Alec Gioseffi is the Farm Director and Executive Chef at Ironbound Farm, a 108-acre regenerative farm and cider house in the New Jersey Highlands. His love for food began in the kitchen and deepened through travel, where he experienced firsthand food’s power to connect people and land. After early work in restaurant kitchens, Alec shifted his focus to agriculture, co-founding Cooperative 518 and Cherry Valley Cooperative in Princeton, NJ, with an emphasis on regenerative practices.

In 2019, he joined Ironbound Farm to help design an agroforestry system that integrates livestock and produce into the orchard. Now, as Executive Chef, he creates seasonal menus crafted with ingredients that are 80% grown onsite, blending sustainability with exceptional flavor.

Bob Truitt has worked alongside culinary greats such as Michael White at NYC’s AltaMarea Group, Stephen Starr in Philadelphia, and Ferran Adrià in Spain. In New York City, he led pastry at the three-star New York Times restaurant Corton, earning the StarChefs Rising Star award in 2009, and later oversaw pastry for six restaurants at Michael White’s Altamarea Group, where he was named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in 2013. In 2017, Bob became chef and partner at Casa Pública in Brooklyn, where Mexican cuisine influenced his technique-driven style. Now, he leads the savory, bakery, and pastry programs at the Stockton Inn, collaborating with Anthony Rudolf to create a community-focused culinary program that honors local producers.

Chef and co-owner Cal Peternell is an acclaimed cookbook author and podcast host who spent more than 20 years leading the kitchens at Alice Waters’ Bay Area icon, Chez Panisse. He brings the same care, generosity, and sense of fun to cooking for family, friends, and guests—celebrating how simplicity, good ingredients, and spontaneity can create the most delicious meals. Cal has also shared his recipes, menus, and personal stories through four cookbooks, including the New York Times bestseller Twelve Recipes, A Recipe for Cooking, Almonds, Anchovies, and Pancetta, and Burnt Toast and Other Disasters.

After graduating from The Culinary Institute of America in 2008, Chef Daniel Brunina went on to work in some of the most prestigious kitchens in the country. His experience at The Greenbrier in West Virginia, The Little Nell in Colorado, and the esteemed three-Michelin-starred Inn at Little Washington in Virginia helped shape both his style and career. Eventually, he found his home in New Jersey, working with the highly regarded Harvest Restaurant Group and Landmark Hospitality. Chef Brunina is driven by a passion for whole-animal butchery, a constant desire to learn new techniques, and a commitment to sourcing the very best ingredients New Jersey has to offer.

Chef Lance Knowling is a classically trained chef celebrated for his bold, soulful cuisine and more than three decades of culinary excellence. A Kansas City native, he first honed his skills in French cuisine before rising through New York’s dining scene with roles at JW’s in Times Square and acclaimed restaurants such as Indigo Smoke and Blujeen, where he became known for refined Southern cooking. Over the years, he has cooked for celebrities, corporate leaders, and even U.S. presidents—including at Chelsea Clinton’s wedding. Now serving as Executive Chef at The Woolverton Inn in New Jersey, Knowling continues to blend comfort food traditions with fine-dining technique, while championing Black chefs and elevating culinary storytelling through media and mentorship.

Founded in 1988 by Mark and his wife Denise, Metropolitan Seafood began as a small seafood market in Clinton, NJ, quickly gaining a reputation for its unique charm and wide range of offerings—including fresh seafood, gourmet products, and Lebanese specialties. As its popularity grew, the business expanded to a larger location on Route 22 in Lebanon, NJ, where it introduced pop-up events, extensive catering services, and new opportunities for growth. Featured by outlets such as the Food Network and The New York Times, Metropolitan Seafood has also built a robust online community with over 350,000 social media followers and more than 2,000 original recipes shared. Through it all, Mark has remained dedicated to celebrating seafood and cultivating a true culinary hub for the community.

The women behind Canal House Station are cooks, writers, and artists who have been shaping the culinary scene for nearly two decades. In 2007, they founded Canal House, a creative studio and publishing venture, and launched their acclaimed seasonal cookbook series, Canal House Cooking. Their book Canal House Cooks Every Day went on to win a James Beard Award in 2012.

In 2019, they opened Canal House Station, a beautifully restored 1870s train station in Milford, NJ. Twice nominated for a James Beard “Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic” award, they continue to bring people together through food—most notably during their beloved weekly Sunday Dinners, which celebrate real, in-person connection around the table.

Chef Sean Gray began his culinary journey in Bucks County at Lambertville Station, working his way up from the parking lot to the kitchen—an experience that shaped his lifelong commitment to mentorship. He later joined New York City’s Momofuku group, eventually becoming executive chef at the two-Michelin-starred Ko. In 2024, after years of commuting from Sergeantsville, Gray took over the kitchen at The Sergeantsville Inn, a historic 1700s stone tavern. There, he brings a refined yet approachable style to a menu of elevated tavern classics, offering warm hospitality across multiple dining settings—from Blue Plate Specials at the bar to intimate meals in the library.

Melissa Murphy Rafano is a renowned pastry chef and cookbook author, best known as the co-owner of Sweet Melissa Pâtisserie. A graduate of the French Culinary Institute and its 1998 “Most Outstanding Alumni,” she opened the original Brooklyn bakery in 1998, earning accolades including Zagat’s “Best Tarts and Pies in New York.” In 2008, she published The Sweet Melissa Baking Book, named one of NPR’s “Top 10 Cookbooks of 2008.” After relocating to New Jersey, Melissa and her husband Christopher Rafano opened a new location in Lebanon in 2016, which has since earned local acclaim, including “Best Bakery” and “Best Brunch” by Hunterdon Happenings.

Chef Andrew is the driving force behind D’Serve. With over 15 years in the restaurant industry, he has held notable roles at Fortina & Milestone Pizza in Connecticut and Speedy Romeo in New York City. His diverse experiences, inspired by his travels, fuel creative dishes that bring eclectic flavors to Flemington.

Shannon began her culinary journey in front-of-house operations, managing top NYC restaurants like Rosie’s and Shuka. A self-taught pastry chef, she transitioned full-time into the pastry arts in 2020. After honing her skills at Factory Fuel in Flemington, she joined her husband’s pop-up events—and now brings her signature desserts full circle to Main Street.