Nicole Krasinski
Nicole Krasinski's path to becoming one of San Francisco's most celebrated pastry chefs began not in a kitchen but in art school, and took a decisive turn when she discovered that getting paid to bake beat paying to study art. Self-taught through cookbooks and sheer trial and error, she built her technical foundation at restaurants including Tapawingo and Rubicon before joining her husband, chef Stuart Brioza, to open State Bird Provisions. There, she embraced a spontaneous, ever-evolving approach to pastry, one that continues to define the programs at The Progress and The Anchovy Bar, where each restaurant has its own distinct voice and identity. You can find her @statebirdprovisions @theprogress_sf @theanchovybar
Stuart Brioza
Bay Area native Stuart Brioza discovered his passion for cooking as a teenager, immediately captivated by the kitchen's sensory world and the role food plays in shaping culture and identity. Today, he and his wife, celebrated pastry chef Nicole Krasinski, co-own three modern icons of San Francisco's culinary scene: State Bird Provisions, The Progress, and The Anchovy Bar. Stuart's cooking is an evolution of California Cuisine, sourcing Northern California's finest seasonal ingredients and honoring them through technique, creativity, and a commitment to zero-waste cooking. Outside the kitchen, he recharges with his family through snowboarding, cycling, and exploring the outdoors. You can find him @statebirdprovisions @theprogress_sf @theanchovybar
Jon Kung
Jon Kung is the popular Chinese American chef, content creator and podcast host, who has amassed an online following of more than 2 million people for his unique style of third culture cooking, blending cultural traditions, flavors and ingredients that are meaningful and personal to him. You can find him at @jonkung
Michele Norris
Michele Norris is one of America’s most trusted voices in journalism, earning several honors over a long career, including Peabody, Emmy, Dupont, and Goldsmith awards. She has worked as a columnist for The Washington Post Opinion Section. She is currently the host of the Podcast, Your Mama’s Kitchen, and Norris is now a senior contributing editor at MSNOW. From 2002 to 2012 she was a cohost of NPR’s All Things Considered. Norris is also the founding director of The Race Card Project, a Peabody Award–winning narrative archive where people around the world share their reflections on identity—in just six words. Her first book, The Grace of Silence, was named one of the best books of the year by the San Francisco Chronicle, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Kansas City Star. Before joining NPR, Norris spent almost ten years as a reporter for ABC News covering politics, policy, and the dynamics of social change. Early in her career, she also worked as a staff writer for The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and the Los Angeles Times. You can find her @michele_norris and @yourmamaskitchen
Andrew Friedman
Andrew Friedman authored The Dish: The Story of One Restaurant Meal, from Farm to Kitchen to Table (2023) and Chefs, Drugs, and Rock & Roll: How Food Lovers, Free Spirits, Misfits, and Wanderers Created a New American Profession (2018), and has produced/hosted the podcast Andrew Talks to Chefs since 2017. He also wrote Knives at Dawn (2009); co-edited Don’t Try This at Home; and has collaborated on more than 25 chef cookbooks and memoirs. He serves as an adjunct professor at the Culinary Institute of America, and as a Board member of Citymeals on Wheels. He lives in Brooklyn, NY. Find him @toquelandandrew
Arnold Myint
Arnold Myint, a 2024 James Beard Best Chef Southeast semifinalist and MICHELIN chef/owner International Market in Nashville, TN which his family originally opened in 1975. He actively works with the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thai Trade USA and his restaurant is the first and only to currently be recognized by the Royal Thai Consul as Thai Select in Nashville. A former culinary instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, he competed on “Top Chef” and “Food Network Star” and works with numerous media platforms including Food Network, Tastemade and Buzzfeed where he celebrates Thai food and his family heritage. Arnold is also a contributor for Epicurious, Eater, and Saveur and his debut cookbook Family Thai is a New York Times Best Cookbook of 2025. Additionally, Arnold had a drag alter ego, Suzy Wong, and was crowned Miss Gay America in 2017. Find him at @arnoldmyintbna