To Dine For

Howard Schultz – Founder of Starbucks   Location: Mamnoon  in Seattle, WA   There is no more iconic CEO in this country than the man who built the Starbucks brand: Howard Schultz.  The green and white logo is in 75 countries and in 28-thousand stores around the world, but it is the story of how it all started and the lessons learned along the way that is so remarkable.  Howard takes us to his favo...

Melissa Ben-Ishay – Founder of Baked by Melissa   The day Melissa decided to do what she loves, everything changed. Now her New York City-based brand, Baked by Melissa, is famous for its bite-size cupcakes and other delectable desserts. She found success by taking a chance and following her delicious dream. Melissa is the CEO and Chief Product Officer of her multimillion-dollar cupcake empire, but...

Jake Wood – Founder of Team Rubicon   Location: Wando's in Madison, WI   Jake Wood is a former Marine who used his military training to create and lead a non-profit called Team Rubicon. He won the 2018 Pat Tillman award for service at the ESPY awards and has written a book Take Command: Lessons in Leadership: How to be a First Responder in Business . At his absolute favorite spot for burgers and b...

Cardinal Blase Cupich – Archbishop of Chicago  Location: Tavern on Rush in Chicago, IL   Cardinal Blase Cupich is originally from Nebraska, one of nine kids in a Croatian family. His story of becoming a priest and dedicating his life to service is a fascinating one. He was chosen by Pope Francis to lead the Archdiocese of Chicago in 2014, and has served in that role since then. In the past year he...

Norman Lear – Television Producer and Icon   Location: Crossroads in West Hollywood, CA   Norman Lear is a World War II veteran as well as a television producing icon. He is the creator of such legendary sitcoms as All in the Family , Good Times , Sanford and Son , The Jeffersons and many, many more. Norman has been instrumental in the creating and the success of so many Hollywood professionals, y...

Tom Hayes – CEO of Ocean Spray  Location: Cotton in Manchester, New Hampshire   Tom Hayes is the CEO of the iconic American brand Ocean Spray Cranberries. The farmer-owned Cooperative has been around for 90 years. It is most famous for its cranberries and cranberry sauce, however this year the brand has been striking out in many innovative directions, including capturing people's hearts with a now...

Judy Smith – President and CEO – Smith & Company   Judy Smith is one of a kind. She's so good at her job her story inspired one of the most successful TV shows of all time. That's right, she is the real-life Olivia Pope, made famous by actress Kerry Washington on the ABC show Scandal. The fixer who handles hard situations and always figures a way forward. While the show no longer exists, Judy’s wo...

Victoria James – Author and Beverage Director of COTE   Victoria has worked in restaurants since she was a kid, and fell in love with the hospitality industry along the way. At 21 she became the country's youngest certified sommelier and today she's the beverage director at Michelin-starred COTE in New York City. But there’s more to Victoria than her accomplishments as a top tastemaker. Her best-s...

John R. Tyson – Chief Sustainability Officer of Tyson Foods  Location: Herman's Ribhouse in Fayetteville, Arkansas   John R. Tyson, the great-grandson of the founder of Tyson Foods, is currently Tyson's Chief Sustainability Officer. After graduating from Harvard and getting a business degree from Stanford, John is now in a position that allows him to shape social responsibility for a new generatio...

Jessica Alba – Actress & Founder of The Honest Company   Location: Night + Market in West Hollywood, CA   Jessica Alba had already become a successful Hollywood actress when she got the idea to start her own business. She never dreamed it would be so tough to begin. Even though she received many rejections and faced much disbelief in her ability, she persevered. Her eco-conscious personal care and...

Dave Gilboa – Co-Founder & Co-CEO – Warby Parker   When he was a student at Wharton Business School, Dave Gilboa and his friends commiserated over the steep price of eyeglasses. This trivial conversation sparked a revolutionary idea. In 2010 they launched one of the most sought-after brands in retail: Warby Parker. Today Dave is Co-CEO of Warby Parker. Warby Parker offers affordable glasses as wel...

Franklin Leonard – Founder – The Black List   Franklin is the reason that many of your favorite movies were made. He's the founder and CEO of The Black List, the saving grace for countless writers in Hollywood. Even if you aren't familiar with Franklin or his company, you have definitely seen the fruits of his labor. The Black List is a survey of the most liked but unproduced screenplays each year...

