Skye Estroff is the marketing and media manager for Atlanta’s largest food festival, Taste of Atlanta. Skye manages all TV, radio and print media relationships as well as strategizing and planning all social media. She is an Atlanta native, a University of Georgia grad and an expert in Atlanta’s best food.
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This episode of Culinary Atlanta is brought to you by Taste of Atlanta. Follow Taste of Atlanta on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Maggie Uyehara was born and raised on Crenshaw Boulevard in the heart of Los Angeles. An all-American girl, she is the proud daughter of her 2nd generation-born (nisei) Japanese-American parents. Her father Howard, was a Purple Heart World War ll veteran, and her mother, Emiko, was a farm girl from central California who passed on the family’s love for cooking and spirit of entrepreneurship. With that heritage, Maggie invented and perfected her signature PONKO Chicken recipe and opened an LA-based catering business when she was 18. The blend of Asian spices and southern California cooking style made the chicken tenders a wildly popular dish. Two decades after providing craft services for Hollywood studios and corporations, Maggie joined her sister Reiko in suburban Atlanta where they, their supportive husbands and amazing kids crafted a fresh casual menu that revolves around that original PONKO Chicken recipe. In 1998, they opened the original restaurant, with a sophisticated urban vibe that gave a sense of home to everyone who ate there. “My mom was an amazing cook. We always had the proverbial pot of Japanese steamed rice. She made Japanese classics like the frying pan dinner (aka: sukiyaki) to all-American favorites like fried chicken and meatloaf. And every other week, a slow cooked pot of beef stew would be turned into Japanese curry the next day! I refer to the food I have created as Japanese Soul Food. Straight from the heart. Authentically Japanese. Authentically Western. My parents referred to it as ‘good eatin’!” “On top of that, my family owned and operated Arlington Bowl, where my mom served one of the city’s best bowls of ramen and her legendary hamburger. We grew up when L.A. food joints, like Tommy’s, Golden Bird, and Walts were thriving. And let’s not forget the lil Japanese diner called ‘Bungo’ on Washington Boulevard. No sushi, nobody throwing knives around, just good Japanese home cooked meals!” Maggie confessed. Today, two of the Uyehara grandkids have decided that they are ready to move the company forward. Noah Clark, Reiko’s son and Mia (Antoine) Seilern, Maggie’s daughter, have taken the helm with great leadership, passion, and business acumen. Dubbed by their family as the Prince and Princess of PONKO, Noah and Mia are poised to turn the family catering company into a global fast-casual dining concept by connecting cultures and cultivating happiness, one chicken tender at a time.
Kellie Morvillo has been YELP‘s Sr. Community Manager for The North Atlanta suburbs since 2015.
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This segment of Culinary Atlanta is brought to you by Taste of Atlanta and Food that Rocks.
Geoff Melkonian is the Owner of Breadwinner, Inc. / Farm To Ladle, LLC.
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Skye Estroff is the marketing and media manager for Atlanta’s largest food festival, Taste of Atlanta. Skye manages all TV, radio and print media relationships as well as strategizing and planning all social media. She is an Atlanta native, a University of Georgia grad and an expert in Atlanta’s best food.
Follow Taste of Atlanta on Facebook and Twitter. Follow Food that Rocks on Facebook and Twitter.
This segment of Culinary Atlanta us brought to you by Hand-Picked Atlanta and Poke Burri.
Tanya Jimenez with Mushi Ni was born in Manila where she earned her degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. She moved to the United States in 2006 to attend the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park New York. After graduation she worked for Chef Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant in New York City for 5 years before moving to the Atlanta area. Presently, she is working at Bacchanalia undergoing her Women in Culinary Leadership Program Grant from the James Beard Foundation under the tutelage of Chef Anne Quatrano of Star Provisions. Her hobbies include running, drinking wine, and watching 19th century romantic-comedy films.
Michael Le with Mushi Ni was born in Saint Louis Missouri and after graduating culinary school spent his time living all over the United States and Europe honing his culinary skills and learning new techniques. Michael has worked as a consultant for One Hotel in Miami, The Plnt House which is a 100% Raw Vegan restaurant, Palmer’s in Peachtree City and Senoia Coffee and Cafe in downtown Senoia. His hobbies include doing paperwork, drinking black coffee, eating sweets and playing with his two bullies, Tofu and Bacon.
