and ingredients in the restaurant’s nimble, daily-changing menu.

Larkee considers his education in being a sommelier ongoing: “There is an endless amount of information to learn. The job of sommelier is equal parts teacher, businessman, connoisseur, restaurateur, but most important – listener.”

Erving Daniel Machado has been in the restaurant industry all his life, naturally he developed an interest for wines and food, this passion has made him traveled the world opening restaurant and always looked for wines indigent to each region he visit, at a very young age he has always shown interest for great food, and passion for this industry, he is currently applying all this knowledge at an elite fine dining restaurant in Coral Gables that prides themselves to their exquisite food and their extraordinary selections of wines.

Erving is currently involved with the chamber of commerce of Coral Gables as the Sommelier for the KTT Hartmant, group that meets once a month with different wine challenges, this elite group keeps him on his toes and continuously challenge his knowledge and fine palate.

This passion for wine brought him to be more involve on different activities, such as radio, as he have been leading a radio show, to promote great wines and give different wine suggestions, classes, and pairings, at a local radio station, 1020 AM

His previous experience included working with great companies such as Mortons the Steakhouse were he increased his passion and really took it to the next level, by becoming a certified Sommelier by the court of Masters, also working hand to hand with great chef’s as he was also the Sommelier for Touch restaurant, were he discovered the secrets of French cuisine and dramatically increase his wine pairing experience.

Prior to this experience he already has shown great potential as he already has been given classes, at MED, and FIU, he’s passion and love for wine was already noticeable.

This young prodigy, its getting more and more involve and even taking his passion to higher levels of education, as his Oenology passion has help him to get involved with different wine makers, such as: Aurelio Montes and Robert Rex.

Sommelier John Mayfield, who hails from Memphis, TN, earned his advanced Sommelier Certification with the Court of Master Sommeliers and is also a 2011 candidate for the “Master Sommelier” title. John has claimed the title of “Best Young Sommelier – South Central US 2009” in a competition hosted by the Chaine des Rôtisseurs and in 2010 also competed in “TOPSOMM” 2010 in which he was a semi-finalist. He’ll return for a re-match in the year ahead. John has also been invited to compete in the 2011 by invitation only “Best Sommelier in America” competition held each spring in New York City. John Mayfield’s previous experience includes working as Head Sommelier and Assistant General Manager for BLT Steak in New York, where he also created wine lists for five of the group’s restaurants throughout the US. John Mayfield’s love of wine is seconded only by his interest in what he calls “market-fresh mixology.” John has held the position of sommelier at db Bistro Moderne Miami and currently is the Corporate Director of Education and Business Development for Selected Brands, Importers and Distributors of Fine Wine and Spirits.

Part sommelier, part foodie and part writer, Aniece Meinhold is 100% entrepreneur. With multiple projects on her lap, Aniece just joined in as Managing Partner of The Blue Piano, Miami’s newest wine lounge. To keep herself professionally challenged, she is as well a social media consultant and strategist, via @EpicuriousChic, and a blossoming blogger/writer, currently serving as Wine & Spirits Editor for Haute Living Magazine and contributor to a multitude of local publications. 2010 marked a turning point in Aniece’s life as she departed a successful career as a restaurant operator to begin a new one as an entrepreneur putting everything she loves about life to professional use, ie. wine, food, words and people.

A rising star in the hospitality field, Aniece has always been at the helm of Miami’s best restaurants. In addition to honing her skills with the Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons Hotels, Meinhold’s impressive repertoire includes serving as General Manager of Mosaico & Salero Restaurants at the height of the vanguard, molecular Spanish food movement in Miami; working side-by-side with Chef Michelle Bernstein as Marketing & Media Relations Manager; and serving Fratelli Lyon, Miami’s hippest Italian Enoteca & Ristorante, as General Manager and Wine Director until February of 2010. Passionate about life and living it fervently, Aniece is an impressive cook, cycles and practices yoga avidly and lives with her two Chihuahuas, Lola and Sophia. Follow Aniece sip by sip on twitter @EpicuriousChic and read her work on www.epicuriouschic.com.

As a youth growing up in the seaside city of Viña del Mar, Chile, Jorge Mendoza learned the beauty of pairing a delicious wine with the perfect culinary accompaniment at the family dinner table. The Chilean appreciation of lingering at a bountiful table filled with food and wine chosen specifically for their compatible qualities sparked an interest in enology for Mendoza that would lead him through extensive and rigorous training on the subject.