Jeni Britton Bauer – Founder – Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams   Jeni is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of the famous dessert company that kicked off the artisanal ice cream movement. Jeni's ice cream is adored for its ingredient-driven flavorful ice cream with recipes crafted and tweaked to perfection. It’s something that Jeni's been working on for decades, even before she founded Jeni's in 20...

Kevin Kwan – Author   Location: Crustacean in Beverly Hills, CA Born into an incredibly wealthy Singaporean family, Kevin Kwan came to the United States to attend college in Houston. His life took many different creative roads before he was inspired to pen the book "Crazy Rich Asians", based on his family’s life back in Singapore. The New York Times best-selling novel became a cultural phenomenon...

Nate Mook – CEO of World Central Kitchen   A true renaissance man, Nate Mook began his career in the worlds of tech and filmmaking with prestigious NGOs and startups as clients. He has worked with the TED organization, dedicated to giving a voice to underserved communities. Now he continues his charitable efforts as CEO of World Central Kitchen. Founded by chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen i...

José Andrés – Chef and Philanthropist   Location: Bodega 1900 in Barcelona, Spain   Spanish born chef José Andrés achieved the American dream by creating a restaurant empire that stretches across the country and the globe. Recently, José’s efforts have been focused on philanthropy and outreach. When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, José and his team landed and immediately started cooking. In a sho...

Deepak Chopra – Author and Spiritual Teacher   Location: ABC Kitchen in New York City   New York Times best-selling author Deepak Chopra is a medical doctor by trade but he is best known for his work to get people to live a life of greater consciousness. His devotion to mental wellness and well-being is at the center of his work, his teachings and his speaking engagements. Over sustainable, organi...

Michelle and Hunter Norwood – Founders – A Little Something Extra Ice Cream   Michelle and Hunter Norwood created a business with a vision beyond themselves, and it centers around ice cream. When you see their whimsical ice cream truck coming around the corner, you're in for something more than just a cone with sprinkles. The name of the business says it all. It's called A Little Something Extra....

Blake Mycoskie – Founder of TOMS   Location: Snake River Grill in Jackson, Wyoming   From the majestic Teton Mountains, we hear the story of the man who defined what it means to be a “social entrepreneur”. Blake Mycoskie founded TOMS Shoes because of a need he saw in impoverished neighborhoods around the world: shoes. His “one for one” business model of donating a pair of shoes for every pair sold...

Natalie Guo – Founder – Off Their Plate   Natalie Guo was born in China, raised in Sweden and now calls Boston home. She is currently a medical student at Harvard Medical School, and at the beginning of the pandemic saw firsthand how devastating the toll on first line medical workers really was. So she had an idea: with so many workers out of work and so many healthcare workers needing warm meals,...

Dan Harris – Journalist and Author of 10% Happier   Dan Harris is a veteran news reporter for ABC News. He's covered every imaginable story including multiple war zones, mass shootings and natural disasters. The intense and brutal pace of the news cycle caught up to him when he suffered a panic attack on air in 2004. It was that moment that changed his life forever and led him on a path that even...

Ibram X. Kendi – Author of Four Hundred Souls and How To Be An Antiracist   Dr. Ibram X. Kendi is a leading advocate for antiracism in America. His book How To Be An Antiracist flew off the shelves as the Black Lives Matter movement had an impassioned resurgence in 2020. He is using his voice to put an end to racial injustice, and people are listening. Dr. Kendi has a National Book Award, and thre...

Scott Goldshine – Zabar's   Location: Katz's Delicatessen in New York City   Scott Goldshine has been working the cash register at Zabar's for nearly 40 years. Mind you - his title and job description has changed many times over and he now runs the store, but one thing he's learned is that he's always expected at the register if someone is waiting. For those of you who aren't familiar, Zabar's is...

Danny Meyer – Restaurateur   Location: Union Square Cafe in New York City   Danny Meyer has owned and operated restaurants in New York City for more than 3 and a half decades. He opened his favorite restaurant, the Union Square Cafe, in 1985. Since then he has opened the famed Gramercy Tavern, Tabla, Blue Smoke and so many others. His latest venture Shake Shack - a modern twist on a simple burger...

Anne Devereux-Mills – Founder & Chief Instigator - Parlay House   Anne Devereux-Mills is not a fan of small talk. She founded the Parlay House, that allows women from all over the world to engage in meaningful conversation and form lasting relationships. This desire for innovation and positive change has spanned her whole career, from working her way to the top as the CEO of multiple companies to...