Chef Bio

ManeetChauhan is a James Beard award-winning chef,author, restaurateur andFood Network personality.As a leading American-Indian chef, Chauhan is the co-founder of Morph Hospitality Group in Nashville, TN, where she currently run two restaurants, Chauhan Ale & Masala House and The Mockingbird, in addition to eet by Maneet Chauhan in Disney Springs near Orlando, Florida.Chauhan’s two critically acclaimed cookbooks,Flavors of My WorldandChaat: The Best Recipes from the Kitchens, Markets, and Railways of India, are reflections of her upbringing surrounded by the local markets & street vendors of India and have been featured in publications likethe New York Times, Food & Wineand more. On television, in addition to her role as a judge on “Chopped,” Chauhan also competes at the highest level on shows like Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions, where she brought home the championship title in both 2021 and 2024 as the first-ever, two-time champion. When she’s not in the kitchen or traveling, chef Chauhan can be found at home in Franklin, Tennessee, with her husband, Vivek Deora, their daughter, Shagun, and their son, Karma.

 

 

Chef | Restaurateur

Bryan Voltaggio isn’t just a chef—he’s one of the defining culinary voices of his generation. Revered by peers and beloved by diners, Voltaggio has built a career that balances technical mastery with a deep respect for flavor, seasonality, and place.

His restaurant portfolio reflects that philosophy. From Voltaggio Brothers Steakhouse and Volt Burger to Vulcania (co-owned with his brother Michael), each concept brings a distinct perspective to modern American dining. His latest venture, Wye Oak Tavern in Frederick, Maryland—his hometown—has quickly become a local favorite, celebrated for its thoughtful approach to regional ingredients and Maryland’s evolving food culture.

Bryan first captured national attention as a finalist on Top Chef Season 6 and has remained a compelling presence in the culinary spotlight ever since. He has appeared on Top Chef Masters, Top Chef All-Stars, and continues to compete and mentor across the Food Network universe.

Most recently, Bryan and his brother Michael took home the title on Tournament of Champions: Holiday, and Bryan now returns to the arena solo, competing for the crown on Tournament of Champions Season 7. Beyond the kitchen, Bryan is also a bestselling cookbook author. His books HOME and VOLT Ink (cowritten with Michael) offer a glimpse into the creativity, discipline, and curiosity that drive his work. 2026 marks another pivotal chapter for Bryan. With Wye Oak Tavern thriving and several new projects quietly in development, he continues to expand his culinary footprint while staying rooted in the values that shaped his career. Despite the momentum, Bryan remains grounded in what matters most—his family. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their three children, Thatcher, Piper, and Ever Maeve.

When he’s not in the kitchen, Bryan can often be found in the cockpit. Having recently earned his pilot’s license, he’s discovered a new perspective on the world from 15,000 feet. Whether on screen, in the kitchen, or charting a new course above the clouds, Bryan Voltaggio continues to push forward—driven by curiosity, craft, and an unwavering passion for the culinary arts.

Chef Glenn Thompson, Executive Chef of The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, brings more than 25 years of global culinary leadership to the resort. His career spans Forbes Five-Star hotels and acclaimed dining destinations across Australia, Canada, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia, where he has earned a reputation for both excellence and innovation.

Throughout his distinguished tenure, Thompson has held senior culinary roles with internationally renowned luxury brands including The Ritz-Carlton, Fairmont, Park Hyatt, Hotel Nikko, and The Regent Hotel. Before joining The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, he served as Executive Chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty, overseeing a team of 60 chefs and playing a key role in the successful opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Baku.

Thompson previously led the culinary program at Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver and helmed several award-winning restaurants in Australia, including the celebrated Zest Restaurant in Nelson Bay.

Known for his refined, ingredient-driven approach, Thompson draws inspiration from French, Italian, Asian, and Modern Australian cuisines. His culinary philosophy centers on sustainability, local sourcing, and reducing food waste—principles that align closely with The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua’s commitment to environmental stewardship. A passionate mentor, he is dedicated to cultivating the next generation of culinary talent.

Chef Allan Alquisalas Jr.
Chef de Cuisine, Ka‘ana Kitchen
Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort

Chef Allan Alquisalas Jr. serves as Chef de Cuisine at Ka‘ana Kitchen, the signature restaurant of Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort, where he brings a thoughtful, locally rooted approach to modern Hawaiian cuisine.
A native of Kaua‘i, Chef Allan offers over 14 years of culinary experience shaped by Hawai‘i’s diverse food culture and a deep respect for island ingredients. Prior to joining Andaz Maui, he most recently served as Banquet Chef at Hyatt Regency Waikīkī and previously held leadership roles at Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i and Kōloa Landing Resort, where he was part of the resort’s opening culinary team.

Chef Allan’s career highlights include participating in a limited-time culinary collaboration in Fukuoka, Japan as part of a partnership with Hawaiian Airlines, as well as competing in Hyatt’s Good Taste Series in 2024 — a global cooking competition that showcases the creativity and technical skill of emerging Hyatt chefs worldwide.

Guided early in his career by local chefs and culinary instructors from his home island, Chef Allan has developed a cooking philosophy centered on creating dishes that bring comfort to the soul. His culinary style draws inspiration from Hawaiian staple recipes and locally sourced ingredients, which he reimagines with refined techniques and inventive flair.

At Ka‘ana Kitchen, Chef Allan is focused on crafting menus that reflect both his personal heritage and the rich agricultural landscape of Maui, delivering dining experiences that feel authentic, approachable, and deeply connected to place.

