Roxanna Jullapat
Baker and pastry chef Roxana Jullapat is a Los Angeles native of Costa Rican and Thai descent who studied journalism before turning to cooking. For more than 20 years, she has worked in some of the city’s most celebrated kitchens. In 2017, she opened Friends & Family, a bakery devoted to ancient grains and California seasonality. Her first cookbook, Mother Grains (W.W. Norton, 2021), was nominated for both James Beard and IACP Awards. Her second book, Morning Baker, celebrates independent bakeries and the early-morning artisans who bring them to life. You can find her at @roxanajullapat
Domenica Marchetti
"Domenica Marchetti is the author of numerous books on Italian home cooking, including “Italian Cookies,” “The Glorious Pasta of Italy,” and “Williams-Sonoma Everyday Italian.”
A former newspaper reporter who earned her master’s degree in journalism at Columbia University, Domenica writes a weekly newsletter called “Buona Domenica” on Substack. Her articles and recipes have appeared in The Washington Post, Eating Well, Fine Cooking, Food and Wine, La Cucina Italiana, and other publications.
Domenica teaches cooking classes and leads occasional small-group culinary tours and food writing workshops in Italy. She splits her time between Virginia and Abruzzo, Italy, where her family is from. You can find her @domenicacooks
Justin Burke
Justin Burke is an award-winning pastry chef, queer food writer, recipe developer, author of Potluck Desserts: Joyful Recipes to Share with Pride (Countryman Press, 2025), and podcast host of That Ate: Queer Food Podcast. Justin's writing has appeared in Eater, Food & Wine, Garden & Gun, Southern Living, Better Homes & Gardens, and more. Justin lives in Columbia, SC, with their husband and son. You can find him at @justintsburke
Nichole Accettola
Nichole Accettola is an American chef and food writer whose work is rooted in Scandinavian cooking. After spending fifteen years living and working in Denmark, she returned to San Francisco and opened Kantine, a modern Scandinavian café known for its from scratch breads, pastries, and comforting meals. Nichole is the IACP award winning author of Scandinavian from Scratch, and her second cookbook, "Scandinavian Everyday", will be released May 19, and includes more than 85 easy-to-follow, savory and sweet recipes for beautiful meals inspired by the cuisines of Scandinavia. You can find her at @thatscandinavianlife and @kantinesf
Christina Tosi
Christina Tosi is the rule-breaking, two times James Beard award-winning chef and founder of Milk Bar, whose inventive and nostalgic treats have fueled a national dessert empire. Called “one of the most creative people” by Fast Company, Christina is a Ted speaker and a New York Times bestselling author of seven cookbooks. She is the host of Netflix’s Bake Squad, judge on MasterChef and the feature of Neflix’s Chef’s Table: Pastry. Besides dessert, her main fuel is keeping it real, and she does just that as she invites bakers into her home kitchen weekly on Bake Club. You can find her @christinatosi
Henry Awayan
Henry Awayan’s journey into baking began at age 10, crafting a heartfelt cake for his mother upon her return from the Philippines. A culinary and pastry school alumnus, as well as a graduate of Penn State’s Ice Cream School, Henry honed his craft across bakeries, hotels, country clubs, and catering services throughout the Bay Area before opening Whisk Cake Creations in 2014. He gained public attention on Food Network’s Bakers vs. Fakers in 2017 and was later honored when Whisk Cake Creations was voted Best Bakery in Alameda in 2022. Henry resides in Alameda with his wife, Margie, and their two children, where he continues to create with joy, passion, and pride in his Filipino heritage. The Ube Baking Book is his first cookbook. You can find him at @whiskcakecreations