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Hand-Picked ATL is the best of what to do and where to go in Atlanta. It’s their humble belief that by surrounding ourselves with the authentic, the unique and the curious, our lives are more awesome. Hand-Picked celebrates the independent makers by seeking out their inspired goods and crafted experiences, providing meaningful ways for their users to connect for themselves.
Connect with Hand-Picked on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Seven Chan and Ken Yu are owners of Poke Burri and Lifting Noodles Ramen. Both have proven to be award-winning concepts with cult-like followings in the city. The pair met and opened their first shop a year and a half ago combining Sevens business and marketing acumen with Ken’s food and restaurant background. The two plan to franchise and grow each concept in the next year and have new locations slotted to open this year and into 2019.
As Executive Chef of Seven Lamps, Drew Van Leuvan oversees all aspects of the restaurant including supervising culinary development and ensuring the kitchen is operating at its peak performance on a daily basis. With close to 20 years of culinary experience to draw from, his goal is to have Seven Lamps recognized among Atlanta’s best restaurant and bar programs and to bring a neighborhood establishment to the Buckhead restaurant scene.
Van Leuvan began cooking while enrolled at the University of Massachusetts. He quickly realized cooking was his passion and went on to graduate from the Culinary Institute of America in 2000. After graduation, Van Leuvan perfected his skills while apprenticing under some of the world’s best chefs including Jean Louis Palladin, Guenter Seeger, Wylie Dufresne, Joel Antunes, Sam Mason and Chef Mark Dommen. In 2004, Van Leuvan served as Executive Chef at Atlanta’s acclaimed Toast restaurant where he was recognized as a “Chef on the Rise” by Food & Wine magazine. Following his stint at Toast, Van Leuvan became Executive Chef at Spice restaurant where he received three stars from both the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Creative Loafing. In 2006, Chef Van Leuvan was appointed Executive Chef of Saga restaurant where he received the “Rising Star Award” from StarChefs.com and “Most Memorable Plate of 2007” from Creative Loafing. Van Leuvan began working with Concentrics Restaurants in 2008, helping with the opening of the Midtown gastropub TAP as well as Room at TWELVE Centennial Park, before becoming Executive Chef at ONE. midtown kitchen. He was previously the owner of hand-made pasta Pan De Mie Pasta Company. Van Leuvan is a member of the Jean Louis Palladin Foundation, Slow Food and Chefs Collaborative.
Outside of the kitchen, Van Leuvan enjoys spending time with his daughter, Kayden. He also enjoys building most anything, working in his garden and utilizing his homegrown vegetables in his dishes. Van Leuvan resides in Decatur with wife Kimberly Powell and Kayden. Follow Seven Lamps on Twitter and Facebook.
Skye Estroff is the marketing and media manager for Atlanta’s largest food festival, Taste of Atlanta. Skye manages all TV, radio and print media relationships, as well as strategizing and planning all social media. She is an Atlanta native, a University of Georgia graduate and an expert in Atlanta’s best food. Connect with Skye and Taste of Atlanta on Twitter and Facebook.
The Springer Mountain Farms Southern Wing Showdown produced by Taste of Atlanta takes place Sunday, August 20th at The Foundry at Puritan Mill. For more information on the event, visit their website and Facebook.
Executive Chef Michael Perez dreamed of traveling the world, but not necessarily as a cook – he wanted to be a flight attendant. While taking a hospitality class in high school, a guest chef from Johnson and Wales University-Miami spoke of his extensive travel abroad and inspired Perez to change course. After graduating, Perez applied to Johnson and Wales University-Miami’s culinary program and was able to enroll without the necessary prerequisites after sharing his passion with the culinary instructor. Perez set out to pursue his career in culinary world, and hasn’t looked back.
