José Andrés immigrated to the United States in 1991, first to New York City and later to Washington, D.C., where he and his partners established a group of restaurants that have earned countless fans and won numerous awards over the years. With over 30 restaurant concepts worldwide, José Andrés Restaurants offer culinary experiences that span from food trucks to world-class tasting menus, including the two Michelin-starred minibars by José. Today, this group specializes in restaurant consulting and can help your business succeed.
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Eric Cacciatore has spent most of his life diving into what makes restaurants tick. His passion for the industry started with his family, the owners of Joe’s Depot Diner. Today, he runs a podcast called the Restaurant Unstoppable Movement. This platform is where Eric explores his passion for the restaurant industry, learns from the best, and shares those invaluable insights with the world. It's more than a podcast; it's a mission to inspire and empower every restaurant owner out there to achieve fiscal security and happiness.
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17. David Barber David Barber is co-owner of Blue Hill – a working farm, restaurant, and consulting company supporting agriculture that positively contributes to the world's food system. The 138-acre farm has been in the Barber family for four generations. Blue Hill restaurant has locations in Greenwich Village and Pocantico Hills, New York. Barber is a guiding voice in the movement to reform American agrifood economics and has dedicated his career to reinventing finance’s role in the food economy. David continues to engage capital as a tool to serve soil health, biodiversity, and ultimately reverse the damage extractive economics have caused the planet.
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Ever heard of Slutty Vegan ? Pinky Cole is the owner and founder of the successful vegan restaurant chain and an inspirational leader in the industry. Pinky is known for her incredible story that started with several failures and hardships; now here she is with years of experience and loads of success under her belt. You can also find her being hands-on at her new bar, Bar Vegan . Make sure to check out her book, I Hope You Fail
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19. Hudson Riehle Hudson Riehle is the Senior Vice President of the Research and Knowledge Group for the National Restaurant Association (NRA). Hudson directs the NRA’s consumer, economic, market, human resources, tourism, and operations research. He also oversees its extensive knowledge center activities. Needless to say, he’s an expert.
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20. Donald Link James Beard Award winner Donald Link is the Executive Chef and President of the Link Restaurant Group . He founded the group in 2009 to support the continuous growth of his family of restaurants. Donald’s flagship restaurant, Herbsaint , earned him a James Beard Award in 2007 for Best Chef: South. That same year, Cochon was nominated for Best New Restaurant. Donald has also been nominated by the James Beard Foundation for the prestigious award of Outstanding Chef for multiple years.
In 2015, Donald and his partner, Stephen Stryjewski, also created the Link Stryjewski Foundation to address the persistent cycle of violence and poverty, as well as the lack of quality education and job training opportunities available to young people in New Orleans. He continues to inspire professionals in the industry today.
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21. William Bradley William Bradley is the Chef and Director at Addison , a California gastronomy restaurant. He offers his distinct culinary perspective through an experience that celebrates regional ingredients and Southern Californian influences. Addison has received three Michelin Stars and continues to raise the bar for successful restaurants in the San Diego area.
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22. Mashama Bailey Mashama Bailey is the Chef and Co-founder of The Grey . At The Grey, Mashama brings her personal take on Port City Southern food to a city of her youth. She taps into all of her experiences to create dishes that are deep, layered, and soulful in their flavors. With a penchant for regional produce, seafood, and meats, guests will find a melting pot of surprising and comforting tastes in all of Mashama’s cooking, with something new revealed in each and every visit.
As executive chef of The Grey, Mashama has earned a number of accolades, including the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef Southeast award in 2019. She also serves as Vice Chairman on the board of the Edna Lewis Foundation, working to preserve and celebrate Edna’s legacy that has heavily influenced her menu.
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23. Clark Wolf Clark Wolf built the Clark Wolf Company , a restaurant consulting firm, in 1986. Some of the company’s offerings include menu development, restaurant operations analysis, business planning, kitchen design, concept development, and more.
Clark has more than 30 years of experience in the food industry. He is a member of LinkedIn’s Influentials, a columnist for Forbes.com American Cheeses, for Simon and Schuster, about his long history with American artisan cheesemaking, and Co-Edited 101 Classic Cookbooks: 501 Classic Recipes for Rizzoli.
