Our Experts

Jing Gao

Jing Gao, founder & CEO of Fly By Jing, is a chef, entrepreneur, cookbook author and a renowned expert on Chinese cuisine. Born in Chengdu, Sichuan and raised around the world, Gao returned to China as an adult where she founded Baoism, an award-winning modern-Chinese fast-casual restaurant before founding her premium Chinese food company, Fly By Jing. Her culinary innovations and contributions to the food and beverage industry have been featured in leading media including The New York Times, Forbes, Fortune, The Wall Street Journal and more. Her personal story as a cultural ambassador and entrepreneur has been seen on the BBC, CNN, TODAY, CBS and more. Gao's cookbook "The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp" includes 85 hot recipes for everything from dumplings to cocktails to desserts.

Cody Goldstein

Cody Goldstein is one of the most recognized and acclaimed mixologists in the industry. After years of training in Michelin-starred and highly acclaimed bars/restaurants, he was honored to be the first and only mixologist named to the celebrity-studded Food Council of City Harvest. Goldstein has been featured in various news outlets such as Fortune Magazine, Forbes, and Business Insider, along with television appearances on The Today Show, GMA, Bon Appétit, and more. Highly recognizable brands such as TAZO, DKNY, and Rao's Homemade Patron have partnered with Goldstein to be their spokesperson. Goldstein is also the co-author of four successful cocktail books ("Tequila Mockingbird" (10th Anniversary Extended Edition), "Gone with The Gin", "Hickory Daiquiri Dock", and "Are You There God? It's Me, Margarita."

Molly Horn

Molly Horn is the Chief Mixologist and Spirits Educator for Total Wine & More, the country's largest independent wine, spirits and beer retailer. She has over a decade of expertise in developing and managing bar programs in the Washington Metro area and was Head Bartender at Farmers Restaurant Group, one of the busiest operations on the East Coast. Horn's many responsibilities at Total Wine & More include tasting and marketing new first-to-market spirits, as well as educating sales floor team members on spirits and mixology. Horn is passionate about spirits and crafting cocktails and uses her training as a Certified Sommelier to inform her tasting and reviewing process.

Joe Isidori

Joe Isidori, owner of New York hotspot Arthur & Sons, is a third-generation Italian American chef and author. Isidori has created multiple restaurants across the United States, including Jotoro Kitchen and Tequila Bar, Arthur on Smith, Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beers, and more. While at Black Tap, Isidori led the international expansion of the restaurant to Dubai, Geneva, and Switzerland. He has also cooked in numerous prestigious kitchens around the country, from Everglazed Donuts to Harbor in NYC. Isidori published his first cookbook in 2016, "Craft Burgers and Crazy Shakes."

In 2023, Isidori launched Arthur & Sons New York Italian Tomato Sauce, his own line of jarred sauces. In addition to earning a Michelin star, Isidori has been named a Star Chef's Rising Star, and is a proud three-time champion of the NYCWFF Burger Bash. Isidori has also appeared on numerous national broadcasts, including "The Today Show," "Good Morning America," "The Drew Barrymore Show," "The Rachael Ray Show," and more.

Justin M. Lavenue

Justin M. Lavenue began his bartending career in 2009 while attending the University of Colorado at Boulder. After graduating, he worked at the Bitter Bar, one of Colorado's first craft cocktail bars. In 2013, he moved back to Austin, completed the BAR 5-Day Course in New York City, and joined the opening staff at Half Step on Rainey Street. Two years later, he opened The Roosevelt Room, which has since become one of Austin's most popular bars. He continues to manage his ventures, study for his BAR Masters certification, consult on bar and restaurant projects, and write cocktail recipes.

Markee Manaloto

Markee Manaloto is the Executive Chef at Mishik, a Japanese restaurant in New York City known for its Edomae sushi. He has more than a decade of experience working with the dish, as well as Filipino cuisine. A native of the Philippines, Manoloto began working in Japanese restaurants while attending college in Michigan. He previously worked at a variety of other notable New York City locations, including East Village favorite Kissaki, Japanese-Filipino izakaya Gugu, and the Michelin-starred Sushi Yasuda.

Rich Parente

Rich Parente is the chef and owner of Clock Tower Grill in Brewster, NY, where he's created a true farm-to-table dining experience — he and his wife Cassie raise their own pork and lamb for the restaurant on their nearby Clock Tower Farm, grow fruit and vegetables, produce honey and maple syrup, and more.