Following college, Perez moved to Hawaii and cooked aboard two Norwegian Cruise lines. After his cruise ship tenure ended in 2007, Perez returned to his hometown of Portland, OR, to stage under a French-trained chef at the Timberland Lodge. Perez’ next role was Sous Chef at Ten 01, which was named “Restaurant of the Year” under his direction. In 2008, Perez became Sous Chef at Tabla Mediterranean Bistro in Portland, which received the award for “Best Pasta Dish” by Willamette Week’s Annual Restaurant Guide.
Perez moved to California in 2010 to assume the role of Sous Chef under the Food Network’s acclaimed chef Scott Conant at his award-winning Beverly Hills restaurant Scarpetta. Perez also served on the opening team for Scarpetta inside The Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas. In TK year, Perez became Executive Chef at the Deep Creek Fishing Club in Ninilchik, Alaska where he successfully developed a new menu at the full-service luxury lodge.
After journeying to Charleston, SC in 2011 to further his career, Perez joined the Indigo Road family where he later became a part of the opening team for Indaco, the group’s Italian concept located in Charleston. In 2015, Perez relocated to Atlanta where he opened Colletta, Indigo Road’s second Italian outpost located in Alpharetta’s premier Avalon development. This summer, Indigo Road will open Donetto, a Tuscan-inspired restaurant on the Westside, where Perez will serve as the executive chef serving Tuscan fare, popular staples from the regions of Sienna, Umbria and Rome, an array of meat-centric dishes and a rotating pasta menu.
Perez says his favorite part about cooking is learning new things while teaching his staff and fellow chefs. When not in the kitchen, Perez appreciates a full day of snowboarding or fishing, exploring new restaurants with friends, and fulfilling his love for travel and exploring new cultures. Connect with Chef Michael on Twitter and LinkedIn, and Donetto on Twitter and Facebook.
Skye Estroff is the marketing and media manager for Atlanta’s largest food festival, Taste of Atlanta. Skye manages all TV, radio and print media relationships, as well as strategizing and planning all social media. She is an Atlanta native, a University of Georgia graduate and an expert in Atlanta’s best food. Connect with Skye and Taste of Atlanta on Twitter and Facebook.
The Springer Mountain Farms Southern Wing Showdown produced by Taste of Atlanta takes place Sunday, August 20th at The Foundry at Puritan Mill. For more information on the event, visit their website and Facebook.
Sean Palani is the Event and Catering Coordinator for 4 Rivers Smokehouse. Follow Sean and 4 Rivers on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
Skye Estroff is the marketing and media manager for Atlanta’s largest food festival, Taste of Atlanta. Skye manages all TV, radio and print media relationships, as well as strategizing and planning all social media. She is an Atlanta native, a University of Georgia graduate and an expert in Atlanta’s best food. Connect with Skye and Taste of Atlanta on Twitter and Facebook.
Skye Estroff / Taste of Atlanta
Marketing and Media Manager
Skye Estroff is the marketing and media manager for Atlanta’s largest food festival, Taste of Atlanta. Skye manages all TV, radio and print media relationships, as well as strategizing and planning all social media. She is an Atlanta native, a University of Georgia graduate and an expert in Atlanta’s best food.
Wes Jones and Jackson Smith / Honeysuckle Gelato
Co-Founder
Founded in 2011 by Jackson Smith, Wes Jones, and Khatera Ballard, Honeysuckle Gelato is a craft gelato manufacturer headquartered in Atlanta. Today, the company has 18 employees and its products can be found in retail locations across the Southeast. Additionally, Honeysuckle Gelato is served in restaurants throughout Atlanta and the company recently opened its first retail location in Ponce City Market. Since launching the Honeysuckle Gelato, the three founders have created more than 250 flavor combinations, their top seller being Sea-Salted Caramel.
Honeysuckle Gelato combines the rich and smooth texture of gelato with the decadent flavors and desserts of the South. All of the company’s gelatos and sorbets are made from scratch in Atlanta and use the finest and freshest local ingredients.
