Meet the Chefs - Kuniko Yago

Hometown: Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan

Profession: Executive Chef, upcoming David Myers restaurant, Los Angeles, CA

Culinary Education: Self-taught

Favorite Simple Winter Recipe: Nabemono in any style, a family-style hot pot dish in Japan

Kuniko is living the American Dream, and she came to food in a roundabout way. Unhappy working in finance in her native Japan, Kuniko picked up and moved to Los Angeles, getting a job as a server at a noodle house in Los Angeles. Here, she met Chef David Myers of the Michelin starred Sona, who, moved by Kuniko’s passion and zeal, suggested she test her culinary aspirations in his kitchen. Not only did she rise to the challenge -- an un-trained cook in one of the city’s most famed kitchens -- she blossomed. Five years later, she is Myers’ protégé and most recently served as Executive Chef of his popular Los Angeles restaurant, Comme Ça. She will be opening his upcoming Los Angeles restaurant as Executive Chef in December 2012. In 2010, Kuniko was named StarChef.com’s Rising Star.

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Meet the Chefs - Tina Bourbeau

Hometown: New York, NY

Profession :Executive Chef/ Senior Director of Research and Development, FreshDirect

Culinary Education: Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School (I.C.E.)

Favorite Simple Winter Recipe: Celeriac ravioli, Roasted Peconic Bay scallops

Tina is a complex chef and individual, who has worked directly with such great chefs as Nobu Matsuhisa, Masaharu Morimoto, Toshi Tomita and Claude Troisgros. She served as Omikase Chef at Nobu in New York before moving over to Nobu Next Door, where she was Head Kitchen Chef and earned three stars from The New York Times. Tina then helped open Cello with Executive Chef Laurent Tourondel, where they also received three stars from The New York Times. Tina moved on three years later to lead the kitchen at Nicole’s. Most recently, Tina serves as Executive Chef and Senior Director of Research and Development for FreshDirect, an online grocer delivering fine foods throughout New York City. Posted on AllTopChef.com

Meet the Chefs - Brook Williamson

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Profession: Co-Executive Chef and Co-Owner, Hudson House (Redondo Beach, CA) and The Tripel (Playa del Rey, CA)

Culinary Education: No formal culinary school; learned in the kitchen

Favorite Simple Winter Recipe: Crispy duck confit with wild mushroom bread pudding and caramelized brussel sprouts

Brooke is a self-taught chef who started her culinary career at age 15 as a teacher’s assistant at the Epicurean Institute of Los Angeles. At age 18, she started working as a pastry assistant at Fenix at the Argyle Hotel, and was soon noticed by Chef Ken Frank, who invited her to work in the savory kitchen. Brooke moved onto the acclaimed restaurant Michael’s in Santa Monica, where she became Sous Chef within a year. After a brief internship at the celebrated restaurant Daniel in New York, Brooke returned to Los Angeles, where she was appointed Executive Chef at Boxer and later Zax. During her tenure at Zax, she was heralded by The Los Angeles Times as a “culinary wunderkind,” and was also the youngest chef to ever cook at the James Beard House. Brooke left Zax to open Amuse Café and Beechwood with husband Nick Roberts, where she earned the title “Rising Star Chef” by StarChefs.com. In 2009, they opened American gastropub Hudson House, and most recently The Tripel. When she’s not calling the shots at her restaurants, she can be found spending time with her family, running, hiking, traveling, or wandering around the farmer’s market.

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Meet the Chefs - Tyler Wiard

Hometown: Denver, CO

Profession: Executive Chef and Culinary Director, Elway’s Restaurant Group, Denver, CO

Culinary Education: Hands-on restaurant experience

Favorite Simple Winter Recipe: Colorado Lamb albondigas Soup

Tyler is the super hyper and energetic Culinary Director for all four of John Elway’s restaurants. He’s been an Executive Chef at four white tablecloth restaurants and has cooked at the James Beard House more times than he can remember. He’s also worked with Michael Mina and Michel Richard. In 2007, he was voted “Top Chef Denver” by 5280 Magazine, and in 2008 was the National Winner of the 19th Annual Taste of Elegance competition. Tyler goes big or doesn’t go at all, and has used that quality to work up the ranks and control some of the best restaurants in Colorado.