Frank started his career with the Sansei Kapalua team in 2005. He worked his way up from a dishwasher position to a sushi prep cook / expeditor after 6 months. Under the tutelage of Sansei’s corporate sushi chef Masa Hattori, Frank developed his sushi making skills and knowledge through years of hard work and dedication to his craft. His ability to work well with his fellow teammates, along with his innovative sushi creations prompt him to take a management position as Sansei sushi sous chef in 2017. And, by 2019, he accepted the position as Head Sushi Chef at Sansei Kapalua.

Raised in Upcountry Maui and attended King Kekaulike high school, Frank found his inspiration in cooking through both his grandmothers’ love for cooking. A Mexican and Portuguese ancestry, a father of two sons, Frank enjoys coaching his son’s little league baseball team, going fishing, playing golf and cooking family meals at gatherings.

Executive Chef Jared Krausen

Chef Bio

After 25 years of living on Maui, Chef Jared Krausen has become a master of Island-Cuisine.

Born and raised in Southern California, Krausen quickly made the hop over from the mainland to Maui in 1997 right after graduating from the University of Santa Cruz. He began his culinary career with the established T S Restaurant Group, working his way up from entry-level kitchen positions at Maui hot spots such as Kimo’s and Leilani’s.

In 2002, Chef Jared was hired as a Lead Chef at the Ritz Carlton-Kapalua where he helped oversee all of the resort’s food outlets and took on a leadership role in the resort’s Banquet Kitchen executing high volume events. After 8 years at The Ritz, Chef Jared was appointed Sous Chef at Umalu Restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Maui. He led all aspects of the all-day dining locations, serving over 1,000 covers daily including in-room dining and poolside service.

In 2015, Krausen became Senior Executive Sous Chef at the famous Royal Lahaina Resort in Maui. He oversaw the Royal Ocean Terrae Restaurant and additionally executed over 300 weddings, 100 banquets and 20+ off-site events annually. During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Chef Jared assisted in reopening the resort’s culinary department and navigated challenges such as product shortages and lack of staff.

Chef Jared was named Executive Chef of Kapalua’s renowned Plantation House Restaurant in February 2021. He currently oversees for all heart-of-house operations, including but not limited to creating seasonal menus, sourcing fresh local product and executing for weddings, corporate gatherings and golf events with on-site partner Troon Golf.

There is no denying Chef Jared’s passion for being in the kitchen. He thrives on presenting the highest quality product, whether it be for an intimate date night for 2 or a 300 Guest wedding. In addition to sourcing the freshest ingredients for his dishes, Chef’s favorite aspect of being in the kitchen is being able to mentor his Heart-of-House Team. “I believe the only way to grow as a chef is to make a lot of mistakes and learn from them,” Krausen says. “Being in the kitchen is all about being thrown curveballs, you have to be ready for anything and use every experience as a way to improve your skills.”

 

 

 

 

Zach Laidlaw, an internationally accomplished culinary mavin, was raised in the small town of Burlington, Illinois. He started in the industry as a dishwasher at the young age of 13. At age 16 he started cooking and quickly soon realized his passion and creativity would be endless in this profession. With a degree in both Culinary Arts & Hospitality Restaurant Management, Zach quickly stood out with his culinary talent taking him all around the world cooking and managing. From Chicago to South Beach Miami, followed by the British Virgin Islands, onto Australia and then here in Maui. Maui is where he landed the Chef de Cuisine position at Fleetwood’s on Front St. for two years. In 2017 he helped start up Hua Momona Farms, in Kapalua from scratch with 2 other partners. January 2019, Zach took a step out of the busy kitchen life and to focus all his attention on the Farm. He wanted to further educate himself with local agriculture, understanding the why’s and how’s of growing and maintaining self-sustainability. Zach supports our local farmers, Fisherman, Ranchers and is helping Maui become more self-sustainable one step at a time. Currently, Chef Zach is Hua Momona Farms & Foundations Co-Founder, Executive Chef, Lead Farmer & Vice President of Experiences. He curates exquisite multi-course farm to table experiences ranging anywhere from 6-12 course tasting menus. Both a Chef & Farmer, what a force to be reckoned with. Catch Chef Zach on “Next Level Chef” Season 3 with Gordon Ramsay on HULU, and “Chopped” Season 63 Episode 3 “Superhero’s” on Food Network.

Chef Craig Omori Program Coordinator & Chef Instructor University of Hawaiʻi Maui College (UHMC) Chef Craig Omori is the Program Coordinator and a Chef Instructor for the Culinary Arts Program at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College (UHMC), where he leverages over 20 years of industry experience across hotels, restaurants, and country clubs to mentor the next generation of local talent. A dedicated educator, he developed the “Employification” system to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry expectations, ultimately leading his program to an “Exemplary” accreditation status from the American Culinary Federation. Beyond his administrative and teaching roles, Chef Omori is deeply committed to the Maui community, coordinating the Salvation Army’s Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon at the UHMC campus and managing the “Launchpad” scholarship to provide critical financial support for aspiring chefs.

For Executive Chef Cesar Perez, the kitchen is a bridge between two worlds. With 15 years of experience—all rooted in the grit and grind of the line—Cesar has worked his way up to become the culinary visionary of Star Noodle. His signature style is Asian and Local fusion, resulting in stylized plates that are as visually stunning as they are packed with flavor. Cesar’s leadership is defined by a rare combination of humility and consistency, creating a kitchen culture that is as fun as it is disciplined. To Cesar, food isn’t just about the recipe; it’s about the atmosphere, the people, and the 15-year journey that brought him to the present.