Chef Tony Baker
Executive Chef Montrio Bistro Tony Baker began his career in England. Following his graduation from culinary school in Bristol in1989, Tony worked in several highly acclaimed restaurants around the country including Hintlesham Hall and Lucknam Park Hotel. In 1994, Chef Tony made the jump to the states.
Unable to find bacon that met his high standards for freshness and ingredients, Chef Tony founded his own brand in 2011, aptly named Baker’s Bacon.
Chef Tony’s commitment to sustainable ingredients and local growers has earned him praise and acclaim on a national level. Tony’s awards and accolades are extensive, from the United Fresh Produce Excellence award to the American Culinary Federation’s 2018 Chapter Chef of the Year award to Edible Magazine’s Chef of the Year – Monterey and Chef Tony Baker continues to capture the attention of discriminating palettes across the globe.
Pat Hopper
Pat, Manager of the Artichoke Advisory Board, knows Artichokes like no other. Hailing from the anthracite coal mines of Pennsylvania, Pat found her way to the artichoke fields of Castroville as a military spouse. Today, her annual ABC’s of Artichokes presentation at The Festival unveils the mystery and flavor of California’s official state vegetable!
Chef Chris Vacca
The Hyatt Carmel Highlands, which overlooks the Big Sur Coast features its Executive Chef Christopher Vacca. Chef Christopher has extensive experience in the restaurant industry, as culinary consultant, in menu development, owner and executive chef, in a variety of settings, from fine dining and fast-casual to catering and food trucks.
He is an alumni of The Culinary Institute of America, recently served as the executive chef at award-winning Cantinetta Luca in Carmel and executive chef at Big Sur Bakery in Big Sur, part of a diverse 20-year career in food and wine.
Luz Cedillo “Cake Lady”
Her career began early on growing up in a bakery, inspired by her Latin heritage and the love and respect for quality and tradition. Savory and sweet is her style. Her skills as baker are well known around our Monterey County with a great following on social media and the success of her business is always “Balance” as Catering has become her passion. Growing up without limits on food, and always as the chubby child she now focuses on sensible eating that nourishes the body and the mind.
Chef Daniel Elinan
Daniel Elinan is the new Executive Chef at The Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa, joining the hotel in November 2018. Elinan has extensive experience in hotel restaurants. As Executive Chef, Elinan successfully opened The Cavalier Hotel, a luxury Autograph by Marriott property with three outlets — Becca, Hunt Room, and The Raleigh Room — in early 2018. Shortly after opening, Elinan and his team earned an immediate 4-diamond rating for the hotel’s prized dining venue Becca.
Prior stints include executive chef positions at the Hilton Virginia Beach, Omni Shoreham Hotel Washington D.C., Hyatt Key West Resort and Spa and Grand Hyatt San Francisco. He was also Executive Chef at Primetime Restaurants in Budapest, Hungary, Executive Chef at Carlo IV & New York Palace, Boscolo Hotels in Prague and Budapest, as well as Chef de Cuisine for Shangri-La Hotels in Hong Kong and Shanghai. He attended the Culinary Institute of American in Hyde Park, New York. His first job after graduating CIA was as Garde Manger line cook at acclaimed chef Eric Ripert’s Michelin three-star Le Bernardin in New York City.
Throughout his career Chef Elinan has worked under three Michelin Star-rated chefs and has been a guest chef at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City. Instead of a signature dish, he says he has “signature sauces, spice blends, powders and techniques that can be used in the creation of a variety of entrees and accompaniments.”
Giuseppe Panzuto
Giuseppe Panzuto is the chef/proprietor of Il Tegamino in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Before opening Il Tegamino with his wife Colleen in 2015, Giuseppe spent nearly 10 years as the General Manager and Director of Food & Beverage of several restaurants in Carmel and the Monterey Peninsula.
Well known for his enthusiasm and passion for the restaurant business, Giuseppe graduated in 1996 from the Hotel and Restaurant Management Institute (Insituto Professional Alberghiero di State) in his hometown of Napoli, Italy. He worked in several upscale hotels on the Island of Capri before opening his own Il Cenito wine bar in Naples. He then moved to New York City where he worked at Il Mulino and Il Gattopardo. After NYC, he moved to California for opportunities with the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel.
During his time at the Ritz-Carlton, Giuseppe received his Sommelier degree from the Associazione Italiana Sommeliers. Giuseppe is now living his dream of sharing the recipes of Napoli and his love of wine with locals and tourists in Carmel-by-the-Sea.