Naomi Green / The Giving Kitchen
Director of Partnerships
As a life-long Atlanta native, Naomi Green is thrilled to join The Giving Kitchen team as Director of Partnerships and Strategic Events. Naomi brings extensive experience and knowledge of the restaurant industry which she’s gained over the past fifteen years. She has engaged in all dimensions of the restaurant business, rising from a server and bartender to senior management and event planning. Most recently, she was the Director of Events & Marketing at Fox Bros Bar-B-Q, where she signficantly contributed to the restaurant’s expansion initiatives. Previously, she was Event & Marketing Manager at the Palm Restaurant in Atlanta. Naomi also worked as a Corporate Trainer around the country and then as Banquet Sales Manager for Maggiano’s Little Italy in Atlanta, Charlotte, and Nashville.
Naomi has seen first hand the devastating impact of unanticipated hardship on Atlanta’s restaurant community. These experiences have motivated her to take on a leadership role in many industry related fundraisers, including launching Charlotte’s Web, The Pinky and the Team Hidi annual benefit events. Additionally, with the International Women’s House, Naomi works to serve immigrant and refugee women and their children who have been victim of domestic violence. She was also the chief organizer of the Palm’s sponsorship of the PGA’s TOUR Championship fundraiser, supporting the athletic engagement in golfing for children from low income families. Throughout these endeavors, Naomi has combined her pratical career experience with the skills obtained through her her studies at Boston University’s College of Communication and Journalism.
Naomi is excited to be able to blend her love for the restaurant community with her commitment to improving the lives of Georgians. She grew up in East Atlanta Village and Little 5 Points, attended the Atlanta Public Schools, and has remained a beloved fan of all things Atlanta. She currently resides near Decatur, and when she’s not out exploring some of Atlanta’s finest culinary hotspots and hidden dives, Naomi enjoys group running, spending time with her friends and family, and playing soccer regularly.
Whitney Wilson/ LEGOLAND Discovery Center
Marketing Manager
Enthusiastic and dedicated professional, with two years working for Merlin Entertainments, the second largest global entertainments company. With experience in all Operational and Marketing aspects of the business, I strive to achieve maximum guest satisfaction, optimization of all Marketing channels and the personal career development of the Marketing team. I enjoy working in a fast-paced and energetic environment. In my career at Merlin Entertainments have demonstrated excellent customer service and problem solving skills, and have developed a passion for the entertainments industry.
– Source, develop and execute promotional partnerships.
– Work with the Finance Department to develop annual visitor budget.
– Oversee Trade Sales activity, group bookings, hotel relationships, and 3rd party partnerships.
– Oversee social media activity and initiatives.
– Oversee the development and execution of all community events, both on site and off site.
– Develop and track ticket products to ensure daily, monthly and annual targets are achieved.
– Develop online digital marketing strategies and relationships.
– Actively manage and monitor online social review sites.
– Responsible for the creation and execution of the annual marketing plan.
Stacy Weenick/Taste of Atlanta
Event Manager
Taste of Atlanta packs the bold flavors, colorful personalities and vibrant energy of an entire city into 10 blocks in Midtown Atlanta. The three-day festival explores the city’s unique neighborhoods by sampling tastes from the chefs and bartenders that give each area its own creative energy. Since its inception in 2002, Taste of Atlanta has become an annual pilgrimage for thousands of food, wine, beer and cocktail lovers from across the country. Festival attendees bring their adventurous appetites and experience a full range of flavors, from time-honored Southern classics to innovative dishes that are destined to be the next culinary trend. Patrons also enjoy interactive cooking demonstrations on four main stages, live entertainment and family-friendly activities for food lovers of all ages. Taste of Atlanta supports several Atlanta non-profit groups, including Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters, Atlanta’s Table, Georgia Organics and Hospitality Education Foundation of Georgia and ProStart®. Indulge in the city’s flavors Friday through Sunday, October 24-26 in Midtown at Tech Square to truly savor what makes Atlanta the food capital of the South.
www.TasteofAtlanta.com LinkedIn Twitter Facebook
Terry Carver /Bricktop’s
General Manager
Kit Cummings/Power of Peace Productions, Inc.