After graduating from the National School of Hotel Management (INACAP) in Santiago with a major in food and beverage, Mendoza moved to Miami to begin a career in the hospitality industry with Marriott. He then went on to continue his education at Florida International University, earning a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree in hospitality management. While studying enology, he found himself gaining a new perspective for analyzing and tasting wines critically and decided to place a more specific focus on training himself as a sommelier.  Learning more about the trade at various gourmet restaurants and fine hotels in the area, he began his career at The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne in 2001.

“I believe all wine deserves great respect—each one expresses a different story from its particular region,” says Mendoza. “Through the pairing of wine and food, an even more complete story is told through scent and taste.”

He regularly travels through renowned wine regions from Burgundy to Tuscan, which serves as continued inspiration for Mendoza in his love of wine. In addition, he holds a Foundation Level Sommelier Certificate, Court of Master Sommeliers Certificate, Advanced Certificate Program for the Wines of France and Italy (with honors) and an Advanced Level Sommelier Certificate.

After an 18-year career in the corporate world and the military and upon his 2004 return from serving in active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Greg chose to follow his dream of starting a career in the wine business. In 2005 Greg embarked on his “wine journey” by taking numerous wine and sommelier courses. In 2007, he enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America-St Helena’s professional wine studies department and graduated two years later with an Advanced Certified Wine Professional diploma. Concurrently, he has been working on his path to complete his Diploma certification with the WSET and the Society of Wine Educators’ CWE level. After a four year stint as head of a small boutique wine distribution company, Greg joined the wine team at The Breakers Palm Beach in late 2009. In 2010, he won the Ruinart Chardonnay Challenge-Southeast competition and in 2011 he attained the Advanced Sommelier level through the Court of Master Sommeliers. Greg is also a wine educator for the Napa Valley Vintners Association, as well as a founding member of the Paso Robles Wine Growers Association. He credits his achievements to mentors, friends, and family, but above all, his wife Kristin, who has been his greatest supporter on this path.

During Laura Romano’s eight years of experience in hospitality, she has had the opportunity to work with some of the finest talent where she has set new standards in the food and beverage business. Her professional achievements include Introductory and Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, Starwood Beverage Consultant for the Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa, and a carries a coveted seat on Starwood’s North American Beverage Council.

In April 2009, Romano joined The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, Florida as Supervisor of Hollywood Prime, South Florida’s longest award Four Diamond Rated Steakhouse, where she was responsible for Service and Beverage. After one year, Romano he was appointed Certified Sommelier and Spirit Specialist of the Resort.

Not only is Hollywood Prime a signature restaurant within the Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa, it was the first Steakhouse in South Florida honored with a Four Diamond Rating and remains the longest awarded today. Under Romano’s leadership HP continues to maintain AAA’s Four Diamond Award, elevated the Zagat rating in Service from 23 to an impressive 24, and received two years in a row Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator.

Romano received a Bachelor and Master’s degree while studying Hospitality Management at Florida International University.  Her dedication and passion shined through when she graduated first-in-class at her Masters’ Degree ceremony.

Soon after enrolling at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, Daniel Toral realized he had a taste for wines. A semester in the course Wines of the World and he was addicted. In vino veritas certainly resonated with Daniel. After graduating in 2003 with an A.O.S. in Culinary Arts, he was hired at Thomas Keller’s celebrated Per Se. His experiences in the kitchen were undoubtedly beneficial, but it was the front of the house that beckoned. Daniel returned to school, and in 2006 he received a B.S. in Hospitality Management from Florida International University.

Since then, he has worked in various beverage-oriented positions in the Miami area. At Karu & Y, he was initially hired as Assistant Sommelier and promoted to Sommelier. Returning to the restaurant industry in 2008, he served as Sommelier and Manager at Por Fin in Coral Gables. There Daniel was responsible for increasing the wine selection from 50 to 150 references. Subsequently, he was given the opportunity to develop his knowledge of Italian wines and create a varied cocktail menu as the Bar Manager at Fratelli Lyon.

In his free time Daniel likes to travel. Prior to joining the crew at Sustain, he returned from a two month scooter tour of Southeast Asia where his palate was expanded immeasurably. Indeed, several offerings on Sustain’s cocktail menu have been inspired by his cultural immersions. He hopes that the Singapore Sling conjures as fond memories for his patrons as it does for him.

Born in Barcelona, Spain, seasoned professional Antoni Yelamos boasts over 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry. He holds a Bachelor degree in hotel management as well as associate degrees in Sales and Marketing.

Although his work in hospitality started early – cooking in restaurant kitchens and waiting tables as a teen, Yelamos truly began his entrepreneurial journey when he joined Paradis Restaurants where he developed the corporate sales team to become the biggest banquet and catering company in Spain. He was also part of the team that developed the first international franchised tapas restaurant concept in Spain. In 1991, Yelamos’ work with Paradis Restaurants brought him to the U.S. when he took over the direction of the NYC location.

