Lisa Cherkasky, Food Stylist 

Lisa shares, "I have always been a cook.  From the time my mother felt I was old enough to make family dinner - age six- I've been an enthusiastic cook and baker."  Trained at the Culinary Institute of America, Lisa is the proud author of two books and has moved skillfully between the editorial and corporate worlds as a food stylist, working with The Washington Post, The Washingtonian, The Smithsonian, Vegetarian Times, Eating Well, National Geographic, Mt Vernon and Monticello and a long list of large companies, including the Marriott Corporation, McCormick Spice and many others.  She was even the food hat milliner to Rose O'Donnell!  Ask her about THAT experience at the gala!

Chef Kaimana Chee

Kaimana Chee was born and raised in the small towns of Hau’ula and La’ie, HI, on the north shore of O’ahu.  Growing up in the “catering business,” Kaimana learned his craft from his parents, grandparents, and other relatives who specialized in traditional Polynesian, Hawaiian and Asian cooking techniques. While he never attended formal culinary school, Kaimana honed in on those techniques through his travel across the continental U.S. and Japan. In 2007, Kaimana opened Sava’s Lunchwagon, a food truck that served the north shore and windward O’ahu.  Shortly after, Kaimana moved to the east coast to develop and expand on his culinary skills.

The winner of several television contests since 2012, most recently in January 2016, Kaimana appeared on Alton Brown’s Cutthroat Kitchen and became the first chef in show’s history to win the competition without receiving a single sabotage from his chef opponents.  Aside from teaching at CulinAerie, Kaimana owns a small catering company, Kaimana’s Katering, where he specializes in Hawaiian Lu’au, Sushi Making, and Asian Fusion cuisine.  At the start of 2016, he took on the role of Chef/Culinary Concierge for Hampton Creek.  Now, Chef Kaimana is opening his first full service restaurant and bar called Uncle’s Hawaiian Grindz, located in Fallston, Maryland.

Chef Tobias Dorzon

Chef Tobias Dorzon, 34, is an executive private chef, and founder of Victory Chefs Catering and The Victory Truck. As a first-generation American born and raised in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Chef Tobias grew up watching his Liberian father and chef in the kitchen, but opted to pursue football and attended Jackson State University on a full athletic scholarship.

After 3 years in the NFL and CFL, and studying at the Art Institute of Washington and abroad in Brazil, Chef Tobias began apprenticing at local restaurants. His career trajectory shifted, however, when retired Pro Bowler and Washington Redskin Santana Moss saw his Instagram photos and invited him to feed his family. Chef Tobias is unofficially THE chef of the DMV and, with 60K+Instagram followers (which include Hollywood elite, pro athletes, etc.), is quickly becoming a celebrity in his own right.

Executive Pastry Chef Nicholas Pine

In April 2018 Nicholas Pine was named Executive Pastry Chef at the celebrated 2941 Restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia.  2941 is a destination for personal and corporate celebrations! 

A native of Rockville, as a young child, Nicholas recalls memories of baking with his mother!  Nicholas attended L’Academie de Cuisine for Pastry and has almost a decade of experience having worked for Co Co Sala in the District, as Assistant Pastry Chef, and Pastry Sous Chef at both Joel Robuchon and L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon under Salvatore Martone in Las Vegas.  Robuchon was named "Chef of the Century" by the guide Gault Millau 1989, and held the highest record of a total of 32 Michelin Guide among his many restaurants (31 at the time of his death), the most of any chef in the world!  Nicholas discovered a whole new mindset towards the range and possibilities of pastry making during his years in Las Vegas.

Nicholas describes his style as simple and clean with a sense of nostalgia. He prefers seasonal ingredients and highlights them with complementary flavors.  Regional food critics have described his confections as “pure drama” and “playful.”  A fan of chocolate, Pine created the Mocha Noisette with mocha ice cream, cocoa sable, azelia mousse, white coffee Chantilly and hazelnut sponge, presented in a glass to look like a terrarium. He is noted for his extraordinary wedding cakes and over-the-top chocolate and sugar sculptures and large-scale displays for the holidays.