Erika Masuda • Coco Pazzo
Erika Masuda is the executive pastry chef at Coco Pazzo where she applies her French-based and globally influenced pastry talents to provide an original take on traditional Italian desserts. Chef Masuda believes that as the final course dessert should be memorable, giving an element of surprise, a discovery of a new chapter, and a good ending. The surprise is in the complex layers of flavors where every bite gives a new depth and dimension in the seemingly simple dessert.
www.cocopazzochicago.com • 312.836.0900

Peter Rios • Fairmont
Peter Rios is Executive Pastry Chef at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago where he creates Asian and Global inspired desserts for the award winnng restaurant Aria. Prior to arriving at Fairmont Hotel, Rios served as Executive Pastry Chef at the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower. At the Sofitel Hotel, Chef Rios enjoyed the challenge of preparing modern French Pastries for the flagship hotel of this French hotel company. A native of Chicago, Rios has always had a passion for cooking. Rios especially enjoys the science of baking and the precision of fine pastry, including chocolate and sugar work.
www.fairmont.com/chicago • 312.565.8000

John Mega • Finesse Cuisine
As chef of Finesse Cuisine since October of 2005, Chef Mega is responsible for private dinner parties and events including executive profile catering for Mayor Daley, Senator Barack Obama, Developer Sam Zell, Level vodka, Sotheby's, Renaissance Society. His clients include Cartier, Chanel, J Mendel, Tiffany, and Motorola. John's credits also include positions at the Door Peninsula Winery in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin; Cherry Hills Golf Resort; Zinfandel, Spiaggia, City Tavern, Cookie Dough Creations, and the Hotel Nikko in Chicago.
www.finesse-cuisine.com  • 312.280.9999

Chris Freeman
This instrumental project is an attempt to communicate my spiritual journey in the language of music. I firmly believe that in the absence of words, a certain delicate yet deep freedom emerges that can engender something truly authentic for both the artist and audience. I am in no way implying that music with words/lyrics is inferior, or an impediment of any kind. I only mean to say that music can assist people in working through certain life questions and sometimes it's important to take a break from words in order to allow the artist and listener to engage a mystery that must speak for itself. Both musically and spiritually, I am gleaning inspiration from the East and West in a way that is allowing me to connect with a variety of people. Musically, this project focuses on the sitar but ultimately this entire endeavor revolves around respecting people's place in life...we all have questions, we're all looking for answers, and we all need Love and I aim to explore how these three dimensions relate. My music is little more than the telling of a story about one pilgrim among many trying to find a home, an identity that makes sense spiritually. If you have any questions concerning where I'm coming from, please contact me...or, better yet, just grab me after a show and we'll chat over coffee, my treat!
www.clfmusic.com

Giles Schnierle • Great American Cheese Collection
Former chef and long-time consultant to the food industry, Giles Schnierle now specializes in introducing and promoting specialty and artisan cheeses. Giles’ ability to recognize future trends helps all interested parties succeed in the food industry. His knowledge, creativity, and energy will continue to blossom as he forges ahead with wine, beer, spirits and cheese pairings in his soon-to-be published book on The Great American Cheese Collection.
www.greatamericancheese.com • 773.779.5055

Andrew Fox • K Confections
Andrew started his career at Keystone Resort in Colorado. Andrew left the resort after 7 years and went to Beanos Cabin in Beaver Creek resort to be the pastry chef. As pastry chef at Beanos, Andrew was responsible for two gold medal sponsor dinners for the national pastry competition. After leaving Beanos, Andrew went to Chicago to become the pastry chef at the Swissotel and then to work for Chef Dominic Tougne at Bistro 110. After leaving Bistro 110, the mountains called and he went back to Colorado as the pastry chef at the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek. Andrew has recently started K Confections and is thrilled to be back in Chicago for this event.
andrewdocfox@hotmail.com

Kathleen Esterquest • Kehoe Designs
Kehoe Designs event+style is committed to designing events that bring our clients’ visions to life. Our talented team of professionals uses resources of the highest quality to create trend-focused, upscale events that are rich with imagination. Our company is built on the desire to be the best in our industry.
www.kehoedesigns.com

Uzma Sharif • Love in Disguise Chocolate, Ltd.
Chef Uzma received her culinary education at the Colorado Mountain Culinary Institute (CMCI). She furthered her education by specializing in pastries and graduating from the French Pastry School in Chicago, Illinois. Chef Uzma further refined her craft by studying and working with renowned pastry chefs. Chef Uzma has answered a calling in line with her grandfather who was a renowned pastry chef in Pakistan, where he also owned a bakery. It is with this cultural history and her modern education that her beautiful creations are born. Her education in pastry is evident in the delectable, silky and rich chocolates. It is her history and culture that is evident in the beautiful, hand-painted decorations. The henna designs that she creates are a direct reflection of the designs created in Pakistan.
www.loveindisguise.com • 630.292.2196

Siggy • Marriot
Marriott International, Inc., is a leading worldwide hospitality company. Its heritage can be traced to a root beer stand opened in Washington DC, in 1927 by J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott. Today, Marriott International has more than 2,700 lodging properties located in the United States and 65 other countries and territories.
www.marriott.com • 312.836.0100