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Jean-Georges Vongerichten is one of the world’s most famous chefs. He is also a savvy businessman and restaurateur. Jean-Georges is responsible for the operation and success of 60 restaurants worldwide. And if you know what it takes to make one restaurant succeed, you know this is wildly impressive.
Jean-Georges has made culinary history and developed a reputation as remarkable as his food by tapping his deep understanding of the restaurant world and pairing it with his forward-thinking vision. Yet, after years of success, Jean-Georges’ favorite retreat is still the kitchen, and his favorite meal is a dish from a street cart in Thailand.
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25. Jaime Oikle Jamie Oikle owns RunningRestaurants.com
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26. Doug Roth Doug Roth founded Playground Hospitality to help clients pull together the thousand details that create a successful concept. Doug has owned and operated profitable restaurants, including Bistro 110, Bistro 100, Blackhawk Lodge, Don Roth Restaurants, and the award-winning Red Moon. As an equity partner and vice president of development with Levy Restaurants, he created multiple nationally recognized restaurant concepts.
As the Playground manager, Doug focuses on developing clear restaurant concepts for his clients, connecting the site selection, interior design, atmosphere, menus, and SOPs to deliver a consistent customer experience. Check out his case studies here .
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You already know Gordon Ramsay from your favorite shows, like Hell’s Kitchen, MasterChef, and more. However, do you know his actual background and why he’s such an impressive expert? Ramsay went to college to complete a course in hotel management. His dedication and natural talent led him to train with some of the world’s leading chefs. In 1993, Ramsay became head chef of Aubergine in London, and within three years, Aubergine was awarded two Michelin stars.
What started in 1998 with Chef Ramsay's first-owned restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, the Gordon Ramsay brand has evolved into restaurants on three continents, six countries, and dozens of cities. The Michelin-starred Chef brings a restaurant experience for every taste and budget. From a fast-casual atmosphere with a fun flair to upscale fine dining, no matter the Ramsay experience you choose, you won’t forget it.
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28. Justin Bartek Justin Bartek is the Vice President of Marketing at Dog Haus , a hot dog and sausage chain known for its delicious offerings and its 100% genetically tested, humanely raised, hormone- and antibiotic-free Black Angus beef from Creekstone Farms. Dog Haus isn’t fast food or fast casual: it’s Craft Casual, a category this team created that’s catching on across the industry.
If you’re in the fast-casual or quick-service space, consider following Justin Bartek to see how he’s shaping the industry and crafting unique offerings.
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Jamie Oliver is an English celebrity chef, cookbook author, and current food blogger . He has plenty of experience as a restaurateur and owns the Jamie Oliver Group , a commercial business with a social purpose at its heart. The group's goal is to create a healthier, happier world through the joy of cooking.
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30. Shawn Walchef If you’ve ever watched Toast’s Family Style show, then you’re familiar with Shawn Walchef . Shawn is the owner of Cali BBQ, a podcast host at Cali BBQ Media , and a Content Creator here at Toast! Shawn helps brands and leaders leverage the new Business Creator Economy with strategic Digital Storytelling and Digital Hospitality. His Cali BBQ restaurant company has generated more than $35 million since opening in 2008. They operate numerous locations in San Diego and beyond. Shawn’s weekly video series, Restaurant Influencers (published by Entrepreneur Media and produced by Cali BBQ Media), has been seen by over 25 million people.
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Aarón Sánchez is an award-winning chef, TV personality, author, and philanthropist. You might recognize him as a judge on FOX’s culinary competition series MasterChef and MasterChef Junior. Aarón is also the founder of the Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund , a nonprofit program whose mission is to uplift the lives of Latino youth through food.
As a third-generation cookbook author, Aarón has written two cookbooks – La Comida del Barrio and Simple Food, Big Flavor and a memoir, Where I Come From: Life Lessons From A Latino Chef. He also co-hosts a podcast, Cooking in Mexican from A to Z, on Heritage Radio Network with his mom, Zarela Martinez.
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Bradley Toft is a restaurant specialist who shares the same passion for restaurants as the business owners he helps. Bradley’s specialty is restaurant insurance. If you’re looking for insurance for your restaurant start-up, Bradley is your guy.
