@posanarestaurant

Chef Ben (he/him) has been a culinary professional for 11 years. A biology major with a minor in chemistry, Ben blends his knowledge of science and his artistic style in the kitchen. Growing up in Enterprise, AL, Ben’s family spent their summer vacations in Boone and Asheville, and has a fondness for the Blue Ridge Mountains. Ben enjoys working collaboratively with his Posana crew and is a respected leader among his team. He is constantly drawing inspiration from family, friends and staff.

@theodditorium

See Chef Ben.  Chef Ben likes to cook food.  Cook Ben, Cook! Ben likes to feed people. People like to eat Ben’s food. Eat People, Eat.

@Salsasnc @modestotrattoria_avl @bombaavl

Since the early 1990s Diaz has been an influence and investor in Asheville’s thriving culinary scene. His restaurants showcase a multicultural influence, combining ingredients from local farmers and purveyors with recipes from family and travels. Whether you’re a visitor or an Asheville local, if you love this town’s food scene, you owe a nod and wink to Hector. So many restaurants and avenues lead back to him, and the rims of many of your favorite dishes hold his thumbprints.

@creamworkshendersonville

Nakisha Marvels, she/her. I’m a simple, uncomplicated, and unpretentious person which also describes how I cook. Simple ingredients, uncomplicated recipes, with an unpretentious presentation. My husband and I are the owners of Cream Works which is a mobile ice cream parlor specializing in hand-scooped treats, and our signature lemonades. Launched during the pandemic when everyone was in need of a bit of positivity, it is our small gift of sunshine to the world and I hope my dishes might bring a moment of happiness and joy to all who partake. 

@fetaflav_foodtruck

Ashleigh (she/her) grew up in Charleston, SC and attended AB Tech for Baking and Pastry Arts. She has varied her experience from local shops and restaurants to big names like Sierra Nevada. She taught students with special needs and came back into the food scene with her husband, opening a food truck, Feta Flav. After a very successful year, they are working on their second and third truck. She will be premiering Glykalogy: A Study of Sweets close to the end of April. 

@fetaflav_foodtruck

Alex (he/him) grew up in the restaurant business. His parents started a chain of seafood restaurants in 1979. After helping in multiple locations and positions, he decided he wanted to stay in the foodservice business. He graduated from Johnson and Wales for Culinary Arts. During the COVID shutdown, he decided to take his love of Greek food and put it to use in his food truck, Feta Flav. Now after a successful year, he is launching two more trucks this year. 

@bearsasheville

Collyn (he/him) was born in Hartford, CT and from an early age showed a natural talent with cooking. In 2013 his parents Cheryl Antoncic and Jamie 'The Bear' McDonald opened their first Bear's Smokehouse in Windsor, CT at a small local lunch counter. As Bear's grew, so did Collyn into his current position of Pit Master at the Asheville, NC location. He has a passion for all aspects of the culinary world, creating innovative specialty menus that are often a fusion of barbecue and international cuisines.

@redfiddlevittles

Red Fiddle Vittles creates fine food inspired by Appalachian ingredients, farms, and traditions. Created in 2018 as a catering and private chef company, Red Fiddle Vittles recently expanded to include a South Asheville retail storefront featuring house-made provisions, heat-and-eat weekly dinners, and specialty groceries from local producers. Combining more than 30 years of event and kitchen experience, Erica Beneke (she/her) and Matt Farr (he/him) are the mom-and-pop chefs and owners of Red Fiddle Vittles.

@thelobstertrap

For over 15 years Chef McCarty (he/him) has masterfully captained The Lobster Trap. From the start, Chef McCarty, along with founding owner Amy Beard, had a clear vision of what The Lobster Trap should be: a meeting place for the flavors of Maine, combined with Appalachia's abundance of fresh ingredients. Mike has made sustainability the focus of every dish on his menu. In recent years, The Lobster Trap has been named a Leader in sustainability by the James Beard Foundation's Smart Catch program.

@chefmattriversnc

Matt Rivers’ (he/him) mom loved to cook, and she taught Matt, too. A working woman, she charged Matt and his teen brother with cooking weekly on “fend for yourself night.” He won the People’s Choice Award at the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association Chef Showdown and has been featured by Our State and Feast & Field.

@chestnutasheville @cornerkitchenavl

Over four years at Corner Kitchen & Chestnut, Buchanan (he/him) has moved from making salads to leading other Chefs. He graduated from Culinary School at AB Tech in Asheville, one of the top culinary schools in the country. He never forgets his roots and tries to be true to what his grandmother taught him: Make one thing delicious, then you can build from there. He wants to lead and teach others, and to learn from the people he leads. In this community, you will never learn everything; but he will be the one trying.

@stormrhumbar @stayglazeddonuts @gigisunderground

Chef Jay was born and raised in Asheville NC, but started his career in NYC when he decided to enroll in the Culinary Arts Program at The French Culinary Institute, where he graduated at the top of his class. Jay’s goal is to have fun with food and spread his passion to his crew and the new industry people coming up. 

@GFIfoods @chefkentgraham

Deeply rooted in Southern tradition with a contemporary approach to locally sourced ingredients,  Chef Kent Graham (he/him) brings an honest approach to food that is otherwise lost in technique. A Chef, a farmer, a huntsman; Kent introduces diversity to classic southern offerings. With a heavy  concentration on locally sourced and crafted foods, he uses naturally raised or grown ingredients to  highlight the cornerstone of his culinary philosophy - “Keep it local; Keep it fresh; Keep it simple.”

@gourmetdash

Christy (she/her)  began her cheese obsession at the tender age of 16 when she discovered a poster called “Cheeses of the World”. She’s worked at cheese counters in the U.S. and abroad, made cheese on a tiny island off the coast of Ireland, carried wheels of cheese through French Quarter alleys to reach New Orleans chefs, competed in the Cheesemonger Invitational, and became one of only 47 people to hold the American Cheese Society’s most advanced cheese certification.

@wickedweedbrewing

With four locations in Asheville including three taprooms and a fine dining restaurant, Wicked Weed shows no signs of slowing down. They continue to grow while focusing on innovation, quality, and strong roots in their community of Asheville, North Carolina.

@vidlcellars

Through many different treatments, vessels, and fermentations, we’ve created a diverse portfolio of wines that reflect our passion as both drinkers and makers. These truths we hold self-evident: fruit is life, fermentation is alchemy, and wine is vīdl.

@chemistspirits

Founded by Debbie Word, Chemist Gin was born from a small family still and many hours of moonshining. Their unique appreciation for classic distilling and modern science led to the creation of their first spirit - a beautiful gin made with American botanicals and distilled wheat spirit.

@counterculturecoffee

We have been continuously innovating in the coffee industry for more than two decades—setting the standard for quality and sustainability. We don't just find good coffee, we put in the work and commitment it takes to develop great coffees.

@mountainvalleywater

@devilsfootbrew

Farm-To-Can Craft Soda. We pride ourselves on working with Organic Roots & Fruits to create a healthier, more flavorful non-alcoholic experience for everyone in our communities.

@markedtreevineyard

Marked Tree Vineyard is located on the Eastern Continental Divide between Mt. Pisgah and Tryon Peak in Flat Rock, North Carolina, in the AVA Crest of the Blue Ridge, Henderson County. Whether you are sipping wine on the Continental Divide or tasting wines by the ghost house, a marked tree is about finding your path. Marked Tree is a point along the road, a moment to reflect, a marker in life.