Founder & President
Born and raised in Atlanta, Kit has been involved in the field of personal development and leadership for over two decades. Kit earned a BBA in Marketing from the Terry School of Business at the University of Georgia, and he also holds a Master of Theology. Kit founded Power of Peace Project, Inc. and Power of Peace Productions, Inc. and brings his experience working in some of the most dangerous areas in the world– to bring about organizational CHANGE in your community. Kit has inspired people to aim higher in places as far away as Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe, and recently completed speaking tours in South Africa, Mexico, Honduras and Ukraine. Kit has negotiated peace between rival gang leaders in dangerous prisons and recently spoke at the Gandhi Global Peace Summit in Durban, South Africa. Having taught in some of the toughest environments in the world, he now brings his dynamic message to schools, prisons, churches, corporate events and seminars. Kit has authored four books.
www.PowerofPeaceProject.com LinkedIn Twitter Facebook
Taste of Atlanta is back for its 12th year and is cooking up a bigger and tastier event than ever before! The legendary three-day food festival will return to Midtown at Tech Square Friday, October 25 through Sunday, October 27, 2013. Taste of Atlanta, the city’s premier food+wine+beer+cocktail event, attracts food lovers from Atlanta, the Southeast and beyond to showcase the area’s finest restaurants for a weekend of big fun and great fare. Guests of all ages will enjoy an extensive selection of culinary creations, engaging chef demos, specialty food and beverage tents and family-friendly activities. The event satisfies thousands of palates every year, highlighting Atlanta as the Food Capitol of the South.
Dale DeSena/Taste of Atlanta 
A seasoned foodie and festival expert with experience in marketing, advertising and production for some of the city’s most renowned events (think Music Midtown, the Dogwood Festival, the Atlanta Arts Festival, the Atlanta Opera and the Atlanta Jazz Festival), Dale DeSena wanted to create something Atlanta hadn’t seen – or tasted – before. For 12 years, Dale has been doing just that with Taste of Atlanta.
Patric Bell-Good/The Barrelhouse 
Chef Patric Bell-Good grew up cooking, winning accolades as early as age 12 in the form of a blue ribbon in the 4-H Bake-Off for a Banana Nut Bread so light and fluffy, the judges threatened to disqualify him because they thought he had cheated and used yeast.
Since then, he has worked all levels of foodservice, from fast food to delis to fine dining. He graduated with Highest Honors from The Art Institute Of Atlanta’s School Of Culinary Arts in 2002, and secured his first chef position five months later.
He has spent the last ten years building his reputation as one of the top chefs in Atlanta while contributing to the success of such restaurants as West Egg Café and Cruzado. In late 2012, he joined Magnum Bar & Restaurant Group to helm the kitchens at both The Barrelhouse in Midtown and Graveyard Tavern in East Atlanta.
When he’s not in the kitchen, he can be found watching “Star Trek” with his husband, Darin, and their two dogs.
Wendy Allen/The Cook’s Warehouse 
Wendy Allen is the Cooking School Director for The Cook’s Warehouse. Wendy brings to The Cook’s Warehouse a passion for food and entertaining. She discovered her love of cooking while still working for an engineering company as a business manager. She initially came to The Cook’s Warehouse as a volunteer assistant, where she soon realized her true desire was to pursue a career in the culinary world. She manages all aspects of the cooking school, including assistant recruiting and scheduling all cooking events. Wendy is a certified BBQ Judge with the Memphis Barbeque Network (MBN) and is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP).
Iain Bluett/Ticket Alternative 
As Ticket Alternative President and co-founder, Iain has been a leader in the ticketing space for more than 10 years. After moving to the U.S. from England, Iain found his way into venues and ticketing by promoting shows, playing in bands and artist management. An early adopter of the web and technology, Iain built websites for bands, promoted them online and created the Atlanta Music Guide in 2000. The high-traffic site would later serve as the perfect promotional platform to list gigs for Ticket Alternative’s own venue clients. At the helm, Iain oversees the company’s growth plan that includes a custom ticket printing division, and one of the largest Tyvek and plastic event wristband suppliers in the industry. Ticket Alternative has made the INC 5000 list of fastest growing private companies every year since 2009 (a fivetime honoree). Iain often speaks at conferences such as the Winter Music Conference, INTIX, SEVT, PACnet and SFEA on topics ranging from ticketing and mobile technology to social media and customer service.
