DeVonn Francis is the chef and founding director of Yardy World, a culinary studio that specializes in creating immersive food experiences and reimagining Caribbean cuisine. Francis has created chic, sensual meals in partnership with brands such as Gucci, Converse, and Burberry and has been featured in publications including The New Yorker, The New York Times, Bon Appetit, and Interview magazine.

Jon Kung is a self-taught cook who was known for his popups and intricate multi-course dinners served out of his secret studio in Detroit. He describes his cooking style as third-culture Chinese,taking inspiration from the diversity and multiculturalism that became available to the Chinese Diaspora and applying them to regional Chinese cooking methods — fusion cuisine from the perspective of the person who's lived the same life.