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If you love Milk Bar as much as I do, you must read about the creative genius behind it! Christina Tosi is a James Beard award-winning pastry chef. Once profiled on Netflix’s docu-series Chef’s Table , Tosi is known for combining her formal culinary training and her informal obsession with home baking, grocery store staples, and classic American sweets. Menu items include the Compost Cookie®, layer cakes with unfrosted sides, Cereal Milk™ Soft Serve, Milk Bar Pie, and more.
If you’re passionate about baking, we highly recommend following Christina and checking out her East Village NYC Milk Bar location (or any of her locations) – it doesn’t miss.
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34. R.J. Melman R.J. Melman is the President of Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants . In the words of his father, “Lettuce Entertain You started because of ideas. We are a school for entrepreneurs, and it’s our culture of caring that bonds us: Caring about the food, the service, our people, and our guests”. Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc. is the largest privately held restaurant group in the United States and a distinctive leader in hospitality. Lettuce currently owns, licenses, or manages more than 115 establishments nationally. R.J. took over the family business in 2017 and has been thriving ever since.
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35. Bobby Stuckey Bobby Stuckey is the Co-Founder of Frasca Food and Wine, Pizzeria ALBERICO, Scarpetta Wine Company, Tavernetta Denver, and Sunday Vinyl. He began his career in Arizona restaurants, working his way from dishwasher to management, establishing his position as one of the leaders in the hospitality industry. Since then, Bobby has led his team at The French Laundry in Yountville, California, to earn the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Wine Service awar,d and San Francisco Magazine recognized him as "Wine Director of the Year.” The French Laundry received the James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Restaurant Service in 2003. He has won many noteworthy awards at different establishments. Today, he focuses on Frasca Food and Wine , his Michelin-starred and James Beard Foundation Award-winning restaurant, and Sunday Vinyl, a European wine bar and restaurant.
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Chef Thomas Keller is renowned for his extraordinary culinary skills. He has established a collection of incredible restaurants, including The French Laundry in Napa Valley and Per Se in New York, among others. He is the first and only American-born chef to hold multiple three-star ratings from the Michelin Guide and the first American male chef to be designated a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor.
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37. Alice Elliot Alice Elliot is the founder and CEO of The Elliot Group , a premier human capital firm. Alice is an expert in the restaurant, hospitality, retail, lifestyle, and service industries. Alice was named Nation’s Restaurant News’ “2019 Norman Award” winner and is the recipient of The Culinary Institute of America’s 2020 “Augie Award.” Alice has been highlighted in the 2015 and 2019 Nation’s Restaurant News’ “The Power List”, QSR Magazine’s “20 Most Influential Restaurant Leaders”, and Eater’s “Meet the Underground Power Brokers of NYC Dining: Restaurant Consultants”.
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Chef Daniel Boulud is widely celebrated as one of America’s leading culinary authorities. Since arriving in New York City in 1982, he has continually evolved his cuisine and expanded his reach across the U.S., as well as Toronto, Montreal, Dubai, Singapore, and The Bahamas.
His culinary empire has brought him many accolades, yet his inspiration remains grounded in the rhythm of the seasons. From his flagship, DANIEL, to his properties across the globe, Boulud’s signature remains the contemporary appeal he brings to soulful dishes rooted in the French tradition.
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39. Dominique Crenn Dominique Crenn is the chef and owner of both Bar Creen and the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, where artistry is at the forefront, cuisine is a craft, and the community is an inspiration. Her highly distinctive French heritage and imaginative gastronomic flair behind the stove at Atelier Crenn is a clear reflection of her unique life story.
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40. Grant Achatz Grant Achatz is an American chef and restaurateur often recognized for his contributions to molecular gastronomy. He is the chef and owner of the Alinea Group in Chicago. Something remarkable about Grant is that, in 2007, he lost his sense of taste for a few years. He was diagnosed with stage 4 tongue cancer. He was treated with chemotherapy, and the radiation burned his tongue, completely destroying his taste buds. Naturally, this was devastating for a chef. Thankfully, Achatz's cancer is now in remission. After his treatment ended, his ability to taste came back, but slowly.
In an interview, he told NPR, "I started from zero, and the first thing back was sweet," he says. "So my palate developed just as a newborn, but I was 32 years old. So I could understand how flavors were coming back and how they synergized together… It was very educational for me. I don't recommend it, but I think it made me a better chef because now I really understand how flavor works." Today, he continues to amaze the diners of Chicago with his work for the Alinea Group. Follow him below.
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