Jimmy MacMillan & Terry Crandall • Peninsula Hotel
Jimmy MacMillan joined The Peninsula Chicago as Executive Pastry Chef in October 2006. In his role, MacMillan is responsible for all of the dessert, pastry and bakery operations for each of the hotel's four restaurants, room service and banquet programs. MacMillan has held positions at The Four Seasons Hotels in Seattle and Austin, Texas as well as the Driskill Hotel in Austin and the Houstonian Hotel. MacMillan comes to The Peninsula Chicago most recently from opening the Conrad Hotel in Indianapolis.
www.chicago.peninsula.com • 312.239.8015

Katrina Markoff • Vosges Haut-Chocolat
Katrina Markoff is an Indiana native with Macedonian roots, that rare combination of artist and entrepreneur who's able to take unlikely ingredients and turn them into gold. Owner and creative force behind Vosges Haut-Chocolat, Markoff is a 1995 graduate of Vanderbilt University. Three days following graduation Markoff left to pursue her dream of culinary arts in Paris where she studied for one year at Le Cordon Bleu. From Paris, Markoff embarked on a nine-month tour around the world studying food including indigenous cuisines. Based on these experiences, she developed the concept of 'exotic truffles.' Fusing a gamut of indigenous spices, flowers, and liqueurs with premium chocolate, she creates a unique tasting experience. Beckoning consumers to step into the now; to indulge each sense of smell, taste, hear, touch and sight with every bite they take.
www.vosgeschocolate.com • 888.301.9866

Kamal Hans • Zarda King
From the land of the Kama sutra, also hails the equally sensual art of body painting. Mendhi or henna is typically painted on a new bride on her wedding day as a means to entice her new bridegroom. And almost as old as the Kama sutra itself, though possibly not as pleasurable, is the hookah. Traditionally people gathered around the “Narghile” or water pipe to socialize, exchange ideas, and of course imbibe the aromatic, spice infused tobacco. In recent years, this ancient practice has exploded in popularity, modernizing an age old tradition, and allowing a new generation of connoisseurs to partake in this intoxicating custom.

Kamal Hans is a principal in Zarda King Limited, a market leader in ethnic products for over 35years. Zarda King Ltd is well recognized within the Indian and Middle Eastern communities, and now more globally, for their high quality products, including tobacco, henna, incense, spices, and ayurvedic herbals. In 2005, ZTL launched a new line, Hookah1, dedicated solely to hookahs and hookah tobacco, more commonly known as shisha. They carry a wide variety of narghiles, ranging from the very simple to the ornate, including a 3 foot hand-blown glass hookah, stenciled in hieroglyphics and gold. In addition, they carry over 30 varieties of shisha, including anise, pan-masala, mint, chocolate, and the soon to be launched, all herbal (tobacco-less) shisha.
www.zardaking.com • www.hookah1.com

Michael Bell • Artist
Michael Bell has painted, by commission, some of the most famous people of our time, including the late John Gotti, cast from HBO's The Sopranos, CSI: Miami, Law & Order, Goodfellas, A Bronx Tale and more! As a "Celebrity Artist to the Stars" Michael Bell has steadily become just as famous and as intriguing as many of the celebrities he has painted. Bell recently landed his first starring role in a major motion picture based on his NEW "TICKET TO RIDE" Series, to be filmed in Spring '07. Bell is represented by GALLERIA REDT, selling his famous paintings worldwide.
www.mbellart.com

Dena Jackson • Artist
Dena Jackson comes to us from Houston, Texas . She proceeded to Washington, D.C.’s historic Howard University, where she studied Architecture for two years, and then switched to the School of Fine Arts to study Graphic Design. One painting class was part of the curriculum, so she did what was required and graduated and headed to Atlanta, Georgia where she attended the Portfolio Center. She studied Art Direction, which lead her to where she is today pushing products for Fortune Five Hundred companies. So painting has become her release from the grind, along with her greeting card company, www.laughlinescards.com.
denajac@yahoo.com

Holly Jackson • Artist
Holly Jackson's work focuses on impressions of nature and objects which are interjected with a liberal use of color, shape and a sense of whimsy. A provocative vocabulary created in the pieces invites the viewer to engage and come away with a feeling of contentment. The canvases, lyrical and refreshing, are done indoors and on location using acrylics and oils. Working in her studio/gallery in Chesterton, Indiana, the artists creates commissioned pieces as well as cat paintings for the 'Catmosphere' part of the gallery. Her work has been privately collected since 1982 and has exhibited in shows and galleries since 1986.
hollyjacksonart@aol.com • 219.395.6806

Jessie Smith-Larson • Artist
Jessie Smith-Larson's art is a unique manifestation of her imagination. Her work is playful, industrial and innovative, incorporating elements from the urban landscape. Jessie creates using encaustics, found objects, metal and clay. She is currently working on several projects including a children's book, a series of interactive paintings and a collection of encaustic sculptures based on the many characters she has created. Her commitment to charities includes: For the Love of Chocolate, Kids Saving the Rainforest, The Hubbard Street Mural Revival and more. Jessie's work can be seen throughout Chicago in public and private collections and on superbadfriend.blogspot.com.
superbadfriend@gmail.com