Never before have such renowned chefs and winemakers gathered for a single event in the MidAtlantic area. For one weekend, they will share their global food perspectives with local food legends in area kitchens and wine cellars, collaborating on dishes that are sure to raise the bar on fine dining in our area. The passion they create will expand your food and wine horizons.
Meet the visiting chefs of the 2012 MidAtlantic Food + Wine Feast:
Vikram Garg
Executive chef,Halekulani on the Beach at Waikiki, Hawaii
Vikram Garg has beguiled diners at the finest hotels in the world. Posts have included the Oberoi Hotel in Mumbai, the Metropolitan Palace in Dubai, and Rosewood Little Dix Bay in the British Virgin Islands. Before joining the Halekulani, he was executive chef at Washington, D.C. restaurant IndeBleu.
Xibutana “Asion” Mathebula
Head chef, Morukuru Lodge, South Africa
Asion embodies Africa’s many cuisines. After 10 years as chef at Khoka Moya Safari Lodge near Kruger National Park, followed by Ten Bompas Hotel near Johannesburg and The Royal Hotel in Durban, Asion joined Morukuru Lodge, a 2011 World Luxury Hotel award winner.
Carla Pernambuco
Chef/owner, Carlota, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Carla Pernambuco’s restaurants are can’t-miss destinations. Blending the flavors of New York with her own Italian heritage and a love for fresh Brazilian ingredients, her cuisine is truly international. Her total culinary lifestyle has been an important influence on Brazilian culture.
Juan Nale
Ruckauer, Head chef, Restaurant Las Duelas, Haro, Spain
Chef Ruckauer has traveled the world in the name of fine food. A disciple of Basque and Riojan cuisines, he has delivered the message in Germany, Brazil, New York and the Canary Islands, and has enchanted the worldly wise in the dining rooms of The United Nations.
Roberto Trevino
Executive chef-owner, Budatai, San Juan, Puerto Rico
A star of television’s “Next Iron Chef,” Trevino began his career in the San Francisco Bay area. He later traveled to Puerto Rico, where he opened the popular Budatai. When not in the kitchen, Trevino can be found on “Iron Chef America,” “Rachel Ray” and as a guest chef on the global food circuit.
Mathayom “Mat” Vacharat
Executive chef-owner, Mathayom Private Chefs, USVI
Mat’s forte is Asian fusion, but he is deeply experienced in Caribbean, American and Italian cuisines, commanding attention from many travelers to the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he has inspired dining rooms at Asolare, Paradiso, Chateau Bordeaux and others.
Pierre Van Zyl
Food and beverage manager, Morukuru Lodge, South Africa
A graduate of the Institute of Culinary Arts in Stellenbosch and a veteran of the finest kitchens in South Africa including Reuben’s Restaurant, Chef Pierre has cooked alongside Citrum Kumalo, executive chef of Virgin Airlines, and Peter Goffe-Wood of Kitchen Cowboys fame. At Gastronomica 2005, he snagged second place in the Young Chef competition.
Regional Chefs Add Flair and Fun
Well-known chefs from our region will work alongside the visiting chefs on the MidAtlantic Food + Wine Feast. These A-list chefs share a masterful approach to food that makes them favorites of sophisticated diners throughout the area. By sharing their insights with our visiting chefs, they will inspire the weekend’s fare and send their own message to the food world: “Come see what the Brandywine area has to offer.”
Regional Chefs participating in The MidAtlantic Food + Wine Feast are:
David Banks Harry’s Seafood Grill; Dan Butler Piccolina Toscana;
Patrick D’Amico Harry’s Seafood Grill; Julio Lazzarini Orillas;
Tom Hannum Chef; Dana Herbert Desserts By Dana; Michael DiBianca Moro;
Robert Lhulier University & Whist Club; Michelle Mitchell Hotel du Pont;
JD Morton Domaine Hudson; Adolphus A. Stuart Sage ’N Thyme (Dallas)