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Meet the Chefs - Bart Vandaele

Hometown: Roeselare, Belgium

Profession: Executive Chef and Owner, Belga Café and B Too, Washington, DC

Culinary Education: Culinary Institute for Restaurant & Hotel Management, Bruges, Belgium

Favorite Simple Winter Recipe Chef’s Dinner: Belgian fries, topped with braised veal cheeks, truffle, foie gras, and served with Belgian mayonnaise

Bart eats, breathes, and sleeps restaurants and food. With a rambunctious personality and flare for strong opinions, Bart loves to share his passions for Belgian cuisine, Belgian beer, and Belgian culture. He is the Executive Chef and Owner of Belga Café, a restaurant in Washington, DC specializing in Belgian food and beer, and the upcoming B Too. Bart began culinary school at age 12, externing at Michelin-starred Au Vigneron, and moving on to work at renowned Belgian restaurants including Piet Huysentruyt and Restaurant Scholteshof, which earned two Michelin stars during his tenure as Sous Chef. Bart moved to DC in 1997 to serve as Executive Chef to the Ambassador to the European Union, followed by the Dutch Embassy. In 2006, Bart won StarChef.com's “Rising Star Chef” award, and in 2007 he prepared the Belgian Beer Lover’s Degustation at the James Beard House. He was also knighted in the order of Leopold II in 2009. Bart’s cooking is a combination of rustic and refined, playful yet soulful.

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Life After Top Chef Episode 4 Previews

We've been getting mixed reactions to this show on our Facebook page. Are you watching? We are - and find it very interesting. We think it's explained a lot about Spike, for instance.

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Meet the Chefs - Joshua Valentine

Hometown: Del City, OK

Culinary Education: A.O.S. Culinary Arts, Le Cordon Bleu, Minneapolis

Favorite Simple Winter Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie

Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Joshua discovered his passion for food from reading cookbooks in high school. His culinary career began in a Mexican restaurant at age 19, where he worked various positions to garner a firm understanding of the inner workings of the restaurant industry. After realizing his passion for the culinary arts, Joshua attended culinary school and went on to gain experience at a variety of restaurants, including Restaurant Alma in Minneapolis and Local in Dallas. Joshua continued his culinary career in Dallas where he joined Stephan Pyles and Samar by Stephan Pyles as Line Cook and Sous Chef. His talents led him back to Oklahoma where he became the Chef de Cuisine at The Coach House restaurant and, most recently, General Manager and Executive Chef at Divine Swine. He recently relocated to Dallas with his wife and three daughters, where he is working at FT 33.

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Meet the Chefs - John Tesar

Hometown: New York, NY

Profession: Chef and Restaurateur, Spoon Bar & Kitchen, Dallas, TX

Culinary Education: La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine, Paris

Favorite Simple Winter Recipe: Squid ink spaghetti, razor clams, baby squid, uni, black garlic, and preserved lemon

Known for his stylish, modern American cuisine prepared with classic European techniques, John has garnered much acclaim throughout his 20-plus years in the restaurant industry. He started his culinary career at Club Pierre in Westhampton, followed by stints at 13 Barrow Street, 44 & Hell’s Kitchen, Vine and The Supper Club in New York, where he cooked alongside Anthony Bourdain. He then moved to Las Vegas to work with Chef Rick Moonen at RM Seafood. In 2007, John moved to Dallas, where as Executive Chef of The Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, he received five stars from both Modern Luxury and Dallas Morning News and was a James Beard semifinalist for “Best Chef Southwest.” During his tenure at The Cedars Social, Dallas Morning News voted it “Best New Restaurant.” John, who was proudly named the “Most Hated Chef in Dallas” by D Magazine in 2011, is currently gearing up for the opening of Spoon Bar & Kitchen, a seafood-focused fine dining restaurant set to open in Fall 2012.

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Meet the Chefs - Sheldon Simeon

Hometown: Hilo, HI

Profession: Executive Chef, Star Noodle, Lahaina, Hawaii

Culinary Education: Culinary Institute of the Pacific and Maui Culinary Academy

Favorite Simple Winter Recipe: Pork with winter squash

Sheldon talks the Hawaiian talk and loves to cook with local island ingredients, but is confident when competing against Mainland chefs. The Executive Chef of Star Noodle in Lahaina, Sheldon is a two-time James Beard semifinalist -- for “Rising Star” and “Best New Restaurant,” both in 2011. Also in 2011, Maui Nokaoi Magazine named him “Chef of the Year.” Food & Wine Magazine named Sheldon “Best New Chef People’s Choice” nominee in 2012. He learned his basic culinary skills at Disneyworld, where he also met his wife, but his competitive nature has ensured his continued success that has landed him all of these accolades.

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Meet the Chefs - Jorel Pierce

Hometown: Denver, CO

Profession: Chef de Cuisine, Euclid Hall, Denver, CO

Culinary Education: Johnson & Wales, Denver, CO

Favorite Simple Winter Recipe: Honey, pale ale, rosemary glazed vegetables

Jorel was raised hunting game animals like bear and antelope --- his mom would whip up a mean lemongrass antelope -- so he took from those cues and makes very unique food too. His pad thai pig ear dish has even received national acclaim. Named “Best Rising Star Chef” in 2011 by Denver Westword, Jorel worked at highly-acclaimed, James Beard finalist Jen Jasinski’s Rioja, before partnering up with Jasinski to open Euclid Hall. Jorel now mans the kitchen at Euclid Hall, where he can explore his creative style of cooking. He’s also a talented butcher, and can take down an entire antelope in less than 20 minutes.

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