Board & Committee

Honorary Chairman

Jesse White, Illinois Secretary of State

Co-Founder, Chairman Emeritus

The Late John Castro

Co-Founder, President Emeritus

John Kaufmann, CFE, CEC, AAC, HOF, HGT

Board of Directors

President, Event Chair
Chef Don Zajac, CC

Treasurer
Thomas Ryan

Vice President, The Chicago Chefs
Corey Grupe

Donation Chair
Kate Newton, North Shore CC

Public Relations

Director of Public Relations
Julia Shell, Julia Shell Public Relations

Promoting and Celebrating Chicago as a Culinary Mecca

Fostering Education, Awareness, and Growth to our Industry