A Hudson Valley native, Parente began his culinary journey at 13, working at a local deli. He later graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and cooked for heads of state and royalty at the United Nations. Parente also competed in the Kansas City Barbeque before opening Clock Tower Grill in 2013.

An expert griller and BBQ master, Parente is a chef with deep culinary experience, having also helmed restaurants with menus ranging from pizza to barbecue.

John Politte

Chef John Politte has dabbled in the culinary world for the last 40-odd years, working as a chef, bartender, bouncer, dishwasher, waiter, multi-level manager, teacher, media personality, food journalist, food photographer, online seasonings and spice shop curator, podcaster, and cookbook author. He enjoys using his humor, wisdom, and experience to entertain and teach the curious among us.

Matthew Rose

Matthew Rose is a Certified Cheese Professional and currently spends his days educating and serving customers as a Partner at the Fairfield and Greenwich Cheese Company. Rose has over ten years of experience and has earned the title of Certified Cheese Sensory Evaluator as a passionate purveyor of artisanal, handmade cheese and specialty goods including chocolate, preserves, and tinned fishes.

Robbie Shoults

Robbie Shoults is a celebrity chef and the third-generation owner of the Texas-located Bear Creek Smokehouse. What started as "Shoults and Son Poultry and Livestock Farm" during World War II has evolved into a nationally recognized and award-winning smokehouse.

Shoults, affectionately known as the "Head Honcho" at his business, stays grounded and hands-on. Whether it's mopping up a spill or negotiating a deal, Shoults is involved in every aspect of Smokehouse operations.

Outside of his work at the smokehouse, Shoults has lent his talents and expertise to a wide array of food-centric media. He has appeared on "Beat Bobby Flay" five times and has been featured on everything from "The Today Show" to "Rachael Ray." His culinary expertise have also been featured in national publications, including Southern Living, Taste of Home, The Food Network, Texas Lifestyle Magazine, Eat This Not That, Tasting Table, and Food Republic.

Nikesha Tannehill Tyson

Nikesha Tannehill Tyson is a certified etiquette consultant and owner of The Swann School of Protocol, Shreveport. At the Swann School of Protocol HQ, Tyson serves as a mentor, senior etiquette trainer, and three-time winner of the Most Excellent Swann Award. Tyson is a distinguished etiquette expert dedicated to helping individuals refine their presence and elevate their social skills, believing that a polished demeanor can unlock opportunities and enhance one's status across all facets of life. From an early age, Tyson cultivated a passion for etiquette and excellence, which has since blossomed into a rewarding career. With a wealth of experience in corporate training, human resources, and leadership development, Tyson leads engaging workshops for corporate organizations, business professionals, private clients, youth, and non-profit entities. Named the resident etiquette expert for Casa de Suna magazine, she also shares her insights through various online publications, providing valuable advice to help others navigate social situations with confidence and grace.

Michelle Wallace

Michelle Wallace is the highly esteemed chef and visionary behind B'Tween Sandwich Co. which launched in 2023 as a series of pop-up events. Her idea was to create sandwiches that celebrate the diverse culinary culture in Houston, Texas. The foundation of Wallace's career began in college at Texas Southern University, where she would cook meals for her friends. She then pursued formal culinary training at the Art Institute of Houston before officially launching her career.

Since then, Wallace has honed her skills in several esteemed kitchens, including her time as Executive Chef at Gatlin's BBQ for six years. While she thrives in barbecue, her culinary skills are unlimited, as evidenced by her appearance on the latest season of Bravo's "Top Chef," where Wallace excelled in different forms of culinary brilliance. Wallace is also a highly respected and recognized chef, having been nominated for CultureMap Houston's Rising Star Chef in 2021. She was also chosen as a James Beard TasteTwenty chef for the culinary series Taste America. Wallace's dedication to crafting unique, delicious sandwiches that celebrate Southern culture shines in her meals and hospitality.

Doreen Winkler

Doreen Winkler is a natural wine sommelier, orange wine expert, and founder of Orange Glou, the world's first orange wine subscription service and only brick-and-mortar store dedicated solely to skin contact wines, as well as Orange Glou Wine Fair, North America's first fair devoted to skin contact wines. Named one of "America's Top Sommeliers" by Forbes, Winkler is one of the first sommeliers who created wine lists focused on natural, organic and biodynamic wines. She's developed wine programs for Michelin-starred restaurants, bars and wine retailers, including at Aska and Aldea in NYC, where her program received the World of Fine Wine Best Wine List Award.