The budding professional soon relocated to Washington, D.C. to join then rising-star chef Jose Andres’ Think Food Group and opened Café Atlántico, to instant success.  During his time there, Yelamos worked closely with the James Beard Award winning chef, becoming a business partner and being instrumental to the thriving and development of this dynamic restaurant group that has popularized the tapas/small plates concept throughout the US. His latest work at Think Food Group was the conceptualization of all the F&B services of SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, which includes the Bazaar by Jose Andres.

Yelamos made a move south to Miami as director of F&B at the Starwood run W South Beach hotel where he developed and operated all the F&B services for the hotel for KNR Restaurant Group.

With the creation of FOOD CULTURE in 2010, and as founder and creative director, Yelamos brings all his know-how, experience and passion to restaurant development to work along with the most innovative forward thinking restaurant minds of the Country.

Jay's music has a versatility, lyrically, and musically, has a style that keeps fans of all ages, from coast to coast wanting more. The Jay Blues Band has a sound that is deeply rooted in blues, blues-rock, R&B, and jazz, as well as funk, and much, much more. Jay Blues Band brings their version of The Blues to the forefront of audiences that have found a new appreciation for this heartfelt music all across South Florida.

With his gift for bebop, ballads, blues, and swinging jazz, Kevin Mahogany's talents emerged long before he was old enough to spell" record deal". "When I was a kid, music was just as important as English and math in our household" says Kansas-City-born, Kevin Mahogany. "In fact piano lessons were a grade school staple for the whole family." With eleven CD's as a leader, and quite a few as a sideman, Kevin has proved to be the quintessential jazz vocalist. Newsweek describes him as " the standout jazz vocalist of his generation." New Yorker magazine writer Whitney Balliet writes, "There is little Mahogany cannot do." Says the LA TIMES, " Mahogany is one of the first truly gifted male vocalists to emerge in years."

DJ Le Spam & Spam Allstars blend improvisational electronic elements and turntables with latin, funk, hip hop and dub to create what they call an electronic “descarga.” It’s not a known genre. It’s hard to describe. It attracts many types of people. But as they look out and see people dancing salsa, next to break-dancers, and festival-goers driving for hours to catch a show -- they know something very special is going on.

Event Factor is home to South Florida's Premier DJs & Lighting Solution specialists. With over 14 years of experience in the industry, they are committed to offering only top quality service and products. From elite corporate events, to exclusive social events and weddings, to the hottest nightclubs, hotels, and lounges, they guarantee to get the party started, keep it going strong, and leave you and your guests with incredible memories.

Emmy award-winning journalist Belkys Nerey has been a TV junkie her whole life. It's no wonder she grew up to be a main anchor at one of the country's most dynamic television stations.

Born in Havana and raised in Long Island and Miami, Belkys is a natural, who growing up, took piano to ballet to tap lessons. Completely bilingual, Belkys started her television career as a reporter for a South Florida cable station. She was a "one-man band" for more than two years — shooting her own video and editing her own stories -- before heading for Connecticut to take a job as general assignment reporter for WTNH-8, the ABC affiliate in New Haven. It wasn't long before she was covering some of the market's biggest stories, often beating the competition convincingly because she could speak Spanish. During her nine-year tenure at Miami's WSVN, Belkys has covered major news stories and, up until recently, co-anchored the pop-culture driven Deco Drive. Now you can catch her anchoring the 5,6,10 and 11pm newscasts, alongside her co-anchor, Craig Stevens.

Her lighthearted interview style and fun-loving personality make all of her stories witty, refreshing, and — just like Belkys herself, completely original.

Nick Weir is a true “all-around” entertainer.  He began his career aboard cruise ships and quickly became well known in the industry as a world-class cruise director — a position he first attained at the age of just 22! The experience he gained entertaining at sea served as the perfect spring board for his next gig, when he was snapped up by the television industry in the UK to host a half dozen prime-time television shows, including ITV’s Catchphrase.

Nick lives in Las Vegas where he has a production and consulting firm involved in everything ranging from writing cutting edge television programs to consulting major cruise lines on all aspects of entertainment. He is responsible for designing the entertainment programs on Celebrity Cruises’ new Solstice class ships. Nick is involved with a number of nonprofit charity organizations for which he often volunteers as an auctioneer and producer. In Vegas, he has a very strong relationship with the Andre Agassi Foundation for Children and is absolutely thrilled to be part of the United Way Miami Wine & Food Festival’s Cellar-bration dinner. 

A major "foodie," Nick considers the opportunity to help out with this year's auctions to be "the ultimate gig"!